10 November 2023
From the Executive Principal

What an amazing time to be part of our wonderful school. We have had a great start to term 4 with lots of celebrating the outstanding accomplishments of our students and staff. On Friday, 27 October we celebrated Staff Appreciation Day in conjunction with World Teachers’ Day. Staff Appreciation Day at BPSSC is a day that we formally acknowledge the professionalism, dedication and expertise of those responsible for educating and supporting our BPSSC students. The hard work and commitment by our staff are the driving forces behind our success at BPSSC. It is through their daily contributions, big and small, that we continue to thrive and grow. The resilience, adaptability, and unwavering support our staff give to our community is truly remarkable.


Our Year 12 students are coming to the conclusion of their external exams. I want to commend our senior students for their remarkable resilience and adaptability as they have navigated through their schooling to reach this point. Our seniors have diligently acquired the knowledge, refined the skills, and developed the confidence not only to face the challenges in their final years of schooling, but also to prepare themselves for a prosperous future. We look forward to celebrating the year 12 final assembly, formal, mystery bus tour and graduation ceremony, as they conclude their time at BPSSC in style.
STUDENT LEADERSHIP INDUCTION CEREMONY
Earlier this term we had the great pleasure of celebrating and inducting our student leadership team for 2023/2024. It was wonderful to share this ceremony with our year 8 and year 11 cohorts, along with parents and special guests – Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding and Paul Tully (Division 2 Councillor). Congratulations to our new college captains Jordis and Jet who will be supported by an outstanding group of prefects and junior secondary leaders. We pay respect to our outgoing team who were superbly led by Khushi and Harry.












Away for the Day - 2024
On 6 July 2023, the Minister for Education announced the introduction of a state-wide decision that personal technology devices in Queensland schools from 2024 will be “Away for the Day” and have released a policy with the same name. For the purpose of this policy, ‘mobile devices’ include mobile phones, air pods, headphones, smartwatches and other electronic devices which have the ability to connect to telecommunication networks or the internet.
Last Tuesday, Mr West and Mrs Pantano met with the 2024 Student Leadership Cabinet and conducted a student voice forum. Students were able to hold robust discussions and provide feedback about the policy and participate in decision making for BPSSC’s Away for the Day Policy for 2024. Students spoke confidently about their decisions and passionately about the best way forward for BPSSC.







Our school opinion survey
The survey returned another year of positives from parents, staff and students with some significant gains in areas we have worked on since last year to meet. Some positives to share: rules, expectations, and student behaviour continues to improve; we expect our students to do their best and we celebrate the achievements of our students; we have an inclusive school culture and value diversity; our teachers modify their teaching practice after assessment to accommodate our learners; parents value the partnerships we have created between home and the school.
Students are telling us that: they would like more of a voice in school decision making; they would like to be able to share their concerns with staff; and they want more feedback from teachers, a better understanding of how they will be assessed, and more challenge. This is a great problem to have where students want to learn and want to be further challenged. I thank all those who took a piece of their time to reflect and contribute; parents, staff and students into these two valuable sources that guide future direction of our school.
Thank you all for your support of our students and school community as we pass the halfway stage of Term 4 and close out what has been an exceptional year of success at BPSSC, both within the classroom and outside the school gates. Term 4 is about closing strong and this occurs through every day persistence in practices that build to culminate in larger successes. Every day active learning, respect and responsibility underpin this and I thank you all for your support in this.
This term the staff will continue to reflect, review and reset our strategic direction for 2024. Term 4 is also about transitions, and we look forward to supporting all students in this – including our future students who will begin their exciting journey as BPSSC students.
Once again, we look forward to a wonderful term for our school as we continue to reach exceptional heights as a school community. Thank you for your ongoing support as we work together to continue to empower our students to thrive towards success in what has already been a wonderful start.
Mr Michael West
Executive Principal
Deputies Corner

On Friday 3 November, we held the first Year 7 Picnic on the Green. It was a great opportunity for all students as well as the team in the Culture Hub, Year 7 core teachers and student leaders to come together and engage in enjoyable lunch-time activities. Whilst there was a lot of fun to be had with dance battles, crafting and karaoke, a key focus for the event was ‘mindfulness’. During the event, students could engage in discussions and select a mindfulness strategy they could use later. You may have noticed your child coming home with a laminated card that they have chosen as a good strategy for them!

For Year 7s, there is only a few short weeks left before they will have completed their first year of high school! The time has passed so quickly and yet, we have managed to pack it full of learning experiences. Now is the time for students to show all they have learned as they enter the final assessment phase. You would have received the assessment planner which details all tasks. You can help your child by planning out due dates and working to ensure all drafts are submitted so they can receive feedback on their work. We have homework club available after school as well as tutoring sessions. At Bellbird Park, we encourage students to work hard across the whole year and to ‘finishing strong’. We look forward to seeing this strong work ethic applied on their end of year reports as well as in their behaviour around the College and within the community.
In the final week of school, there is an opportunity for students to participate in Rewards Day events. This includes day trips to Area 51, Dreamworld, Bounce and TimeZone. To be eligible, students must have either 300 PBL stamps or 90% Attendance in Term 4. Please note, there is a cost associated with each event. I know many Year 7s will be eligible as they continue to demonstrate the College RISE values with many having filled multiple PBL stamp sheets. You can contact Ms Pippa West, Head of Year 7 if you would like more information.
The Year 7 team have enjoyed getting to know each and every one of the Year 7 students and are excited for the remaining few weeks being filled with learning and engaging experiences.
Ms Diane Pashen
Deputy Principal Year 7

Finishing the Year Strong – Our Mantra at BPSSC
As we approach the end of another incredible academic year, I’d like to share some inspirational thoughts on finishing the year strong…and of course, with a cricket flavour.
At Bellbird Park State Secondary College, we believe that every student has the potential to excel, just as every cricket team aspires to lift the World Cup. Let's channel the same enthusiasm and determination that we see on the cricket field into our academic endeavours.

As we celebrate the thrilling world of cricket, it's essential to also remember the importance of finishing the academic year strong. The final term can often be a challenging one, as students juggle exams, assignments, and extracurricular activities. However, just like the top cricket teams fight to win the World Cup, our students can overcome these challenges with determination and hard work.
Here are some tips to help our students finish the year on a high note:
- Stay organised: Maintain a study schedule and make a to-do list to manage your tasks efficiently.
- Seek help when needed: Don't hesitate to ask teachers or peers for assistance if you're facing difficulties in any subject.
- Take breaks: Remember to take short breaks to recharge your energy during study sessions.
- Set goals: Establish clear academic goals to keep yourself motivated.
- Stay healthy: Eat well, exercise, and get enough sleep to ensure you're in peak condition for exams.
- Stay positive: Keep a positive mindset and believe in your ability to succeed.
Mr Jason English
Deputy Principal Year 8

Kindness
Smiling is one of the best ways that people around the world share kindness; nothing is more powerful. If you smile at someone, it is very rare that you don’t receive a smile back, as mirror neurons kick in to copy others’ expressions,
moods and intentions. An empathetic and kind thing to do, is when you see a friend or classmate feeling flat, is to say hello with a beaming smile; it will no doubt lift their spirits.
As we approach the end of the school year and the pressure of assessments, homework, classwork and friendships mounts upon us, I urge students to be kind to each other. Use kind words towards your peers and teachers, show kindness through your actions and most importantly call out bad behaviour when you see it.
Sleep and Learning
As the Teaching and Learning Deputy Principal, I am forever reading about the conditions in which students would thrive and perform the best. Recently, I read about the importance of sleep for teenagers.
Here are some tips to encourage healthy sleeping habits in teens. Research shows that there is a connection between deep sleep and health, knowledge retention and overall performance at school during their teenage years.

Year 9 Guest Speaker – Road Safety
Year 9s received a talk from the members of Queensland Police force on Road Safety. The topics covered by the QPS was to educate our students on road rules, how to start the process for a Learner’s license and safety measures they should take when riding bikes and scooters in the community.

Junior Secondary Assessment
The link for junior secondary assessment schedule can be found here.
Use the assessment calendar, to organise your student. The benefits of organising and time management include better grades, reduced stress and anxiety and giving more time to do things students like doing eg playing a sport. Now is the time to prioritise your tasks, setting personal goals and not wasting time procrastinating.
Staff Development
At Bellbird Park we are committed to developing our staff and help them grow as professionals. Last week, we continued this practice when new staff of 2023, participated in a session reflecting on their first year at Bellbird Park. This session gave teachers an opportunity to reflect on their growth, their challenges and most importantly to set personal goals for their growth as a teaching professional.



Ms Gouri Sharma
Deputy Principal Year 9

Welcome to the second last week of Year 12. A few updates as we head into Week 7.
Graduation - Uniform and Cultural Wear
- We are looking forward to celebrating with you and your student at our upcoming graduation ceremony.
- A gentle reminder that we require our Year 12 students to graduate wearing their full formal uniform and tie throughout the ceremony as well as adhering to our College Uniform Dress Code for jewellery, hair and tattoos. We understand some of our students will be wearing false nails and fake tans following our Formal earlier in the week.
- We recognise that for some, graduating from high school has cultural significance too. This celebration for some cultures may require the wearing of a piece of clothing for acknowledgement such as a Possum Cloak for our First Nations students or a Korowai for Maori student graduates.
- Therefore the Possum and Korowai Cloaks are the only cultural wear approved by the school that students can wear when they come on stage to receive their Certificate. Any other cultural wear/ gifts can be put on after the ceremony i.e. lolly lei (necklace) etc.
- If you would like your student to graduate wearing a cultural acknowledgment item on top of their formal uniform please seek approval via email from Mrs Tyeka Close- Community Education Councillor (First Nations Advisor) on tclos32@eq.edu.au or from Mr Wally Ropati on wropa1@eq.edu.au. Students must have approval from our Cultural Hub Staff prior to wearing their item at graduation.
Celebrating your student’s success
- If your student has picked up an awesome job, traineeship/apprenticeship or TAFE/University course (early offer) and we have not been notified - please let us know. We are proud and want to celebrate and acknowledge your student here at Bellbird Park. Please email tcrau1@eq.edu.au or cpant11@eq.edu.au
Second Hand Uniform Drive
- If your student has uniform items that are in good condition and your family no longer needs them we would love to accept them as a generous donation.
- We will utilise these uniforms to support students who are struggling to afford uniform items in the senior phase of learning.
- If you have uniform items you wish to donate please drop them off to the Administration Office by Friday of Week 10 – 9 December 2023.
Year 13 Mailing List
- From 18 November, Bellbird Park State Secondary College staff will no longer be able to contact students via their school email as it will be disabled after graduation. Unfortunately, this makes it very difficult to communicate with our Year 12 graduates about university entrance, employment and training opportunities that are released after students finish their education at Bellbird. We want to be able to continue to support our Year 12s with their pathways in 2023.
- We are requesting that students provide to Senior Schooling their personal email address and mobile phone number to form part of our Year 13 Employment and Transitions Hub. These details will enable us to provide additional support to your students as they move into Year 13.
- Parents/guardians, if you haven’t done so already; can you please click here to provide your consent and your student’s personal contact details so that we can continue to communicate with them.
Year 12 Results Release
- From 9 am on Friday 15 December, Year 12 students can access their final subject results and SEP (Senior Education Profile) from their learning account in the Student Portal via the myQCE website at https://myqce.qcaa.qld.edu.au
- Depending on students’ individual circumstances, their SEP will comprise one or more of the following documents:
- Senior Statement
- Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE)
Mrs Carla Pantano
Deputy Principal Year 11 & 12
Administration Matters
Food for Thought

Order online at www.munchmonitor.com
Need to set up an account? Click on the below link for further information
The Phoenix Feast
Year 10 Introduction to Hospitality classes invite our BPSSC senior students and staff to the PHOENIX FEAST!

Head of Year Report





Ms West – Year 7
Term 4 at Bellbird Park State Secondary College has been another term filled with exciting and positive learning experiences.
In Week 2, after busy preparations, a large contingent of happy students and teachers set off for camp on the Sunshine Coast. The students spent three action-packed days canoeing, kayaking and playing where they formed new friendship connections, developed their resilience and refined their communication skills.
Many faced their fears, challenged themselves and scaled the high ropes. Others discovered that with positive team efforts anything is possible, while others learnt to be strong and paddle against the currents on the water!
Students were a little apprehensive and feared that camp food may not be to their liking but it was scrumptious and they enjoyed a smorgasbord of delights at every meal.
The camp provided our students with a different and challenging learning environment and from the reviews received, they had a “great camping experience!”
Successful learning requires engagement. In Weeks 4 and 5, I had the opportunity to see students in Humanities actively including others in group work while they were examining secondary sources from Ancient Egypt. In Music, I was amazed by how students worked in unison and played the ukulele. In Health and Physical Education theory lessons, students were discussing the importance of inclusion in sport. They now understand that regardless of ability, we can all positively interact and support each other to achieve our very best. We hope this positive learning shines throughout the community.
During Pathways lessons, students have been engaging with a number of topics including, Personal and Social Awareness, Resilient Behaviours and Resilience Strategies. They have embraced these new skills and strategies and continue to practise them while at school.
We are looking forward to welcoming Year 6 to our Transition Day on Tuesday, 28 November. This is an occasion where Year 6 students will attend our campus, engage in learning and meet new teachers and friends. Please visit the school Facebook page for further information.
Mr Harvey – Year 10
A reminder that our Year 10 semi formal is fast approaching and will be held on Thursday, 23 November at The Springlake Hotel from 6pm - 10pm. At this point – students should have submitted their clearance form and permission forms have been sent out. These forms are due back to the office ASAP with final payment due on Friday, 17 November. As a culminating event it is important to note and remind your students that they do require all assessments to be submitted. We are also the lucky first group to go through the revamped Springlake hotel so we look forward to sharing some of the professional photographs which will be taken on the night!
I urge you all to keep encouraging your students to work hard and ensure we finish Year 10 well and go out with a bang at our semi-formal.
Mrs Scull – Year 11 & 12
Year 11 - Senior Jerseys
The time has come again! We have now started the process for the second order of Senior Jerseys for our 2024 Year 12 Cohort. In Week 5 students received their Clearance Forms, where they will need to meet the below pre-requisites.
Please note that as per previous communication with parents and students this year, pre-requites for the second order of Jerseys is as follows:
- 90%+ yearly attendance rate (or successfully complete an Attendance Monitoring Card)
- On track to receive QCE (Queensland Certificate of Education)
- Up to date with VET (Vocational Education and Training) competencies and work placements
- Satisfactory effort and behaviour as a minimum in all classes in Term 4
- Positive behaviour in and around college grounds (if you receive two PARC referrals or an external suspension in Term 4 you may be ineligible to order your jersey)
- Evidence of ongoing compliance with the College Uniform Policy
- All school fee payments are up to date (i.e. payment plans to be set up in advance and payments made in accordance with the plan)
This Clearance Form is due back to Student Services by the end of Week 8, 24November. Order Forms will be issued to students provided they meet the pre-requites. The payment deadline for the actual jersey ($82.50) is the end of Week 2, Term 1 2024.
There are a number of students who successfully completed the Clearance Form during the first round of orders; however, they were not given an Order Form as they had outstanding school fees. These students will not be required to complete another Clearance Form, but will be required to pay their outstanding fees in order to receive an Order Form.
Year 12
Please see below for some important information regarding ‘Graduation Week’ for our Year 12s.
Monday, 13November
- All Year 12 students must attend the entire day.
- Students will be involved in an alternative program in the Sports Hall, which include different lunch breaks to the rest of the school.
- This program includes a presentation from Red Frogs, final information regarding Formal & Mystery Bus Tour, and Graduation Practice.
- There will be a Sausage Sizzle provided for the Year 12s, but students may like to bring their own lunch.
Tuesday, 14 November
- All Year 12 students must attend from 8:40am – 10:10am.
- Year 12 students attend the Sports Hall from 8:40am.
- Students attending the Mystery Bus Tour must bring their backpack with required items to be stored. These bags will be taken to the Formal venue by our staff.
- Students must wear their full formal uniform, including a tie. The senior schooling team will be closely checking uniform in preparation for Graduation.
- Students will move to the Sports Hall for their Final Senior Assembly.
- At 10:10am Year 12 students will depart via a guard of honour, which ends at the top gates.
- Parents / guardians are welcome to meet their student at the top as they exit the school gates.
Senior Formal (Wednesday, 15 November)
- Permission notes and payment is now overdue for this event.
- Invoices have been issued for those who have returned the permission note.
- Arrivals are from 5:30pm – 6:30pm.
- To ensure we run the event on time, students are required to book a 15 minute arrival time slot – refer to email.
- If arriving in a group or with a partner, only one person needs to book.
- All students will also need to provide their vehicle details – including registration, make, model and colour for security purposes.
- Parents / guardians will have access to the area around the red carpet for arrivals from 5:15pm, however they will need to leave the venue by 6:40pm.
Mystery Bus Tour
- Permission notes are now overdue for this event.
- Invoices have been issued for those who have returned the permission note.
- Parents / guardians will need to collect formal attire from 10:30pm, from outside the Workshops entrance. Please pre-organise this, as we encourage parents / guardians to take multiple students’ attire to reduce congestion.
- Students will return to the college at approximately 10:00am on Thursday 16 November; students are not permitted to drive home themselves.
From the Head of Department – Teaching and Learning

Teachers Facilitating Effective Effort from Students.
Learning requires effort. Statements like this might seem too obvious to be worth pointing out, but it’s worth taking a minute to think about what this kind of “effort” actually means. Like most things, there are fast and slow ways to go about learning.
If a student (or an adult!) wants to learn something quickly and efficiently, there are 3 “effortful” things they need to do.
1. They need to make an effort to understand the learning journey.
This includes:
- What they need to know (their Learning Goal)
- What they already know (their current position moving towards it)
- What they don’t yet know, but need to master (The steps they will take)
2. They need to make the effort to engage in conscious
This includes using what they know about their place on the Learning Journey to:
- Test themselves to prove where they have gaps in understanding
- Practice the things they need to be able to do
- Revise the things they learned that were difficult to understand
3. They need to make a conscious effort to do the next step.
This means tracking their progress, and making the decision to start the next task before them.
Teachers at BPSSC Help students to do this in several ways; through using Success Criteria to describe their learning journey, and feedback to help them see their place in it. We also nurture and encourage, and seek to create a classroom culture that promotes students to take responsibility for their progress.
What questions can you ask your students to help and encourage this type of reflective and conscious effort as we drive towards the end of the year?
Student Support Team Update

RUOK Day
In the final week of Term 3, we marked the annual RUOK day at Bellbird Park for the 7thyear running. RUOK Day is an important part of our suicide prevention strategy both for our school, but across Australia. We first teach the students how to notice if their friend seems ‘not OK’. Are they acting differently, are they withdrawing, do they seem to not enjoy things they used to enjoy? Then we teach how to ask that all important question, “RUOK?”. Choosing the right time and place, and method, to ask RUOK, is important. Then we teach students to know how to respond, how to seek help, if their friend is not OK. Following up is also important, checking up on your friend a week or two later to see how things are going.
Our regular RUOK Day events include UniSQ Radio School who come out and do an outside broadcast live from our school grounds. Once again, Goodna Police came out to play our students in touch, and, once again, Bellbird students took the trophy. You might have seen us on Jones Road with our huge RUOK banner, as we waved to passing cars before school. We will see you there again next year!







Mental Health Week
Saturday, 14 October was the end of 2023 Mental Health Week. To mark this special week, we ran our second annual Bellbird Stride. The Stride is a 5km community walk that we started last year. The aim is not only to get out and do something good for our bodies, but to talk about mental health and reduce the stigma around seeking help for our mental health. Exercise is great for mental health as it releases endorphins (our happy hormones) and we feel tired, but great! We also had some visitors from The Base Youth Agency and Headspace join us on the day to promote help seeking in our community. We have lots of great support services in our area and in Ipswich. Please get in touch with any of the below if you or your family are struggling with mental health.
Headspace Ipswich 3280-7900
The Base Youth Agency Goodna 3818-3118
Kids Help Line 1800-55-1800
Lifeline 13-11-14
Parent Line 1300-30-1300
MensLine 1300-789-978
Beyond Blue 1300-22-4636





Tracey Egan
Guidance Officer - Year 7 to 9

Bellbird Park has had some exciting things happen this Term!
Exciting new programs - Update
We are happy to announce that the Samoan language program has been launched with an excellent turnout of more than 16 students attending per session. The students' progress is impressive as they are quickly becoming more fluent in the language. Our Year 9 girls are loving the Boxing Beyond Barriers program, which is helping them learn valuable skills and adopt a positive mindset. Additionally, the new soccer program has been a huge hit with over 27 junior school students participating and developing their football skills and teamwork abilities.


The Didge Group
This is a special program we host every Tuesday during period 3, specifically for First Nations Boys. Currently, the group has 15 members and focuses on strengthening cultural knowledge and connection.
Empowering First Nations Girls with The Weaving Group
Our Weaving Group is dedicated to supporting First Nations girls, with 16 currently enrolled. We strive to promote cultural empowerment for all our First Nations students and we are continuously expanding our space to welcome more girls into our community.
First Nations Mens Group
Uncle Bevan from Relationships Australia is facilitating the Men's Group for our Young First Nation Men. This group provides a safe space for young men to gather and promote brotherhood and cultural engagement. Any First Nations boys are welcome to join.
Exhibition Basketbell Game
BPSSC attended Loganlea State high school for an exhibition basketball game where Bellbird was victorious 44-41. This game was a reward for our seniors for their participation and attendance at the Brian Kerle program during this. All of their hard work and effort paid off!
Official Launch of the New Breakfast Club
Our students had a blast last week as we officially unveiled our new breakfast club space. Over 110 pancakes were made and devoured! This innovative area located in the sports hall provides an excellent opportunity for students to connect with each other over a meal before the start of the school day.
R4 respect program
The R4 respect program has seen 12 Year 8 students graduate from the program learning about healthy relationships, safe boundaries, consent and treating others with respect, the students enjoyed a sausage sizzle to celebrate the end of the intensive four week program.
Finally, Term 3 saw the last Brisbane Broncos program for the year, where 22 year 10 students graduated. The graduation was open to parents and caregivers celebrating the great milestone and heartfelt moments amongst the students Bellbird community alike. Congratulations for those who have recently graduated from the support programs and keep up the good work for those on programs currently”.
Kahui Tihore
Student Support Coordinator
Community News
Applications for Ronald McDonald House Charities’ (RMHC) Charlie Bell Scholarship for 2023 are closing on Thursday 30 November.
The scholarship offers one-off grants of $5000 to students or apprentices aged 15-20 years who have suffered a serious illness or injury during childhood, to assist them to further their education or career. Please scan the QR code for further information.

Game On!
A program designed for teens aged 12+ where they can socialise, challenge their friends at their favourite games, explore virtual reality and have fun.
