8 December 2023
From the Executive Principal
Welcome to our final newsletter for 2023. Congratulations to all of our students and staff for your continued efforts throughout this very busy year. We have had an exceptionally rewarding year with student growth and success at the forefront of everything that we do. As a school community we are extremely proud of each and every student’s personal growth stories and their achievements.
I would like to acknowledge our graduating class of 2023 and congratulate them on the manner with which they conducted themselves throughout their time at BPSSC. It was wonderful to watch all our Year 12 students celebrate their school completion with their families at the formal and graduation ceremony. Over 50 of our Year 12 graduates have already received early offers into universities, with more offers yet to come. We look forward to hearing of their continued success as they transition to the next chapter of their lives.
Year 7, 2024
This week we welcomed approximately 250 Year 6 students for their final introduction to high school at our Year 6 into 7 transition day. Our extensive transition program prepares our students well for secondary school, along with students gaining confidence in their new surroundings. We anticipate a Year 7 enrolment of about 350 students in 2024.
Farewells
I would like to extend my appreciation and thanks to the following staff who will be leaving Bellbird Park SSC this year for new adventures. Each of these people have contributed to the lives of our young people at Bellbird Park SSC through their respective positions. I wish them all the best in future endeavours. Farewell to: Ms Amy Brown (Deputy Principal); Ms Jaime Clark (Head of Department); Mr George Shannon; Ms Elizabeth Payn; Ms Meredith Palframan; Ms Anna Nicholson; Ms Faith Lilino; Mr Kevin Livesey, Ms Emma Cameron; Ms Belinda O’Donohue and Mr Ethan Bryant. We also have a number of staff taking short term leave for travel and family commitments and we look forward to welcoming them back throughout 2024. A special mention to Mr Wes Wilson and Ms Vicki Edwards, who after more than 30+ years each as educators, will retire at the end of this year. Both Wes and Vicki have made a significant difference to the lives of many, many students throughout their respective careers and we wish them both all the very best in this next chapter of their lives.
Thank you to our families
This year has been successful due to the incredible partnership between the college and the families in our community. Your continued support of our programs and new ventures and opportunities, provided by the college for your students, ensures that the experiences provided for our students remains fresh, innovative and futures-focussed for the students. These collaborations and cooperation ensure students within the college are provided with outstanding, educational and developmental experiences within a caring learning environment. We look forward to the on-going development of this partnership in 2024.
Start Dates for 2024 School Year
Students in Years 7, 11, 12 will commence on Monday 22 January 2024.
Students in Years 8, 9, 10 will commence on Tuesday 23 January 2024.
Away for the Day 2024
As you are all now fully aware, The Department of Education requires schools to implement a mobile phone ban in all Queensland Schools for the commencement of the 2024 school year. Students have been informed of the policy at year assemblies by staff and student leaders. More detailed information on the policy, including frequently asked questions will be provided to parents, carers and students over the break and at the commencement of the school year.
I look forward to celebrating the success of our students at our Academic Awards Evening in Week 5, 2024 where we will be acknowledging the amazing achievements of our students, including the 2023 College Dux.
To all of our families, we wish you safe and happy festive season. Thank you all for your support of our wonderful school. We have scheduled several Facebook reminders over the break, including stationery list requirements, uniform shop hours and other key return to school information.
Mr Michael West
Executive Principal
Deputies Corner
Congratulations to all of the Year 7 students for completing their first year of high school! Finishing a school year is a significant accomplishment and it marks a milestone in their academic journey. Whether it's been a year of new friendships, challenging assignments, or exciting discoveries, each experience contributes to their overall learning and growth.
When students reflect on the past year, they should take pride in their achievements, both big and small. They have gained a depth of knowledge, new skills, and a wealth of personal growth. Year 7 students should be very proud of their hard work, dedication, and resilience in the face of the challenges presented through the year. As well as overcoming those challenges, the year has been filled with laughter, learning, and unforgettable moments, and our Year 7 students have been at the heart of it all. Their enthusiasm, curiosity, and unwavering determination has left an indelible mark on our school community. One of the most remarkable aspects of this year has been the friendships formed. The laughter shared in classrooms, the support given during challenging times, and the joy of celebrating each other's successes – these are the moments that they will remember as they transition into Year 8.
Looking forward into the new year, we hope students embrace the chance to explore new subjects, join clubs or teams, and continue discovering interests and passions.
On behalf of Ms West (Head of Year) and myself, we congratulate students on completing Year 7 and best wishes for the exciting adventures that lie ahead.
Enjoy your well deserved break!
Ms Diane Pashen
Deputy Principal Year 7
As we bid farewell to an exceptional year, it fills me with pride and joy to reflect on the incredible achievements and positive transformations our students have experienced under the framework of Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL). This year has been a testament to the power of fostering a positive and supportive school culture, where every student is empowered to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
Year 8 2023
Year 8 is a pivotal time for social and emotional development, and our students have navigated this period with grace. The school has provided a supportive environment where students have learned to express themselves, build positive relationships, and navigate the complexities of adolescence. Peer support programs and interactive workshops during our Period 1 Monday Wellbeing lesson have further facilitated the cultivation of empathy, kindness, and understanding among our Year 8s.
Throughout the year, we have celebrated not only academic achievements but also the efforts and positive behaviours of our Year 8 students. Recognising accomplishments, whether big or small, has been an essential part of creating an environment where students feel valued, appreciated, and motivated to continue their personal growth journey.
On behalf of Mr Stanley (Head of Year 8) and myself, we extend our gratitude to the parents and the wider community for your continuous support in fostering the health and well-being of our Year 8 students. Your involvement in school activities, open communication, and partnership in promoting a positive and supportive environment have played a crucial role in the well-being of our students.
As we conclude this academic year, we celebrate the growth, resilience, and well-being of our Year 8s. We look forward to continuing this journey of health and development in the coming years, creating an environment where every student can thrive academically, emotionally, and physically.
The holiday break often provides more leisure time for students, and it's crucial to balance the joy of digital entertainment with responsible online behaviour. I encourage parents and guardians to have open conversations about internet safety, set reasonable screen time limits, and be aware of the content their children are accessing. Let's ensure that the online world remains a positive and safe space for our Year 8s.
Mr Jason English
Deputy Principal Year 8
It is hard to believe we are finishing the final week of the school year. In another year where our students have been faced with uncertainty due to the world around them, they have shown resilience and determination, and we couldn’t be prouder of them.
Teachers at the college have been busy with preparing end of year reports for our students. The end of semester report has been emailed to families this week. The level of achievement is based on a semester assessment. The effort and behaviour grade is based on Term 4 and using the effort and behaviour matrix.
2023 has seen outstanding achievement in the classroom, on the sporting fields, in performances, and in our students consistently demonstrating every lesson, every day what it means to be part of the Bellbird Park community. Our Year 9 students have flourished as learners who are engaged in and out of the classroom. As the 2023 academic year comes to a close the Year 9 team wishes to thank all students, families and our extended community a safe end of year break. Getting to experience our days with such confident and well-balanced students really is an honour. We are humbled and heartened by the generous spirit of our students to offer assistance where needed, and always with a smile on their faces. This is a good time for students to reflect on their growth for the year. Growth for all students looks and feels different. Attendance, engagement and wellbeing was and will continue to be our focus in 2024. I urge the students to take the time during the summer break to reset, revive and set growth goals for 2024.
Ms Gouri Sharma
Deputy Principal Year 9
Head of Year Report
Ms West – Year 7
On Tuesday, 28 November, 251 excited Year Six students from Goonda, St Francis Xavier, Augusta, Kruger, Camira, Redbank, Collingwood Park, Churchill, Frenbrooke, Woogaroo Creek and WoodLinks attended Bellbird Park State Secondary College for their first foray into the world of secondary education. The fledgling Bellbirds were greeted and nurtured in class by our equally excited teachers who inspirationally delivered a variety of lessons including science, english, health and physical education and music. From the feedback received, all had a great time.
The lunch breaks provided the perfect time for many students to happily socialise with classmates, old and new, and discuss their class experiences, while others selected items from the canteen’s menu or actively participated in games including handball, Jenga and giant Connect Four. All appeared keen and ready to participate in activities prepared for the afternoon sessions.
During the course of the day, the students were able to mark this special occasion by placing their individual thumbprints on a circular art canvas surrounding the school’s emblem - The Phoenix - firebird. Once completed with prints of all new 2024 Year 7 students, along with those of our present junior school students, the artwork will depict the unity, positivity and strength of our students and be hung for all to view.
The Phoenix not only symbolises rebirth, resilience, integrity and personal strength, but embodies Bellbird’s R.I.S.E expectations of Resilience, Integrity, Support and Effort. These qualities were truly emulated on Tuesday by our 7, 8 and 9 R.I.S.E Student Representatives who were given the added responsibility of guiding and assisting the visiting students. They are all to be congratulated for upholding our R.I.S.E expectations and for their outstanding leadership qualities, along with the care and consideration they displayed in supporting the Year 6 students. The R.I.S.E representatives all led by example and their families can be very proud, as we all are, of the empathy and maturity they all willingly displayed throughout the day.
The end of Term 4 is the prime time for all students to critique their short and long term goals. They must conscientiously consider all the factors, both positive and negative, that allowed or prevented them from obtaining their set goals. Students must acknowledge where improvement can be made and consider the positive adjustments that they can personally make or are available to them, to ensure that their goals and aspirations for 2024 can be fulfilled. Parents and students are invited to discuss goal outcomes with staff if required.
A message to all students – The summer holidays are here! During this time, please relax and enjoy the company of your families and friends. Please plan something exciting and positive to do. For example, read a book, cook a new recipe, go to the movies, have a picnic with a friend, visit a theme park or join a sporting group but, above all, please be kind to yourself and others, and have a safe and happy holiday
From the Head of Department – Teaching and Learning
Teaching & Learning in 2023 – What a Year!
BPSCS staff have been on a marathon journey in 2023.
We’ve grown significantly as a school, and it’s been a pleasure to see so many of our beginning and early-career teachers thriving, including Liz McNulty who in Term 3 won the Queensland’s TeachX Award in the Beginning Teacher Category.
Our pedagogical focus has been on engagement, and I’ve written several times about the work our teachers have been doing, drawing from the texts and approaches that make up BPSSC’s teaching framework.
Term 1 saw staff expanding their toolbox of strategies for engagement from the New Art and Science Teaching. In Term 2 we used Doug Fisher’s Continuum of Engagement to explore ways to increase students’ agency and help them drive their own learning forward.
The work on engagement continued in Semester Two, but from different angles; in Term 3 we focused on embedding the principles of Universal Design to ensure all tasks were accessible at different levels. In Term 4 we returned to Success Criteria - which we first looked at in 2022 – as a tool for removing barriers by providing feedback to students about their progress, and outlining the way forward.
We know that quality Teachers produce quality learning, and I wrote in Term 1 that our investments in our teachers pay their dividend in outcomes for our students.
Our teachers have worked incredibly hard this year, and the collective impact of this effort flows through in the engagement and growth that our students experience.
Benjamin Turnour
Head of Teaching and Learning
Student Support Team Update
Boxing Beyond Barriers Program
During Weeks 2-9 of Term 4, Bellbird Park State Secondary College hosted a special program called "Boxing Beyond Barriers." This program was exclusively designed for grade 8 and 9 girls and was facilitated by Gareth, Jack and Shannon from the local boxing shop. The girls were taught about self-respect, confidence, discipline, and respect for others, in addition to improving their boxing skills. From Week 1 to Week 9, staff observed significant growth in the girls' behaviours and boxing skills, and the girls themselves showed great dedication to the program. We are thrilled to announce that all the students who participated in the program, graduated with flying colours!
Kahui Tihore
Student Support Coordinator
Diversity Employment Service Meet and Greet morning
Our Year 10 and 11 students have had the opportunity to connect with a range of community agencies and services to support their pathways into Year 12 and beyond. Representatives from Mylestones Employment, Pebble Community Support, Me Plus More Independence for all, met with parents and students to discuss partnerships to support students to be successful beyond Year 12. Students will be able to make connections with workplaces, support staff and develop skills to support successful transition into the workplace.
Carolyn Holt
LIFE Pathways/Diversity Transition Case Manager
RISE Write a Book in a Day 2023
In Term 3, Year 8 and 9 RISE students participated in Bellbird’s Write a Book in a Day event. This event is an annual opportunity for our students to contribute to building community connections through writing.
For this year’s Write a Book project, we interviewed grade 6 Goodna State School students to determine what stories they would like to read. RISE students then worked in teams to turn the wonderful, and weird ideas gathered into fully edited and illustrated books in just one day!
When Madeleine Boulton, RISE teacher, was finally able to visit Goodna State School with the finished and printed books, the excitement was palpable. One group of students flipped immediately to the end of their story to celebrate their victory in a game of soccer played in space.
Others were keen to learn what the characters named after themselves and their friends got up to.
The Write a Book in a Day books will now be displayed and available for students to read in the libraries of both schools. For some of our Bellbird Park RISE writers this will be the second published book they have created.
Congratulations to all RISE students, and teachers Belinda Fraser and Madeleine Boulton, for their contributions to our community through writing this year!
Bec Barrigos
A/Literacy Coordinator
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