Parent Survey

All parents have been sent a link to a school improvement survey.  Please take the time to complete this.  It is anonymous and will be used to inform our planning.  There are spaces for comments, which I encourage parents to complete to give more specific information.

Youth Leadership in Local Government

Our Student Forum was invited to visit the Shire of Bridgetown-Greenbushes shire council chambers by the Shire President Tracy Lansdell.  Michael Fletcher was also there, along with the Shire’s new Youth and Events Officer, Ariarne Chinnery.

The students learned about the Shire Council meeting process, then each of them proposed suggestions for initiatives or events that the Shire could offer for young people.  I was very proud of their thoughtful engagement in this session.

The Student Forum will attend the chambers once a term and continue to provide the youth perspective to the Shire Councillors.  The Student Forum have also been invited to be part of the Shire’s Youth Leadership Team, which involves a camp and ongoing input into youth development planning in the Shire.  Congratulations to Flynn Pitts, Connie Ralston and Oscar Hay who were also invited to join this youth leadership team, along with the Student Forum.  That means that BHS has a total of 13 young voices sharing their ideas with local government and learning about leadership as well!  Thank you to the Shire for this opportunity.

Positive Behaviour Support (PBS)

The PBS Staff Team have been engaging in training this term.  For some it was a refresher, for others it was valuable new learning.  Training helps the team plan and implement our PBS strategies even more effectively, leading to a positive learning environment.

The PBS Student Team have also been busy arranging some Free Dress Days to increase the positive vibe around the school.  I never thought I would be wearing my tracksuit pants to work, but Pyjama/Comfy Clothes Free Dress Day made it happen!  Thanks to Paris Crittenden who is leading the group of students for these initiatives.

This term we have focused on the following areas of our PBS matrix:

• Respect – Recognise and Value Differences (we linked this with National Reconciliation Week)
• Responsibility – Be Accountable, own your actions

The PBS Staff Team are currently working on the plan for reward day, which always includes a yummy lunch and fun activities for students.

Copernicus Excursions and Competitions

The students in the HASS Copernicus Club enjoyed excursions this term to a range of places.  They learned about eco-tourism, geography and landforms.  The students also engaged in some competitions, in History and Geography.  Thank you to Mr Dareff and Mrs Hack for organising these learning experiences for our students.

Inquiry Learning Projects

This term the English team has been getting the Year 9s to dive deep into social media for their inquiry learning project.  This approach seems to be quite engaging for students and caters for individual interests.  Many learning areas across the school employ this type of learning and assessment to better engage our students.

School Council

The School Council has been busy so far this year, with many new members joining the team.  The Council Chair, Craig Goulder, and I, have completed a full day of training about how to lead the team and draw on the strengths of everyone.  All new members will also be completing a 2-hour workshop in June which will increase the Council’s capacity to achieve its goals.  The team has begun to work on a 3-year plan.  I want to thank the Council members for their commitment to supporting BHS and their excellent input into our improvement foci for the future.

P&C

The P&C continue to work hard behind the scenes.  Keep an eye out for upcoming information about their big ticket fundraiser in Term 3 – an Art Auction.  I want to thank the community for their support for this event and the generous donations being made for the auction.  I also want to acknowledge Mrs Francke, who brought this idea to the P&C and outlined how it could work.  Please support this event and remember that all funds raised come back into the school to make things better for the students.

Keep the Great 10c House Race going, too, with the containers for change donations!

Year 10 Transition

Staff from Manjimup SHS came to speak to Year 10 students and their parents on the 22 May.  This session was focused on pathway options as the students move into senior school.  Students will be spending the next couple of months considering their options and making some important decisions.  If your student is unsure about what their pathway could be, please contact the school and we will help to guide them and parents through this important transition.

Year 6 Transition

The BHS team has started to liaise with the primary schools to ensure that Year 6 transition is informative, interesting and reassuring for students and their parents.  If you have students in Year 6 and have been considering enrolment at BHS, please consider coming in to meet with us and take a tour of the school.  I have been updating the school’s website, which also outlines what we can offer to enrolling students.

Roadwise Incursions for Year 7 and Year 8 students

In Week 5 of this term, two presenters from Roadwise WA visited BHS with a load of very interesting equipment.  The students engaged in a range of interactive sessions that simulated riding an e-scooter or driving a car, and various games designed to teach them about road safety.  The students then worked on a community plan to improve road safety in Bridgetown and surrounding areas.  Thanks Miss Reidy-Crofts for organising this great incursion.

Reports

At the end of this term, students will receive their formal academic reports for the semester.  These will be sent out via Connect.  If you are not sure how to log into this or have forgotten your log in details, please contact the school and the lovely office staff will assist you.  I encourage you to contact your student’s teachers if there are any concerns at any time regarding their academic progress at school.

Uniform

With the colder weather making an appearance, please ensure your child has suitably warm clothing for school.  

My best wishes to you all.

Kelly Anderson

Over the past 12 weeks, Oscar has shown outstanding dedication and craftsmanship in his woodwork project, the design and construction of Cunard Titanic 2. His work has been nothing short of exceptional, showcasing both creativity and skill.

His innovation and attention to detail did not go unnoticed. In recognition of his remarkable achievement, Cunard has awarded him a Certificate of Knowledge, commending his fantastic contribution.

Oscar, you should be hugely proud of what you've accomplished.
Very well done!

Our very own Tessa (Year 10) has submitted an AMAZING original artwork for competition, thanks to our awesome Visual Art Teacher Mrs Simpson.

The theme for the competition was 'Hope' and students were given a canvas to paint an original piece representing the idea of hope. Tessa volunteered to enter, and her amazing piece entitled 'Facing the Light' is now in the running for this prestigious art competition that supports troubled youth. 

The project is a partnership between City Rotary and Samaritans WA. Tessa's artwork will either be on display in the Luminos House Project to enhance the environment for the young residents, or auctioned and sold with proceeds donated to Samaritans WA. 

She is to be commended for donating her time and resources for such a good cause.

We are very proud of you, Tessa!