BSHS Newsletter Term 2 - Issue 4, 2020

New Newsletter Format

Welcome to the new format of our newsletter. We understand that now more than ever, it’s essential for our school to have effective and efficient communication channels available to our school community - accessbile anywhere, anytime.  Our new communication platform "Schoolzine" offers that and more! We encourage you to download the SZapp so that you have access to the latest news and events in one convenient app.  Please follow instructions below to install.

From the Principal

Kaya, bonjour and hello. I am excited to be the new Principal of Bunbury Senior High School. I am committed to building on a century long tradition of excellence and belonging. Acknowledging and exhibiting our rich heritage and actively promoting the excellence of our current students, I hope to show what a special thing it is to be a Bunbury Senior High School graduate.

The sun streaming through my office window this morning gives me hope that the COVID clouds hanging over our school operations, and the state are starting to lift.  The measures that have been put in place to reduce the spread of the Coronavirus over the last couple of weeks have been very challenging for us all. The School continues to monitor the advice of the Government of Western Australia and is guided by the directions of the Department of Education.

The staff and students have done a tremendous job with the procedures and practices that the school has implemented ensuring that everyone is kept safe while maintaining the education standard expected of Bunbury High School.  We are now gathering momentum as many of the student movement processes and classroom protocols are becoming second nature allowing us to shake off the COVID hibernation.  With over 85% of our students back on site and clear safety practices many wonderful opportunities are recommencing.  Some of the things that you can expect to see will be the reintroduction of homework classes, band practice, lunchtime clubs, direct reading instruction support classes.

I have spent the week visiting all our feeder primary schools.  It was great to meet the Executive teams, staff and many of the future Bunbury High School students.  In the future I see us working closer with our primary schools.  Sharing expertise, resources and providing more information to parents.  It takes a lot of good practice in many areas to win Secondary School of the Year.  I really want to share with the community what that practice is so that they understand being a Bunbury High School graduate is a special thing – and it puts you in good company.  This is not to say that our journey of improvement has reached its pinnacle – on the contrary - my plan to build on our great work will continue a century plus tradition of excellence.  I look forward to including our school community, its past students and the Bunbury greater community in that journey.

Please see CONNECT for the latest update on The Department of Educations expected arrangements from week 4.

Mr Mike Sinagra, Principal

Home Economic Room Upgrade

This week the new oven, stoves, cupboards and stainless steel bench tops have been installed, greatly enhancing the capabilities of the Home Economics learning area.  The kitchens are industry standard. 

Cafeteria and Building Works

The footings for our new cafeteria have been poured this week and very soon the pillars that will hold our new building will rise up out of the earth.

Refreshing our lovely heritage buildings continues with re-pointing, lifting the look around the grounds. The damaging winds on Tuesday night added to the schedule of works going on around our school.   

BEST and VASP Applications for 2021

Applications for selective entry into our specialist programs including the Bunbury Elite Sports Training and the Visual Arts Specialist Program for Year 7 in 2021 are now open and closing soon. You can download an application on the links below or visit our website for more information on our specialist programs.

Building on Strength in Uncertain Times

"In This Together" is a video that provides relatable and culturally responsive information for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, parents and community members about these challenging times from both a system-level and Aboriginal perspective. These messages are relevant to us and highlight the 2020 National Reconciliation Week theme In This Together which resonates at this time, as it reminds us whether in a crisis or in reconciliation, we are all “in this together”. The video is narrated by the Department’s Elders in Residence and senior Aboriginal staff.

Annual Report 2019

As part of our normal school reporting processes to the Department of Education, we have submitted our Annual Report for 2019. This report provides members of the school community with an overview of Bunbury Senior High School’s performance over the past year.  It provides information about student academic performance, attendance, school programs and staff development.  This document can be accessed on our school website in the Policies and Publications section.  It can also be found on Schools Online.

Some highlights from last year:

• Winner of Secondary School of the Year
• Champion School Country Week 2019
  
• Year 7 & 8 Market Days where students utilise their enterprise skills
• Visit from David Sherwood, BSHS alumni and Rhodes Scholar
• Visit from Barrie Bennett, University of Ontario, Canada – expert on teaching
• Visits from Japanese and Chinese students
• Inaugural Kwop wangkiny Koorlangka Moorditj Award which recognises indigenous student leaders in our school
• The 6km Walk for Water
• UniChoice courses in engineering, drama, health science
• Sustainability Hackathon at Maker+Co
• ECU Schools’ Hackathon

Year 10 - 11 Transition

It is important that as students move from Year 10 to Year 11 that all students and parents are aware of possible options to set up students for a successful post school pathway. The transition process builds upon work that students have been doing in Career Education and forms the procedure for student subject selection for Year 11 in 2021.
To support students making the correct choices, pathway transition and subject selection counselling meetings will be held with all students and parents. At these meetings, a log-in to SSO (Subject Selection Online) will be provided where families will then be able to access and select their courses and pathway for Senior School.
To support students in understanding the different courses available to them, there will be an information session running in each of the Year 10 Career Education classes.
Parents will also receive information via an online presentation to view before they attend their counselling meeting.
If there are any queries throughout the process, please contact Mr Cameron Allan or Ms Gina Newport

Mr Cameron Allan, Progam Coordinator

Wellbeing Checklist: Secondary Students

The global pandemic is having a profound impact on our adolescents with many being forced to miss out on so many rites of passage. Some are becoming more anxious or depressed which is completely understandable given the current situation. However, should your teen display any unusual behaviour that lasts for more than 2-3 weeks, it may be a cause for concern.

Research shows there are specific risk factors that increase the likelihood of teenagers developing a mental health problem. Some are set in stone, whilst others are modifiable. Adolescents are considered to be more at risk of anxiety and depression disorders which may affect their mood, thinking and behaviour. It can impact their ability to function and perform normal activities.

It is therefore vitally important for adult carers to remain vigilant during this time for any signs of distress, even though your adolescent may not have any prior history of a mental health disorder. Early intervention, diagnosis and treatment is more important than ever. In the current climate, one useful thing you can do is help your teen focus on the things that they can control –– such as their learning, diet, exercise and sleep.

In this Special Report, adult carers will be provided with a checklist that can be used a guide in determining if there is any cause for concern. 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 https://bunburyshs.wa.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-wellbeing-checklist-secondary

 Mrs Kylie Ward, Manager Education Services

Communication

Correct Contact Details
It is important to keep the school updated with your current email address as student information is generally distributed in this format. Please notify the school if you have changed your email or wish to identify another email address as your preferred point of contact.

Social Media
Join us on Facebook! We regularly update our page with notifications of school and community news & events.  www.facebook.com/BunburySHS/
Parents of students in Specialist & GAT Programs, please follow our Facebook page for each of these programs:

• VASP -Bunbury SHS VASP Program
  
• BEST - Bunbury SHS Best Program
  
• GAT - Bunbury SHS Gifted & Talented Program  
  

Student Achievement
We want to get to know our students and school community better and hear all about your life out of school. If you have been kicking goals out in the community - whether you've had sporting success, are volunteering somewhere fun, or have an interesting or unusual hobby we want to know about it. Please send an email to kylie.ward3@education.wa.edu.au and you might be featured on our Facebook page in the near future.

House Point Application
Many students at Bunbury Senior High School are selected to represent their region, WA or Australia in various fields of endeavour, or they participate in significant competitions/events out of school. The school seeks to acknowledge these achievements within our House System through awarding of House Points. The specific categories are as follows:

NATIONAL REPRESENTATION/RECOGNITION: Representing Australia in an International Competition.
STATE REPRESENTATION/RECOGNITION: Representing Western Australia at a national level.
REGIONAL REPRESENTATION/RECOGNITION: Representing an organisation at a State competition.
OUT OF SCHOOL EVENT: Significant representation/participation in a non school organised competition/event.

In order to be awarded House Points, students can apply for recognition by completing the an application on the following link.  Please attach evidence to support your application. Points gained by students, contribute to the totals of their respective House.

 Mrs Kylie Ward, Manager Education Services

Chaplain’s Corner

It has been great to see our students coming back after the Covid-19 time of isolating at home, and I hope your student/s have all transitioned well as they come back to their classes. Please feel free to contact me if I can be a support to you or your child through  this transition or any other time.

Deon Throne, YouthCARE Chaplain