Campus News 2026 Term 1 Week 6

Kindergarten Update

Kindergarten continues to grow in confidence as they settle further into life in the Primary School. Recently, the children have been enjoying exploring some new spaces at recess and lunch, including the Jacaranda Room, the Library, and the oval. It has been lovely to see their independence grow as they become more familiar with these areas. Students have also enjoyed joining in with recess and lunchtime clubs, which has been a wonderful opportunity to connect with other students and try new activities.

The upcoming Parent/Teacher Interviews are a valuable opportunity for you to receive individualised feedback about how your child is settling into Kindergarten. Our Kindergarten teachers are looking forward to sharing how your child is going and celebrating the progress they have already made. These interviews are an important way for us to connect with you about your child’s learning, so please ensure you book a time. Bookings are open in Parent Lounge until Wednesday 16 March. If you would like any guidance on how to make a booking, please contact your child’s class teacher.

We have also begun welcoming new families to the College for their Kindergarten interviews for 2027, which has been very exciting. If you know a family who may be considering BDC for Kindergarten, please encourage them to contact our Enrolments team so we can share information about upcoming dates and events they may be interested in.

Samantha Maker
Kindergarten Engagement Coordinator

Year 8 Wellbeing Day

What a wonderful day our Year 8 students shared at their Wellbeing Day. 

Centred around our 2025 theme of 'Empowerment', students participated in a range of engaging workshops designed to support their growing understanding of themselves and others. Throughout the morning, they explored the pressures young people face, learned more about how the teenage brain works, developed practical strategies to manage stress and worry, strengthened their study skills, and reflected on the power of gratitude in building confidence, optimism and positive relationships.

In the afternoon, students travelled to Boambee Reserve where they enjoyed time together in their tutor groups, strengthening bonds, deepening connections and simply enjoying quality time outdoors. It was wonderful to see laughter, encouragement and genuine support between peers.

The day was a meaningful reminder that wellbeing is not just about strategies, it’s about connection, belonging and learning how to thrive together. We are so proud of the maturity and engagement our Year 8 students demonstrated throughout the day.

BDC Chess Club at Sydney Academy of Chess 

The BDC Chess Club competed at the Sydney Chess Competition Round 1, held on Tuesday, March 3rd, at St Columba’s, Port Macquarie. Our players left the college at 7:00 am and returned at approximately 4:40 pm, showing great commitment and focus during a local heat.

It was exciting chess throughout the day. Our students performed particularly well. The teams event went down to the wire where a stalemate in the last match secured a half‑point victory to Bishop Druitt College.

BDC now progresses to the semi-finals. Congratulations to all students for their strategy, teamwork, and sportsmanship!

iHub News

Balancing the Scales

Did you catch the IWD displays in the iHub in week 5-6? 
For International Women’s Day 2026, we joined UN Women Australia in highlighting the "Balance the Scales" campaign, a movement focused on creating a truly inclusive justice system for women everywhere.

The iHub celebrated by spotlighting the history of the fight for equality and showcasing an epic lineup of books. From scientific pioneers to sporting icons and political powerhouses, the display featured the diverse voices and stories that continue to shape our world.

We featured both a digital display explaining the history of the event, and a book display acknowledging some of the amazing women that inspire us across many fields including: science, sports, politics, the arts, entertainment. Stories, biographies, and histories that span generations, and diverse aspects of our world. 

Week 6 in a Nutshell

With only 3 weeks to go until and of term and Easter break, we are seeing busy study periods, research lessons, and room bookings for exam provisions and distance education tasks swinging into action.  

Senior Spotlight

Anna Crawley - Passion is something you choose

People talk about passion like it’s something you either have, or you don’t.

Like it just appears one day and stays forever.

But I don’t think passion is something you just find or have.

I think it’s something you choose.

At the beginning, everything feels exciting. New goals, new opportunities, big dreams. But eventually the excitement fades. The work gets harder. The progress slows down. Doubt gets louder.

And that’s where most people stop.

But passion isn’t about how you feel when things are easy. It’s about the decision you make when they’re not. It’s choosing to show up when you’re tired. Choosing to improve when it would be easier to settle. Choosing to care, even when caring means you might fail. 

Because when you truly care about something, you don’t wait for opportunities. You create them.

As Michael Jordan once said “Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen”. 

Passion turns effort into growth. Growth turns into confidence. And confidence opens doors.

I wake up and choose passion because passion is what helps me thrive and gives me purpose. For me passion looks like early morning trainings, studying in airports and balancing commitments. 

And the truth is, every single person here has something that matters to them or that sparks their interest. It might not look the same. It might not sound the same. But we all know what it feels like to care about something.

That drive, that spark, that quiet determination, is what connects us.

So maybe passion isn’t about talent. Maybe it isn’t about winning.

Maybe it’s simply about making the choice to care, again and again, over and over, even when it’s hard.

Maybe it’s through consistent and repeated efforts that we find purpose and fulfilment. 

Maybe passion cannot be created without dedication. 

Because in the end, passion isn’t found.

It’s chosen.

Connor Aherne - A lesson in the art of embarrassment

In only my first week of Year 7, I learned something of the utmost importance about high school. Not about homework. Not about lockers. Not even about how confusing the timetable looked for the first few days. I learned a brutal lesson in the art of embarrassment.

It was after school at Buslines. I was still brand new — still trying to work out where to stand, who to stand with, and how to look like I wasn’t slightly overwhelmed. I had on an oversized T-shirt , accompanied with that nervous Year 7 posture, and the constant feeling that everyone  somehow seemed to know what was going on but me. And then it happened.

In what I can only describe as a completely unnecessary interaction with a fire hydrant, I managed to pop it. There was no dramatic spray of water. No slow-motion chaos. Just a very loud, very sharp BANG that cut straight through the noise of the afternoon crowd.

Conversations stopped. Heads turned. And suddenly, every single pair of eyes at buslines were fixed on me

You know that feeling where time slows down for just long enough for your brain to fully process your own downfall? That was me. In that split second, I was convinced this was how my high school story would begin and end. Week One. Hydrant incident. Reputation sealed.

And wait, it gets worse, standing not too far away was Mr Doyle. Calm. Observing. Not angry. Not rushing over. Just watching. Which somehow made the ordeal even more terrifying.

In my head, I had already imagined the consequences. I thought this would follow me for six years. I thought  I would forever be “that kid” that was suspended in his first week. I genuinely believed I had managed to permanently damage my social standing before I’d even figured out where my English classroom was.

But here’s what actually happened.

Nothing.

By the next day, both myself, and everyone else had managed to see the funny side in it. The day after that, no one seemed to remember anymore. And by  the next week, it barely existed anywhere except  my own memory. The only person replaying that moment over and over again was me.

And that was my first real lesson in embarrassment.

Embarrassment feels enormous in the moment. It feels like a spotlight has been switched on and you’re standing centre stage without a script. Your face gets hot. Your thoughts race. You suddenly become hyper-aware of your hands, your voice, the way you’re standing. It feels as if you are trapped

But most of the time, it isn’t.

We spend so much energy trying to avoid that feeling. We don’t put our hands up in class because we might get it wrong. We don’t try out for teams because we might not make it. We don’t speak up because we’re worried it might come out awkward. We hesitate before doing anything that could make us look even  slightly silly.

But once you think about it, embarrassment is unavoidable.

If you care about something, you risk looking uncool. If you try something new, you’re probably going to look awkward at first. If you step forward instead of staying back, you might have to face  a moment where all eyes are on you.

And that’s okay.

The funny thing about that hydrant moment is that I thought everyone there would remember it forever. But most people were probably just relieved it wasn’t them. Everyone else had their own worries. Their own small mistakes. Their own moments they hoped nobody noticed.

We tend to overestimate how much other people think about us. The truth is, most people are far too focused on themselves to permanently catalogue your own embarrassing moments.

And I find that strangely freeing.

Because if embarrassment is inevitable — and from personal experience I can assure you it is — then maybe it’s not something we need to fear so much. Maybe it’s just part of being involved. Part of showing up. Part of learning.

Some of the best moments of your  school life will  happen when you’re willing to risk that feeling. Joining the chant even if you don’t  know the words. Trying out even if you’re not guaranteed success. Putting your hand up even if you’re unsure. Starting conversations. Saying yes before you feel completely ready.

You might hear a loud bang every now and then — metaphorically or literally.

But life keeps moving.

That moment at Buslines didn’t define my time here. It didn’t shape who I became. It didn’t close any doors or change how people saw me in the long run. What it actually did was something much quieter — it reminded me that one moment doesn’t get to decide your whole story.

Embarrassment feels loud. It feels public. It feels permanent. But most of the time, it’s just part of being human. It’s what happens when you step into something instead of shrinking away from it.

Looking back, I’m almost glad it happened in my first week. It forced me to realise early that you can survive being the centre of attention for the wrong reasons. You can stand there, feel the heat in your face, and still be completely fine five minutes later.

So if you ever find yourself in a moment where it feels like all eyes are on you — where your heart drops and your brain starts writing the worst-case scenario — just know this: that moment doesn’t own you. It doesn’t get to label you. It doesn’t get to decide who you are here.

School isn’t about avoiding those moments. It’s about stepping forward anyway. And sometimes, the moments that feel the most uncomfortable are the ones that quietly build your confidence the most.

That loud bang in Week One didn’t end anything for me. It was just a reminder that you can be seen, feel embarrassed, and still belong.

And I think that’s something worth remembering.