There are some exciting events and announcements - please enjoy this fortnight’s newsletter. 

Kindy - First 100 Days

Our kindergarten students and staff are celebrating their first 100 days of school. This year has had its challenges but our students have proven to be wonderfully resilient and it is great to see this milestone celebration. Visit the Primary News section of this newsletter to see the smiling faces of our Kindergarten students and our ‘hundred year old’ teachers. 

HSC Trials

Our year 12 students have almost completed their HSC trials. I wish to congratulate them on their attitude to the trials and also thank our staff who were down there each day in moral support of their students. It has been a difficult time for our year 12s due to COVID-19 and assessment changes outlined from NESA but they have displayed resilience and the college is proud of them. We wish them well as they move into the final steps of their schooling at BDC.

Schoolbox launch

The college officially launched Schoolbox to our parents and carers this week with a welcome message, a support video and a booklet. The Schoolbox rollout is, however, a staged event as teachers and students, in particular, learn this new system and develop content to match the platform’s new capabilities. Schoolbox provides more regular feedback to students and parents outside the usual semester reports and parent-teacher conferences. Schoolbox provides a visible learning platform with snippets of learning. The parents and carers access is not the same level of access that your child will receive, particularly in the secondary years. We will gather feedback from a variety of sources during term 3 and then also create a FAQ sheet and some more video content or a parental zoom session in stages. 

Please refer to email communication sent to parents and carers earlier this week regarding Schoolbox usage guidelines and login details. If you haven’t received this information, please contact adminhub@bdc.nsw.edu.au or if you’re having difficulty logging in, please contact onlinesupport@bdc.nsw.edu.au.

Fathers’ Day Breakfast 

Unfortunately due to the extension of the level 2 COVID-19 restrictions until the end of term 3 we are unable to host our usual Fathers’ Day Breakfast event. We will however be launching an alternative event with a centrepiece announcement relating to a new partnership with The Fathering Project. 

Northern Beaches Campus

After a recent recommendation to withdraw a development application by the Coffs Harbour City Council regarding the construction of a new primary school for Woolgoolga, Bishop Druitt College is seeking an alternative site between Mullaway and Sandy Beach to support the expanding educational needs of local families. Read the full article here.

Installation of Vape Detectors

Over recent months, there has been a growing concern about the impending epidemic affecting young people in relation to the use of vapes. As this activity grows in popularity, most teenagers are unaware of the associated risks and the potential impact vaping can have on their development and overall health. Unfortunately these vapes are available online and in some local stores in Coffs Harbour. They are not illegal for adults but are for children and teens. 

The College is taking this issue very seriously and has started installing vape detectors. We are briefing students regarding the health implications and also outlining the college policy relating to this issue. Parents and carers are also encouraged to have the discussion at home after reading through the linked resources from our BDCTV webpage.

Enrolments Open for New Year 3-4 class in 2022

Due to increased enrolment demand Bishop Druitt College will be adding a 20th primary school class in 2022. This class will be a year 3-4 class. There are 10 places remaining in these year levels so please encourage your family and friends to join the college as soon as possible. Visit our website for more information on how to get started.

BDC Barracudas Events 

There are a number of BDC Barracuda Events coming up in the next couple of months. 

Our first season as a club in both football and rugby union has been exciting and so after their final games the Barracudas will hold end of season celebration events. These events will be held off the school grounds so that parents are able to attend. More information on these events will be forthcoming. 

BDC Golf Day - Sunday 7 November 

The Bishop Druitt College annual golf day is now in its 23rd year, and proudly supported again by Geoff King Motors.  The 2021 event will be held on Sunday 7 November 2021 at Bonville Golf Resort. 

Join us for a fun, four-person ambrose competition, including 18 holes, 2 golf carts per team, food and beverage ticket and end-of-day canapés. Single players are welcome and will be put onto a team. There will be some fantastic prizes to give away for women, men and students. All money raised will go towards the BDC Barracudas Sporting Club.

To register or to find out more about sponsorship opportunities visit https://www.bdc.nsw.edu.au/events/bdc-golf-day

Dance Studio Launch 

The college wishes to thank Bishop Murray, Council Chair Mr David Ford and Sydney Dance Company choreographer and dancer, Omer Backley-Astrachan, for contributing to our Dance Studio video launch. Obviously, due to COVID-19 restrictions, we were unable to host a regular event but I do believe that this video expresses the excitement of our staff and students in our newest facility. 

The college also wishes to extend a thank you to Mr Gary Ryan and our partners in this project: Advanced Technology, All Metal Fabrication, Andersens Coffs Harbour, Austral Insulation, Bidtech, Blairlanskey Surveys, Bodidit Earthmoving, Bunnings Warehouse, Caba’s Drapery, CNW Wholesalers, Coastal Linemarking, Coffs Asphalt, Coffs City Locksmiths, Cozens Glass, Delta Panels, Hannaford Air Conditioning, Inspired Audio and Video, JZ Concrete, McCarthy Consulting Group Pty Ltd, Men At Work, MNC Security, Mid North Coast Cranes, Northrop Civil Engineers, Novocastrian Scaffolding & Access Equipment Pty Ltd, Plastamasta, Regional Geotechnical Solutions, RH Plumbing, Richard Bolt Painting & Decorating, Ross D Colquhoun Architect Pty Ltd, Sawtell Glass and Aluminium Pty Ltd, Scott Moody Plastering Pty Ltd, Southern Cross Commercial Cleaning, X-Corp Building Services.

You can view the video and full story here. 

Nick Johnstone

Principal

The story is often called “The Feeding of the 5,000,” though, in fact, the total number of people fed was much larger, since 5,000 only identifies the number of men present. (First century patriarchal society) The plot of the story is simple. Thousands of people gathered in a “remote place” where Jesus was teaching and healing. When it came time for the evening meal, there was nothing for people to eat, other than five loaves of bread and two fish. From these, however, Jesus was able to provide ample food for the whole crowd. He miraculously multiplied the quantity of food so that everyone was well fed and there were twelve baskets of leftovers. (Luke 9: 12-17)

Not unlike Jesus’ healing miracles, his feeding of the crowd shows his compassion of human beings and their needs. Jesus cared for the people in their ordinary hunger and demonstrated loving hospitality.

This week Bishop Druitt College along with our newly commissioned College Service Leaders will recommence our practical support for the Coffs Harbour Uniting Church Soup Kitchen. On Wednesday we will cook some hot dishes that will feed around 60 diners who gather daily at ‘The Soupie’ for a hot meal. This is a small, but significant way of acknowledging the needs of all in our community.

Creating God,

May you stir up your people to feed the hungry, even as you once did in the wilderness. May individuals and charitable organizations and businesses and governments work in partnership so that all people might have access to food for life. Amen.

Your child may feel an enormous amount of pressure about the HSC. As a parent or carer, you play an important role in giving them the confidence, support and stability to cope with their final exams. Here are some ideas for supporting them.

1. Help with time management

You can use your own adult experience to help your child manage their time effectively.

The HSC may seem overwhelming to them so you can help break it down into manageable study chunks. Sit down with them and work out a realistic study schedule. A good study schedule should cater to the way your child likes to work. For instance, do they get more value studying in intense short spurts rather than a one-hour block?

There should be clear goals for each block of study. Having a rewards system may help too. It’s also important to schedule relaxation and fun activities. Let your child lead it, it’s their timetable after all, and it has to work for them.

Studies show that students who use effective time management perform better academically and are less stressed.

2. Stay positive at all times

It’s important that your child doesn't feel pressured. Where possible, try and use positive language and gestures.

Use positive expressions or phrases that convey encouragement and being non-judgmental. For example, “how can I help with your study today?” This will help steer your child to the right paths through uplifting and constructive expressions and giving them control of their own situation.

Avoid using negative expressions or phrases that convey disappointment or judgment. For instance: “you’ll never pass the HSC if you don’t do more study” or “do you really think it’s a good idea to go on social media right now?”

Your child will be very sensitive to any criticism or implied criticism. They will be especially sensitive given the enormity of the exams they are facing. So, ask questions that aren’t loaded with any judgement, let them know they always have your support.

3. Encourage a healthy lifestyle

A healthy lifestyle is important for many reasons. Eating and sleeping well and staying fit is beneficial for your body.

Research shows there’s a clear link between sleep and brain activity. We also know that getting a good night’s sleep is important for a teenager’s mental health and it directly influences how well students perform in their exams.

But it’s not just sleep that counts. Exercise pumps oxygen into the brain and stimulates it. Studies have found that exercise increases brain growth and development. Meanwhile, what you eat also has a big effect on the way your brain functions. And this is especially true for teenagers whose bodies are still growing.

Proteins, like meat, fish, eggs and nuts, help the brain’s performance and produce amino acids. Amino acids create the ‘happy chemicals’ in the brain which help to counter stress and anxiety. Then there are omega 3 foods, like oily fish, eggs, flax seeds and beef which help with learning and memory. Then there’s other fats like avocado, olives, canola oil and nuts which strengthen your memory and help your brain work harder. In fact, these monounsaturated fats have been found to fight off Alzheimer’s and help the brain stay sharper for longer.

Antioxidant foods like blueberries, raspberries, kale and cherries fight the unstable molecules in your brain that cause stress and memory loss.

You can play a really important role in your child’s HSC year by pointing them to the right foods, encouraging them to stay active and sleep well, and keeping them away from junk foods high in sugar or polyunsaturated fats.

4. Steer them from distractions

There are more distractions for kids these days than ever before. Phone time, gaming time, social media and screen time generally, are a constant presence in many children’s lives.

Phones especially can be an addictive habit. A recent study of smartphones users found that the average person checks their phones over 80 times a day, and the effects of too much screen time have negative consequences.

A recent study found that children who spent more than two hours a day on screens scored lower in language and thinking tests and even experienced thinning of the brain in some extreme cases.

Phones, computers and gaming devices are bad distractions that will make your child lose focus. You don’t have to eradicate them completely but take them out of the study schedule and use them as rewards instead.

5. Be calm and help deal with stress

A study by the University of NSW found that 40% of HSC students were suffering from symptoms of depression or high stress or anxiety.

There’s no question that most HSC students feel very pressured. As a parent you can create a calm environment at home that will help reduce their anxiety. You can help turn their bedroom into a neat, tidy space that they feel comfortable and relaxed working in.

Meditation is another good way of overcoming stress. Perhaps you may want to investigate some meditation techniques or some meditation apps such as Headspace, Insight Timer or Calm. 

Other techniques include breathing exercises which calm and dissipate stress or muscle relaxation.

Some students may like to try yoga which has been shown to reduce depression and anxiety. But, by ensuring that your child is living in a home where they feel safe, calm and protected, you will be giving them a peaceful space in which to study.

Of course, parents and carers need to look after their own wellbeing too so they can provide support from a strong base. You are, in a sense, also on this HSC journey. For more information visit the parent and carer hub for information and resources to help you help your child.

Scholar's List Recipients - Semester 1 2021

Scholar's List certificates are awarded to students who achieve all A achievement grades and up to one B grade.  

Principal's List Recipients - Semester 1, 2021

A student is eligible for a Principal's List certificate if they have achieved all level 1 grades for effort. 

Kindergarten have had a great start to Term 3 and are thriving as they start their second semester of the year. We have started our new investigations for the term and our goals are continuing to change to suit our needs as we mature and develop a strong love of school and learning. 

Some highlights of the term so far including making fairy bread as our Talk 4 Write ‘hook’ to engage us in the unit of work, eating herbs straight from our Kindy vegetable garden, hearing from high school teacher and former Olympian Mrs Nat Titcume and getting up close with her Olympic medals and our 100 days of Kindergarten celebrations!

We are loving visiting the library and reading all the beautiful books on offer, attending clubs during breaks and seeing our Year 6 buddies weekly, this term they are helping us with readers!

Year 9 and 10 students from World Options Course ‘ Play School’ have started their course building relationships with Year 1 students over the past three weeks. Year 1 students are helping the students learn how they engage, learn and develop through play as the secondary students begin to observe Year 1 students during Walker Learning Investigations. Year 9 and 10 students have also buddied up with Year 1 students to provide extra support for their reading and writing and are running gross motor activities for Year.  All students have really enjoyed the interaction.

2022 World Options Year 8/9 and Year 11 Excelsior Journey Courses

Thank you to Year 8, Year 9 and Year 10 students who have undertaken their workshops, information sessions over the last few weeks as they make choices for 2022. Over the next 4-5 weeks the college will be working on this information to create course lines and course structure for 2022. There will be further updates from Mr Verbruggen once these are completed.

Congratulations to our Principal and Scholar Lists awardees from Semester 1. 

To maintain all 1 for efforts or the highest achievement grades is an amazing achievement. We encourage all students to strive for these awards and small improvements across the year can have some very positive results. Please ask your class teachers where you can improve or how you can improve effort for example along the way.

Mike Colless -retirement from the BDC Library

The college and on behalf of the secondary campus would like to acknowledge the dedication to our students and staff by Mr Mike Colles as Head of Information Services and Distance Education Coordinator as he heads to retirement. Mike has been completing a handover to his replacement Mrs Alison Dare this term and received recognition as well in the staff retrospective on Foundation Day. Mike will finish this week and then have a day a week over the rest of this term. Thank you Mike for your work and dedication and we wish you well for retirement.

Parent Dashboard for Schoolbox 

The college has been rolling out a new learning management system called Schoolbox over 2021 to 2023. This is a K-12 system that will continue to work with different aspects of Parent Lounge for example and new areas such as progressive assessment in courses in more detail or a new school calendar and daily news.

Our Parent Dashboard should be rolled out in the next two weeks. Please understand that this is still in our early phase of a two year roll out. There will be differences on year levels, course information and there could be IT problems for any roll out on such a big scale (there will be an IT support link when this is launched). In the secondary campus, the focus areas have been for 2021:

• Parent Lounge (Semester 2)
• Year 7 and Year 8 courses
• World Options Year 9 and 10.
• School Calendar
• Daily News

In 2022 we will start the year and K-10 should be on Schoolbox, with Year 11-12 entry for 2023. Some staff may have courses already running that are not in our focus areas above, as we all have different classes and this may have been their focus. We look forward to Schoolbox being able to share more of what is happening at school in each of our courses as we create more courses and assessment occurs across the campus.

Healthy Decisions Making: saying no to E-cigarettes/Vaping

Over the last few months we have had some feedback letting us know that families are having conversations at home with their children about making healthy choices including relationships, respectful behaviours, consent, vapes or E-cigarettes. These are ongoing topics for ourselves as parents, often with a less than enthusiastic child when mum or dad bring these topics forward. Please know that these conversations are a vital part of the relationship we have at home with our children and that you are not alone if the conversation is not a favourite topic, thank you for these vital connections you continue to build with each of your children.

Unfortunately e-cigarettes or vapes are still a health concern. As in previous newsletter articles and emails, this is a primary and secondary campus health concern. While there was a hope that over the holidays there may have been less need for further comment or it was a phase that had been passed in regards to vaping, we bring this health concern to your attention again. 

If you do have a child from Year 5 to 12, a discussion now at home is timely about E-Cigarettes or vapes. Children will often say they have purchased this because they were curious, often online using Instagram for example or older teenagers may say they just vape a bit at parties on the weekend. 

There are multiple articles by Paul Dillon in the link below about having an honest conversation with our children at home. Keeping the door open for future conversations on any topic is also what our children will see if we discuss these matters willing to listen to their experience or their questions.

Drug and Alcohol Research and Training Australia (DARTA) With Paul Dillon Link 

The college process is the same approaching any breaches with a wellbeing/health conversation, however, it does also result in suspension for vapes or vape use. Multiple breaches or anyone supplying illegal substances would escalate this dramatically. Even with CCTV, vape detectors and our wellbeing approach at the college, we know there will be ongoing conversations at home and school over the time ahead. We also hope that the government or NSW Health take up the cause for some public health information about possible health impacts of vape use.

Locker Use 7 to 12

Our goal to have a locker for each child in 7 to 12 is one of our popular resources for students with a high uptake. Although seniors do seem to use it less by the time they reach Year 12, every student does get one with a school supplied lock. The locker can fit the whole BDC school bag, laptop and is out of the weather.

We are reminding all students that the only acceptable lock is the college provided lock (non school locks will be removed) and lockers should be locked. Unfortunately if something goes missing from an unlocked locker, there is very little that can be done and this can cause a lot of anxiety if something goes missing. Please remind your son or daughter to use the lock at all times.

HSC -Year 12 and Year 11 Accelerated Students

The Trial HSC examinations continue this week at the college. These exams are always a nervous time for our students and an increased workload. HSC students have approached these with a dedication across the first week of the exams that has been impressive (although the first day nerves are always good to get out of the way). Congratulations to our HSC students on their work so far this year and we hope the valuable feedback you receive in the coming weeks continues to help build your course understanding and skills to a higher level.

2021 HSC Examinations -Practical, Major Works and Performances, Oral Examinations

The COVID pandemic continues to develop in different ways each week. NESA and NSW Health are very active around this for our HSC students. The college maintains a close watch on the advice which is issued each week. Mr Johnstone receives briefings most weeks from AISNSW, NESA and other stakeholders in the HSC. We will keep students and families informed as information is updated.

We also understand that this is a challenging time for students. Our messages to students are to talk with Mr Close our Year 12 Coordinator, Mr Verbruggen our Director of Learning and Teaching and of course their subject teachers if they have any questions. There is a lot of information out there, some of it just for Sydney students and some for everyone. Please reassure them and use Mr Close and Mr Verbnruggen as the go to people for any clarification needed. Our college community is here to support them, please contact the college if you have further questions.

What should HSC students do?

• Be active, be healthy, use their normal outside activities to get outside.
• Take it one day at a time, talk at home, with friends and teachers.
• Speak with Mr Close or Mr Verbruggen if they have any questions.
• Be at class, exams on time and ready to do your best (but if unwell, please stay at home and get a COVID test etc).
•  Be assured that they will have the opportunity to receive their HSC this year.
• Visit the Stay Healthy HSC hub for study tips, mental health and wellbeing support and information about free, anonymous and professional services that are available 24/7.
• Check their Students Online account with NESA.
• HSC key dates and exam information NESA
• Coronavirus advice for Year 11 and Year 12 HSC NESA

Thank you for the support for winter uniform requirements. Winter uniform continues until Week 6. Year 7-8 are reminded that ties are to be worn to and from school each day, they cannot leave them in their lockers. Summer uniform commences from Week 7 Monday 23rd August.

The BDC team consisting of Chloe Braun, Zeek Mattarollo, Finn Reedy, Rataj Abdullah, Jack Easter and myself, Sureyya Brennan competed in the Ethics Olympiad earlier in the year and we placed second in NSW and received a silver medal. This then qualified us to represent Australia (and NSW) in the finals - The International Ethics Olympiad which was held via zoom. 

The Ethics Olympiad is a competition where schools put together teams to discuss different perspectives concerning a range of ethical case studies. The case studies are based on real life scenarios and the focus is less about arguing a position and more about examining and developing perspectives and learning how to communicate this in a respectful way. Some examples of the case studies we worked through were: (De) Funding the Police, Dating after Prison and The Ethics and Truth of Public Safety during Covid. All teams are challenged to consider the philosophical arguments, perspectives, and consequences of each case and then present their ideas in front of a judge and a team from another school on the day of the competition.

The final of the International Ethics Olympiad on Friday the 23rd of July was filled with stimulating, interesting and insightful discussions with schools from all over the world. It was an incredible and valuable experience for all of us and we received amazing results placing 13th out of the 38 schools across Australia, Canada, China, Singapore, Hong Kong and New Zealand. We also received an honourable mention from the judges who were from the UK, NZ and NSW. It is incredible to think that we represented Australia (and NSW) in the competition in the same week that the Tokyo Olympics also took place!

On behalf of the members of the team, I would like to thank Mr Doyle and Mrs Brown for this opportunity and their dedication to helping us prepare and compete in this amazing event. We look forward to competing again in the future.

~ Sureyya Brennan, Year 9

Your child may feel an enormous amount of pressure about the HSC. As a parent or carer, you play an important role in giving them the confidence, support and stability to cope with their final exams. Here are some ideas for supporting them.

1. Help with time management

You can use your own adult experience to help your child manage their time effectively.

The HSC may seem overwhelming to them so you can help break it down into manageable study chunks. Sit down with them and work out a realistic study schedule. A good study schedule should cater to the way your child likes to work. For instance, do they get more value studying in intense short spurts rather than a one-hour block?

There should be clear goals for each block of study. Having a rewards system may help too. It’s also important to schedule relaxation and fun activities. Let your child lead it, it’s their timetable after all, and it has to work for them.

Studies show that students who use effective time management perform better academically and are less stressed.

2. Stay positive at all times

It’s important that your child doesn't feel pressured. Where possible, try and use positive language and gestures.

Use positive expressions or phrases that convey encouragement and being non-judgmental. For example, “how can I help with your study today?” This will help steer your child to the right paths through uplifting and constructive expressions and giving them control of their own situation.

Avoid using negative expressions or phrases that convey disappointment or judgment. For instance: “you’ll never pass the HSC if you don’t do more study” or “do you really think it’s a good idea to go on social media right now?”

Your child will be very sensitive to any criticism or implied criticism. They will be especially sensitive given the enormity of the exams they are facing. So, ask questions that aren’t loaded with any judgement, let them know they always have your support.

3. Encourage a healthy lifestyle

A healthy lifestyle is important for many reasons. Eating and sleeping well and staying fit is beneficial for your body.

Research shows there’s a clear link between sleep and brain activity. We also know that getting a good night’s sleep is important for a teenager’s mental health and it directly influences how well students perform in their exams.

But it’s not just sleep that counts. Exercise pumps oxygen into the brain and stimulates it. Studies have found that exercise increases brain growth and development. Meanwhile, what you eat also has a big effect on the way your brain functions. And this is especially true for teenagers whose bodies are still growing.

Proteins, like meat, fish, eggs and nuts, help the brain’s performance and produce amino acids. Amino acids create the ‘happy chemicals’ in the brain which help to counter stress and anxiety. Then there are omega 3 foods, like oily fish, eggs, flax seeds and beef which help with learning and memory. Then there’s other fats like avocado, olives, canola oil and nuts which strengthen your memory and help your brain work harder. In fact, these monounsaturated fats have been found to fight off Alzheimer’s and help the brain stay sharper for longer.

Antioxidant foods like blueberries, raspberries, kale and cherries fight the unstable molecules in your brain that cause stress and memory loss.

You can play a really important role in your child’s HSC year by pointing them to the right foods, encouraging them to stay active and sleep well, and keeping them away from junk foods high in sugar or polyunsaturated fats.

4. Steer them from distractions

There are more distractions for kids these days than ever before. Phone time, gaming time, social media and screen time generally, are a constant presence in many children’s lives.

Phones especially can be an addictive habit. A recent study of smartphones users found that the average person checks their phones over 80 times a day, and the effects of too much screen time have negative consequences.

A recent study found that children who spent more than two hours a day on screens scored lower in language and thinking tests and even experienced thinning of the brain in some extreme cases.

Phones, computers and gaming devices are bad distractions that will make your child lose focus. You don’t have to eradicate them completely but take them out of the study schedule and use them as rewards instead.

5. Be calm and help deal with stress

A study by the University of NSW found that 40% of HSC students were suffering from symptoms of depression or high stress or anxiety.

There’s no question that most HSC students feel very pressured. As a parent you can create a calm environment at home that will help reduce their anxiety. You can help turn their bedroom into a neat, tidy space that they feel comfortable and relaxed working in.

Meditation is another good way of overcoming stress. Perhaps you may want to investigate some meditation techniques or some meditation apps such as Headspace, Insight Timer or Calm. 

Other techniques include breathing exercises which calm and dissipate stress or muscle relaxation.

Some students may like to try yoga which has been shown to reduce depression and anxiety. But, by ensuring that your child is living in a home where they feel safe, calm and protected, you will be giving them a peaceful space in which to study.

Of course, parents and carers need to look after their own wellbeing too so they can provide support from a strong base. You are, in a sense, also on this HSC journey. For more information visit the parent and carer hub for information and resources to help you help your child.

It was an early start on the first day, the bus leaving before 5 AM. Most people were tired, but there was little sleep on the long bus ride to Jindabyne. After getting our gear, we arrived at the accommodations and settled for the first night there.

We were all excited in the early morning, for some the first time they would see snow. On the bus trip everybody was watching the windows for the first glimpse of snow. Sure enough, a bright white mountain stuck in the sky, so covered in dusty white it looked like a cloud. The first day was fun for all, as those who had gone before eased into their activities once again and those who had never once even seen snow learned the basics. The weather was excellent, with many feeling the strange feeling of overheating in the snow.

The next few days went by without much incident, luckily without any crippling injuries. Just about everybody picked up how to ski, everybody was very kind and helped anybody who needed it. While the weather broke down in the last couple of days, everybody managed to enjoy themselves out on the slopes. When we finally made it back, yet again early in the morning, it felt like everybody had got what they wanted out of the trip.

by Ezequiel 'Zeek' Mattarollo (year 9)

Year 10 Internship Program

We were delighted today to interview six of our year 10 students for our brand new Internship Program.  We have Internships on offer  across Pharmacy, Childcare, Optical Dispensing, Hospitality, Manufacturing and Logistics, Business and Horticulture.

Congratulations to

• Sifan Tekle
• Rosie Klindo
• Kayla Juodvalkis
• Isabelle Simon
• Ayla Atkin
• Christina Tai Hlaw

The above students were selected for an interview  based on their excellent applications, school attendance and academic effort.  They each have had successful interviews with Mr Doyle, Mrs Brown and myself and will now be matched with an Internship host and offered a placement.  

TAFE External courses 

Expressions of interest are now invited from current Year 10 students wishing to choose a TAFE (TVET) course as one of their senior subjects in Years 11 and 12. For more information about what TVET courses are available, please don’t hesitate to contact Gina Driscoll.

Apprenticeships/Traineeships and School Based Apprenticeships

• Horticulture Traineeship Full Time - Big Banana
• Horticulture Traineeship  - possible School Based Traineeship
• Metal Fabrication - School based Traineeship opportunity
• Business Administration Trainee - part time, leading to full time for the right person

For more information about any of these job opportunities, please contact Gina Driscoll asap.

Gina Driscoll

Career Pathways Coach

Student performances 

Currently because of COVID we have not been able to do live performances in assemblies. I have been recording them so the students can be seen on the screen in the BDC assemblies. 

Here's year 11 student, Imogen Daymond performing 'The Joke' by Brandi Carlile:

Ensembles 

All our ensembles are still able to rehearse every week.

Just an update on the ensembles currently running.

Monday morning 8am.           Highly Strung

                                10.30am.    Ukulele group

                                11.10am     year 4 orchestra

                                12pm           Superstrings  

                                12.50pm.    Senior Rock Band

                                12.50pm.    Percussion ensemble

Tuesday                 Year 3 strings

                                10.30am.   Senior Quartet 

Wednesday           8am.    Primary Band

                                12pm.  Junior Quartet

                                12.50.  Intermediate Band

                                1.30pm.  Beginner Band

Thursday              8am   Orchestra

                               12.50.  Jazz Band

                               12.50.   Junior Rock Band

Everyone is welcome to come along and play in one of these ensembles. Any pianists who are interested in playing for any of these groups please come and see Ms Smith. 

Our World Options also have groups who practice and perform together as in year 11 and 12 as well.

School of Rock the musical

The musical rehearsals are in full swing with the cast, crew and band coming in last Sunday for the day.

The  rehearsing in M1 on Monday morning. Sounding great. A big thank you to Mrs Gudgeon and Mrs Crismale for all your enthusiasm and energy. 

A big thank you to parents and students for getting students to these extra practices.

More music news 

We are starting our Beginner Band with the students who have had a term of lessons on their new instrument, next week. Very exciting.

Performance Choir is learning a new Medley arranged by Mrs Stuart. Thank you for all your wonderful arranging.

Kindy are learning their farewell song for year 12.

The Garra-Garraji Dance Studio is a beautiful space and is very much appreciated by all our dancers from Kindy through to year 11. You can read more about the Dance Studio launch here. 

General

NCIS Athletics has been postponed until Tuesday 7 September. Please continue to accept or decline in Parent Lounge.

NSWCIS and All schools/NSWPSSA sport has been postponed for term 3 including athletics.

Due to COVID-19 restriction, most representative sports have been postponed for term 3. That makes this a very quiet newsletter for sport.

Congratulations to our 2021 Secondary record breakers (AMENDED)

Outside of BDC Sport Achievements

Waratah Junior Basketball League Tamworth Competition

A number of BDC students travelled over the weekend to Tamworth to compete in the Junior Basketball League representative finals. 

• Year 4 students, Felix Benson and Jasper Bowman - In a nail biting game they won the final by one point against Taree and claimed the championship. 
• Year 7 students Ollie Bond, Ziggy Carpenter and Miles Fall went into the finals in 4th place. 
• Year 5 student Lachlan Gentle played in Division 1. In equal points for 1st place in the Comp the Coffs Suns and Tamworth went head to head. In a nail biter the game went into overtime with Tamworth taking home the win. 
• Year 9 student Mia Kelly refereed the NJL finals and was picked to ref the u14g div 1 Grand Final.

Equestrian success 

Some amazing results of some talented BDC equestrian team members over the weekend.

Olivia Hoare and Winnie Mills (8) competed in the Zone 9 2021 Dressage and Show riding qualifiers and successfully qualified after Incredible results being placed in every event. Congratulations to these talented young riders. 

Please email a short report and photos to bhilton@bdc.nsw.edu.au with any outside of BDC sporting achievements for inclusion in the newsletter.

Upcoming Events

Outdoor Education 

Year 1 participated in their outdoor education program on Monday afternoon.

The students had a great time working with each other to get a great outcomes in the team building activities as well as making some great pictures from ‘things’ in the environment.

It was great to have some Year 9 child studies students and some of our year 10 peer support leaders join in and assist the younger students. Thank you all.

Thank you to the year 1 staff for making the afternoon great.

2021 Camp Dates 

Lachlan commenced high school at BDC in 2009 and began to set athletics records, representing the College at both regional and state athletic events. He transitioned to Coffs Harbour Senior College in 2012 to complete his HSC. Inspired by his parents who both work for the NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS), Lachlan naturally gravitated towards commencing a Bachelor of Environmental Science and Management degree at the University of Newcastle in 2016.

Between 2016-2020, Lachlan’s passion for conserving and learning about Australia’s native animals led him to volunteer on a number of exciting university projects. Notably, he helped research the vulnerable squirrel glider in Lake Macquarie, investigated the habitat preferences and behaviour of the vulnerable Davies’ Tree Frog in Barrington Tops National Park, and assisted with capture-mark-recapture surveys that led to a better understanding of the endangered green and golden bell frog’s ecology on Kooragang Island.

Lachlan’s work with the green and golden bell frog transitioned into a paid summer scholarship in 2018/2019. His passion and work ethic during the scholarship led to an on-going paid position as an Amphibian Research Assistant where he continued working with the green and golden bell frog on Kooragang Island. This was his first paid role in the field of Ecology and was a key moment in his career as an Ecologist. 

The year 2020 was another important point in Lachlan’s career. In January/February of 2020, he completed a botanical internship at the Australian National Herbarium in Canberra. Before finishing his bachelor’s degree in July 2020, he landed his dream role as Fauna Ecologist with Travers Bushfire & Ecology and is currently still working there. In this role, he undertakes surveys to detect and protect threatened animals and their homes, specialising in the detection and identification of bat calls using specialised sound-detection equipment. 

Whilst working, Lachlan decided to continue his research journey by undertaking an Honours degree. He has just submitted his research thesis that estimated the density and home range of short-eared possums in Mt Hyland Nature Reserve and Gibraltar Range National Park. Such information is key for monitoring the species and ensuring their survival into the future. He will be sending his work off for publication in the coming weeks.

Lachlan’s commitment to wildlife conservation and environmental stewardship continues to be recognised through his accumulation of various awards, including the Don McNair Scholarship in Plant Identification and Illustration, Australian National Herbarium internship, Saving our Species Conservation Scholarship, Hunter Environmental Institute Undergraduate Scholarship, Amphibian Conservation Biology Scholarship and New Colombo Plan Climate Change Scholarship.

Bishop Druitt College takes great pride in having provided Lachlan part of his early education and look forward to watching his journey as one of Australia’s up-and-coming environmental ecologists.

The Anglican Diocese of Grafton and Bishop Druitt College support the "Great Registration Race" that runs for the month of August.

Resources for families to discuss this important issue are on the Donate Life website:

"With a decrease in donation and transplantation activity during 2020 due to COVID-19, it has never been more important to encourage others to register as organ and tissue donors.

To celebrate a decade of DonateLife Week, we have a new look and fresh ambition. There are around 13 million Australians aged 16+ who are eligible to register as an organ and tissue donor – but haven’t.

For ‘The Great Registration Race for DonateLife Week’ our goal is to encourage up to 100,000 more Australians to join the Australian Organ Donor Register." - https://www.donatelife.gov.au/join-register