WEEK 2 TERM 2, Friday, 8 May 2020 Next week, we begin the return to school for students as per the Department of Education guidelines. In Phase 1, most NSW students will attend school 1 day a week and learn from home 4 days a week. It is anticipated that the number of days will increase before the end of term, under the advice from NSW Health. Phase 1 will begin Monday, 11 May and students will be in their class groups. As a school, we felt that it was important that the students, wherever possible on this day be with their own teacher and their friends to support the continuity of their learning. Social distancing measures will be in place and larger class groups will have access to open learning spaces including the hall and the library. The online learning curriculum will continue for all students whether they are at school or at home. Equipment for School: School bag Recess and lunch Water bottle to refill at the bubblers School loaned devices Student work packs School Canteen The school canteen will continue to remain closed until further notice. Communication with the School Preferred communication is through phone or email. Attendance and Sickness We ask that parents continue to please notify the school of their child’s absence. If students are engaging in our learning from home program and completing the set work, they will be marked as flexible attendance instead of an absence. Those students who are not engaging in online learning, not present at school or not identified as sick will be marked as absent. It is important to remember that if your child is showing any signs of feeling unwell, PLEASE DO NOT SEND THEM TO SCHOOL. Any child showing signs of feeling unwell will be sent to the sick bay and parents will be notified immediately.
Transcript
WEEK 2 TERM 2, Friday, 8 May 2020
Next week, we begin the return to school for students as per the Department of Education guidelines. In Phase 1, most NSW students will attend school 1 day a week and learn from home 4 days a week. It is anticipated that the number of days will increase before the end of term, under the advice from NSW Health.
Phase 1 will begin Monday, 11 May and students will be in their class groups. As a school, we felt that it was important that the students, wherever possible on this day be with their own teacher and their friends to support the continuity of their learning. Social distancing measures will be in place and larger class groups will have access to open learning spaces including the hall and the library. The online learning curriculum will continue for all students whether they are at school or at home.
Equipment for School:
School bag
Recess and lunch
Water bottle to refill at the bubblers
School loaned devices
Student work packs
School Canteen
The school canteen will continue to remain closed until further notice.
Communication with the School
Preferred communication is through phone or email.
Attendance and Sickness
We ask that parents continue to please notify the school of their child’s absence. If students are engaging in our learning from home program and completing the set work, they will be marked as flexible attendance instead of an absence. Those students who are not engaging in online learning, not present at school or not identified as sick will be marked as absent.
It is important to remember that if your child is showing any signs of feeling unwell, PLEASE DO NOT SEND THEM TO SCHOOL. Any child showing signs of feeling unwell will be sent to the sick bay and parents will be notified immediately.
“The best thing about BCS was it being a small community ….”
Gabbie Brennan
Social Distancing – The front office, pick up and drop off reminder
You will notice additional signage around the school to support social distancing measures. At the front office foyer we ask that there only be a maximum of two people at the front office at any one time. If you can call us or
send us an email that would be best!
All primary students must be dropped off at the front side gate to walk around the back way to line up under the hayshed. Kindergarten students may be dropped at the front office steps to then walk in and place their bags at their classroom, then head to the hayshed. When picking up your students from the front of the school, please adhere to the social distancing measures and changes that we have put in place during this time. We have placed reminders at the front fence for our primary parents to assist with daily pick up and drop off. Signage on the secondary fence and bus zone is also in place.
Additionally, the No Stopping zone at the front of the school will be changed to a No Standing Zone. This sign means that any vehicles can stop to drop off and pick up students in a timely manner. This will allow parents to stay in their cars and wait for their child to enter or exit the school safely.
It is unknown at this stage how many weeks Phase 1 will be in place. A decision to move to Phase 2 will be based
on the advice from NSW Health and may change at any time.
A reminder that the website https://education.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/advice-for-families is updated regularly with
the latest information. Parents are encouraged to access this website, read the newsletter and Facebook feeds to
stay up to date.
HSC Parents: Studiosity Online Information Session
Parents are invited to an online information session on Studiosity, a study help service that is available free to
your child this year, thanks to the University of New England.
Join Nadia from Studiosity, to find out how your child can access this free service, and hear how Studiosity’s team
of online specialists can help increase your child’s confidence in their writing and core academic skills.
When: Wednesday, 20 May, 7:30pm
Where: Online (via Zoom)
How: Register your interest by clicking the link below
Register here <https://www.studiosity.com/webinar-une-schools>
If you can’t make it on the day, fill out the form on the registration page and you’ll be sent the recording
afterwards.
We hope all parents can participate in this activity in an effort to further support their child.
Congratulations to the following students who received a merit award this week: Eden Abra, Jaggar Wall, Taysharn Peterson, Summer Laidlaw, Chase Martin, Ivy Miller, Nikola Barac, Lily Marshall, Jessica
Smith, Jai Allen, Harriett Webber, Tamiya McClymont, Montana Brien, Akylaha Wadley, Elle’-Grace Haley and Zoe Allen.
Children returning to school If your child is returning to school, please ensure they have their paper work packs and any technology they have
borrowed with them.
Attendance If your child is not working online or sending work back to school they will be marked ’absent unexplained’. Children working from home online and submitting work are marked as ’flexible’. If they are marked ’absent
unexplained’, this will go against their attendance record.
Natasha Schmidt & Tanya Withers
WHAT ARE THEY READING?
It’s an exciting time in secondary this term - every student, from year 7 to 12, is currently engaging in an in-depth novel study. They’re learning about new worlds, societies and ways of living. Through these stories about the bonds of family, friends and strangers, our students are meeting complex and intriguing characters who struggle to navigate – and survive – the perilous
paths their lives have taken them on.
Stage 4 English, currently reading:
Trash by Andy Mulligan
“I guess you just never know what you’ll find, sifting through rubbish! Today could be
your lucky day.”
Raphael lives on a dumpsite, eking out a living sifting through rubbish. One unlucky-lucky
day, he makes an extraordinary and deadly discovery.
Now he and his two friends, Gardo and Rat, are wanted by the corrupt forces that run the city and will stop at nothing to get back what they've lost. From the slums to the mansions
of the elite, it's going to take all of their quick-thinking and fast-talking to stay ahead.
And to stay alive.
Stage 5.1 English, currently reading:
Prince of Afghanistan by Louis Nowra
After a rescue mission goes wrong, a young soldier and his dog find themselves alone in
hostile territory. Will they survive the perilous journey back to base?
Black parachutes fall from the sky: young soldiers - and a dog - on a rescue mission in a remote part of Afghanistan. But the mission ends in chaos, and Mark and Prince embark on a perilous journey through enemy territory. Will they make it back to base? All they have is each other. All they can do is survive, today, tomorrow and the next day. A dramatic, powerful story of war and the bond between a young soldier and a dog.
#BCSsuccess
Stage 5.2 English, currently reading:
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
An iconic classic! A heroic story of friendship and belonging.
No one ever said life was easy. But Ponyboy is pretty sure that he's got things
figured out. He knows that he can count on his brothers, Darry and Sodapop.
And he knows that he can count on his friends — true friends who would do
anything for him, like Johnny and Two-Bit. But not on much else besides
trouble with the Socs, a vicious gang of rich kids whose idea of a good time is
beating up on “greasers” like Ponyboy. At least he knows what to expect —
until the night someone takes things too far.
The Outsiders is a dramatic and enduring work of fiction that laid the
groundwork for the YA genre. S. E. Hinton's classic story of a boy who finds
himself on the outskirts of regular society remains as powerful today as it was
the day it was first published.
Stage 6 English, currently reading:
Past the Shallows by Favel Parrett
Hauntingly beautiful and told with an elegant simplicity, this is the story of two
brothers growing up in a fractured family on the wild Tasmanian coast. The
consequences of their parents' choices shape their lives and ultimately bring
tragedy to them all.
Harry and Miles live with their father, an abalone fisherman, on the south-east
coast of Tasmania. With their mum dead, they are left to look after themselves.
When Miles isn't helping out on the boat they explore the coast, and Miles and
his older brother, Joe, love to surf. Harry is afraid of the water.
Everyday their dad battles the unpredictable ocean to make a living. He is a hard
man, a bitter drinker who harbours a devastating secret that is destroying him.
Unlike Joe, Harry and Miles are too young to leave home and so are forced to
live under the dark cloud of their father's mood, trying to stay as invisible as
possible whenever he is home. Harry, the youngest, is the most vulnerable and it
seems he bears the brunt of his father's anger.
Emma Pleffer & Monica Coddington
Stage English Teachers
The secret of getting ahead is getting started.
What is the best thing about BCS and/or Bingara?The best thing about BCS was it being a small community, and the opportunities it provided. You had teachers who cared where you ended up and saw you right through to the end. Having Mrs Groth and Mrs Mill, teachers from Kindergarten and Year 1, seeing us off at the end of Year 12 is particularly memorable. It was also being able to participate in band and attend band camps. Having Variety Night at the Roxy, and seeing each year put on an amazing performance (especially the Ag classes). It was having a school based traineeship with a local business, but also having opportunities to complete work placements in other businesses in other towns that were facilitated through the school. As for Bingara, growing up it had everything I needed. A tight knit community where everyone knew you. Opportunities to participate in local productions or film festivals. I had all my family in one place and was able to get my license without being tested on traffic lights or roundabouts
What is your favourite BCS memory and/or tradition?Marching down the main street for Thomson Cup (Go Fraser). Getting to participate in Orange Picking every year, but also seeing how protective everyone was of the oranges, and how it was instilled in everyone how important the tradition was. I have lots of memories of school, mainly of the later years. Retail classes with Mrs Marshall, experiments with Mr Crispin, Mrs Whitfield in the library, History with Mr J, Maths with Mrs Leadbeater and cooking classes with Mr Wright. Our class antics in Siberia.
Where are you now? Occupation?I am now living in Brisbane with my partner and 2 cats. I am working as a Chemist at Mylan (formally Alphapharm).
My job is working in a laboratory where I test generic pharmaceuticals to make sure they remain potent and don’t break down into anything they shouldn’t, over the recommended shelf life.
What are some of your achievements? I completed K-12 at Bingara Central School along with a school based traineeship in Retail at the Fruit Market. I was Vice Captain in Year 11 and then School Captain in Year 12 and had the honour to present a lot of speeches both at school and in the community. When I finished Year 12, I then went straight to Uni in Brisbane, where I studied and completed a dual degree in Bachelor of Forensic Science (majoring in Chemistry) and Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Griffith University.
What is an interesting fact about you? I have travelled to Singapore, Vietnam and Fiji. I had flights booked for Europe this year, but that travel is on hold because of COVID-19.
Do you have any words of wisdom for our students?“It doesn’t matter where you learn, if you want to learn”. Learning in a small school has opportunities that bigger schools don’t but the obstacles it puts in place also help prepare you. For example, I completed Math (2-unit), Biology and Chemistry through correspondence in Dubbo for Years 11 and 12. This structure of learning, while challenging at the time, helped to prepare me for how classes at Uni would be.
Is there anything else you would like to share with us?Something Mr Bower said in a careers class has always stuck with me. There are many different pathways you can take and while some may take longer than others, you can eventually reach the same goal.
We’re really excited to have BOOK CLUB running this Term, but it will look a little different! It will be a virtual catalogue rather than the printed catalogues you’re used to receiving.
To order from this issue go to:
Scholastic.com.au/Book-Club/virtual-catalogue-1/
Place your order on LOOP as normal and orders need to be in by:
[ENTER DATE]
We will receive your order here to our school like normal. Once your order arrives, we will contact you to arrange for collection:
[USE THIS SPACE TO EXPLAIN HOW PARENTS WILL COLLECT THEIR ORDERS]
If you have any questions or queries, please contact:
[ENTER THE BEST CONTACT DETAILS HERE – OR REMOVE IF NOT NEEDED]
