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FROM THE PRINCIPAL 21 August 2018

At the midway point of any term there’s a strange sense of looking back, just as much while looking ahead. At this point we’re well and truly back in the swing of campus life with events each week (Drama Performance Night this Thursday 23 August), excursions (Year 12 Biology this Thursday 23 August and Year 8-12 Japanese this Friday 24 August) and fundraisers (Book Week Free Dress this Friday 24 August and the ongoing Drought Support collection). Seeing all these things happening is a reminder of how much goes on behind the scenes to nurture a school culture of outreach, creativity, learning and leadership. The foundation to design student opportunities and innovation is one that we’re always working on here at Bracken Ridge, with a focus on how we prepare our young people for a fulfilling post-school life. Opportunities such as those going on this week are designed to educate, engage and inspire our young people while inclusively incorporating a broad range of topics, learning spaces and ideas. This week I am using this space to highlight the exceptional work of our teaching and support staff, who have the vision to dynamically support our young people in all areas of our school. Their sense of purpose and long-term work makes our school what it is. Thank you to our staff! High Resolves Conference Building upon the message above, a group of School Council representatives and school staff travelled to Sydney for the High Resolves Ed Summit in Week 4. The one day conference was held at The University of Technology Sydney and brought together a range of secondary and tertiary education experts as well as researchers, not-for-profit operators and government agencies. The summit’s focus on 21st century skills and nurturing young people to be active, engaged citizens, and is connected closely with our School Council’s focus on Deep Learning. At this stage our School Council is still reviewing what we learned to see if the High Resolves program will fit our school and community. We’ll keep you updated on this in the coming months. Leadership Retreat In Week 5, our Heads of Department and Administration spent two days reviewing our school planning and organisational goals. In addition to these areas, we reviewed curriculum implementation and academic programs to analyse our current progress against our projected school growth for the year ahead. I am grateful to all leadership team members for their attention-to-detail and passion for the work our school does. Their expertise is fundamental to our school success and I am looking forward to continuing this work now we’re back on-site as well as in 2019. District Athletics Our District athletes were incredible representatives at the Week 4 carnival bringing serious competition to the meet. In addition to securing the ‘Percentage Trophy’ for the sixth year running, our students brought significant weight to the track and field against much larger schools. Congratulations to the following 16 years Age Champions: Tarell Rea and Xavier Hoek, and 12 years Runner Up Age Champion Casper Deacon. Good luck to these students at the Regional Carnival in Week 7. Chaplain News: Good luck Trudi and Welcome Luke Last Friday 17 August, our Chaplain Trudi Bechard finished up six years of service at Bracken Ridge. Trudi has made a huge impact in her time with us as a core Wellbeing team member offering student pastoral care, coordinating programs, and managing family outreach. She was a core member of shaping Wellbeing culture here at Bracken Ridge and she will be missed by students and staff. We wish Trudi and her husband good luck as they travel to Finland to attend Bible College and explore Europe.

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Date Reminders Term 3 2018

August

20-24 Book Week - Theme:

’Find your treasure’

23 Year 10 Drama Perf. evening

23 Year 12 Biology excursion

24 Dress up Day (Book Week)

24 Write a Book in a Day w/shop

24 Yr 8-12 Japanese excursion

28 Yr 11/12 HPJ Excursion

29 Japanese Trip Info Night

29 Regional Athletics - 12 years

30 Regional Athletics - 12 to 18

31 Regional Athletics - 13 to 18 yrs

SPORTING NEWS

SHAKE AND STIR

If you have already completed and returned your Parent/Caregiver Survey, thank you and please disregard this notice. If not already completed, the paper surveys are due back to this school by Friday, 24 August 2018. This is a great opportunity to have your say about what this school does well and how this school can improve. If you haven’t received any survey access details yet, please contact Rosina Campbell on telephone 07 3869 7222 or email admin@bracridgshs.eq.edu.au.

SCHOOL OPINION SURVEY

Last week over 80 students took part in the recent Central District competition against other Brisbane north side school students. Bracken Ridge High has once again brought home the shield for the Central District Percentage Trophy Champions of 2018. This means that our participation and effort in the competition against schools much larger than us, has still proved that we continue to succeed despite the size of our school. A special mention of congratulations to District Age Champions Tarell Rea and Xavier Hoek, and the Runner Up Age Champion Casper Deacon. The students were incredibly well behaved and showed great sportsmanship throughout the two day events.

On Wednesday 9 August, our Year 12 English students enjoyed an enthralling modern interpretation of Macbeth from Shake & Stir Theatre Company. These actors performed the Shakespeare classic with originality and conviction as well as giving the Year 12 students tips for their assessment. Thank you Shake & Stir Theatre Company for joining us and our English team, especially Miss Coghill and Mr Jentz for organising this performance!

We welcome our new Chaplain Luke Schubert who will be a full-time Wellbeing team member offering the same support options our students are used to, as well bringing his experience to our team. We will properly introduce Luke in the next newsletter. Book Week This Friday 24 August is our Free Dress Day for the term with a Book Week theme. We encourage all students to dress up as their favourite book character with the theme Find Your Treasure. The Student Council is overseeing this fundraiser and a gold coin donation is required for all students participating. Have a wonderful week and enjoy everything we have on the schedule. Normal newsletter publishing will resume in Week 7.

Roger Atkins

FROM THE PRINCIPAL (CONT’D)

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YEAR 10 MATH GRAPHING

OHTORI HIGH SCHOOL VISITORS

A student recalls a recent ‘out of classroom’ lesson…….

We were doing a graphing section where we had students be a point on a quadratic curve. Each student was given an X that they had to substitute into an equation to show what the corresponding Y value was and then stand on that coordinate. The overall pattern should show a parabolic curve.

We also did another set of two equations and had students again stand on the point for their coordinate to show simultaneous equations.

Finally we did a circle centred on the origin, where we used a radius to place students in a circle. We then modified this by converting this to an ellipse from the circle, to show how we can convert a circle to an ellipse, by using two points like a single centre.

Bracken Ridge State High School was incredibly lucky this term to have students from our Japanese sister school, Ohtori High School come over on exchange. The Ohtori students attended English classes at BRSHS in addition to being able to sit in on some of the wonderful lessons that happen around our school every day. Ohtori students also participated in special activities such as a games lesson with the year 8 Japanese class, a calligraphy and origami lesson with one of the year 7 Japanese classes and a sports lesson with the senior Japanese class. It was a great opportunity for the BRSHS students who study Japanese to interact with students from another country and practice the Japanese language skills they have been building upon. Thank you to all the teachers, students and parents involved with making this year’s tour a success.

Ms Tiana-Lee McConnell Japanese Teacher

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QUT STUDENTS WITH POTENTIAL

COFFEE BUSINESS SUPPORTS OUR SCHOOL

On Monday 6 August, a group of senior students from Year 10 and Year 11 received special Students With Potential Awards from Queensland University Of Technology. QUT Student ambassadors presented these awards to the following students: Year 10: Shanae Burrows, Kiara Ferreira, Taylah Clarke, Blake Gray and Tom Forbes Year 11: Heavenah Takai At this assembly, previous winners were also acknowledged: Year 11: Tiana Pitman, Jacenta Lucas, Zachary Barnes, and Skyla Henry Year 12: Matthew Buchanan, Lachlan C, Bethany J, Isabelle O’Connor and Ryan Winton The aim of these awards is to encourage students to continue to work hard so they can follow their career goals, whatever they are and wherever they may take them. Congratulations to these award winners – keep working hard and chasing your dreams! Mr Phil Reid Head of Senior Schooling, Business, Digital Technologies, Textiles and Food Studies

Students currently in years 8 and 9 are required to submit their subject selections for 2019 via the online process through Oneschool. This selection process closes on Friday 24 August 2018.

Curriculum Handbooks and instruction details were issued last week; spare copies are available at the school office.

Students - be sure to complete selections by this date.

REMINDER ➡ SUBJECT SELECTION PROCESS ➡ YEARS 8 AND 9

A massive thank you to Round Table Coffee who have donated $841 to our P&C that will be used for BRSHS Student Wellbeing programs! This money was raised through used book sales with fifty percent of Round Table’s proceeds over the last three months donated to our school. A special thank you to Round Table and our local community customers. Our school wellbeing vision is to develop happy, healthy and resilient young people. This is only possible with the support of all members of our community and we are so appreciative of this generous contribution. You can visit Round Table Coffee at 67 Gawain Road, Bracken Ridge to donate books and enjoy their menu of coffee, milkshakes and more. They are donating 50% of used book sales to Nashville State School throughout August, September and October which is another wonderful opportunity to support students and schools in our community.

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SCHOOL OPPORTUNITIES

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COMMUNITY NOTICES

sandgatesunsetrun.com.au

Night works to progress final asphalt installation and other remaining works will be undertaken on the Gateway Motorway between Boondall and Bald Hills from August until October, ahead of project completion in late 2018. Works update: Guardrail installation: From late August, sections of guardrail will be progressively installed at night along the Gateway Motorway and Deagon Deviation lanes, between Boondall and Bald Hills (refer to the maps overleaf). These works are expected to be completed by late October. Please note: increased noise and vibration levels at night are associated with guardrail installation.