Issue 14

21 May 2020

E d u c a ti o n Q u e e n s l a n d

Inside the Gate A letter from Education Queensland

Dear Parents and Carers

The Queensland Government has announced that students in Years 2–10 will return to school on Monday 25 May, 2020.

This announcement means that from 25 May, all of our students can return to school. I join our entire school team in warmly welcoming your child back. We have missed them.

The decision to return to school for all Queensland students is supported by Queensland’s Chief Health Officer and aligns with progressive easing of restrictions as part of the Government’s response to COVID-19.

Frequently asked questions are available to help you understand how we will implement a safe transition back to school. This includes hygiene practices such as effective hand hygiene, cough and sneeze etiquette, and restricting visitors to the school.

Advice from the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) states that physical distancing is not required for students during classroom activities. However, it is still required between adults. I therefore ask parents and carers to pay particular attention to the requirement for adults to maintain physical distancing of 1.5 metres at all times while on school grounds.

Please do not gather in areas around the school such as carparks, at the school gate or outside classrooms. In addition, please make use of our stop, drop and go area wherever possible.

If your child is unwell, it is essential that you keep them at home. In accordance with Queensland Health Directions, parents or carers of any child showing signs of illness will be asked to collect them immediately from the school.

I understand that some parents and carers may choose to keep their child at home due to special circumstances, medical vulnerability, or concerns about the risk of COVID-19 transmission. If you do not intend for your child to return to normal school attendance from Monday 25 May 2020, you must notify the school and discuss with your child’s teacher an appropriate approach to continuing their learning.

If you choose to keep your child at home, you remain responsible for their supervision and their learning. The learning@home website will remain available and will continue to be updated throughout Term 2 with new resources for students in Prep to Year 10. Students will also be able to view quality curriculum-based television programs on three different stations – programming information can be found on the learning@home website.

For students who have a medical reason requiring them to remain at home or in isolation, our school will make arrangements to support their learning at home just as they would in the case of any extended student medical absence.

On behalf of all staff, I sincerely thank you for your patience and support over recent weeks and months. The positive feedback from our school community and the willingness of parents and carers to partner with us in support of your children’s learning, has been greatly appreciated.

From the Department of Education

P A G E 2 I N S I D E T H E G A T E

Dear Parents and Carers,

School will return to normal hours and attendance on Monday 25th May as noted in the Department letter on page 1. The College staff is excited to get back into the classroom and work with our students. I appreciate the effort all families have made to ensure the safety of our children and the wider community. The return to school is the next phase in this journey. I have spoken to the students who are at school to remind them that threat of the Covid 19 virus is not over. Events in Melbourne and Rockhampton show that the actions of one individual can affect many others. A return to a lockdown scenario is something no one wants to see repeated.

To this end can I strongly encourage the following actions:

As the Queensland Chief Medical Officer has said, “Act as if you have the virus. Act as if everyone you meet has the virus”.

Washing hands with soap is the most effective hygiene measure we can take. Every teacher has hand sanitiser for student use in every class.

Cough into a tissue or elbow.

Keep 1.5 metres distance to others where possible.

Students should avoid physical contact and definitely not share food or drinks.

If you have flu-like symptoms (running nose, sore throat, cough, fever) DO NOT COME TO SCHOOL. SEEK MEDICAL ADVICE. NOTIFY THE SCHOOL.

The teaching staff will spend the first days of next week assessing where students are in terms of their learning and understanding. I congratulate all families for the work completed at home. Staff have worked extremely hard to ensure schoolwork was available on-line via the E-learn platform or mail out and students have largely engaged in this work effectively. While this is no substitute for face to face teaching, it has meant these past 5 weeks have been used to help our students on their learning journey.

Please contact the college if you have any ques-tions.

Thank you.

Theo Bellas

Principal

P A G E 3 I N S I D E T H E G A T E

From the Head of Department Welcome to the last week of online learning.

No matter how you remember it, it is ending. Here at BSC, we have heard just about every comment imaginable from parents from either end of the spectrum, right up into the middle.

‘My child loved working in pajamas. I don’t know how I’ll ever get him back into a uniform.’

‘That was a nightmare. Nothing worked.’

Term Two, 2020 will be remembered historically as a time of great medical, social and personal upheaval. All we can do is resume and now take it from here. Please be assured that we have all worked as hard as possible to ensure that your child has maintained a quality education. Sometimes, things can start to look different, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t equally as good.

The uptake of work we have received back has been solid and students are well – placed to continue their journey through education. I will leave it to classroom teachers to address all subjects individually.

Year 11 and 12 settled back into their classes this week with determination and confidence. It was great to see their faces and they actually looked quite pleased to see us. Certainly, they are indicating that they are happy to be back at school. Perhaps if nothing else, a part of their experience in this pandemic will be the realisation of their ability to access education.

I have asked some of the Year 12 students what they learned through this. A very strong thread came through, that goes along these lines:

‘We never realised, until it was taken from us, how important it is to have a teacher in front of you, actively cheering you on in your learning. Teachers are kind of like cheerleaders.’

Thanks guys. I think we will all take that. I hope you all enjoyed the ups and downs of being your child’s educational cheerleader for a time. As parents, you are their cheer squad for life anyway, so it was just another string to your bow. Well done to you all!

Years 7,8,9 and 10 will resume next Monday 25th May.

Please remember the common sense health restrictions:

Wash your hands Don’t come to school if you feel unwell Get tested if you feel you are showing symptoms of a cold or flu

In closing, the following is an excerpt that I saw a couple of weeks ago. It talks about how we all discover our inner strength in exceptional times such as this and gives us ideas to develop our strengths. I hope you enjoy the read and I look forward very much to seeing the Junior Secondary and Year 10 students back on Mon-day.

With thanks, Debbie Leaf, (Head of Department)

P A G E 4 I N S I D E T H E G A T E

24 Ways to Use Your Strengths

Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence : Go on a beauty hunt wherever you are. Look

at or think of your favourite masterpiece – a painting, a building, a song, a garden, a flower, your

dog’s eyes, your clean bathroom. Revel in the beauty and excellence! Whenever you need a

boost, look around, or look within. Discover the awe.

Bravery: Bravery comes in many forms. Sometimes it is summoned like a warrior. Other

times, like a shy child it needs a nudge from within. Look for ways that you, or those around you,

are leaving a personal comfort zone, pushing boundaries for a purpose you believe in.

Love: Think about someone you care about. If possible, let them know you love them,

now! Take time to write a note, give details about why you love this person and care about them.

Deliver it to them, or read it to them. In return, when others are giving you love, kindness, accept

it with an open heart — as you would want them to do with you!

Creativity: Make something by hand today. Whether it is a meal or a birthday card, create

something new. If ideas come easily to you, push yourself in a new direction. Right before you

are about to do something, consider if there is a different way it can be done. Have fun with this

approach. Filled with ideas? Consider this list of strengths and come up with more applications

for yourself and others. Share them.

Curiosity: What is something you have always wondered about? Make a list of your

questions and then dive in! Search for answers online, or better yet, ASK SOMEONE who might

know the answer. Watch a documentary about something new to you. Feed your curious mind!

Fairness: Do you have a cause that speaks to your heart? Write about why it matters to

you. How can you help bring more awareness to this cause? Need inspiration? Read a biography

of one of your activist role models, or watch an old courtroom drama like “Perry Mason” with

short, compelling legal trials.

P A G E 5 I N S I D E T H E G A T E

Forgiveness: Take some time and think about this. Is there someone you are ready to

forgive? If so, send them a note. If YOU are the one who needs self-forgiveness, this is a good

time to give yourself props for the things you have done well, for trying hard to do what is right,

for all the things you have done for others. It is important to give ourselves genuine love and

care, too.

Gratitude: What/Who are you SO grateful for today? What would you really miss if it

were not around? Make a list – in writing or in your mind. Think about all of the people involved

in getting you what you need. Take time to appreciate how many things we have that have been

created and cared for by so many people working hard. Think about your body and all it does for

you – how hard it works for you.

Honesty: Try saying only what you really mean. Is it easy? Difficult? Watch a movie

about one of your heroes. Look for ways that they are true to themselves. Or watch a movie like

Being There about a man who is 100% honest, yet others only hear what they want to hear from

him.

Hope: What makes life worth living? This is one of the great questions of the ages. What

examples do you see around you? In history? Literature? Music? Find examples of how things

have gotten better after tough times? What books, movies, songs inspire you? Make a list. Share

it with others. Ask others for their list. Keep it handy!

Humility: Act for the action ’s sake, not accolades. You work behind the scenes, keeping

things running smoothly. What do you see that needs tending? Someone needing help who is

afraid to ask? Find ways to help them get what they need with minimal exposure.

Humour: People need to laugh and lighten up, even in heavy times! If humor and

playfulness come naturally to you, you have a lot to offer others to help find some release. Share

jokes, ask your friends or others in the community about their favorite comedies. Watch them.

Play games, like Charades, that get you moving. One of the benefits of learning to not take our-

selves TOO seriously is laughter, which is GOOD for our bodies and our souls.

P A G E 6 I N S I D E T H E G A T E

Judgment: Facing an issue, a challenge? What ’s the first answer that comes to mind? What’s

the next? What might be missing in your assumption? Find another way to view the situation.

Need inspiration? Watch a movie like “Sliding Doors” that takes multiple viewpoints.

Kindness: Is there someone in your house or neighbourhood who could use a little help?

What can you do for them? Large or small. If no one comes to mind, try an anonymous gesture

like allowing someone to go ahead of you in line at the gas station.

Leadership : Is it time for you to step up and take the lead? Are you good at guiding

others to step out and take part? Whether at home, at work or in a public setting that calls for

action (or calm) leaders are needed. “Be the change you want to see in the world,” said Gandhi. If

you are in a position to lead, you can help others do what they need in these challenging times.

Organize volunteer chains, facilitate open discussions, help others set and achieve goals. Share

your tips with others. Celebrate team victories.

Love of Learning: Do a deep dive into something you are passionate about. Learn more!

(This is different than curiosity, which can jump from one thing to the next without judgement; this

is diving into one topic and learning much more about it.)

Perseverance: Is there a project or something else you have been meaning to finish?

This is the time to devote to it! Set the timer and finish one of your items on your To-Do list. Or, if

diligence is a natural strength of yours, combine this strength with kindness and help someone

else finish their task!

Perspective: Is there an area that you know well and feel confident sharing? Do you have

insights or resources that might help others? Is there a forum where you can share your

perspective with others? Find a place to share this experience and expertise with others who may

benefit. You might also find some new people to share this interest with!

P A G E 7 I N S I D E T H E G A T E

Prudence: Aha! In this time of coronavirus, it is extremely valuable to use the strength of

prudence and caution. What are those extra steps you need to protect yourself and others? Read

guidelines from global experts. Share what you learn. If these strengths come naturally to you,

find ways to make it super easy to be clean and careful. Help others be mindful, too. Think of the

long-term reasons why caution pays. Share your insights.

Self-Regulation : Th is strength is one of the most challenging for many of us. Set

reminders on your phone so you remember to do what is good for you like washing your hands,

drinking plenty of water, meditating for stress relief. Be sure to add time for the things that feed

your mind/body/soul to keep your entire being in good shape. Share your ideas and tools with

others.

Social Intelligence : Read the situation. Who is around you? How are they doing? Are

things running OK? Is there anything you can do to assist if help or changes are needed? If all is

smooth, feed this strength of yours with a novel or movie with complex characters. Harriet the Spy

is a young adult novel with a heroine who misreads many of the people around her. Juno is a

movie about a 16-year-old female who reads those around her with astute maturity.

Spirituality: Take time to look at the bigger picture. Think about how we are all part of

something bigger than ourselves. What gives you comfort? Religious texts? Meditation? A nature

walk? Find time to connect with your soul and whatever makes you feel connected to others, to

life and/or God.

Teamwork: Pitch in. Share. Encourage those around you— or far away – who are needing

support. This is a time for connecting and working together to build strength and hope. Enjoy

being part of a team working for the greater good.

Zest: Put your energy to use! Combine your pleasures. Choose a few of your favourite

songs, play them, dance! Ask others around you to do the same and have a happy dance party

— gather together on a video sharing platform like FaceTime or Zoom. Always take time to DO

something that makes you feel good – that good feeling is contagious!

Educating the

Mind without educating the

Heart is no education at

all. Aristotle

P A G E 8 I N S I D E T H E G A T E

Remember, we each possess all of these strengths. We use some more naturally than others.

These are considered our signature strengths and when we intentionally use them we feel

more energized. Now, there’s a win/win.

Tuckshop Opening Hours

Week beginning Monday 25th

May

The tuckshop hours will return to normal operating hours

Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday

for morning tea and lunch.

The College would like to open the

tuckshop one more day per week but to achieve this we

need more tuckshop volunteers to do this.

Please contact the college if you are interested.

P A G E 9 I N S I D E T H E G A T E

Mr Bellas Theo principal@burnettsc.eq.edu.au

Mr Adams Stephen sadam54@eq.edu.au

Mr Bahnisch Chris cxbah0@eq.edu.au

Mr Bricknell Barry bbric2@eq.edu.au

Miss Chapman Millie mchap195@eq.edu.au

Ms Conard-Rohayem Endayha econa10@eq.edu.au

Ms Conroy Fran fconr1@eq.edu.au

Mr Cook Michael mjcoo1@eq.edu.au

Mrs Coulson Tanya tcoul18@eq.edu.au

Mrs Cowen Marian madam111@eq.edu.au

Mrs Darlington Leisa ldarl6@eq.edu.au

Mr Eskdale Declan deskd0@eq.edu.au

Ms Fenton Carol cafen0@eq.edu.au

Miss Geddes Robyn rgedd2@eq.edu.au

Mrs Gibbs Nicole ngibb10@eq.edu.au

Miss Hall Tamika tnhal0@eq.edu.au

Mr Henderson Kyle khend171@eq.edu.au

Mr Kemp Russell rkemp13@eq.edu.au

Mrs Leaf Deborah dleaf4@eq.edu.au

Miss Morgan Kelly klmor2@eq.edu.au

Mr Parker Gregory gpark65@eq.edu.au

Mrs Parkin Joy jxpar26@eq.edu.au

Mrs Skinner Jenni jskin28@eq.edu.au

Teaching Staff Email Addresses

Please be aware that the teachers will be available through email to communicate with your child at

their normal timetabled times.

P A G E 1 0 I N S I D E T H E G A T E

Above Left and Below Right - Year 7 History

students

Above Right and Below Left - Year 12 English

All socially isolating and working hard

P A G E 1 1 I N S I D E T H E G A T E

From the Art Department

P A G E 1 2 I N S I D E T H E G A T E

What’s Cooking@BSC

It brings great joy when I see young people preparing meals for their families at home. During this time of remote learning, I have been amazed at how many young chefs-in-the-making we have here at BSC. Please enjoy this snap shot of what our next generation of cooks are getting up to in their kitchens at home

Hugh (left) is whipping up a batch of pancakes and Year

12 Hospitality are testing recipes for a Sit-Down Function

in Week 7. The triple Chocolate mousse cakes (above)

look and taste delicious

Jackson (right) is making sure there is no crying in his

kitchen. Jayda (above) has made some mouth-

watering choc chip muffins.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all parents and significant others who have

supported our kids through this time. Your encouragement in the kitchen and being taste-testing

guinea pigs is really appreciated. I also really appreciate the positive comments you have given on the

sensory analysis sheets. Keep cooking!

Ms Fenton

P A G E 1 3 I N S I D E T H E G A T E

P A G E 1 4 I N S I D E T H E G A T E

P A G E 1 5 I N S I D E T H E G A T E

QKR App - What an Easy Way to Pay and Purchase

Put money onto your Tuckshop account or order the food specifically, purchase and order uniforms, pay your school fees, pay for excursions, pay for your Year 12 Graduation ticket and much more! Tuckshop transactions are to be completed by 8.00 am if they are to be available to your students on that day.

Download the app onto your phone and follow the prompts or alternatively pop into the office for a quick lesson. It really is very easy.

Burnett State College in association with Burnett State College P & C have chosen to adopt the QKR application.

Better for parents

Make faster, more convenient payments from a secure mobile app anywhere and at anytime.

Website payment alternative for parents and carers without a smartphone or tablet.

All purchases including tuckshop , fees, laptops, excursions etc. can be made using the app.

Pay direct from a credit or debit card without pre-loading funds to a third party account.

Track transactions easily with online receipts.

Winter has arrived!

Get ready for the cool weather

Winter uniform polar fleece jackets are available for purchase from

the school office - $32 each

Students are also permitted to wear a plain bottle green jumper with

No colours, logos or piping .

I S S U E 1 4 P A G E 1 6

P A G E 1 7 I N S I D E T H E G A T E

BSC Tuckshop Menu

Wraps

Chicken/Ham $8.00

Chilli Tender $8.00

Toasted Wraps $8.50

Sandwiches

Egg and Lettuce $3.50

Chicken $3.50

Chicken and Cheese $3.50

Ham, Cheese and Tomato $3.50

Corn Meat and Pickles $3.50

Tuna $3.50

Toasted Sandwiches $4.00

Hot Box

Riblets $2.80

Pies $4.00

(Plain, Peas, Bacon + Cheese,

Potato, Curry, Mushroom, Pepper)

Sausage Rolls $2.50

(Beef, Chicken + Cheese)

Chilli Tender $2.00

Kent Tender $2.50

Garlic Bread $3.50

Pizza $2.00

Meals $5.00

Rotating menu advertised weekly

Honey Soy + Rice, Thai Chicken and Rice

Curried Prawns + Rice, Spag Bog,

Sausages + Mash, Beef Casserole,

Wombok + Chicken

Salad Rolls

Chicken, Ham, Corn Meat $5.00

Salad Bowls

Med $4.00 with meat $4.50

Large with egg $4.50

Large with egg & meat $4.75

Hot Rolls (when available)

Chicken or Savoury Mince $5.00

Gluten Free Meals

Sausages $3.00

Nuggets $2.00

Drinks

Water Sml $2.00

Med $3.50

Lrge $4.50

Flavoured Milk Sml $2.00

Lrge $3.20

Juice Sml $2.00

Lrge $3.20

Softdrink (Sports Day only) $2.00

Powerade (Sports Day only) $4.50

Desserts

Ice Creams from $1.00

Cheesecakes (Slice) $3.00

Chips $2.20

Lollies (Sports Day only) $2.50

Chocolates $2.50

Mini Chocolates $ .50