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Sun Safety
As the weather warms and we get to enjoy more sunshine it is very important that we remind our students to be sun safe. We strongly encourage the daily use of sunscreen with the first application being applied before students leave home. Sunscreen is available at the exit of all indoor learning areas for use throughout the school day.
We also strongly recommend the wearing of a hat during outside break times and outdoor learning activities. Students may choose the hat that they wear whether it be a wide brimmed, bucket or a peaked cap. We appreciate the support of parents in helping students get into these simple habits of self-care.
Staffing Update
I am pleased to welcome Mrs Jolene Mason and Miss Brittany Turner to our Term 4 teaching staff. Mrs Mason has stepped into the Grade 8 Mathematics/Science team replacing Mrs Chloe Strochnetter during her maternity leave. Miss Brittany Turner has joined our Humanities team, replacing Mr Steven Wilcox.
Student Free Day Friday 30 October
A reminder that students will not be required at school on Friday 30 October as this is a staff professional learning day.
GaGa Ball
In response to students telling us that they would like more things to do at school during their break times we had a GaGa ball court constructed during the recent school holidays. Students were able to start using that court this week. I am thrilled to report a very high level of use. Combined with our 2020 phone policy, the installation of our swings and fitness equipment playground in 2019, our closing of some inside areas of the school during recess and lunch time in fine weather, and lastly some gradual changes to our canteen offering I believe that we are making continued progress in our advocacy of health and wellbeing.
2020 Science and Engineering Challenge
This year Tasmania was the only state in the country to hold heats of the 2020 Science and Engineering Challenge. The BHS team, comprised of a core of year 9 students with some year 10’s, had an exceptional day at Marist College in the second of the two North West heats. Our teams won four of the twelve half day activities, and 1 of the full day activities. This gave us an impressive win over Wynyard High School, with Marist College finishing the day in third place. Unfortunately, the late staging of the heats has meant there will be no state final to test our team against the Hobart and Launceston heat winners.
Burnie High School: 1428
Wynyard High School: 1281
Marist Regional College: 1255
End of Year Activities Update
We have been working for some time with our Grade 10 students and School Association to come up with the best plan that we can to maximise their end of year experience for our students while at the same time adhering to Covid-19 Public Health regulations. At this stage the plan is as follows:
Grade 10 Farewell Dinner Friday 11 December: To be held at BHS on. No parents or members of the public permitted to be on school grounds for red carpet arrivals. Red carpet will be streamed live for anyone to watch. Security hired to assist with process.
Grade 10 Assembly Friday 11 December: Parents not permitted to be in attendance due to social distancing limits. Our Grade 10 students voted overwhelmingly to have the whole school student population in attendance at the assembly rather than the second option of having Grade 10 students + 1 parent. Assembly to be live streamed for all parents to view live or recorded.
Presentation Evening Monday 14 December: Due to it being a non-DoE site, the Burnie Arts and Function centre must work within a 250-person limit. Rehearsals will take place during the school day. The Grade 7 and Grade 8 awards ceremony will commence at 3:15pm and conclude at approximately 4:15pm, the Grade 9 and Grade 10 ceremony will commence at 7:00pm. Further details will be provided as the Term progresses.
Gum Free
Burnie High School is a ‘gum free school’. We ask that students do not bring chewing gum to school. Incorrect disposal of the gum detracts from the cleanliness of the school. Students who are found to be chewing gum will be provided with PPE and asked to assist in the removal of gum from the school.
Trudy Durkin
Principal
email: trudy.durkin@education.tas.gov.au
Burnie Art Challenge
Many of our Burnie High students have entered the Burnie Art Challenge 2020. This year it is possible to VIEW the work online and VOTE for your favourite entries in each of the categories. BHS students have work in the Open age group as well as the G7/8, and G9/10 age groups. There are prizes for 2D and 3D work.
To VIEW and VOTE please visit
https://burnieartchallenge.com/
Mr David Paul & Mrs Jacklyn Poke
Art Teachers
Tas Rock Challenge – NW Heats
Well done to both “OhFive” and “Boys and a Rowdy” on their extremely entertaining performances at the Tas Rock Challenge on Monday 19 October.
Congratulations to Tom, Zed, Ashe and Sam (aka “Boys and a Rowdy”) for making it through to the finals in Launceston on Friday 30October.
Science and Engineering Challenge 2020
This year Tasmania’s COVID management success meant that we have been the only state in the country to hold heats of the Science and Engineering Challenge, which is usually a national competition.
The BHS team, comprised of a core of year 9 Maths Extended students with some seasoned challenge veterans from year 10, had an exceptional day at Marist College in the second of the two North West heats.
The challenge comprised 8 teams of 4 students from 5 schools working to solve a wide range of science and engineering problems.
These included:
- Building a hovercraft and racing it around an obstacle course…This was a full day activity… which our team won!
- Building a tower out of paper and sticky tape to hold it the biggest mass as high as possible…….and then shaking it like an earthquake………….. Which our morning team won!
- Sending coded messages down an optical fibre……. Which our team won!
- Making a prototype robotic hand out of plastic and string……Which our team won!
Our teams won or came second in six of the twelve half day activities and 1st of the two full day activities.
This gave us an impressive win over Wynyard High with Marist College close behind them in third place.
Unfortunately the late staging of the heats has meant there will be no state final to test our team against the Hobart and Launceston heat winners.
Final scores for the day were:
BHS : 1428
WHS: 1281
MRC: 1255
Mr Brett Riley
Advanced Skills Teacher | Maths/Science Leader
CCYP Ambassador Program 2020
In April 2019 Leanne McLean launched the CCYP Ambassador Program whihc is a new opportunity for children and young people to have their voices heard on how things could be improved for children an young people in Tasmania.
Jorja Norton is a Commissioner for Children and Young People Ambassador and attended an event for Ambassadors in Launceston in September this year.
Local Schools Community Grant
In July 2019 Gavin Pearce advised Burnie High School of the launch of the Local Schools Community Fund where the Australian Government announced funding to provide up to $200,000 to each of 151 federal electorates. The Fund was open to all schools in receipt of Commonwealth recurrent funding for 2019, where they could apply for up to $20,000 in funding for small scale projects and their associated costs. The purpose of the Fund was to benefit students and assist established schools to meet their priorities.
At a School Association meeting, our Principal Trudy Durkin discussed the expected 2020 enrolment numbers with Committee Members. In order to cater for the additional students, we needed to reclaim 2 class rooms that were being used as storage for the School’s stage theatre props. Notification of this grant arrived at a time when our School became aware of the need to safely store the valuable stock created over the years for re-use at our School Productions.
The Grant contribution of $13,500 was most appreciated as it enabled the successful completion of the construction in September 2020. The School now has a permanent home for the Drama props and the necessary teaching spaces for our students.
School Association