Fred Hollows, our patron of Hollows House has many memorable quotes that exemplify service, character and citizenship. We are close to the end of Term 1 and our Easter service this week and I was drawn to this quote when looking at the goal to raise $10 000 by Year 12 for the World’s Greatest Shave, the way Year 6 assisted their K-2 buddies making their Easter hats and how our host families care for our guests from Japan and the way our staff care for each other especially during wellbeing week. When you see your child look after someone or help at home, please take the time to acknowledge this attribute, as a caring, considerate and positive person with manners makes a difference at home and at school.

Colour Run

The Colour Run is a vibrant event that brings together students, teachers, parents, and staff for a day of fun and community spirit and fundraising.

Date: Friday 12 April
Location: Bishop Druitt College Ovals
Cost of donation: $10.50

Run/Walk/Skip an obstacle course covered in splashes of colour!

The Kokoda team are fundraising and will put on a sausage sizzle at $2 per sausage sandwich and $1 per poppa.

The Little Mermaid Musical are also fundraising and putting on a cake stall with lots of treats for sale.
Cash only for these food options.

Run Times:
Kindy - Year 2: 11:50 am - 12:20 pm
Year 3 - 6: 12:25 pm - 12:55 pm
Parents, Staff, and Year 12s: 1:00 pm - 1:30 pm
Year 7-8: 1:40 pm - 2:10 pm
Year 9-11: 2:20 pm - 2:50 pm

Attire:
Free dress and wear a white shirt.
Bring a change of clothes (free dress) for after your run.
Sunglasses can be worn if needed.

Important Note:
If you are going home after your run, please sign out at Student Services.

This Colour Run is raising funds to support the purchase of new Outdoor Education equipment for Farnworth.

To participate, register and donate via TryBooking. We need 500 registrations to run the event. We look forward to your active involvement in this exciting event. Your support is crucial in making this fundraiser a success. Keep an eye on social media for event updates.

Leadership and Special Events Update

Last week, alongside the support of Mr McNeill and Mrs Matthews, we brought together our primary and secondary leaders for a special gathering. It was an opportunity for our leaders to connect, express gratitude for their efforts over the term, and align on their roles for the upcoming Easter service. Our leaders play a vital role in shaping our college community, and their dedication is truly appreciated.

Looking ahead, we're excited to announce our participation in a local ANZAC service in the coming weeks. This is another chance for our leaders to demonstrate their commitment to honouring important occasions within our community.

ANZAC Service 2024

Every year, our college pays tribute to our service personnel by participating in various parades, culminating in our ANZAC Day observance on April 25th. Our college ANZAC assembly marks the commencement of Term 2 in the Branson Centre. However, we extend an invitation for you to join us in honoring this significant day by attending an ANZAC service and marching alongside the college. For new families, we typically have staff present at Woolgoolga, Coffs Harbour, Sawtell, Bellingen, Urunga, and Nambucca Heads. Stay tuned for more details, and we hope you'll join us in this special day of remembrance.

Easter

In the opening of his Gospel, John declares that in Jesus "was life, and the life was the light of all people" (John 1:4). This light shines most brightly in the love demonstrated by Jesus as he sacrifices himself for the well-being of all people and the entire creation.

Within our college community, we are fortunate to witness this "light" in numerous ways, embodied by our exceptional students and staff. Our community's light shone brightly through various events, including Harmony Day assemblies, the Year 5 character development day, buddy activities, the Easter hat parade, a range of student leadership opportunities, and the World’s Greatest Shave event.

As you celebrate Easter, I encourage you to cherish time with your family and reflect on the messages and services of Holy Week. You can find information about St. John’s Anglican Church service times on their website at https://www.coffsharbouranglicanchurch.org/

Nick Johnstone in the K-12 Digest Magazine Global Edition March 2024

I am thrilled to share that our Principal, Nick Johnstone, has been featured in the March 2024 Global Edition of K-12 Digest Magazine. Nick's profile interview in this esteemed publication is a testament to his outstanding leadership and dedication to excellence in education.

Titled "Leaders in Focus - Charting a Course for Excellence," the article highlights Nick's visionary leadership and his commitment to fostering a culture of academic excellence within our school community. His innovative approach to education and unwavering passion for student success have made a profound impact, not only within our school but also on a global scale.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Nick on this well-deserved recognition. His leadership continues to inspire and guide us as we strive for excellence in education.

To read the full article, please visit K12Digest.com.

Recruitment Update 2025: Join Us as Head of Primary at Bishop Druitt College

We are searching for our new Head of Primary at Bishop Druitt College, starting from 2025. If you are a visionary leader passionate about shaping young minds, we want to hear from you.

About the Role:
Lead our primary school with innovation and inspiration. Applications close on June 17th.

How to Apply:
Submit your application through our website by the deadline.
https://bdc.recruitmenthub.com.au/Vacancies/6563267/title/Head-of-Primary

Spread the Word:
Know someone perfect for the role? Direct them to our website.

Join us in shaping the future of education. 

Staff changes

This term we thank the following staff and farewell them: Rev Nic Hagon, Mrs Rachel Crismale and Mr Elliot Keen

We also welcome staff commencing at BDC: Mrs Sandra Green - OSHC Administrator and Joslyn Siewkowski - Primary Teacher.

Password Upgrade and ESafety

As part of the college e-safety and general information security risk management protocols, CLT reviewed the student password structure to align with password complexity thinking last week. We have now integrated complex passwords into the high school and staff accounts, although Year 7 had already been part of the change at the start of the year.

This meant staff and students from Year 7-12 reset their passwords. We also made a number of reminders for e-safety as there has been discussion that some students may be using the same passwords for school and other online accounts eg Instagram and that these accounts may have been at risk of being accessed.

Please review and take a few moments to discuss these reminders at home:

• Do not have common passwords across platforms.
• Always log out when you leave a laptop or workstation.
• We cannot share our school or workplace devices, laptops etc with friends or family members.
• Do not log in to a friend's device to assist them.
• Regularly update passwords.

If you are aware of bullying online, explicit images being shared, unusual account activity then let a parent know and if at school a staff member know.

As parents and online users ourselves, the need for regular check in and friendly reminders with our children and personal online accounts about e-safety is ongoing. We often do this well as children start with a device for the first time eg an iPAD or as a special gift like a smart watch. To do this at other times creating your family supportive checkins and conversations is well worth the time. We also recommend the e-Sfatey website for a variety of resources for parents/carers and schools to use for discussions for online safety https://www.esafety.gov.au/

The Little Mermaid Musical

I am thrilled to finally announce ticket sales are now open for The Little Mermaid Musical by Bishop Druitt College, featuring not one, but two incredible casts. Cast Blue and Cast Green will each deliver two enchanting ticketed shows that promise to be unforgettable. Please consider joining one of the scheduled performances. Many people are rehearsing and providing work on props, stage settings and lot’s of time. Thank you for your preparation so far and all the time you have been giving to this major performing arts event.

I hope you have the opportunity to visit the college over the end of Term 1 for Parent Teacher Interviews, Easter Service, Easter Hat Parade and classroom visits or enjoy a sporting event such as the Cross Country next week.

On behalf of our staff, we wish you a happy and Holy Easter,

God bless,

Simon Doyle
Acting Principal