Craig Verbruggen, Director of Learning and Teaching at Bishop Druitt College (BDC), says the class of 2019 displayed continual growth academically, socially, and were exposed to incredible leadership opportunities. ‘Our students continually lead the region, again we were the best ranked school on the Coffs Coast by a significant margin. Our staff continually develop themselves and their colleagues, and the community that we are lucky to have does the Coffs Coast proud and puts us on the educational map’.

The Year 12 cohort at BDC for 2019 set new records in the extension subjects, with a staggering 38 E4 and E3 results from a cohort with less than 100 students, this is exceptional. The Heads of Faculty are leading the region in future minded learning design with our own custom designed, innovative and challenging courses available as electives from Year 5 all the way to Year 10. The Pastoral team provide the much needed support for our students with Year Coordinator Ms Katie Gudgeon and Director of Student Wellbeing Mrs Sue O’Connor providing strength and guidance for the students’ wellness on their journey’s to success. Through all these academic achievements, the students and student leaders managed to raise a significant amount for the Can Do Cancer Trust, Shave for a Cure, Movember, our sister school in Cambodia, as well as resourcing our brand new Wellbeing Hub and freely giving their time in the Anglican Op Shop and Uniting Church Soup Kitchen. They are clearly world prepared.

‘Bishop Druitt College offers diverse curricular and extracurricular opportunities which help you develop as both a student and an individual. The staff members at BDC accommodate for the needs of each and every student and impart knowledge which prepares you for the future. BDC is a wonderful school community, and it is one that I have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of.’. Dheeraj Adusumalli, Year 12 student who received an ATAR of 99.05 and has passed his UMAT examination. He waits to hear from Sydney University and UNSW in January about Studying Medicine.

From a cohort of 83 students who completed their HSC this year:

●      1st in the state, HSC Textiles and Design - Lilli Mosco-Klipin.

●      Top performing school on the Coffs Coast.

●      State ranking of 180 - 94 places above the next performing school in the region.

●      Dux of the year, Dheeraj Adusumalli 99.05.

●      Extension subjects leading the region with 13 x E4 and 25 x E3 results.

●      93% of students received at least one Band 4 or above.

●      32 Band 6 or Notional Band 6/E4 results.

●      109 Band 5 and 24 E3 or Notional Band 5 results with 66% of learners achieving at least one Band 5 or 6 result.

●      Dheeraj Adusumalli achieved five Band 6 and Notional Band 6 results in all subjects, NSW All-Rounders list.

NOMINATIONS

●      ARTEXPRESS - Keanu Chapman “Life Forces”

●      ONSTAGE - Individual Performance - Manahil Afraz “Justice for Uzma”

●      ONSTAGE - Individual Performance - Claudia Benson “Out of Control”

●      ONSTAGE - Individual Performance - Laura Harrington “Love Marilyn”

●      ONSTAGE - Group Performance - Laura Harrington, Claudia Benson, Dakota Warner, Ireland White, Thomas Winchester “The Hollow Men”

●      Bond University Vice Chancellor's Excellence Scholarship Olivia Gerrard

●      Bond University Vice Chancellor's Excellence Scholarship Ebony Young

●      Southern Cross University Chancellor's Scholarship - Israel Degle

●      Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Academic Excellence in Year 12. University of Newcastle - Lucy Spain

●      UNE Vice-Chancellor's High Achievement Prize - Evenezer Gebremedhin

●      UNE Vice-Chancellor's High Achievement Prize - Isabella  Ashley

BDC again had a significant number of students on the distinguished achievers’ list (Band 6 or E4). A Band 6 is a score between 90-100%. Five Band 6’s (one Notional Band 6 from Mathematics Extension 2) were achieved by Dheeraj Adusumalli. Four Band 6 or equivalent were achieved by Emma Serisier and Imogen Cratchley. Three Band 6 or equivalent were achieved by Olivia Gerrard and Cameron Williams. Two Band 6’s or equivalent were achieved by Nicholas de Waal, James Lowe (plus 4x Band 5), Angus Longworth-Browne (Accelerated Mathematics), Brooke Maloney (plus 3x Band 5), Emily Meacham (Accelerated Mathematics), April Nguyen (plus 3x Band 5), Joel Ruttiman (plus 3x Band 5), Luke Walker (Accelerated Mathematics), and Ebony Young (plus 4x Band 5). One Band 6 was achieved by Brigitte Boyse, Manahil Afraz, Caleb Cassagrande (plus 4x Band 5), Keanu Chapman (plus 3x Band 5s), Ishaan Dhabuwala (plus 4x Band 5), Abbi Gaddes, Laura Harrington, Lilli Mosco-Klipin and Jana Rothacker.

Additional high performers were Claudia Benson with six Band 5 (incl E3), with Lily Aitken, Maxwell Aldred and Tia Lang achieving four Band 5 results.

Furthermore, our Accelerated students in Year 11 had some fantastic achievements in the Mathematics and Mathematics Extension 1 gifted pathway with Angus Longworth-Browne, Emily Meacham and Luke Walker all achieving Band 6 and E4 respectively. Two Band 5 or equivalent were achieved by Frederick Alderman and Lucy Alkemade in the Mathematics/Ext1 pathway as well. Band 5 results were achieved by Ebony Casagrande, Lucy Garner, Achol Jok, Freya Lamont and Kyle Lang in Accelerated Studies of Religion II.

BDC’s inspirational, highly skilled, and dedicated staff have worked relentlessly throughout the Year 12’s journey, to provide the students with the best learning environment and skills for success in not only the HSC exams but more importantly in their professional life beyond. Our BDC Alumni are a dynamic group of leaders around the world, from doctors, lawyers, academics and highly successful business people. We consistently celebrate punching above our weight statewide and putting academia and leadership on the map for the Coffs Coast. The opportunities for these future leaders are vast.

‘The BDC community is immensely proud of our 2019 graduates and accelerated students. They have grown as individuals, they have grown as a team, they have developed into future leaders. These graduates are now prepared for the ever changing world. They leave the school grounds next year, but they join our BDC Alumni network forever, where we continue to stay in contact and celebrate the achievements of our students as they break ground locally, nationally, and beyond.’ Craig Verbruggen, Director of Learning and Teaching.