So excited for Week 10 events!

Next week we have two of our signature events at BDC. The first is EYE Week. This year is the 22nd annual Express Yourself Everyone celebration and the 2023 theme is Heroes. There are gallery walks, concerts, dances, constructions, jump rope activities, and many more engaging activities planned for the students for next week. A huge thank you to all the primary staff for supporting EYE Week again this year, it is one of our longest-running traditions. I also wish to publicly thank Mrs Bec Rodger for being the 2023 chief organiser. EYE Week runs from 18 to 22 September.  

Next week is also officially the last week of our Year 12s prior to their HSC examinations. I have had the pleasure of reading through their final Year 12 reports and their reference letters over the last few days. This group of students have prepared well for their final week and the college is looking forward to celebrating them during Valedictory Week. The key events include the Valedictory Service at St John’s Anglican Church, the Valedictory Assembly, the whole school guard of honour all on Wednesday, and then the Valedictory Dinner at the Pacific Bay Resort. 

BDC Sports Awards Dinner - 25 October 2023

The annual BDC Sports Awards Dinner is taking place on Wednesday 25 October and will feature not only the presentations of awards to our student-athletes and stories of celebration from our individual and teams events from throughout the year but attendees will also hear from inspirational athlete Scott Reardon.

Scott Reardon is one of the greatest T63 athletes in the world. Before he was a sprinter, though, he was a 12-year-old digging holes at his family farm in the NSW country town of Temora. Standing on the frame of a post hole digger, Scott’s shoelace was untied and it caught in the power take-off shaft of a tractor, severing his right leg.

Incredibly – and perhaps in a sign of his success to come – Scott relearned how to walk in just a week and a half.

His meteoric rise to fame on the track dates back to 2009, when he relocated to the ACT to train under esteemed coach Iryna Dvoskina at the Australian Institute of Sport. After first representing Australia at the 2011 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletics World Championships in Christchurch, New Zealand, Scott won a Paralympic silver medal in the men’s 100m T42 at the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

He achieved his first international gold medal in 2013 at the IPC Athletics World Championships in Lyon, France, and as the reigning world champion in the men’s 100m T42, Scott was the man to beat at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. He held off a late charge by Richard Whitehead (GBR) to win his first Paralympic gold medal – in record time, too – to be nominated for Paralympics Australia’s 2016 Male Paralympian of the Year award.

At his final Paralympic Games at Tokyo 2020, Scott was able to finish with a time of 0:12.08 in the 100m T63 to qualify for the final, despite slipping at the start of the race. In the final, he ran a time of 0:12.43 to place fifth overall.

The three-time world champion is married to German-born Paralympic Champion Vanessa Low. The two both represented Australia together at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, before Scott retired from sport to start a family.

Source: https://www.paralympic.org.au/athlete/scott-reardon/

Tickets for this amazing event are available until 11 October so book before the school holidays!

Exclusive Offer for BDC Community: 10% Off All Services!

Did you know you are eligible for a 10% discount on all services at Hoys Health? Hoys is a leading Allied Health Organisation and provides top-notch care for the Coffs Coast. Hoys has partnered with our High Performance Program and is extending a discount to the BDC Community. 

Why support Hoys Health;

• Expert Care
• Personalised Treatment
• Four Locations across Coffs Harbour
• They support us – Hoys is a major sponsor of our High Performance Program and our Academies.
• They offer Physiotherapy, Exercise Physiology, Group Exercise Classes, Occupational Therapy, Dietitian & Remedial Massage

Exclusive Discount: All students, families, and school staff receive an exclusive 10% discount.

How to Get the Discount: Mention your affiliation with BDC when scheduling an appointment.

If you want to know more call the team on 6652 7355 or www.hoyshealth.com.au

Performing Arts Awards Night - Celebrating Excellent in the Performing Arts

I am thrilled to be able to launch this new event in our 30th year of the college. Performing Arts have always been an integral part of the BDC education and this event is designed to be a showcase of this passion. This event is different from a standard dinner or just a regular concert. It will be a celebration of all the performing arts with a special hosted table concept. This is the first time this type of event has been organised in Coffs Harbour so we are excited about starting this new tradition in such a special year.

Haven’t booked your table yet? Please book now so you aren’t disappointed. 

If you would like to attend but are unsure if you can host a table please contact hheather@bdc.nsw.edu.au to be added to a table.

https://www.bdc.nsw.edu.au/events/bdc-awards-night-celebrating-excellence-in-performing-arts

BDC Barracudas Sporting Club

The Football and Rugby seasons have concluded for our BDC Barracudas teams. Last Thursday night was the Rugby Dinner at Sawtell. A huge thank you to Barracuda parents Murray, Keith, Nicole, Lisa, and Cassie for their organisation and of course to Marty for his support of this event. This year we had under 8s through to under 12s play in 5 teams. At the Rugby Dinner we celebrated a variety of player awards but we also recognised the 2023 Volunteer of the Year, Mr Murray Benton.

At the time of writing this article we are preparing for this afternoon’s Football Presentation. I wish to thank all coaches and managers who have supported football again this year. We have, like rugby, increased the number of teams playing football in season 2023 and look forward to continued growth in this very popular sport. I wish to thank all our BDC Barracuda parents who support training and game day processes and I would like to make special mention to Becky Bursle and Kath Milne who are recipients of our Football Volunteer of the Year Award.

I would also like to recognise our club sponsors for Football, Rugby and Basketball for Season 2023.

• McGrath Estate Agents - Major sponsor for Football, Minor sponsor for Rugby, Basketball 
• Lite Moves Furniture Removals - Major sponsor for Rugby
• Award European - Minor sponsor for Basketball
• Andersons Coffs Harbour - Major sponsor for Mountain Biking
• O’Keefe Constructions - Major sponsor for Basketball
• Signarama - Major sponsor for signage

The BDC Golf Day

25th Annual BDC Golf Day Sunday 12 November - Bookings open and secure your spot!

It is with immense pleasure that I invite you to the 25th Annual Bishop Druitt College (BDC) Golf Day, proudly supported by our esteemed partners at Geoff King Motors.

Over the past two and a half decades, our BDC Golf Day has evolved into an iconic event, bringing together past and new players, sponsors, and students for a day filled with camaraderie, competition, and charity. We are delighted to announce that the 2023 BDC Golf Day will take place on Sunday, November 12, 2023, at the picturesque Bonville Golf Resort.

The BDC Golf Day promises a day of excitement and enjoyment, featuring a four-person ambrose competition across 18 spectacular holes. Each team will have access to two golf carts, 15 raffle tickets per player, a food and beverage ticket, and delightful end-of-day canapés during our wrap up function. Plus you can win a shot of your choice by the golf pro. 

For individual players, fear not, as we warmly welcome you and will ensure you are placed onto a team that shares your passion for the game. The cost is $550 per team of four or $150 for individual players.

Moreover, there are some incredible prizes up for grabs. Every dollar raised during this event will contribute to the BDC Barracudas Sporting Club, fostering talent and sportsmanship within our community.

To make this day even more special, we offer you sponsorship opportunities to enhance your brand's visibility on this memorable occasion. You can choose to sponsor a hole and/or sponsor a prize. For inquiries regarding sponsorship, please reach out to Kate O'Grady at kogrady@bdc.nsw.edu.au.

View sponsorship details and book via our dedicated event page at https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/9817201875978585245

If you have any questions or require assistance, feel free to contact Holly Heather at hheather@bdc.nsw.edu.au

I must emphasise that we reached full capacity last year, and we anticipate an even greater turnout for 2023 event. To secure your spot and ensure your presence on this memorable day, I encourage you to register promptly.

New and Departing Families Information

The college has almost completed the enrolment process for 2024 and to avoid waiting lists in multiple year groups I would appreciate it if you could advise the college if you are going to withdraw your child at any stage over the next few weeks. I also encourage families who have younger children who have not yet enrolled to complete their application as soon as possible for 2025 or 2026 and beyond. The Heads of School are starting to think about class structures and timetables for next year as well as staffing for 2024 and would appreciate a fuller picture to help with the decision-making process.

Nick Johnstone
Principal