The Class of 2022

The final steps of the HSC rite of passage are now being completed and these two weeks often create a wave of emotion and energy. Our students (and many parents/carers) will experience a full range of emotions with their friends and family. Congratulations Year 12, enjoy your Valedictory celebrations.

We wish each BDC Valedictorian a wonderful graduation week. Please contact Mr Blythe via jblythe@bdc.nsw.edu.au if you have any support needs or questions for Year 12 as they celebrate and then commence their final HSC written examinations.

Thank you to families who have adapted to the final changes of the graduation week due to the public holiday announcement in remembrance of Queen Elizaebth II. Please check your email for the modified timeline and events and it has been included in this update as well.

Please see below for further HSC reminders:

HSC EXAM PREPARATION:

• Year 12 should plan study days, maintain good nutrition, rest and hydrate, talk with family, friends and staff. Be active everyday.
• Contact your course teachers for further assistance and support or resources for revision.
• HSC examinations are to be sat in normal school uniform.
• Remember to use black pens, clear water bottles and no phones.
• All students should have logged into Students Online to personalise access to their HSC results: https://studentsonline.nesa.nsw.edu.au/ 
• HSC preparation access continues through the HSC examinations e.g. the iHUB or with staff or at home.
• Wednesday 12th October 2022 HSC written examinations commence. Please arrive at least 40 minutes before each exam and allow extra travel time.
• NESA HSC support website: https://tinyurl.com/2022HSC 
• Friday 15th December ATAR released. Please share with Mr Craig Verbruggen cverbruggen@bdc.nsw.edu.au 
• Career Pathway support: Mrs Gina Driscoll gdriscoll@bdc.nsw.edu.au

Health Reminders for School and the Valedictory Dinner:

• We can only attend school and the Valedictory Dinner if you are well and free from flu-like symptoms. 
• If you test positive or are unwell, follow health directions, obtain medical evidence from your GP, isolate and log your positive test result.
• Please practise good hygiene at all times.
• Masks are encouraged to be worn on college grounds, optional at the dinner.

Year 9 and Year 11 Rite of Passage at our New Camp Centres

Term 4 will commence for Year 11 at Camp Kokoda in our first week. This rite of passage will culminate in the service at St John’s for the Class of 2023 to commence their full HSC studies. We hope that this new location will create many memories and welcome them into their final school year. Thank you to Tutor Staff, Mrs Brown and Mrs Hilton for their organisation.

Year 9 will experience the great outdoors at the Pindari Camp Centre, close to Pindari Dam. Commencing in the second week of Term 4, this is the centre we have been to at the start of the year and included camp cooking, swags, canoeing and ropes. We wish Year 9, Ms Gudgeon and Tutor staff the best for tier rite of passage in the wonderful Australian outdoors.

Year 9 and Year 11 families should check their emails for further details on what to pack and or leave behind as they prepare for these two outdoor experiences.

At the end of Term 3, it is important that our children/students/staff have time to refresh and re-energise over the holidays. Although there has been assessment for many over these last two weeks, Term 4 will have a focus on achievement across courses which also usually includes assessments. Thank you to our many staff who will also provide HSC workshops and tutorials or online support at this time as well.

Simon Doyle
Assistant Principal (Head of Secondary)

Year 10 Holocaust Museum and WWII Incursion

Year 10 students have recently been working on a Project Based Learning (PBL) task in History focusing on the events of the Holocaust during World War II. This culminated in students curating a museum displaying the exhibits that they had been working on over the course of the term. The museum exhibit carried the theme, “Never Again”.

As educators we believe it is vital that each generation understands the horror of the Holocaust to ensure it can never be repeated and to educate the community on the damage caused by anti-Semitism, racism and prejudice. 

Students were also fortunate to hear from a first generation Holocaust survivor, Sharon Offenberger, who spoke to the students openly about the impact of the Holocaust on both her family and upbringing.

This is the fourth time that such a task has been carried out in this format and it has proven to be an outstanding success. The work of students, exhibited through a vast array of mediums underpinned by the PBL format, was simply inspiring and conveyed both a conceptual and empathetic understanding of this important topic.

The museum was open to staff and students to attend on Thursday 1st September. A large number of students from secondary that viewed the exhibit verified the interest that the task had created amongst the school community.

Congratulations to all of our Year 10 students. A special mention must be given to Ella Butler and Indigo Savage whose exhibit was voted the “People’s Choice” Award.

Following this event the students spent a double lesson listening to a variety of guest speakers from our local returned services and veteran’s community during our WWII Incursion. The speakers, lead by John Lambert,  covered a range of topics with regard to WWII including the Kokoada Trail, conflict in Europe and the Pacific and the civilian experiences of people in London. This again proved to be an engaging and informative session for the students ast they continued to develop their knowledge of this crucial period in world history.

Mr Drew Kadwell
Head of HSIE

Request for volunteers to assist with HSC exams

Students with disabilities who are sitting the HSC exams are able to access support known as Disability Provisions. Disability provisions are a practical arrangement that helps a student access the exams on the same level as those without disabilities. For example, a student with dyslexia who struggles with reading and writing may be able to access support through a reader or writer. This support removes the reading and writing barriers to ensure the student is able to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding in that subject area.

The Learning Resource Centre is looking for volunteers to act as readers and writers to support students during their HSC exams. The role of the reader and writer is to sit with the student during their HSC exam and read the test paper to the student and/or write their answers. If you are interested in this role and would like to find out more information please contact Pam Moran K - 12 LAR coordinator via email pmoran@bdc.nsw.edu.au or phone (66515644 ext 235).