Principal's Report 

"Education breeds confidence. Confidence breeds hope.  Hope breeds peace.” - Confucious 

We commenced the term with another valuable Visible Wellbeing session and an annual Asthma and Anaphylaxis briefing for staff on Curriculum Day. Everyone is recharged and ready for the longer term ahead given that Term 1 was a shorter term. Our students are engaged and back into the swing of things.

Check out the latest message from Hon. Ben Carroll MP. In this short video, he emphasises the importance of the second school term for learning. 

Commemorating ANZAC Day

Last Sunday, I attended the Beaumaris RSL ANZAC ceremony with our College Captains, Liv H and Riley T, who did a wonderful job representing the college. 

On Monday we held our ANZAC Assembly to honour the selfless heroes who served our country. Heartfelt thanks to Liv H and Riley T for guiding us through a moving assembly which culminated in the laying of a wreath. Special recognition to Amy M for playing the Last Post and the Rouse, and to Adam A, Ariston J, Louis N, Izzy D, Izzy Hill, and our guest speaker Mr Clarke Martin for their poignant contributions. Hearing reflections from Amy P and Marcela L about their transformative Kokoda Trek experience was truly inspiring. I have included my speech below.

2024 ANZAC Assembly Speech

ANZAC Day ceremonies to be held this Thursday around the world commemorate those who fought in conflicts and war so that we may have our freedoms.  It was described by Sir William Deane, Governor-General of Australia on Anzac Day 1999:

"Anzac is not merely about loss. It is about courage, and endurance, and duty, and love of country, and mateship, and good humour and the survival of a sense of self-worth and decency in the face of dreadful odds."

This ANZAC spirit is part of our Australian national identity and needs to be preserved. We may not comprehend war but we can use history to follow the footsteps of those brave ANZACS and learn from their experience. It is the courage of ANZACs that we must follow in order to triumph over the fear.

We are part of a strong community in Beaumaris steeped in tradition by honouring the past. It was this that Riley, Liv and I experienced at the Beaumaris RSL Anzac ceremony yesterday. One of the speakers made note of those that have been lost during conflict and war at sea where there is nowhere to lay a wreath. This was quite moving.

The sacrifices of our ANZACs have left lasting imprints on our lives and the world we live in. The Kokoda Trail was testament to the spirit that was evident in each footstep through the jungle. Our students who did the Kokoda trail walk in 2023 learned not only about their own endurance but also the struggles of what it was like for those soldiers trekking through the jungle. Amy and Marcela, thank you for sharing your insights into the experiences you had at Kokoda.

These are the footsteps that lead to our social responsibility that entails service, leadership and courage. What kind of footsteps will you leave for those who follow you?

Each of you can consider helping others through service and thinking of others. This may be to your family, school, club, community and in the case of our ANZACS — service to country. Our Year 10s have begun this through the Community Connections program in Beyond.

Each of you can take steps in leadership based on the choices you make each day. Each step can be made with kindness and understanding for others. Your footsteps are the decisions you make each day to improve the world you live in. 

Just as the ANZAC’s stepped up to preserve our freedoms so should each of us step forward with the courage needed to make a difference in this every changing and challenging world that will see us preserve what the ANZACS fought so hard for.

In 2023 Lieutenant General Natasha Fox shared these thoughts:

More than two million Australians have made the conscious decision to undertake service for our country. This has enabled our nation, our character, the beliefs and ideals, our ability to choose how we want to live and to have choice, and our ability to participate in democracy.

 

Service means and feels differently to all of us – it is about the greater good; putting others, your nation and your community before yourself; it is more than a job, it is about supporting and lifting others, it is about providing hope.   

The ANZAC service is what we are here to commemorate so may you take each step this year with hope in the footsteps of those who served for the greater good. Lest we forget.

Parents as Partners

It was wonderful to see so many parents taking up the opportunity to meet with their child's teachers at our Parent/Student/Teacher conferences last week, and I trust everyone has been able to access their child's progress reports which were made available to families on Compass last Friday. Seamless integration between home and school is a crucial and valued part of your child's education here at Beaumaris.

Year 8 Camp

Our students have had a wonderful time at the Summit Camp this week and their GOAL mentors were there, supporting them every step of the way. Camps are a great way for students to build connections, resilience and long-lasting memories, not to mention new skills outside of the classroom.

Community Connections

We've had the pleasure of hosting teachers from neighbouring primary schools recently, and last week, we welcomed an international school delegation from Singapore. It's always rewarding to showcase The Beaumaris Way and our incredible buildings and grounds.

I have enjoyed meeting with many prospective Year 7 2025 families over the last month and I look forward to meeting more at our final ‘Meet the Principal’ session for 2024 (Saturday 4 May, 1 – 2pm). 

Staff and students are also looking forward to welcoming prospective families and the wider community to our 2024 Open Night to be held on Thursday 2 May (6 – 8pm).

Performing Arts

Congratulations to our VCE Theatre Studies students and staff on the production of 'Radium Girls' which was held here at the college last night and will be showing again tonight. They certainly bought this compelling play to life. 

Our 2024 College Production of 'Alice in Wonderland' is underway and it is truly wonderful to witness the joy and talent that this co-curricular activity encourages.

I am also looking forward to the upcoming Instrumental Music Soiree (30 April) to showcase the amazing talent that we have here at the college. This is a wonderful platform for our young performers to gain experience.

State Swimming Championships

Congratulations to our talented swimmers on their outstanding results which you can read about on the Sports News page of this newsletter. It really is remarkable to make it to this level of the competition.

Staffing Update

This term I am delighted to welcome new and returning staff members:

• Riley Moloney - Communicate & Relate 
• Wray Johnstone - Mathematics

Parents' Association AGM

The Parents' Association held their AGM last week and I would like to thank the following parents for stepping up once again. We are immensely grateful for your support, time and effort. 

• Clifford Francis - President
• Vivienne Woollett - Treasurer
• Shilpa Prajapati - Secretary

I would also like to thank Leigh Hogarty and Lisa Cleland whom along with the above committee members, have done an amazing job over the last couple of years.

2024 Curriculum Contributions

Contribution costs are approved annually by the School Council. Thank you to our families for your ongoing support and contributions this year. These contributions are crucial for enabling us to purchase various items, including but not limited to, classroom/subject equipment, resources, supplies, and to provide IT support, enriching teaching and learning experiences. 

New BSC Website

Our new college website went live today. I encourage you to take a look and explore all that it has to offer. It will be a trip down memory lane for some, but most importantly, it showcases our amazing students, the college and of course, The Beaumaris Way.

Debby Chaves

Principal