Principal's Report
Principal's Report
There is a Chinese saying that goes: “If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.”
Our Safe Plate Day initiative and Inter generational IPAD programs are great example of Service Learning opportunities that enhance the growth of the students involved. We look forward to facilitate opportunities for Service Learning for all our students as they move through adolescence. Be it through programs in local Primary schools, sports coaching, International Service opportunities or individual and GOAL group initiatives.
2019 Victoria Chapter Learning Environments Annual Architectural Awards
It was my pleasure to attend the Victoria Chapter Learning Environments Annual Architectural Awards last week. Beaumaris Secondary College was nominated for the prestigious award ‘Category 1 - New Construction / Entire New Educational Facility’,
Whilst we weren't the successful recipient of the award, we are already winners with our beautiful, flexible and inspiring Learning Spaces that we have the privilege of occupying each day.
Safe Plate Day
Thanks to Dilek Yucel, Deb Kirk and our wonderful Youth Liaison Leaders for facilitating Saturday's Safe Plate Day. Whilst the weather was not particularly kind, it was a highly successful day with the event still able to raise around $1000-.
OzChild Wishing Tree
Our Christmas Tree has gone up very early thanks to our GOAL/ House leaders. We are again collecting Christmas gifts for children in need via the OzChild Wishing tree program. Families can select a gift card from our tree at reception and purchase a gift for the child or family described on the gift tag. Please leave the gift unwrapped or in clear wrapping (with the tag attached) under the tree. Our families were exceptionally generous with this last year and we look forward to again seeing the fruits of this generosity.
PARENT/ STUDENT/ TEACHER Learning Conferences
It would be greatly appreciated if all families take a couple of minutes to provide feedback on our recent Parent/Student/Teacher Learning Conferences via the following link. You may need to copy and paste this into a browser.
https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=N7Ns2Ycaz0S2mzzsM0pMH6Uosk7jrEpFtONEOX8up1NUOERJUTdQMzRSV1FJRE1ZSFZPMkkwTDY0OS4u
Alpine School
You will see in this newsletter an opportunity for 5 of our 2020 Year 9 students to attend the Alpine School during Term Two next year. Please refer to the relevant page of this newsletter for expression of interest details and note that expressions of interest close tomorrow.
Please note that a student is unable to participate on both the the Reef/ Rainforest Ecotourism adventure and attend the Alpine School.
Beaumaris High School class of 69' Fifty Year reunion
We had 20 Beaumaris High School Alumni visit our school today as part of their 50 year reunion celebrations. They were greatly impressed by our Learning Spaces, Online Curriculum and Student Uniform. I have shared some interesting recollections from Andrew Laing below, who organised the reunion.
1969, 50 years ago, was a very significant year. Man walked on the moon, "Woodstock" was a world music event in USA, "Hair" the musical started in Sydney (a friend of some BHS, Colin Setches from Brighton starred in the show). Many of us were concerned about the Vietnam war, particularly those in the draft for Army conscription. 1969 was also BC (before computers), BMP (before mobile phones) and BSM (before social media).
What was the school like 50 years ago? The school opened in 1958, I attended form 1 (now year 7?), five years later in 1963.
My personal memories of BHS are:
The school was carved out of tea tree scrub, a swamp knee deep south side of the school building. There were snakes, lizards, frogs in the school grounds. Students had an interest in the wildlife and could identify a large number of birds, reptiles, insects.
School facilities were very basic, heating/cooling in class rooms was absent or poor.
No assembly hall, we assembled outside in a quadrangle.
We sang the national anthem.
A large brown dog "Roger" attended the school often and would howl during the national anthem.
A Council dog catcher would attend the school often trying to catch Roger, the French teacher would hide the dog.
Sports facilities were basic, it was some years before we had an oval for footy/cricket.
We walked long distances to school, unaccompanied, not considered a risk in those years.
Students who seriously misbehaved could expect corporal punishment, strap or cane, but rarely administered .
Class sizes were very large eg 49 in form 5, but it didn't seem to matter.
In 1969 we sat around borrowed black & white TVs in the afternoon watching man walk on the moon.
Morale at the school, teachers and students was good. BHS teachers appeared very motivated, and enthusiastic. I remember the head master as relaxed and calm whereas the deputy, who worked very hard, always appeared stressed!