From the Deputy Principal, Secondary

From the Deputy Principal, Secondary

RUOK?

In line with our mental illness focus for 2019, our Prefects led an RUOK? campaign, BBQ and information session for RUOK? Week. More information can be found at https://www.ruok.org.au/ The key principles of RUOK? are:

• LEARN THE SIGNS

Learn what might be going on in someone's life and what they might do or say when they're struggling and need to be asked, "Are you OK?”

• FIND HELP

Some conversations are too big for friends and family to take on alone. That's why we encourage people to connect with expert support.

• GET INVOLVED

Conversations need to happen every day. Encourage more people to ask R U OK? in your school, workplace or community with our free resources.

Single Language School

Blackfriars will be transitioning to a single language other than English school over the course of 2020.

Student subject selection data over the past decade, coupled with academic research on linguists in Australian schools, provided us with a basis to conduct a review of languages offered at Blackfriars.

The most prolific language studied in Australian schools is Japanese. Blackfriars introduced Japanese in 1988 and the language has flourished at Blackfriars. Latin was also offered at Blackfriars and this eventually gave way to Italian to cater for the students of Italo-Australian families. With the changes in Australian demographics, Italian is now the fastest declining language spoken in Australia and this reality is reflected in a significant decrease in the number of schools offering Italian.

Blackfriars has not run a Stage 2 Italian class since 2012, when only five students chose the subject. In contrast, Japanese continues to thrive at Blackfriars with six times more students choosing Japanese over Italian. Blackfriars has maintained strong Stage 2 Japanese numbers for decades, despite a nationwide decline in languages at school.

Japan is Australia’s second largest trading partner and the study of Japanese links with the Australian Curriculum Cross Curriculum Priority of Engagement with Asia. Therefore, based on informed research, Blackfriars will specialise in the teaching of Japanese from 2021.

Students can still access an array of languages externally through the Adelaide School of Languages.

Italian will only be offered in Year 7 and Year 8 during 2020 only. Italian will not be offered at any year level at Blackfriars from 2021. If you wish for your son to be transferred into a Japanese class (Year 7 and 8, 2020), please email Mr Jeff Gray (jgray@bps.sa.edu.au) so this can be actioned.

Finally, Ms Chikako Oguma is in the process of organising the 2020 Japan Cultural Tour. Places are limited and the biennial tour is hugely popular. If your son is interested in attending, please contact Ms Oguma.

Year 12 Key Dates

Please refer to the letter distributed through SEQTA regarding key dates for Year 12s over the coming months.

Mathematics Competition

Congratulations to our students and staff on their outstanding results in the Australian Mathematics Competition. Over 30 boys achieving a Distinction or a High Distinction. Two students achieved in the 100% percentile, which is phenomenal.

Blessings and peace.

Mr David Ruggiero (BPS'92)

Deputy Principal, Secondary (7-12)