Bayside Bulletin Newsletter, 4 June 2024

Deputy Principal’s Message

Greetings to all as I write my last newsletter entry for Term Two. It is hard to believe that we are approaching the end of another term and that we are now entering the month of June, welcoming winter as well.

Over the last week, I have heard some truly lovely Devotions from our staff, and one related well with my thoughts. It was about being the light for others. To be the light means that in times of darkness, you offer hope, encouragement, kindness, and compassion. When others are struggling, you provide a way to help them regain their glow and shine once more. We all face personal challenges, and God brings the right people into our lives to be that light and hope, understanding and helping us bear in each other’s burdens in accordance with His will for us.

As the end of the term draws near, I would like to thank all our teachers and staff at Bayside for their hard work every day, for being the light to the students this term, and for caring for them with all their heart. Not only are they the light for the students, but many of our staff also support, care for, and show love to one another, encouraging and strengthening each other through difficult days and to do God’s work and care for the children God has entrusted to us. We are very blessed at Bayside to work with a wonderful team, constantly reminding one another that in all we do, it is Him we are serving.

Welcome to 6Q, Mrs Yeatman!

As some of you may know, we will be farewelling Mrs Amber Dohnt at the end of this term. She has been an extraordinary educator who has positively impacted the lives of many students. While her departure represents an incredible loss to our College community, we understand and support her need to prioritise her family and achieve a suitable work-life balance. Ms Amber will forever be valued for her sincere dedication to serving God and sharing His love with the children under her guidance.

We are also incredibly blessed to welcome a wonderful new teacher to our Bayside staff in Term 3. Mrs Yeatman will be joining us, taking on the responsibility of teaching, caring for, and guiding the students in 6Q. A very warm welcome to Mrs Yeatman. She is indeed a blessing to our College, and we look forward to her joining us in our journey and mission for our students.

Below is a brief biography from Mrs Yeatman:

My name is Carmen Yeatman, and I am very excited to be joining the Bayside staff as the new Year 6 teacher.

I was born in Zimbabwe, Africa and have four beautiful children and an amazing husband. We have been part of the Bayside community for several years and I look forward to further contributing to it. I am passionate about education and taught in New Zealand for six years before taking time off to be with my young family while living in Texas, USA and Hervey Bay. Recently, I completed my Master of Education with a focus on reading and literacy, further equipping me to create an engaging and supportive learning environment for all students to succeed.

I fully support Bayside’s ethos which fosters Christian character, integrity, and excellence in academic, sporting, and cultural endeavours. I believe in recognising each student’s unique gifts, talents, strengths, and weaknesses to positively impact their academic, social, and emotional growth.

I look forward to getting to know all our wonderful students, staff and school families.

Carmen Yeatman

Barracudas Final

Our Barracudas worked tremendously hard to play in the finals! Both our Boys’ and Girls’ teams played their hearts out, remaining undefeated throughout the Broncos Challenge and experiencing their first loss during the finals. Though both teams were incredibly hurt and heartbroken by their loss, the College remains strong, supporting and standing behind them through wins and losses.

Through our Barracudas Rugby League Development Program, we are witnessing stronger leadership from these students as a result. These young men and women have exceeded our expectations in their first two terms together. Our initial hope was for them to simply get to know one another, form a team, and get along. Now, we have two teams promoting brotherhood and sisterhood to all and to one another, playing incredibly well and making it to the finals undefeated. Above all, the Barracudas have certainly brought the community together.

At the final, there was a sea of blue Bayside supporters, including parents, staff, and community members, which is something we should all be very proud of. Win or lose, we are proud of our teams.

Brett Carter and Michael Bennett, our Coach and Assistant Coach — we are all so very proud of you and your hard work with the Barracudas. Thank you for the endless guidance, support, and love that you truly show these students. They are very blessed to have you both, as we all are!

Junior School Assembly

Last Friday, our Junior School students gathered to celebrate the achievements of their College friends. We congratulated our Cross-Country participants and Merit Certificate recipients. The assembly showcased the talents of our Instrumental group, led by Mr Clancy-Jones and Mrs Muller. Our Year 3 students proved to be wonderful poets, sharing their poems with the audience. It was a wonderful way to end the week.

College Food Collection Drive: Kindness Works

Thank you all for your kind and generous donations during the Free Dress Day held at our College a few weeks ago. We now have another wonderful opportunity to make a positive impact in our community by supporting those in need.

To continue with our commitment to caring for others in our local community, we will be holding a College Food Collection Drive for Kindness Works during the last week of Term 2, starting on Monday 10 June until Friday 14 June. We encourage and welcome our Bayside Community to participate by donating non-perishable food items. If you would like to support our Food Collection Drive, please bring your non-perishable food donations to our administration office. All items collected during our drive will directly support Kindness Works in their mission to assist the homeless community. We sincerely appreciate your support in making this Food Collection Drive a success.

Matthew 5:16 “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

May we light the way for others through all our interactions. May our deeds reflect God’s love and compassion drawing others to His presence. Thank you to all our parents and community for a wonderful term and may we all continue to be the light for one another, offer kindness and encouragement to all as we move into Term Three.

Have a safe and wonderful holiday break with your loved ones from 15 June. We look forward to welcoming our students back to commence Term 3 on Tuesday 9 July.

May God continue to bless you and your families abundantly.

Edelle Broadhurst
Deputy Principal

Chess Tournament

On Tuesday 21st May, 15 students travelled to Tinana State School in Maryborough to compete in the Wide Bay South Interschool Term 2 Chess Tournament, with Pastor Tim Eyschen and Mrs Wallace. They played seven rounds, had lots of fun and learnt some new strategies. One of our senior teams, Bayside Sharks, came second out of eight teams, which is our best result yet! They received shiny medals for their efforts. The other senior team, Bayside Whales, came fifth. In the junior competition, Bayside Jellyfish came eighth and Bayside Bream came fifteenth out of 20 teams.

Four students received ribbons of merit, for scoring 4.5 points and above — Tayo Adelakun, Michael Warwick, Carter Kingswell and Lachlan Warwick. Other players came very close, and hope to win one next term. Stay tuned for details about the Term 3 tournament if you would like to join us next time! Also remember to attend Chess Club if you want to hone your chess skills.

Mrs Wallace

Award-winning Art Student

As part of Year 9 and 10’s unit of work last term, students were encouraged to submit works of art that explored the show theme for 2024 “Mary meets Migaloo”. Students were to interpret the phrase deciding who and what the theme represented. The various interpretations explored Maryborough’s Industrial past, J.L.Travers’ heritage along with its Indigenous origins. Hervey Bay’s origins and tourism were also explored and the variety of artworks that were created were phenomenal.

To be able to participate in local art events such as this is a valuable beginning for any artist. They are to be commended for their efforts and fantastic work. Congratulations goes to Lyrah O’Brian for her second-place win!

Central Queensland Junior Basketball Competition

On the 24th–26th May Matthew Collings in 7T, as part of the U14 Division 1 Hervey Bay Hurricanes team, competed in the final round of the Central Queensland Junior Basketball competition in Gladstone. This competition is a seeding competition for teams vying for selection to play in the Queensland State Championships in Cairns in June. Over the duration of the three regional carnivals the Hervey Bay Hurricanes U14 team won 11 out of 12 games. That put them on top of the Central Queensland competition and they were awarded the Gold medal. They have now been invited to represent Hervey Bay at the State Championships in Division 1.  This is the first time in over 20 years Hervey Bay have achieved this.

This is excellent news and a great achievement for Matthew and his team. Congratulations must go to him from all of us here at Bayside and we wish him and his team all the very best at State Champs in June.

Celebrating Auslan in Our School

We are thrilled to share the exciting progress of our students in their Auslan lessons this term. Each week, our students eagerly participate in interactive sessions, learning not only a new language but also the values of respect and communication with our Deaf community. These lessons are a highlight for many, fostering a sense of connection and inclusiveness from an early age.

Even our youngest learners, the preppies, are diving into Auslan with enthusiasm. They are learning to communicate, greet each other, and talk about their families, favourite fruits, and animals. It is heartwarming to see how quickly they pick up these new skills and use them to engage with their peers and teachers.

The inclusion of Auslan in our curriculum is not just about learning a new language; it is about preparing our students for a future where understanding and supporting diverse communities is essential. By equipping our students with Auslan, we are helping to bridge the gap between the hearing and Deaf communities. This shared means of communication fosters mutual understanding and respect, eliminating feelings of isolation and promoting a more inclusive environment.

In today’s rapidly evolving world, diversity and inclusion are at the forefront of our educational goals. Integrating different cultures and languages into our system is becoming increasingly important. Auslan, the Australian Sign Language, is gaining recognition and significance, and we are proud to be part of this movement.

Learning Auslan not only enhances our students’ communication skills but also makes them aware of the values of empathy and inclusivity. It teaches them that everyone, regardless of their abilities, deserves to be understood and respected. This is a lesson that goes beyond the classroom, preparing them to be compassionate and open-minded individuals in a diverse society.

We look forward to continuing our Auslan program and watching our students grow in their ability to connect with and support the Deaf community. We thank our teachers and students for their continued support in making our school a place where every student feels valued and included.

Auslan Fun!

This term, students from Years 3–9 have been learning signs for pleasantries, small talk, time, family, and transport. They practised using these in signed conversations with partners. Their learning was reinforced through repetition in a fun way using Blooket. Blooket has Auslan question sets and uses game modes to make the quizzes even more fun. This keeps the revision of signs fresh and effective. Some students in Year 8 reported to me that the use of Blooket as an end-of-lesson activity has really helped them learn the signs this semester.

Kirstene Wallace

Year 3 News

Term Two has seen the Year Threes perform at several events. 3Q performed a song and Mother’s Day poems for the residents of the Fairhaven Aged Care Facility, which was very much appreciated. More recently, both classes played their string instruments at assembly and a few students bravely read their poems which they created during English lessons.

Students have also been enthusiastically learning how to build and program Lego WeDo robots. This has seen students working in collaborative groups to follow building instructions and then use a system of trials to code the robots to achieve programming targets. In HASS, after learning about the needs of communities, laws, rules and governments, students designed their very own communities, with many of them appointing themselves as the ruling Monarchs.

Year Three students have worked hard throughout Term Two and plan to finish strongly and then enjoy their well-deserved holidays.

Curriculum News

The curriculum at Bayside Christian College is designed to ignite a passion for learning and to celebrate the unique strengths of each child. We are excited about the diverse and engaging content that our curriculum offers.

Even though many students thrive in the classroom, there are times when extra support is needed. Whether students are struggling and need extra support or students want to lift grades or students want to gain a deeper understanding of subjects, extra academic sessions are available to them. Following is a list of the extra academic sessions and please encourage your children to take advantage of these offerings.

As we approach the end of the semester, assessments and reporting become a priority and play a crucial role in the educational journey of our students. Following the semester break, you will receive Semester One reports for Prep to Year 10 students and an Interim report for students in Years 11 and 12. Regular reporting keeps parents and guardians informed about their child’s progress as we endeavour to foster a collaborative environment where teachers can work with families to support student success. When you receive these reports, please take the time to go through the results and the comments with your child and decide how any suggestions can be implemented. John Hattie, a renowned researcher in education, describes an “assessment capable learner” as a student who understands assessment results and can use that information to determine what they need to do next. That is the question we need to ask our students – “What do they need to do next?” in their studies. Please also take advantage of the Parent Teacher Interviews that will be held in Week Two of Term Three.

Next term is packed with valuable opportunities for the Senior Students as they begin to make decisions about their next steps. Many of the Universities and TAFEs hold Open Days and these events are a fantastic way to explore options for the future. Year 12 students who intend studying at Tertiary Institutions in 2025, will need to submit QTAC preferences and we will assist them as they research and choose wisely. Also, the Year 12’s will be focusing on their final internal assessments for 2024. It is crucial that students seize every opportunity that comes their way to prepare them for the exciting journey ahead.

I encourage each and every one of us to embrace a lifelong journey of learning. No matter where you are in life, there is always something new to discover, enjoy, understand and master. As a College community, let’s commit to expanding our knowledge and challenging our students and ourselves to explore new interests.

Proverbs 1: 5 tells us that “A wise man will hear and increase learning.”

Remember, the pursuit of knowledge is a journey, not a destination.

Keep learning and growing.

Noela Ensbey
(Director of Curriculum)

Head of Junior School Report

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

As the term draws to an end, we look back on a very busy and blessed period filled with numerous memorable moments and achievements. A highlight of this term was undoubtedly our Year 5/6 camp at Mapleton. The Starlight Cinema, the disco with glow-in-the-dark bracelets, the quiz, the mud on our shoes, and countless memories to take home were just a few of the highlights. The activities presented by the camp leaders were engaging and enjoyable, fostering a sense of camaraderie and friendship among the students. It was truly a wonderful camp where we got to know each other better and formed new friendships that would last a lifetime.

In addition to the camp, we also had the pleasure of hosting JC Action Sports at our school. They showcased their incredible skills on bikes and entertained us with their spectacular stunts. Seeing such talent and dedication up close was a great experience for the students.

This term, we also held a Kindness Works fundraiser, which was a resounding success. The students and staff came together to support a great cause, and we are looking forward to ending the term with an exciting treasure hunt. These activities not only provided fun and excitement but also taught valuable lessons about kindness, teamwork, and community spirit.

Our Junior School Assemblies at Bayside Christian College have been another highlight this term. With a lot of variety and performances, we had the opportunity to showcase the talents of our students and staff. The interviews with teachers and aides helped us get to know them better, and the ever-popular mascots were always a great hit with everyone.

Our students have been visiting Fair Haven, where they performed poetry and songs for the elderly residents. This initiative has been a wonderful way to bring together different generations, allowing young and old to connect and share in the joy of music and literature.

The residents of Fair Haven thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the performances. It was incredibly moving to see the smiles and hear the laughter as our students recited poems and sang songs. The effort and enthusiasm of the students were evident, and it made a significant impact on the residents, bringing them happiness and a sense of connection.

These visits have not only provided entertainment for the residents but also taught our students the value of empathy, respect, and community service. It’s been a beautiful way to show our young ones the importance of giving back and spending time with those who have so much wisdom and life experience to share.

We look forward to continuing this meaningful tradition and building even stronger bonds between our students and the residents of Fair Haven.

I am immensely proud of our students and their achievements this term. Their hard work and dedication will hopefully be reflected in their semester reports. Our amazing teachers have put in a lot of effort into creating exciting lesson plans and investigations, and I have seen all of that in action in the classrooms throughout the term.

All our different co-curricular clubs have been running well, offering a variety of activities for students to choose from. These clubs provide wonderful opportunities for students to explore their interests and develop new skills.

I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to all the parents and caregivers for their unwavering support and effort in helping their children do their best at school. Your involvement and encouragement are crucial to our students’ success, and we are blessed to be part of such a caring and enriching community.

As we approach the holidays, I hope everyone has a wonderful break. May you all return safely and rested in Term 3, ready for the second semester. God bless you all, and may you experience His love and peace during the holidays.

Amanda Mulder
Head of Junior School

Lead Head of Faculty

“The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.” – B.B. King

As we move into a critical part of the academic calendar, students are busily preparing for their first exam block of the year. This period is more than just a series of tests; it provides students with an invaluable opportunity to familiarise themselves with the conditions and structures of formal examinations, laying the groundwork for their senior school years. Mastering these skills is essential for future academic success.

Year 7 students, in particular, will be facing their first exam block on Monday, the 3rd of June. For many, this may seem like a daunting experience, filled with anxiety and uncertainty. However, teachers have been diligently working to prepare these students, offering guidance, support, and resources to help them navigate this new challenge confidently.

As the end of Term 2 approaches, the focus for teachers will shift slightly. They will be engaged in the meticulous process of preparing reports and finalising student assessments. This period is crucial as it not only reflects the hard work and progress of students but also provides essential feedback that can guide their future learning and development.

In essence, this time of year is a culmination of effort from both students and teachers. While students strive to demonstrate their learning and understanding, teachers are committed to ensuring that every student is well-prepared and supported. This collaborative effort embodies the spirit of learning, echoing B.B. King’s sentiment that the knowledge and skills gained are invaluable and enduring.

Mrs Bel France
Lead Head of Faculty

Exciting First Term with Science and Maths

As the new Science and Maths teacher at Bayside Christian College, I am thrilled to share the exciting activities and achievements from our first term together. It’s been a fantastic start, filled with engaging lessons and enthusiastic students eager to explore the wonders of Science and Maths.

Year 7 Science: Ecosystems and Classification

In Year 7 Science, students have been diving into the fascinating world of ecosystems and classification. They have been actively building their lab skills, and one highlight was learning how to use microscopes. Watching their excitement as they discovered the microscopic world was truly rewarding. Their curiosity and eagerness to learn have been inspiring.

Year 9 Science: Exploring Physics

Year 9 Science students have had an exhilarating term studying Physics. They’ve explored how light, heat, and sound energy are transmitted. The hands-on activities were particularly popular, including experiments with the Van de Graaff generator and testing whether they could produce electricity using lemons. These interactive sessions have sparked a lot of excitement and curiosity, making learning both fun and impactful.

Year 8 Maths: Mastering Algebra

In Year 8 Maths, students have been tackling algebra. They have enjoyed working collaboratively on problems, fostering a supportive and engaging learning environment. It’s been wonderful to see them help each other and celebrate their successes together. Their teamwork and perseverance are commendable, and they are making great strides in understanding algebraic concepts.

Overall, it has been a term full of enthusiasm, discovery, and learning. I am incredibly proud of the progress our students have made and look forward to continuing this journey with them. Thank you for your support, and here’s to many more exciting terms ahead at Bayside Christian College!