Welcome back to Term 3.
I hope the school holidays provided your family with an opportunity to relax, recharge and enjoy some quality time together. It is with great excitement that I welcome all students, families and staff back to Bundaberg State High School as we begin what promises to be another rewarding and successful term.
For those families I have not yet had the opportunity to meet, my name is Belinda Arnold and I have the privilege of serving as Acting Principal for the first seven weeks of this term. Having been part of the Bundaberg State High School community as Deputy Principal for several years, I feel incredibly honoured to lead a school that is built on strong relationships, high expectations and a genuine commitment to ensuring every student is known, valued and supported to achieve their personal best.
While I am stepping into this role on an acting basis, my commitment remains unwavering. I am passionate about working alongside our dedicated staff, students, families and wider community to continue building a school where every young person feels a sense of belonging, is challenged to achieve excellence and is supported to succeed in whatever pathway they choose.
A Term of Opportunity
Term 3 is one of the busiest and most exciting terms on our school calendar. Across the coming weeks our students will participate in a wide range of academic, sporting, cultural and vocational opportunities that showcase the many talents and aspirations of our young people.
For our Year 12 students, this term represents a significant milestone as they prepare for their final assessments and begin transitioning towards university, apprenticeships, traineeships, employment and other post-school pathways. We wish each of them every success and encourage them to make the most of the support available through their teachers and our Senior Hub.
Building Our School Culture – One School, One Focus
This term we will continue our Fortnightly Focus initiative, a school-wide approach designed to strengthen positive habits, celebrate student success and create a consistent culture across our classrooms.
Every fortnight our students and staff will focus on one simple but important message that supports learning, wellbeing and positive engagement. By working together around a common focus, we create a shared language that reinforces the behaviours and attitudes that help every student thrive.
Our first Fortnightly Focus for Term 3 is Be Present.
Being present means much more than simply attending school. It is about arriving on time, coming prepared with the correct equipment, engaging positively in learning and contributing to a respectful and supportive school environment.
We know that every day at school matters. Learning builds day by day, friendships are strengthened through regular attendance and positive relationships with teachers help students feel connected to school. Good attendance also establishes lifelong habits that contribute to future success.
Throughout the fortnight students who demonstrate what it means to Be Present will be recognised through our school token system, while year levels will work together to achieve the highest attendance rates and celebrate students who achieve 100% attendance.
Families play an incredibly important role in helping young people establish routines that support attendance, punctuality and readiness to learn. Together, we can build habits that will benefit our students throughout their schooling and beyond.
Every Conversation Matters
At Bundaberg State High School we believe the strongest outcomes for students are achieved when families and schools work together. Positive relationships and open communication are fundamental to ensuring every student receives the support they need to flourish.
Term 3 provides a number of important opportunities for parents, carers and students to engage in conversations about learning and future planning.
Following the release of our Years 7–10 Semester 1 Report Cards this Friday, we look forward to welcoming families to our Parent-Teacher-Student Interviews in Week 3. These conversations provide an opportunity to celebrate achievements, discuss progress and identify strategies that will support continued success throughout the remainder of the year.
For our Year 10 students and families, SET Plan and Senior Subject Selection Meetings in Week 6 will provide an important opportunity to discuss senior pathways and subject selections, ensuring students make informed decisions aligned with their strengths, interests and future aspirations.
Our Year 9 JET Plan Meetings in Week 10 will begin conversations around future career planning and senior schooling, helping students start thinking about the many exciting opportunities available to them as they move through secondary school.
I would like to sincerely thank our teachers and support staff for the significant work that takes place behind the scenes in preparing reports, analysing student progress and planning these important conversations. I also extend my thanks to our parents and carers for the encouragement, guidance and support you provide your children every day.
Education is most successful when students, families and schools work together with shared purpose. I encourage every family to take advantage of these opportunities to partner with us in supporting your child's learning journey.
Communicating Together
Effective communication and positive relationships between parents, carers and school staff are at the heart of Bundaberg State High School.
Our teachers and support staff are committed to providing timely, respectful and professional communication with families. During the school day, however, their priority is teaching, preparing lessons, supervising students and supporting learning. As a result, they are generally unable to respond to emails between 8:35 am and 2:35 pm.
Our staff endeavour to respond to emails within an appropriate timeframe and are encouraged to manage correspondence during weekdays throughout the school term. This approach supports high-quality communication while also recognising the importance of staff wellbeing and family time.
Should you have an urgent matter requiring immediate attention, please contact our Administration Office, where your enquiry can be directed to an appropriate staff member to be address as soon as possible.
Thank you for your understanding and continued support of these expectations.
Staying Connected
We encourage all families to remain connected with our school through Facebook, our website, QParents, email and SMS communications. These platforms provide important information regarding student activities, upcoming events, key dates and school news.
Our Parents and Citizens' Association continues to play an important role in supporting our school community. Our next meeting will be Wednesday, 19 August at 5:15 pm in P Block, and I warmly invite parents and carers to become involved.
Looking Ahead
As Acting Principal, my commitment is simple: to ensure Bundaberg State High School continues to be a place where students feel connected, challenged and inspired to achieve their very best.
I believe every student deserves to be known, every success deserves to be celebrated and every family deserves to feel welcomed as a valued partner in their child's education.
Thank you for the trust you place in our school each day. I look forward to working alongside our staff, students and families throughout Term 3 and celebrating the many successes I know our school community will achieve together.
I wish every member of our Bundaberg State High School community a successful, rewarding and enjoyable Term 3.
Yours faithfully
Belinda Arnold
Acting Principal