We celebrate student success throughout the year at our Optima Assemblies each term. 2019 has been a very positive year for Junior Secondary students, who have exceeded all expectations in terms of effort and behaviour, academic success and attendance.

Students have received a total of 494 Blue Optima Awards for outstanding effort and behaviour, a total of 81 Blue Academic Optima Awards (5 A’s Academic achievement) and 29 Gold Academic Optima Awards (6 A’s achievement and 6 excellent for effort and behaviour). 

Within our Junior Secondary School we celebrated 33 students who have contributed significantly enough to our wider community to achieve Community Service Awards.  Creative Arts students have excelled with a grand total of 157 Cultural awards.

Above all of these achievements and in every pursuit our Junior Secondary students embody the PBC school mission, Nil Sed Optima, Nothing but the Best with their ideas, innovations, engagement and commitment.

A special thank you to our Optima team:

• Dean of Students Ms Condon Year 7/8 and Mr Bullpitt Year 9 for the many Restorative programs to support student being reflective and setting aspirations for future positive behaviours
• Year Coordinators Mr Williams Year 7, Mr Jesser Year 8 and Ms Whitehouse Year 9 for your continued diligence in supporting school attendance, uniform compliance and positive behaviours
• Wellbeing team led by Ms Willis, Ms Wilson SBYHN, Mr Catterall ‘Chappy’ and our YODA team

Congratulations to:

• Parent/caregivers involved in your child’s learning and for attending our Parent/Teacher/Student interview and Term Optima Assemblies
• Teaching staff and teacher aides in the classroom for your professional commitment to all students to achieve their potential across all subjects
• Students receiving 794 Junior Secondary Optima Awards in 2019

The final week of school will see Junior Secondary students participate in an alternative program. Students will work on curriculum related activities within their English classes. Absences will be tracked as normal with rolls marked each day. Students should continue to wear full school uniform, bring a hat and water bottle and should bring lunch as although the canteen will be open it will have reduced stock being the last week. 

Transition Day 2019

Monday 9 December will have seen PBC welcome over 400 enrolled students to the PBC Community. Transition Day supports the 2020 Year 7s as they move from their primary schools to secondary school. Last year, we had students enrol from close to 40 different primary schools, each with its own school culture and expectations. On Transition Day, we welcome students, assign them to their core classes, have them experience some lessons with next year’s teachers and introduce them to their Houses. The Junior Secondary Head Prefects and a large team of teachers and support staff are part of this day.

Transition Day also welcomes parents to the PBC family. A Parent Meeting and morning tea will present ideas for supporting young students through the change to high school, and introduce key staff who can assist in the process.

Work Experience

In week 10, nearly 210 Year 9 students are participating in Work Experience. Many thanks to parents and caregivers who have supported their young people to set up these experiences, and to the fabulous local employers who have provided positions for this.

These students will have made local contacts, have experiences to add to their resumes, and no doubt will have taken away significant learnings about the world of work. Congratulations to those students who chose to participate. Employer feedback will be available next year.

Camps

The adventurous Year 7 and 8 students will be participating in a 3 day camp.

Year 7 students will head to the base of scenic Mt Warning for the school’s first ever Year 7 camp. Midginbil Hill Camp will play host to both staff and students for 2 nights as they hike, build, climb, navigate and explore through the picturesque, World Heritage Listed Nightcap National Park.

Year 8 students will travel to Camp Warrawee and participate in a Survivor themed camp designed to test their physical, mental and emotional capacity and provide an opportunity for them and their class mates to excel.

Term 4 Reports

Term 4 reports will be emailed or posted home on Friday 13 December. This is a full report with detailed comments. Please be sure to share the report with your child, so that they can receive important feedback on their work this year and set goals for 2020.

2020 Core Classes

The 2020 timetable has been constructed to provide maximum opportunities for students across PBC to study courses of choice, in our large and diverse school. We are also at maximum enrolments. For these reasons, there is less flexibility for students to swap core classes.

Parents should be aware that their child will be with a very different group of students next year, and prepare to support them through this change. Coping with changes such as these are important for building resilience – a significant quality for success in life.  While there is no opportunity to swap classes due to friendships, the usual range of support will be available to all students and their parents to help them through this change.

Farewell to our Year 9 cohort who are transitioning to the Senior Secondary Phase of Learning. Our very best wishes for continued success!

Year 9 Dance

Thank you to the fantastic bunch of Year 9 students who attended the Year 9 Celebration Dance.  From start to finish, it was a wonderful evening. The students are to be complimented on their behaviour - which at all times was exemplary, while at the same time being joyfully exuberant on the dance floor. Thanks to all parents and caregivers who supported these young people to attend, and dress so appropriately for the evening. We wish our Year 9s well as they move into Senior Secondary.

Seasons Greetings

In this, the last newsletter of the year, I would like to wish all readers and the Junior Secondary students a safe happy Christmas holiday. It continues to be an honour and a delight for me to work with this fabulous, energetic and positive group of students.