Year 12 ATAR Modern History

In preparation for their recent exam, the Year 12 Modern History students participated in a Socratic Seminar. This was an opportunity to use and develop the STEM skills of critical analysis, collaboration and communication. The students were given one statement at a time, put into groups to take opposing viewpoints on the topic, and then asked to discuss and debate. They were able to put forward their thinking and question others in a safe environment. Each side would work together to try to justify their stance, even though they didn’t necessarily agree with it.

This analytical thinking is imperative to the Modern History course and developing their historiography skills, as students need to be able to analyse and evaluate ideas and perspectives. By working together in this forum, students are able to utilise and progress their skills, which can then be applied to their writing.

It was great to see the students getting involved, drawing on their content knowledge and using quotes and statistics to back up their argument. One of the statements they had to respond to was ‘Stalin’s rule over Russia was better than that of the Tsar’. Students were asked to debate this by drawing on information they have learnt from the whole unit of study. This got quite loud as students were arguing their points! It was wonderful to see such passion and enthusiasm from the class.

Rebecca Edmonds
HASS Teacher

Science News

The young forensic investigators within Integrated Science's Forensic Investigations Unit have spent the last couple of weeks completing forensic facial reconstructions from the skulls of a number of victims. The work involves rebuilding the structure of the face based on the specific placement of underlying facial muscles and a variety of measurements regarding the thickness of muscles and flesh.

Andrew Blakeney
Science Teacher

Bonjour à tous

It is with great pleasure to announce the result of the 2020 Education Perfect World Wide competition in Languages. Education Perfect offers a worldwide languages championships each year which gives students the opportunity to compete with other students around the world in various languages. This year from 14 to 21 May, students at Belridge competed against 181,000 students in Languages (French, Spanish and Arabic). Students answered a total of 11,096 questions.

I am delighted to announce that two of our students finished in the Top 5% of 181,000 competitors: 

Top 5%

Christel Din 8.01

William Hyder 8.06

Another student also finished in the Top 20% 

Nelson Browne 8.06

This year has been our first time competing in this competition and I wish to congratulate and thank our students for their participation. We are looking forward to participating in 2021!

Bravo Belridge!

Stephanie Westphal
Languages – French Teacher

Peer Support Program

Over the course of Terms 1 and 2 our fully trained Year 10 Peer Support Leaders engaged with our Year 7 cohort for 1 period a week over 8 weeks delivering the PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM. The program is aimed at placing students at the centre of their learning and empowering them with practical skills and strategies to positively navigate life and relationships. Outcomes of the program include:

• better connectedness
• improved resilience
• a greater sense of possibility
• reduction in bullying behaviours
• a more developed sense of self; and
• an increased responsibility for self and others

The Peer Support Program achieves this by helping students develop and sustain positive relationships. Belridge SC is grateful to our Year 10’s Leaders who have given up a lot of time and effort into making this program successful.

Inclusive Learning Lead Team – Student Lunch

On Monday of Week 7, the Inclusive Learning Lead Team invited students with diverse learning needs and differences to a pizza lunch. It was an amazing turnout and we had more than ten students enjoying Dominoes and happily engaging with each other and staff. Students who attended are diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Dysgraphia, Dyspraxia, Dyslexia, generalised Anxiety and physical disability.

The Inclusive Learning Lead Team values student voice and this was an insightful opportunity to understand how our students learn and what our teachers are doing to support students’ needs. During this time, we spoke to the students about how teachers supported their learning needs in the classroom, how they learned the best and what they would do if they were Principal for a day!

Some of the positive feedback from the students regarding teacher support they find helpful included; “using computers or whiteboards, videos to learn, working independently, doing Kahoots and group activities”.

Students commented that peer support in the classroom plays an important role in their learning, such as, “having someone to compare work with to check if I am on track and my peers being present for support if needed”.

When asked what students would do if they were Principal for a day, they responded with; “break down assessments, give rewards more often, check-in after instructions, meditation and having something (like a cushion) to hold for comfort during lessons”.

The Inclusive Learning Lead Team will continue with the student lunch to foster a sense of belonging and safety for our students with diverse learning needs within our school environment.

Please sponsor our 'Write a Book in a Day' Teams

On Friday 24 July, two teams of Belridge students will take part in the 12-hour Write a Book in a Day national competition run by The Kids’ Cancer Project national charity. We are running a Year 11 and Year 12 team this year, both with members who have been involved in the past and are keen to take part once again.

Over 12 consecutive hours, each team will write, illustrate and submit a children’s story book based on parameters provided on the morning. The final book not only goes in to a national competition, but is then donated and distributed to children undergoing cancer treatment in hospitals around Australia.

This is the fifth year that Belridge students will be taking part in the challenge, and students are excited to once again take part, have fun and give back to the wider community. This year, due to social distancing restrictions, students will have to create an e-book, instead of a physical copy like in past years and are looking forward to finding creative ways to create the final product in this new form!

Last year the Write a Book in a Day challenge involved 440 schools around the country and raised $475,000 for childhood cancer research. If you would like to support our teams and fundraising initiative, you can donate directly via the following sponsorship pages for either or both teams:

Year 11 Team via
https://writeabookinaday.com/teams/?id=11 
or
Year 12 Team via
https://writeabookinaday.com/teams/?id=10

We look forward to providing an update following this amazing event and worthwhile cause.

Lisa de Ponte
English/Literature Teacher

Fashion Design

Year 7 to 10 students will once again be competing in the Wool4School national competition 2020 by applying innovative thinking and putting their creative designer talents to the test.  The Wool4School competition invites students to design an outfit using a minimum of 70% wool.  Pictured here is a taster of our Year 7 and 8 student entries.  This year's brief for entries is 'Avant-Garde designs inspired by flora and fauna'.  Winners will be announced at the end of August 2020 and we wish all our students' the very best of luck!

Book Club

Do you love reading? Would you like to see the latest books the library has to offer in your favourite genre? Is there a series you're reading that you'd like the library to purchase? Come along to book club every Tuesday recess in Area 2 of the library where we discuss a new genre each week and talk about our favourite books. Each week Dr Lambert also gives a brief overview of the classic texts in the genre, as well as an introduction to the new books the library has to offer - all bookworms welcome!

What - Book Club
Where - Library Area 2
When - Tuesdays at recess
Who - Dr Lambert and Bookworms
Why - For the love of reading 

Dr Lambert
English Teacher