With the festive season around the corner, I would like to take this time to reflect on a fantastic year at Belridge Secondary College.

Our Year 6 Transition Program was a huge success, with lots of happy faces seen around the school as they prepare for their big move to the College in 2024. Big thanks to Rebecca Edmonds, Chadd Richardson and Louise Hall for their organisation of the transition program of events throughout the year, their efforts help support our students and families to make the big move to the College and facilitate a seamless transition into high school life.

Earlier this term the College hosted the Joondalup Learning Community (JLC) Year 5 Student Leadership Day. It was great to see a room full of future leaders, all very eager to have their say and make positive change. I look forward to seeing them here at Belridge in the near future.

Our Year 10 Business students have been showing their entrepreneurship by taking part in this year’s Education Support Market Day.  A big thank you to the students and Mr Chen and Mrs Wright for their efforts with this.

The College held its second World Cup tournament this term with 8 Countries (Teams) battling it out. This year, the teams were based on countries from the Women's World Cup that made it to the finals. It was a hugely popular event, many thanks to Mr Notarpietro for organising the event and to the staff that came down to support.

In Week 9 we held our Specialist Cricket and Netball Presentation Night at the WACA - it was a wonderful evening. My thanks to Scott Ogilvie, Janneke Markovic and Tarryn Hunt for their organisation of the event and leadership of the programs. Also, to Paul Bennett, Brent Jarvis-Spinks, Josh Hollows and Conor Moldrich for their ongoing work with the specialist programs. Thank you also to our Board Chair and MC for the evening – Steve Hall.

Our Student Services team has had a massive year running our Positive Incentive Program (PIP). Our end-of-term reward day, The Belridge Festival was a huge success, with much positive feedback received from both students and staff. Thank you to Mr Richardson, Mrs Currie and Mr Dawkins for their leadership and commitment in supporting our students.

We have some major refurbishments ready to get underway in 2024. Our new $1.5M STEM build will be started early next year, consisting of a state-of-the-art mechatronics lab and dual-screen digital technology space, we cannot wait to see these new additions in action.

We have a number of staff leaving us at the end of the year, some retiring, some moving on to promotional positions and others to pastures new. I would like to take this opportunity to wish them all the very best in whatever the future holds and thank them for their contributions to Belridge Secondary College over the years.  A special mention to Meredith Fuhrmann, Alison Saare and Suzanne Manning on their retirements.

I would like to finish with the biggest thank you to each and every person who donated items to our Belridge Christmas Hamper Appeal. This year we were able to support over 20 families with hampers and gifts – making a difference to those that really need it. Thank you so much for helping make Christmas a little brighter for our community.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Take care over the festive season.

Sharon Lyon
Principal

As we call time on 2023, it presents an opportunity to reflect on the achievements by our students and staff. At a board level, it was encouraging and satisfying to read the Independent School Review report. Belridge Secondary College has consistently performed better against "like schools", a true reflection of the hard work of Sharon and the wonderful teachers at Belridge Secondary College. So while it was no surprise to read the findings of the review, it cemented that foundation of why our College is successful. From enrichment, behavioural and extension programs, to the community engagement and even our board composition, the work behind the scenes ensures that our students are being given the best opportunity to succeed at school and well beyond. Once again - thank you to Sharon and all the staff at Belridge Secondary College.  

2024 will bring new challenges and exciting opportunities - so enjoy a safe and happy holiday season, and we'll see you all next year. 

Steve Hall
Chairperson
Belridge Secondary College Board

E: belridge.sc.schoolboard@education.wa.edu.au

Another action packed year has flown past with many events and achievements along the way. I hope you enjoy reading about your child’s academic progress during 2023 in their report which will be sent to you during the last week of term. Make sure you have conversations with your child about their achievements this year and set achievable targets with them for 2024 with strategies to progress toward these targets throughout the year. Success will come through a combination of healthy wellbeing, study structures and lots of positive support from home and school. I look forward to working with all of you throughout 2024 to achieve these goals with your child.

Year 6 Orientation Day

It was fantastic to welcome the incoming Year 7 students on Tuesday, 5 December 2023 and meet many parents in the evening. Students enjoyed the day in their Form groups getting to meet new friends and experience what a typical day at Belridge Secondary College will look like. I look forward to seeing them all again on Wednesday, 31 January 2024 to begin their high school journey with us.

Student wellbeing over the holidays

For some young people, the summer holiday long break can be challenging. It can feel as though they been taken away from their usual routine and structure of school, extracurricular activities, and work. Students may also not get to see friends and teachers who support them at school as often as they would like to. This can leave teenagers feeling bored, unsupported, upset and sometimes anxious. It’s important to encourage your child to stay healthy and look after themselves.

There are several ways to help and you can support them do this, such as:

I wish you all a safe and happy Christmas and look forward to welcoming you all back at the start of 2024 for another successful year at Belridge Secondary College.

Louise Hall
Deputy Principal – Years 7, 8 & 9

The school year has come to a very quick end.  Term 4 was another busy term with Year 12 students leaving at the start followed by graduation ceremonies and ATAR examinations.  The Year 11’s then left soon after sitting their examinations or completing their Workplace Learning.  Lower school students have sat their final assessments and school reports have been written. I hope all students have achieved to their potential. 

When reviewing your child’s Semester Two school report please celebrate areas of improvement and achievement.  Also, identify areas where improvement is required, set achievable targets and put strategies in place to assist in achieving these targets.  Change does not happen without initially identifying areas of need and then acting in a positive manner.    

The College welcomed the incoming Year 7 2024 students at their Orientation Day on Tuesday, 5 December.  The day ran smoothly with students completing a simulated high school timetable for the day. Parent school tours were also conducted on the day.  We look forward to this cohort of students joining the College community in 2024.

On a final note, I wish all students and their families a safe and relaxing holiday break and look forward to the 2024 school year. 

Mario Pisano
Vice Principal - Years 10, 11 and 12

Year 7 Incursion - Sustainability Ambassadors

Our Year 7 HASS students participated in the Waterwise Experience on Wednesday, 15 November 2023, an interactive, multi-sensory incursion for high school students, that is designed to engage and inspire them on the topic of water sustainability.

Using silent disco technology, students explored, wondered and questioned through the power of audio. Students were led through three engaging narratives, which empowered them to take action and become sustainability ambassadors. They learnt that we have finite resources and need to work together to preserve, restore and protect the uniqueness of our planet. Each narrative took place in its own tent world, where the students worked together to identify our water sources and understand the importance of our water supply and treatment processes.

Claire Green
HASS Teacher

WA Junior Mathematical Olympiad 2023

Early in Term 4, we were delighted to participate in the Western Australian Junior Mathematical Olympiad. This is an incredible opportunity for our students to showcase their mathematical skills and compete against other talented individuals. 

The event was conducted in two parts. An individual online event was held in the College Library on Tuesday, 17 October 2023 with the students completing a 100-minute paper of 16 challenging questions. We had eight students representing our College in this competition, and I have no doubt that they made us proud.

On Saturday, 21 October 2023 students met at UWA for a 50-minute paper-based team event. Our College was represented by two teams, and we are excited to announce that we also invited an extra student from St Stephens School to join our teams. This collaboration will not only foster friendly competition but also promote camaraderie among the students. 

We commend all the students who have shown dedication and perseverance in their studies. This competition generates exceptional growth and it is a testament to their hard work. Well done, students!

As part of our commitment to providing a well-rounded education, we have included some of the individual questions in this newsletter. These can be a great opportunity for your child to further enhance their problem-solving skills. Feel free to tackle them together as a family!

I would like to take a moment to express my gratitude to all the students who have participated in this challenging competition. Your dedication and hard work are truly commendable. I also want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the parents for their continued support and encouragement. Your partnership with us is invaluable, and it plays a significant role in the success of our students.

Questions from 2023 Individual event. For the answers, please ask your child’s mathematics teacher.

Question A - 1 mark

After a game of footy, the 18 players of each team shook hands with each player from the opposing team, and with each of the 3 umpires. How many handshakes occurred altogether?

Question B - 2 marks

How many 3-digit numbers have an odd middle digit and are divisible by 12?

Question C - 3 marks

What is the largest integer less than 1000 that has the same remainders as 2023 when divided by each integer from 2 to 7, inclusive?

Question D - 4 marks

Let ABCD be a square with area 204. Let E, F be the midpoints of sides BC, CD, respectively. What is the area of the shaded region?

Mr Stuart Rutter
HOLA Mathematics 

JLC Student Leadership Day

The Joondalup Learning Community Leadership Day was recently hosted at Belridge Secondary College on Friday, 17 November 2023.  Year 5 students from our Partner Primary schools attended the Leadership Day were they learnt lots of leadership tips, attended a Student Councillor meeting, chatted to Belridge Secondary College Year 10 student leaders and had the opportunity to meet with Emily Hamilton MLA who discussed the power of letter writing as a way of making a positive difference in the community.

Thank you to all staff and students on such a successful day. The feedback received from students speaks for itself!

WHAT WAS GOOD ABOUT TODAY?

"Coming to Belridge!

The way the Belridge student leaders independently interacted with primary students.

Public Speaking.

Dried spaghetti challenge and working as a team.

Learning how to work in a team, because I usually work individually.

Learning how to write a letter and activities, meeting new people and having fun.

Writing a letter to the Principal.

All the fun activities and opportunity to say how we think our school could have been better.

Brain breaks good in between activities.

The brain break actually reset my brain into learning.

Spaghetti towers – it was a really fun project and we got to eat the marshmallows!

The Belridge Year 10’s.

Getting to know the students and seeing the school.

Basically everything!"

WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER ABOUT TODAY?

"It could have been longer, so we can learn more about leadership.

I think nothing could have made today better.

Nothing. I think it was amazing and that there is nothing to change."

WHAT WILL YOU TAKE AWAY FROM TODAY?

"Change can happen when you are passionate about making change happen. Josh gave great evidence of this.

That tactics and teamwork work more than strength.

All the speeches from this morning and writing the letters.

I will speak up to my problems and try to resolve them.

A new sense of community.

Things about how to run a fundraiser day.

Writing a letter.

The letter writing and skill building.

All the memories from making friends and learning how leadership works.

That I actually like writing letters!

Today taught me to look out and discover new pathways and it built a stronger connection with other schools. I also learnt new ways to communicate with other people I don’t know.

It formed me to look out and discover bigger problems in the world and environment.

The day gave me way more confidence being able to socialise with people I do not know.

New friendships.

Interactions with other schools.

Getting to know the Year 10s and maybe getting a school dog."

Vocational Education & Training

Congratulations to Kiara Willing (Year 10), who has secured a School Based Traineeship with Event Cinemas, Whitfords. Students have a choice of two qualifications to work towards achieving at Event Cinemas, either Hospitality or Retail.

Kiara chose Hospitality and will be stationed in the kitchen at Event Cinemas where she will complete a Certificate II in Hospitality over a period of 12 months. Kiara will be employed to complete her traineeship qualification out of school hours.

Kiara attended a sign-up meeting to formally commence her traineeship on Wednesday 22 November 2023 and is photographed below with Event Cinemas National Traineeship Manager, Tammi and Skills Strategies International Hospitality Trainer, Mark Dundhy.

Meredith Fuhrmann
Workplace Learning Coordinator

Educational attainment is rising

The number of people undertaking tertiary training is increasing and more of the workforce now holds post-school qualifications.

In 2022 68% of Australians aged between 15 to 74 years held, or were currently studying, post-school qualifications. 

Post-school qualifications are beneficial in today’s jobs market. People with higher level qualifications generally have better employment outcomes than those who have not completed further education after leaving school.  

• Almost 90% of jobs currently being advertised require post-school qualifications.
• Almost 40% of jobs currently being advertised require a Bachelor degree or higher.
• Around half of jobs currently being advertised require a VET qualification.

Year 9 Career Tasters

‘It’s Child’s Play’
Wednesday, 15 November 2023

15 Year 9 students were recently involved in a childcare based Career Taster, held at North Metropolitan TAFE’s Joondalup campus. The excursion was part of the Year 9 Career Taster Program, which has been designed to provide students with exposure to industry and workplaces of interest. Attendance was based on an expression of interest basis, with numerous students unfortunately missing out on the event, due to a lot of interest in the childcare field. All attendees were excited to attend TAFE for the day and have the opportunity of being in an adult learning environment. Students admirably found their own way to the site, with the support of guardians and public transport.

On arrival, students were Welcomed to Country in one of the childcare classrooms. Once the day’s itinerary was explained, students were introduced to their lecturer, Ann Marie, who instructs Certificate III and the Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care to TAFE students. Importantly, these courses are currently 100% funded by the state government, due to the wide scale shortage of qualified childcare educators. In addition, in Year 10 students can apply to complete a Certificate III in School Based Education Support and complete the TAFE course, in conjunction with their Year 11 and 12 studies, by attending a TAFE site one day a week. This means students would be work ready to commence employment as an Education Assistant straight after graduating from the College.

Students were taught about the importance of fostering an encouraging learning environment for young people, as well as the importance of play to a young person’s development. Students were responsible for taking care of a simulated baby throughout the day, which they all found challenging but rewarding. They were also involved in planning and delivering childcare based activities, such as story time, painting, physical outdoor games, making play doh, slime and kinetic sand, as well as performing a range of cleaning duties. All students did a great job being involved in all activities, with TAFE staff commending the student’s attitudes and commitment to learning.

‘Cooking Up a Storm’ Year 9 Career Taster
Friday, 24 November 2024

The final Year 9 Career Taster for 2023 saw 14 Year 9 students visit Joondalup’s North Metropolitan TAFE campus to participate in the ‘Cooking Up a Storm’ commercial cookery event. Students chose to be involved in the excursion so that they could gain an idea of what working in a commercial kitchen at TAFE is like.  The excursion was part of the Year 9 Career Taster Program, which has been designed to provide students with exposure to industry and workplaces of interest. Attendance was based on an expression of interest basis, with numerous students unfortunately missing out on the event, due to a lot of interest in the commercial cooking field. All attendees stated that they had enjoyed the cooking they had completed at home and during their time at Belridge prior to the event.

On arrival, students were Welcomed to Country in one of the TAFE classrooms. Once the day’s itinerary was explained, students were escorted to one of the site’s commercial kitchens and introduced to their lecturer, Cormac, who instructs Certificate III in Commercial Cookery, which is the qualification apprentices complete to become professional chefs. Students were attired in clothing suitable for the kitchen environment, including long pants, enclosed shoes and long hair tied back. They were also provided with a hair cover and plastic apron. Students were informed that they would be preparing a sticky date pudding from scratch, topped with a glazed fig and butterscotch sauce. Students were excited to prepare the meal but were mainly motivated by the realisation that they would be able to eat the yummy dessert at the end of the day.

During the day, students were taught about the importance of kitchen hygiene and instructed in the proper use of a range of kitchen utensils and machinery, including the commercial mixers and ovens, which required significant instruction to operate. They also had the opportunity to purchase food from the nearby café, which is stocked by meals prepared in the commercial kitchens at TAFE. Students worked in pairs to prepare their meals, with their communication and collaboration skills put on great display. At the end of the event students did a great job cleaning their workspaces and they were rewarded with tasting their amazing meals, topped with icing sugar and banana flavoured gelato. They also had plenty of leftovers for their friends and family to enjoy once they got home.

The excursion was a big success and capped off a great effort by all Year 9 students who participated in a career taster over the course of 2023.

Ashley Mouritz
Career Practitioner

E:  ashley.mouritz@education.wa.edu.au
P:  (08) 9408 8015

	Congratulations to former Belridge Secondary College Specialist Cricket Program student,  Kai Orr on being selected as U19's Captain for the forthcoming national championships - a fantastic achievement!  Kai graduated from Belridge Secondary College and our Specialist Cricket Program last month.  We will be watching Kai's progress closely in the cricket world.
	Specialist Netball student, Charli Hynes (Year 9), has been selected for the 2024 17/U Fever Futures Squad!  This is a huge achievement for Charli and our Specialist Netball program.  We wish her every success this season.

Belridge SC Cricket Student Shines at
WA Education Awards!

Rowan George (Year 10) Belridge Secondary College Specialist Cricket student recently represented the College in an amazing light at the WA Education Awards.  A natural on the pitch and behind the mic, Rowan hosted a Q&A session with Justin Langer and put the former Australian coach through his paces, amazing everyone with his confident interviewing style. You may have also seen the report in the West Australian last weekend.  Congratulations Rowan on a job well done. 

Specialist Cricket & Netball
Presentation Night 2023

Staff, students and parents came together on Friday, 8 December 2-23 to celebrate the end of year wrap with our annual specialist Cricket and Netball Presentation Night at the WACA. 

We were also lucky enough to have special guest presenters - Western Warrior  cricket players Teague Wyllie and Sam Greer and Netball Fevers player, Sunday Aryang. Players presented prizes to award winners for the night and also went under the spotlight with a Q&A session!

Thank you to WA Cricket for your generous donation of a signed cricket bat from the Big Bash League Perth Scorchers Team for the 2023-24 season, together with two gift vouchers with entry to all matches this season.  These items went to silent auction with two lucky families getting to enjoy with their winning bids.  

Also, thank you to Steve Hall, our board Chair and Master of Ceremony for hosting the evening.

The following students were acknowledged for the following awards and accomplishments in 2023: 

Specialist Cricket

Specialist Netball  

This year, the 8 finalists from the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup were the eight teams featured in our end of year 5-a-side Soccer Belridge World Cup.

Each team was quickly claimed by groups of friends writing their names next to a team sheet on the Student Services notice board.

Games began in Week 8, on Monday, 27 November with four sudden death knockout round matches played out by one Year 10 team (France), one Year 9 team (England), three Year 8 teams (Spain, Netherlands and Australia) and one BESC team (Sweden).

Week 9 saw a one-sided semi-final where France demolished the Netherlands 11-0, followed by a much closer match in the second semi -final, with England edging out Australia in the dying seconds to win 4-3.

Wednesday, 13 December saw two epic finals played, with the bronze medal game, held during first break, with Netherlands vs Australia resulting in Australia coming 3rd in the tournament (3-5).

The gold medal game, held during second break, confirmed the dominance of last year’s winners, France, retaining their title with an epic win against England (0-3).

Belridge World Cup Soccer Champions for 2023 - France!

Runners-up - England

Bronze Place - Australia

France vs England and Mr Notarpietro - The Referee!

2023 Teams

Carlos Notarpietro 
Associate Principal and Referee

Thank you so much!

Thank you to staff, parents and students who were able to come together this year and donate money, food and gifts for our annual Christmas Hamper Appeal. Twenty one local families will be having a brighter Christmas this year! 

Also, a special acknowledgement and thanks to Louise Thornton-Singh, Manager of Dominos, Beldon for the donations of vouchers for free large pizzas and Food Bank for supporting our appeal this year. Dandelions WA also donated school backpacks which assists hundreds of children in need by supplying a school backpack complete with all stationery items, a lunch box, water bottle, hat etc. The support and generosity will make a great impact to all.   

Finally, a special thanks to our Year 9 and 10 student councillors who assisted in sorting items for the hampers and our wonderful EA's Vicki Carroll, Bibi Kent, Angela Zurzolo and Audra Keeble for offering support with the wrapping and distribution - a great team effort for a mammoth task. 

Nicky Harris
PA to Principal 

School Opening in 2024

The school office will open next year from Wednesday, 24 January 2024. School Development Days will be conducted on Monday, 29 and Tuesday, 30 January. 2024 Students will commence school on Wednesday, 31 January 2024.  Details of students first day arrangements will be published on our website via NEWS & EVENTS shortly. 

Uniforms 2024 

Uniform reminders...

• No hoodies/hooded jumpers are permitted.
• Leggings must be navy blue.
• Students involved in water based activities must wear shorts over their bathers. 

Changes to Form Groups/Houses

Belridge Secondary College will be introducing new hats for 2024 to our uniform, of which you will have a choice of either a baseball cap or a bucket hat with your house colour on reverse.

Before you purchase your hats, please note the following changes being implemented in 2024, which will result in some form groups going into different houses.  (See table of Form Group changes in red).

MARLINS - GREEN
SHARKS - YELLOW
MANTA RAYS - BLUE

If you have an issue with this, please contact the College.

Staff Development Days

Monday 29 January 2024
Tuesday 30 January 2024
Friday 15 March 2024
Friday 31 May 2024
Friday 9 August 2024
Friday 13 December 2024

Booklists 2024

Booklists were mailed at the end of November, together with charges and contributions. Please contact the school as soon as possible if you have not yet received the same on 9408 8000 or have any queries. Booklists can also be found on our website under FUTURE STUDENTS

Bring Your Own Device

If you are yet to purchase your child's laptop and are unsure what you need to order, information can be found on our website including minimum computer specifications  (to assist if you are buying direct yourself) or details on how to order online through our preferred supplier, CDM.

Vaccination Forms

Year 7, 2024 students have been provided vaccination packs for completion.  Forms must be returned to the front office no later than Tuesday, 20 February 2024, or preferably earlier please. 

School Photo Day 2024

Professional photos are scheduled as follows: 

Monday, 26 February 2024	Students - all year groups
Tuesday, 27 February 2024	Group photos and catch-up

Secondary Assistance Scheme

You may be eligible for up to $350 towards school expenses.  The Western Australia Department of Education provides an allowance to assist eligible families with secondary schooling costs. 

Applications for the Secondary Assistance Scheme open at the start of the 2024 academic year and close on Thursday, 28 March 2024. 

Applications must be made in person at the front office, together with one of the cards detailed below. 

Belridge_Secondary_College_Raffle_2024.pdf

Belridge_Secondary_College_Raffle_2024 _pdf 122.42 KB

Planning your school route for 2024

If you have a child heading to high school next year, use the Get on Board website to get them prepped for travelling on public transport. Go to 
www.getonboard.transperth.wa.gov.au to find out more.  

Tip! Plan your route no more than two weeks out from the start of the gazetted school term, using the Transperth Journey Planner (remember to change the date in the Journey Planner to the first day of school - Wednesday 31 January)

Services often change at the start of a school year.  Journey planning less than two weeks out ensure you receive the most up-to-date information. 

School Fees and Payments 

Payments for student charges and contributions are welcome at any time.  Please note that Upper School subject charges ARE COMPULSORY. 

To set up a payment plan please download and complete the form and email to us or contact our Administration Team on 9408 8000 - we are here to help. 

Payments can be made by cash or EFTPOS at the front office or Direct Deposit to our bank, Comm Bank, as follows: 

Please ensure you quote as your reference STUDENT NAME and YEAR GROUP and PAYMENT DETAILS i.e. JOE BLOGGS Y9 - RIVER CRUISE.