|
For an indicator of the wide range of things we do for
students, see the list of
Extra Programs and Activities that
we compiled a few years ago.
See also:
Information for New Students
- Discipline and
Behaviour. Classroom Rules.
- School Uniform
- Library
- Frequently Asked
Questions (Can I ride my bike to school? Can I go home
for lunch? Etc.)
Context
Bridgewater High School is a State Government coeducational high
school for students in years 7 to 10. It is located in an urban
setting at Bridgewater, near the urban-rural fringe of Hobart,
Tasmania, Australia, in the Municipality of Brighton. The school
has its own school farm, 'Summerville', in the nearby town of
Brighton.
| Bridgewater High School is administered by Tasmania's Department of Education.
|
|
Purpose
The purpose of the school is to provide a caring, safe and
stimulating environment in which exemplary educational practices
provide all students with the opportunity to strive for
excellence, with appropriate and effective community involvement.
Vision
Statement
Our school strives to bring out the best in all our students.
By creating a safe and stimulating environment we seek to
encourage our students to make the most of their opportunities.
We plan to cater for all students, responding to their
individual needs.
We aim to be consistent and fair in the way we work with
students and look to work with our parents in ways that meet
their expectations.
Our focus is learning. We want our students to succeed.
Our school is a leader in the area of behaviour management
and has in place an excellent pastoral care program. Literacy
and numeracy are given the highest priority and technology
features prominently in our curriculum.
The educational program at our school is rich and
varied. Our School Farm has no equal in this state and we put
enormous energy into improving and maintaining the way the school
looks and feels.
We
are able to know and be known by each other. These
relationships are very important, they are at the heart of
successful schooling.
We want to ensure that all students who leave us having completed grade 10
continue in education and training.
We seek parental involvement in all aspects of our school
and have in place a number of programs to further this ideal. We
want our parents and the wider community to have ownership
of their school and feel happy with the way it works.
Goals
To put our beliefs into practice, we will aim to:
- Provide a balanced program which addresses the
intellectual, emotional, physical and social needs of all
students.
- Develop relationships with and between students
based on mutual respect, care, concern and consideration.
- Provide opportunities for students to accept
responsibility and to contribute to school activities
in a meaningful way.
- Provide students with an understanding of change
and the challenges it brings particularly in the area of technology.
- Develop and maintain channels of communication
between the school and the community, celebrating
achievements and promoting a positive image in every way
we can.
- Seek greater community participation in decision
making and increased involvement by the wider community
in school activities.
- Develop and maintain a supportive school environment
for students, staff and parents.
- Provide for the professional development of all
staff and encourage staff to participate in relevant
professional development activities.
- Promote the value of education and encourage
students to continue their education beyond year 10.
- Provide a curriculum that is consistent with
Department of Education policies and developments at the
national level including contemporary developments in the
field of psychology (e.g. learning styles).
- The development of self esteem is crucial to
learning.
- Learning is enhanced by regular communication between
the school and the home.
- The school should promote the intellectual, emotional,
physical and social development of every child.
- The school should provide a stable, safe, friendly and
supportive environment
- The school should provide opportunities for
students to accept responsibility for their education,
have high personal expectations of performance and
develop independence in their approach to learning.
- The school should relate to its community and seek
to maximise community involvement in its activities.
- Teachers and parents have the ability to influence
student attitudes and behaviour by providing appropriate
role models and setting high expectations.
- The curriculum should be balanced, relevant,
interesting and responsive to emerging local,
national and international developments.
- The achievements of past and present members of
the school community should be celebrated.
- Opportunities should be provided for, and all staff
should be encouraged to participate in, relevant professional
development activities to produce the best possible
learning environment for students.
Rules and Behaviour
The "Learning/Safety/Care Triangle" provides the
structure on which the "B.H.S. 3 Bees"
lists of rules for student behaviour are based.
The "Behaviour - Your Choice" flowchart lays out
predictable consequences for student misbehaviour and the steps to take
for return to good behaviour.
No-bullying Policy
Our school is firmly committed to its
no-bullying policy. We believe that a student's welfare is of the utmost
importance. We encourage students to talk to staff about anything at all that
might worry them. Students who feel safe make better learners.
School Association
The School Association consists of the following members:
- the principal
- two parent representatives
- a Brighton Council representative
- two student representatives (selected from
the Brighton Junior Council, our student representative body)
- two staff representatives
|
|
The School Association meets every month. This is the ultimate
policy making group in the school.
Parents and
Friends Association
Parents and Friends Association meetings are usually held every
third Wednesday of the month or as notified in the school
newsletter, Info.
Regular Communication with
Parents
Info is the school's weekly communication
to parents and the school community. This newsletter
contains items such as a principal's message, celebration of achievements,
sports and other reports, school farm news and information about
forthcoming events.
An annual school magazine is produced by staff and
students in third term each year. |
 |
| |
The newsletter, Info,
is given to students each Thursday to take home
|
Extra Programs and Activities
At the end of 2005 staff reflected on the 'extras'
that had been organised for students during the year and produced a
list of extra programs and activities they had
run.
Special
Programs and Events
Special programs supporting the normal curriculum are run at
Bridgewater High School. The following are some examples:
- The Peer Support program helps Grade 7 students
adjust to high school life under the guidance of grade 10
peer support leaders. The program runs in the first term
of each year, and is co-ordinated by grade 7 and 10
staff.
- Musical Withdrawal. Students studying music have
the opportunity to benefit from the regular visits of
specialist instrumental teachers. Withdrawal from class
is only by permission of the student's subject teacher at
the time. Students with withdrawal lessons will be issued
with special passes.
- The Rock Eisteddfod is an annual inter-school
competition fostering development of dance, dramatic and
co-operative skills. The school's preparations begin in
term 1, for performance in term 2.
- Work Experience gives Grade 10 students an insight
into a possible career they have chosen by means of a one
week practical session in the workforce. This usually
happens in the first half of the year.
- A Presentation Assembly is usually held on the
last Tuesday of the year. This combines a report of the
year's activities with recognition of students'
achievements.
- The Fete at the Farm is usually held during March or April.
This is a major fundraiser and attracts a huge number of
people from the wider community.
- Literacy and numeracy programs have expanded
so much that all students now have literacy and numeracy lessons for the
first two lessons each day.
Reporting on students
Reporting on the
school
Information
sessions for parents
Following the issue of reports, parent-teacher sessions are held to
enable discussions of the progress of individual students
Information sessions for parents are held when students
make subject choices towards the end of grades 8 and 9.
Information sessions for parents of incoming grade 7
students are provided at the end of their grade 6 year
and early in the grade 7 year.
|
Assistance
People seeking information may need to check both the
new JRLF website and the old BHS website. See
Website changeover
|
|
