Dear Benowa SHS Families,

As Term 2 draws to a close, I want to take a moment to reflect on what has been another vibrant and successful chapter in the life of our school. From academic milestones to sporting achievements, it has been a term full of energy, growth, and community spirit.

 

One of the standout highlights was our incredible back-to-back national win in the NFL Flag Football Championships. Our students once again showcased not only their athletic talent but their teamwork, resilience, and sportsmanship on a national stage. This is a remarkable achievement and a credit to our coaching staff and dedicated players. Good luck to the whole team as they head to Ohio to represent Australia early next term.

 

We also proudly hosted our School Review this term, a valuable process that allows us to reflect, celebrate, and look ahead. Thank you to all parents, students, and staff who contributed their insights and experiences. Your voice plays a critical role in shaping the direction of our school and ensuring we continue to provide an inclusive, high-quality learning environment.

 

Our passion for innovation and excellence in learning was evident in a number of programs and events. Students in Year 9 had the unique opportunity to take part in the Harvard Future Entrepreneurs Program, developing their global thinking and leadership skills through authentic, real-world learning. Meanwhile, our STEM students assisted local primary school students in the STEM Cup. Future scientists, engineers and problem-solvers demonstrated their skill across the day, engaging in collaborative and competitive tasks that reflect the skills needed in the future workforce.

 

To support our students in making informed decisions about their senior pathways, we hosted a successful Year 9/10 Subject Expo this term. With the involvement of external education and training providers, the event gave students and families valuable insight into subject options, career opportunities, and post-school pathways. Events like these are vital in ensuring our students feel confident and supported as they take the next step in their education journey. Our SET Planning Event for all Year 10 families will occur early next term, stay tuned for further information.

 

We have also received positive results from this year’s NAPLAN testing, with Benowa SHS students achieving strong raw scores across reading, writing, numeracy, and language conventions. These results reflect the focused efforts of both students and staff in building strong foundational skills and a culture of high expectations. By all accounts, a great effort given testing occurred shortly after Cyclone Alfred, our Year 7 and 9 students demonstrated resilience, perseverance and a passion for their learning. Full results will be released next term.

 

As we head into the winter holidays, I encourage all families to enjoy a well-earned break. I wish you a safe and restful time together, and I thank our parent community for your ongoing partnership in the education of your children.

 

To our exceptional staff – thank you for your dedication, passion, and hard work throughout the term. Your commitment to student success continues to shape the lives of young people in meaningful and lasting ways.

 

We look forward to welcoming everyone back in Term 3 for another exciting term of learning and opportunity.

As we near the midpoint of the school year, we are proud to recognise and celebrate the outstanding efforts and achievements of our Year 7 students.

 

Recent report cards have highlighted the dedication, growth, and perseverance shown by our students as they continue their transition into high school. Across all learning areas, staff have noted strong engagement, consistent effort, and a willingness to take on new challenges — all of which contribute to a positive start to secondary school.

 

It has been particularly encouraging to see so many students striving for their personal best, setting academic and personal goals, and demonstrating resilience in their learning. This strong foundation will support their continued success in the years ahead. We congratulate all our Year 7 students on their efforts so far this year, and we thank our families for their ongoing support in helping our young learners thrive.

 

I am also pleased to welcome Mr Adrian Hays, who will be replacing me as Deputy Principal for Year 7 while I am away from Benowa SHS. I will return to school in Term 3 week 5. Mr Hays brings a wealth of experience and is already building strong connections with students, staff, and families. I know our Year 7 students will make him feel welcome.

 

Finally, a reminder that information has been sent home about the upcoming Year 7 Camp, which will be held in Week 10 of Term 4 — from Monday 8 December to Wednesday 10 December at PGL Adventure Camp – Kindilan in Redland Bay.

 

Due to venue limits, only 240 students can attend, so places will be allocated based on the return of permission forms, payment of the deposit by the due date, and finalisation of any outstanding school fees.

 

We’re looking forward to an exciting and rewarding second half of the year. If you have any questions about camp or your child’s progress, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

I look forward to catching up with our students and community later next term. 

Redbacks Represent! Congratulations to our U15 NFL Flag football team!! They just won the NFL FLAG National Championships today at RACV Royal Pines Resort. They won a close game 12-10 against Grange Sport Science Academy.

 

The Redback team will again head to Ohio as ‘Team Australia’ for the NFL Flag International Championship Tournament.

 

Thank you to all of our dedicated coaches and to the parents for extra time for practice and keeping school happening at the same time! Thank you for supporting the students and helping the team achieve this amazing result.

 

Well done Redbacks! Bring on the world! Beware the Bite!

Earlier this month 4 Redback teams competed at the Volleyball Queensland Intermediate Schools Cup.

 

Huge congratulations all our Redback teams. Specifics are:

Amazing results across the board. Well done to all players and a massive thank you to our dedicated coaches Miss Sullivan, Mr Robinson, Mr Wilson and Mr Redfern and senior helpers Alix, Daniel, Olivia and Riley for their support. Redback pride on full display!

 

Thanks to Rogue Gun Photography for the amazing shots of the teams! Your work is on point as always!

We wish Charli good luck as she heads off to the upcoming world BMX competitions! First she's off to the BMX World Cup in Papendal, Netherlands in June (Fun fact: Papendal is the home of the largest elite and olympic sports training centre in the Netherlands). Then Charli heads to the World BMX Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark in late July.

 

Then in September she heads away to Switzerland for the pump track world champs, which is very new but exciting! When asked about this event Charli said "It is a last minute trip that I definitely didn't expect - but a couple of weeks ago at the worlds qualifier I won an all expenses paid trip to go to Switzerland for this race so I couldn't say no!" We agree!! We can't wait to see how she does!

Oliver, a Year 9 Sport Excellence student has been selected to represent Queensland in the Interstate Series for Oz Tag in September. He was also named in his region to play in the National OzTag competition in October!

 

Making these teams is a fantastic achievement - but Oliver has done this at 11 weeks post op for ruptured tendon! He was injured during the National Trials in April but was back at it for Tri Series in mid June to be in contention for Queensland selections! Well done Oliver!!

Year 11 and Year 12 Hospitality classes had the opportunity to share their cooking with invited guests. And wow did things smell and look amazing during preparation - and based on the smiles and exclamations around the room - things tasted incredible!

 

Year 11 served a High Tea with finger foods paired with a beautiful drink and the Year 12 class served a 2 course Formal Dinner that included a protein and vegetables plus a desert

 

Mmmmm - how to get an invite next year!

We had three choirs participate in the South East region heats for Choral Fanfare, Education Queensland’s biennial choir competition. Each of our choirs received an award:

Our Senior dance students are in Sydney! They will be immersed in an incredible series of dance workshops with professional artists. First up is time at the Sydney Dance Company and followed the next day with a workshop at Co-Lab Quarters. They have done everything from Theatre jazz, Hip Hop and Lyrical to a mock audition. And in between lots of walking and sightseeing!

 

We can't wait to see what how they apply all the learning to our own dance spaces here at Benowa SHS when they return.

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