Dear Benowa High School Community,

 

It’s always wonderful to see our students return refreshed and ready for another exciting and important term of learning. Term 4 is a special time in the school year, it’s a time of reflection, achievement, and celebration. For our seniors, it marks the culmination of their schooling journey, while for our younger students, it’s a time to consolidate learning and finish the year strongly.

 

As our Year 12 students prepare for external exams, graduation, and the many milestone events that come with finishing school, it can be easy for younger students to become caught up in the excitement. I remind all students in Years 7–11 of the importance of staying focused on your learning, attendance, and behaviour throughout this term. The way we finish a year often shapes how we begin the next, so I encourage every student to commit to doing their best, every day.

 

Equally important is how we represent ourselves both at school and in the wider community. The values of respect, diligence, compassion and integrity should guide our actions everywhere we go. Every student contributes to the reputation and pride of Benowa State High School, and I thank you for continuing to uphold our high standards.

Term 4 is always filled with wonderful opportunities to celebrate our students’ achievements across all areas of school life. In the coming weeks, we look forward to our Sports Awards and Academic Awards evenings, recognising excellence, effort, and participation. Our Year 11 students will also be preparing for their end-of-year exams as they step into their final year of schooling.

 

Our Arts faculty has already set a vibrant tone for the term, with outstanding celebrations of creativity and performance. Our Dance Directions evening was a truly wonderful showcase of talent and passion, while the ‘80s Mixtape Band Night, All Bands Concert, and Vocal Night bring our community together to celebrate the incredible artistic spirit of Benowa.

In the sporting arena, our students continue to shine on and off the field. We are proud to have teams representing Benowa in All Schools Touch Football, the Volleyball Junior Cup, and later this term, the prestigious Australian Volleyball Schools Cup. These events not only demonstrate athletic excellence but also teamwork, dedication, and school spirit.

As we move through this final term, I encourage all students to stay engaged, look after one another, and make the most of every opportunity that comes their way.

 

At Benowa, everyone belongs, where every student can find Many Pathways ~No Limits.

 

We are Benowa Redbacks.

 

We are seeing an increase in students commuting using e-bikes and e-scooters. While we support sustainable transport options, it is essential that students follow all safety requirements and legal expectations when using these vehicles.

 

E-scooters, e-skateboards, and solo wheels have a separate set of rules to e-bikes.

In Queensland, riders of legal e-bikes must follow the SAME RULES as standard bicycles.

 

Beware that some e-bikes are illegal. In order to legally ride an e-bike on public roads and footpaths, it must comply with the following:

There has been a huge increase in devices that are thought to be e-bikes but are in fact illegal motorbikes. They are banned from use and riders (or parents) can face significant penalties totalling more than $1,640.

 

You CAN'T ride your device on a path or road if it has any of these:

StreetSmartsQld features educational videos and other helpful safety tips for riding e-scooters and e-skateboards. Or visit Visit Electric Bikes | StreetSmarts to find out more about the rules for legal devices as well as the rules for riding.

Today we celebrated and farewelled our Year 12 students at Valedictory Walk, a tradition that has grown to include parents and family members.

 

It was a beautiful occasion filled with laughter, applause, and a few happy tears as we marked the culmination of six years of high school. After the assembly students proudly walked the grounds of Benowa High, reflecting on their journey, achievements, and memories, clapped out by their peers. 

 

The event was a wonderful reminder of the strong community spirit at our school and the incredible young adults our students have become. 

 

Congratulations to the Class of 2025, we wish you all the very best as you take your next steps beyond Benowa!

Nelson Mandela once famously said, "If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart."  I think the students at Benowa understand that learning a language is all about connection. They approach their languages studies with curiosity and courage, understanding that through the learning of others they are learning about themselves and to become true citizens of the world.

 

This term our language students are engaged in units studying everything from travel to manga/anime and shopping. We are proud of our students achieving top results in their language studies. End of semester 1 results were exceptional.

We are also delighted with the strong growth in subject selection numbers for 2026.

 

Keep up the amazing work everyone! I look forward to celebrating individual academic achievements later in the term.

 

Wednesday, Week 1 of term 4, our Redback Pipers received new instruments- Geoff Manger of St Kilda’s Piping Supplies personally delivered the pipes, with “Benowa SHS” logos to the members during Clubs. Piping tutors Ian and Neil, from the Gold Coast Tweed Pipes and Drums were there to assist in the setting up of the pipes.

The band is growing- we now have 4 pipers, and 6 beginners, including one student joining us each week from Benowa State School.

 

With the new sets of pipes, we will be able to present a much more uniform band- both visually, and musically- they will produce a better tone, and with identical instruments, the band will sound even better!

 

This year the band has performed at Year Level assemblies, and at the mid-year Academic Awards Ceremonies, and we are already booked to perform at the Benowa State School ANZAC Ceremony, and several community events over 2026.

 

We are very grateful to the Benowa SHS community for the support of our band, and the acquisition of new pipes will see the band moving forward even more rapidly in the future.

 

Gold Coast Tweed Pipes and Drums are eager to assist in the development of drummers for both the school band, and the Gold Coast Tweed Drum corps- any students interested in drumming, please email me and I will arrange an opportunity to discuss this.

 

Muster Dogs – Mischief and Mateship is a heartwarming, non-fiction book. It follows the ABC TV series about these incredible puppies and their farmer-trainers as they learn the skills of working on a farm. A highly informative book, depicting how hard-working these kelpies and collies are with their great intelligence, strength and diligence to work Australia’s farmland and help ‘feed our population’. Readers learn about the loyalty of these dogs and their strong relationship with the farmers.

 

In our Fiction section, popular with junior boys, we have a brand new selection of the much loved teen spy series, The Cherub by well-known teen author, Robert Muchamore. This 15 book series is action packed and keeps the reader on the edge of their seat whilst following the storyline. The plot revolves around a secret British intelligence agency that recruits orphaned young teens to work as spies. They learn all the tricks of an action hero and become involved with hair-raising escapades as they fight the bad-guys of society all around the world.   

 

Students who love the dystopian fantasy genre will be pleased to see the arrival of a further new novel by Tahereh Mafi; Watch Me.  Set in the world of her earlier novels of Shatter Me, this is the first title in a new spin off series; acclaimed as an  “…explosive journey through a dystopian landscape”. In this plot non-stop community surveillance is promoted by the government as a means of public security, so that every emotion must be hidden with caution, whilst the characters deal with romance and an action packed rebellion against this political system.

 

Recently we provided a display of books and magazines in support of Mental Health Week. Our library has a wide selection of books on this topic for students to borrow, including the wonderful monthly magazine, Teen Breathe filled with fun recipes, tips on health, grooming; fostering self-confidence and interpersonal relationships. Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul and Sean Covey’s well known book, The 7 Habits of Effective Teens are just a few on offer in our Library. Australian supermodel, Miranda Kerr, also has written two books featuring inspirational quotes and words of wisdom that she has found motivational. 

 

Last Tuesday night 21 October, the Benowa Arts Department is held our end of year gig  THE 80s MIXTAPE at Hound and Stag Brewery, Arundel.

 

It was an incredible evening filled with 80s hits, and our students were absolutely impressive! Congratulations to both staff and students for creating such a memorable night of entertainment. The energy, enthusiasm, and shared joy on display were a true reflection of Benowa High’s progressive and inclusive teaching approach and our performers were fantastic ambassadors for their school.

 

The talent being nurtured at Benowa is inspiring, and we’re confident that a few rising stars from this night will continue to shine in the years ahead.

 

A heartfelt thank you to everyone involved for the exceptional effort and passion you bring to our Arts program!

We’re currently inviting parents and carers with skills in organisation, note-taking, bookkeeping, accounting, or human resources to consider joining the P&C Executive Team. It’s a meaningful way to get involved, build connections, and contribute to shaping school-wide initiatives.

 

For more information email P&C@benowashs.eq.edu.au or come along to one of our meetings for a chat.

 

We understand the end of year is a busy time, so we’ve adapted our General Meeting schedule to better align with school priorities. You don’t have to be a member to attend guests are always welcome. Come along to hear directly from the Principal, who provides an update on the school results and shares insights into the school’s priorities for this year.

Save the date: 10 Dec | 5:30pm at the library.

 

We hope to see more parents attending meetings and taking interest in the P&C priorities. See you at the next meeting! 

This year, our Benowa students and staff once again showed the power of connection through their involvement in the Rosies Outreach Program. Each month, small teams of Year 12 students, accompanied by dedicated teachers, volunteered their Friday evenings to share warmth, friendship, and conversation with people in our local community who are experiencing hardship or social isolation.

 

Volunteers described the experience as “eye-opening” and “humbling,” with many saying it helped them build empathy and a deeper appreciation for the importance of kindness and human connection. Teachers who attended alongside students reflected on how proud they were to see our young people demonstrating genuine care and leadership beyond the classroom.

 

A huge thank you to all the students and staff who have been part of Rosies this year — your compassion has made a real difference.

 

If you’re going to be a Year 12 student in 2026, we need you!
Rosies runs on Friday evenings, and training is provided. It’s a meaningful way to:
✨ Connect with your community
✨ Build empathy, confidence, and teamwork skills
✨ Strengthen your senior portfolio and service hours
✨ Be part of something that truly matters

 

Interested? Visit the Student Hub to find out more or sign up with your friends (max 4 per group) using the QR Code below.

Calling all student artists!

 

Mint Art House invites emerging artists aged 18 and under to exhibit in our upcoming youth showcase, FRESH MINT. This exhibition celebrates the bold ideas, technical skill, and creative potential of young artists from across the Gold Coast.

 

Artists are encouraged to submit one artwork up to A2 size, exploring any theme or medium. Selected works will be professionally curated and displayed at Mint Art House Gallery.

 

Submissions close November 10.

Looking at buying a home? Wondering what some of the terms are? Speak to Lauren Hall from Loan Market and a Benowa SHS Gold Sponsor, as she can help you keep all the details straight!

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