In late 2017 BIS was awarded a capital grant from the Education Department to commence major works at the school. We caught up with current Board Chair, Jodie Jetann to find out more about the process and the projected works. Hi Jodie, could you explain what the Capital Grant is? The Australian and State Government (ASG) Capital Grant Program provides …
A response to the latest Gonski Review
by Principal Jennifer Haynes I write this with the hope and belief that today heralds the beginning of a new era in Australian Education. The latest Gonski report “Through Growth to Achievement” demands a radical overhaul to improve the education system in our country; echoing a call we have been making at BIS for 50 years. “Australian education has failed …
What does “Education” mean to Australians?
By Principal Jennifer Haynes I was listening to an interesting discussion on “The Minefield” on Radio National today, discussing the purpose of education in our country and it made me think about our obsession with finding an answer to this question, outside of Australia. I am waiting with trepidation for the day the Australian government decides to implement the Finnish system …
Welcome Back
It’s wonderful to be back amongst our BIS community for another year. We are excited to give a warm welcome to our new families and reconnect with existing parents and students. We would also like to welcome two new members of staff Meg Foley and Juliette Edwards. Meg joins us in a project management role. As a teacher of ten …
New Penguin’s Teacher Julia Gallois
We are so pleased to welcome the gentle and dynamic teaching presence of Julia Gallois as the Penguin’s Teacher for 2017. Julia is starting out her Primary career at BIS and we are honoured to be the educational model that she will have closest to her heart. The Rule Oriented Teaching Team of Sally and Tim will be working closely …
Growing into ourselves
Over the past 5 years BIS has been going through some amazing growth. There is an obvious need in the community for a school that both encourages intellectual excitement as well as allowing the social and emotional needs of the child to flourish through an exploratory learning framework. Growing into our Expedition Our five year plan has been to …
Loving what your body can do!
At BIS we know that a child’s love of both their body and mind is what keeps them active in the world. You would think this was a simple goal but school sports often tell kids that failure to be the best means that their physical self is not okay. They lose confidence to be physically active in the group …
New Teacher Profile – Sally Willmett
We are very excited to welcome a new staff member to BIS. Sally is going to be the new Penguins’ teacher as Richelle moves into the lead teacher role for our new Otters group. Sally has already thrown herself into the philosophy, helping out with our new Literacy direction. Sally graduated from the Queensland University of Technology in 2005 with …
Moral Development in Children
Event Description: This is a great lecture and discussion for Parents, Educators and anyone who wants to learn about how Staged Development works. Principal Jennifer Haynes takes you on the journey of Kohlberg’s Moral Development framework and how it applies in everyday interactions at home and in the classroom. You will come away feeling much more confident about how your …
Prep Classrooms should be about Joy
With concerned parents seeing a drop in their young children’s enthusiasm for schooling and a spike in anxiety, the internet is abuzz with the question, “Is formal schooling stressing out our Prep children?” This concern has led to a study by the Queensland Government investigating the age appropriateness of the curriculum and pedagogy that mainstream schools are using. The inappropriateness …
Come and See Morning Tea
Event Description Join BIS Principal Jen on Wednesday for a tour of the grounds and in the classrooms whilst they’re in session. Then enjoy tea, coffee and cake whilst she takes you through our philosophy and curriculum. To book your place email office@bis.qld.edu.au Event Date Wednesday, September 7, 2016. Please RSVP so we know if to wait for you to …
Honouring a new BIS lifemember
Every year BIS, as an Incorporated Association, has an AGM. It is always a great opportunity to celebrate our growth and elect Life Members, awarded to people who have gone far beyond the normal “Call of Duty”. This AGM had both the celebration of electing Chairperson Maelle Farquhar as a life member and the sadness of having her resign as …
BIS STUDENTS WIN “SPIRIT OF OPTI-MINDS” AWARD
On 23 August 2015, six Brisbane Independent School (BIS) students competed in a team challenge at the annual Brisbane West Opti-MINDS challenge along with more than 20 other schools at St Peter’s Lutheran College and were awarded the “Spirit of Opti-MINDS” award. The Opti-MINDS Creative Sustainability Challenge is an inclusive team challenge which EMPOWERS participants to THINK, CREATE & COMMUNICATE. …
BIS Teachers setting a “Gold Standard” for teaching
Did you know that less than 100 years ago Jean Paul Sartre (1964 Nobel Prize winner for Literature) and Simone De Beauvoir (writer, social theorist, existentialist philosopher) both competed to become teachers? The teaching profession was held in such high esteem it was a natural progression for an academic to get a job in a school whilst working on their …
Healthy Minds Leads to Life Success
When people view the BIS curriculum and see the depth of inner work we do with the children there is a tendency to make the assumption that our focus on wellbeing is a stand-alone goal, unconnected to academic outcomes. This assumption doesn’t tell the full story of what we aim for at BIS. We teach these skills at BIS because …