Balaklava High School
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14 Gwy Terrace
Balaklava SA 5461
Subscribe: https://balakhs.schoolzineplus.com/subscribe

Email: dl.0769.info@schools.sa.edu.au
Phone: 08 8862 0600
Fax: 08 8862 0650

Principal's Report

It’s hard to believe we are almost at the end of Term 3 already, it’ll be the end of the year before we know it!  We have had a term filled with learning opportunities both in the classroom and on multiple excursions as well as through concerts, public speaking, The Amazing Literacy Race, sporting activities and guest speakers at school.

Mobile Phone Policy

Thank you to the parents and students who have given feedback on our new mobile phone policy, which has been ratified by Governing Council and will take effect next term.  The main points of the new policy are that mobile phones are to be banned during the school day (including during breaks).  The consequence for breaching the policy will see the phone remaining at school until a parent can collect it.  Student refusal to hand their device to a staff member when requested will result in the student being sent to CTO and following the School’s behaviour procedures, which may include suspension.

Staffing News

Congratulations to Anthea Papagiannis who has won the position of Coordinator English/Literacy/LOTE/Performing Arts/Year 8 for the remainder of the year. Thank you to Cerys Harris-Howson for her work in this role for the last two terms. 

Opinion Surveys

Each year we seek feedback from parents, students and staff regarding the operation of the school throughout the year as a way to guide our school improvement.  As has occurred in past years, randomly selected families will have received an emailed invitation to participate in this year’s opinion survey.  For those selected, please take the time to complete the online survey and, in so doing, provide us with valuable feedback that can help shape school improvement.  Survey completion normally takes about 10 minutes, although if you take up the opportunity to make more extensive written comments the process can take longer.  If you do not have reliable access to the internet and would prefer to do your survey on paper, please contact us as the school and we can provide a paper-based survey. I thank you in advance for taking the time to complete the survey and look forward to your contributions this year.  If you did not receive an invitation to complete the survey but would like to provide feedback, contact us at school and we can send you an invitation and link.

Supporting our Teens

As we head into holidays, it’s a good opportunity to remember to take time to look after our teenagers.  These teen years are a time of intense physical, emotional, mental and intellectual growth. It’s also a time when your child develops habits that can last a lifetime. You can help your teenager reach optimal growth and development by instilling lifestyle habits that support a healthy and happy body.  LiveStrong.com offer the following as healthy living tips for teenagers:

Eat Your Fruits and Veggies:  It is recommended that teens get at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Most teens fall short of this goal though.  Fruits and vegetables provide important vitamins and minerals a teenage body needs to grow and function properly. Eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables also helps keep you full without providing excess calories that can lead to weight gain.

Get Your Body Moving:  Exercise does more than burn calories. Engaging in physical activity helps keep the heart and lungs strong and produces endorphins - chemicals that improve mood. A well-balanced exercise routine includes aerobic exercise, strength training and flexibility training, such as yoga or Pilates.  Teens should engage in at least 60 minutes of vigorous exercise every day.

Watch What You Drink:  Your body is almost two-thirds water, so staying hydrated is important. Teenagers should aim to drink six to eight glasses of water per day and this amount increases for teens who engage in sports or who are especially active. Other good sources of fluid include 100 percent fruit juice and low-fat milk. Sugary and caffeinated drinks should be limited or eliminated completely as they provide excess sugar and empty calories.

If You Don't Snooze, You Lose:  Teenagers need at least nine hours of sleep each night to function at their best during the day. It sounds easy enough, but with early school start times, late afternoon practices and hours of homework, getting enough sleep can be a challenge. Set a regular bedtime time that allows for nine hours of sleep before your teen has to get up for school. Your teen should also engage in at least an hour of “quiet time” prior to bedtime. The goal is for all electronics to be turned off for the night so the brain and body can relax.

The upcoming holiday provides the opportunity for teenagers to spend time with their families, catch up on some rest and relaxation as well as a chance for the senior students to balance some study with these periods of rest as they head into their final few weeks at school.  Have a good break and I’ll see you back at school on the first day of Term 4 ready to go!

Sonia Pringle

Principal