Welcome back for Term 2!  I trust everyone all had a safe and relaxing holiday break and that they are ready for a term of active learning and involvement in broad school life.

ANZAC Day

ANZAC Day is a time of reflection on the sacrifices of so many others who went to war, many of whom paid the ultimate price by losing their lives, which have allowed us to have the life and freedoms we ultimately enjoy today.  As a school community, it is important that we pay our respects to servicemen and women each year and we have traditionally sent Student Council representatives to the ANZAC Day Dawn Service at the Balaklava Triangle, however, over the past couple of years we have expanded this to have representatives at other services around the community where our students live.  This year BHS was represented by Kashaya Carpenter, Brooke Michalanney, Sophie Hamdorf, Denise Nellas, Melanie Cavanagh and Isabelle Poole at the Balaklava service; Alice McArdle, Corbin Branson, Annabelle Cay and Taylor Harkness at Owen; Pepper Batten at Mallala and Harry Dall at Port Wakefield.  Brooke and Kashaya also read a prayer at the Balaklava service.  Never before have we had such an overwhelming response from students willing to attend these events.  I thank all of our students, and their parents who organised transport, for so willingly putting their hands up to represent our school at this early morning service.

Phones Off While School’s On

As you know, this year, the state government has introduced a ban on the use of mobile phones in high schools to help provide supportive, safe and productive learning environments for all. This is consistent with our existing phone policy that we have had in place since 2020, which essentially means that between 8.30am and 3.15pm each school day students’ phones and other personal devices need to be switched off and away.

Senior students wanting to listen to music in study are able to access Spotify though their laptops (students can set up a free account to do this) and we ask that they have headphones with cords to connect to their laptops.  Air Pods should also not be used at all in the school and smart watches are only to be used for telling the time or they should also be off and away.

If parents need to get a message to their child during the school day, please contact the front office and we will make sure it is passed on.  Students are also able to use a school office phone to call you during the day if they need to.  We thank all students and their families for their support of this policy.  The full policy can be found on our website and further information is also available at http://phonesoff.sa.gov.au/

Principal Appointment

Principals are generally appointed to a site for a five year tenure and, at the end of the five years, there is a process that is led by the Education Director to explore the possibility of a rollover of the appointment for the same length of time.  This year is the final year of my initial five year appointment.  Our Education Director, Mr Neil White recently undertook this review process, speaking to the Governing Council as parent representatives and the staff at a whole staff meeting and, I am pleased to say I have been reappointed at Balaklava High School as the Principal for the next five years.  We have achieved a great deal in the past five years, which has seen the school physically transform with our buildings and grounds as well as making a significant shift in the culture of the school.  There is still work to be done at Balaklava High School and I look forward to working with the school community in the future.

Student Free Days

A reminder that we have two confirmed Student Free Days on Tuesday 13th June (Week 7, Term 2 after the June long weekend) and Monday 24th July (Week 1, Term 3 first day of term).  We also a School Closure Day confirmed for the Paskeville Field Days on Wednesday 27^th September (Week 10, Term 3).

As always, I invite parents to contact me at the school if you would like to discuss any aspect of your child’s learning.  I can be contacted via DayMap or email Sonia.Pringle235@schools.sa.edu.au or you can phone the school on 8862 0600 to speak to me directly or to make a time to come and see me.

Sonia Pringle

Principal