Many things have fallen victim to COVID-19 this year and the latest at BHS was the traditional opening of our art exhibition at the Balaklava Courthouse Gallery.  The good news is you are still able to visit the Gallery on a Thursday, Friday or Sunday afternoon where you will be able to see some of our students’ outstanding work.  I would like to thank Art and Design teachers Thomas Fregona and Chelsea McCormack for their work in supporting our students’ artistic pursuits and bringing the art exhibition to life.

Building Works

Now that the building works have commenced, things are progressing rapidly.  G, H and J Blocks have now been demolished and we are on track to have our new buildings in place and ready for use by the end of Term 2 next year.  As mentioned in previous newsletters, the new buildings are being constructed off site and they will be put into place over the January holidays.  A small group of students and staff are going to visit the AUSCO manufacturing centre later this month where we will have an opportunity to see the construction firsthand.  These new buildings will house 8 general learning areas and 2 art rooms and we are very excited to have them in place to complete the overall aesthetic look of the school.  We have been steadily working towards the point where all of the facilities in the school are above standard.  The final piece of work regarding facilities is on track to be completed next year with a site funded internal upgrade of the Home Ec building scheduled.

Student Free Day

A reminder that this Friday, 20^th November is our final Student Free Day for the year.  We will continue our work with Connected Self on trauma informed practices to gain strategies for how to best support our young people.  I’m certainly not wishing the year away, however it is worth noting that next year, due to the Australia Day Public Holiday, school starts for students on Wednesday 27^th January.

I am excited for all of the learning opportunities this term still holds for students as we continue with our learning program until the very end of the year.  As always, I encourage parents to contact me at the school with any issues or concerns or if you would like to discuss any aspect of your child’s learning.  I can be contacted at the school via Daymap, email Sonia.Pringle235@schools.sa.edu.au or phone 8862 0600 where you can speak to me directly or make a time to come and see me.

Sonia Pringle

Principal

NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia each July to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This year, due to COVID restrictions, NAIDOC Week was moved to 8-15 November and we celebrated it last Friday at BHS with an assembly, BBQ lunch, various art activities and an opportunity for students to keep building our school community.  Thanks to Mr Jenner for his work to prepare for this and to the students for participating fully in the day.

At the beginning of the term, we held tours for our families and students who will be joining us in 2021. This was a fantastic opportunity as staff members walked with small groups and could answer all questions they had about Transition and Balaklava High School. After the tours, we held a Middle School Consultation Evening where we asked and discussed the following questions. 

1. What was your experience like in Middle School? What would you like to see stay the same and what would you like to be different?
2. What do you think will be the biggest challenge for your child moving into Middle School? What will help your child succeed?
3. How can we make the transition process from primary to high school more effective for your child?
4. How would you like to be informed and engaged with your child’s learning?
5. What would make this school a more inviting and comfortable place for you and your child?
6. How else can Balaklava High School best support your child for their future?

All parent/caregiver and student feedback was collated and distributed to all staff and leadership within the High School. This feedback was extremely useful and has been used in planning for future curriculum, timetabling, the structure of our Middle School and Transition Program in 2021 and beyond and the initiation of extra transition lessons this term.

We would like to thank everyone who attended and provided feedback. Parent/Caregiver engagement only helps continue to build positive relationships between families and schools. Research clearly shows that high parent/caregiver engagement leads to higher academic success and creates a strong sense of community and connection. If you were unable to attend the evening, we would be more than happy to hear your thoughts about how we can continue to improve our Middle School, send your responses to michelle.pudney209@schools.sa.edu.au.

Michelle Pudney

Middle School Assistant Principal

This year after listening to feedback from our wider community, parents and feeder schools we initiated extra transition visits for students needing extra support with transitioning from primary to high school. These successful visits have been run over three weeks, with students participating in small group sessions and a chance to build relationships with some of their teachers and peers.

Positive relationships between families and schools are most important and act as a strong foundation for your child’s academic success. Therefore, we would like to invite parents/caregivers and their child an opportunity for them to come in and share any information that will help their child with the transition process. 

Please contact the school to make an appointment time. If you and your child are unavailable at these times, please contact the school to make an alternative arrangement. 10 minute interviews are available on the day below.

• 19^thNovember 3:30pm – 5:30 pm 

Michelle Pudney

Middle School Assistant Principal

If it’s to be. It’s up to me

In October this year, 11 BHS students set off on eight days of hiking through the northern Flinders Ranges, at a station called Yankaninna with teachers Josh Jenner and Michelle Pudney. This year, due to recent rains, the rocky terrain was painted with a green array of native flora. Equipped with hiking bags, the boys scaled mountains, abseiled, prepared their meals on a campfire and, most importantly, learnt about themselves and others.

The experience allows the connection between students to grow stronger every day, as they learn new skills and valuable life lessons such as resilience, collaboration, courage, kindness and importance of goal setting. Some of the highlights this year include sleeping under the stars, learning how to camp in the bush, swimming in deep waterholes, interacting with the wildlife and meeting the locals.

This program also provides further opportunities for participants to apply to become Peer Group Mentors.  This program empowers students to continue to develop their leadership skills and further their study in Outdoor Education; be actively involved in the Duke of Edinburgh Awards and the chance to meet job service providers, complete resumes, do mock interviews and prepare for job readiness.

Jack May participated this year and shared these thoughts once he returned, ‘Op Flinders was an amazing experience, I learnt how to push through the pain and that mental strength is just as important as physical strength. The program made me think about the things we take for granted and now I will have a deeper respect for the things we are given. The best thing was the pride I felt when we had completed an activity and developing relationships with people I never thought I would have. I would recommend Op Flinders because it was a life changing experience and helped me become a better person.’

We are very proud of the students involved this year and we would like to acknowledge Jack May, Jaxon Amos, Ryan Backhouse, Dylan Hale, Matthew Oliver, Matthew Rivett, Braedyn Walker-Ramsay, Cooper Wright, Nate Roberts, Seth Pascoe and Tyler McBride who accepted this tough challenge and we are looking forward to seeing where their futures take them.  Next year we will be looking for sponsors to help ensure the longevity of this program.  Contact us at the school if you’d like to be involved in helping make a difference I the lives of our students.

Probus Club

On the 28th of October members of the Balaklava High School Choir, Vocal Ensemble and a combination of solo and duo performers visited the Balaklava Church of Christ to help the Probus Club celebrate their 20th Birthday. The Probus club is made up of retired members of our community and, as a result, there were many members who were not just old scholars of Balaklava High School but also retired staff and teachers. This was an exciting opportunity for connections between the generations that have passed through Balaklava High School. At the end of the performance, the Probus Club generously gave the BHS Music Department a donation for helping them celebrate this big birthday.

Happy 20th Birthday Balaklava Probus Club!

Suriya Umapathysivam

Remembrance Day

This year some of our students had the privilege of being a part of the Remembrance Day Service in The Triangle supported by the Balaklava & Districts Lions Club. Students from our Instrumental Group provided the accompaniment for the service, with Vocal Ensemble helping to lead the Hymns and the National Anthem. They also performed a musical arrangement of the poem In Flanders Fields by John McCrae. A special moment was shared when Year 8 student Alexander Evans bravely stood up and played The Last Post and The Rouse on Trumpet. Our new Head Students Lachlan Gaze and Tiarhn Carpenter laid a wreath on behalf of the school as well as supported other groups within our community to do the same. It was a beautiful service and a great example of how our community can come together for important events.

Lest We Forget.

Suriya Umapathysivam

In recent weeks we held our annual alpaca shearing day, where Andrew and Cathy Chapman shore our alpacas plus another 12 belonging to community members. The Year 12 students crutched our lambs ready for sale and we were really pleased with the price of $184/head, straight off the ewes. Thanks to Stock Agent Mel Haynes for spending some time with the Year 10s explaining the lamb market and how to pick a good lamb. This week ex-student Jake Michael returned to school to shear our ewes. He did a great job and was very helpful in giving the students some handy tips as they learned to pick up and throw the fleeces. The Year 10 Ag class managed the wool handling with Zoe Ingram and Jorjah Pike being the main shed hands. Both students are developing some really good skills, so keep them in mind if you need a shed hand!

We have sold our pigs and the turkeys will go soon too. If you would like to order a seasoned turkey roll ($18/kg) or whole turkey ($10kg) , please contact me at school. They will be ready in the first week of December. I will also have a handful of Isa Brown laying hens for sale too in December - $15 each.

Sue Pratt

Year 9 History Excursion 

On Monday 2^nd December, Mrs Pudney’s Year 9 History class and Mrs Langdon were warmly greeted by Mrs Norma Schopp and Mrs Di Taylor at the Balaklava Museum to learn about local men and women who served in World War One. Students searched through the folders and selected a name from the service roll. This assessment will see students research enlistment forms, discover the journey of their chosen person and learn more about WW1.

Michelle Pudney

Year 8 History

Mrs Niblett's Year 8 History class are currently studying Shogunate Japan. Today they had the opportunity to make Sushi. Thanks to Miss Mayer, Miss Kitchen, Steph and Alin for their help in the kitchen. Did you know originally Sushi wasn't eaten with the rice? The rice was used to preserve fish. However, the Japanese changed and developed it over the years to what it is today.

Tanya Niblett

Burra History Excursion

In Week 4, 9PG1 and 9PG2 students attended an excursion to Burra to complement their learning in History of the Modern World from 1750-1918. Students were taken on a guided tour back to the day when Burra was the second most populated city in South Australia. Students learnt how people immigrated to an unknown country with very limited information and the living and working conditions which greeted them on arrival. Visiting the Burra Mine Site, Unicorn Brewery, Miner’s Dug Outs and the Redruth Gaol helped students consolidate their learning of early European settlement in South Australia.  Thank you to Mrs Niblett, Mr Parsons and Mrs Pudney for organising the excursion.

Currently, Mrs Pudney’s Year 8 English class are reading the novel Trash, written by Andy Mulligan. The story follows three young boys who live and work at a dumpsite, until one day they make a discovery. This leads the boys on an adventure from slums to prisons to mansions, but they must fight to stay alive.

When reading novels, I encourage my students to use The Text-to-Text, Text-to-Self, Text-to-World strategy to help develop the habit of making these connections as they read. When students are given a purpose for their reading, they are able to better comprehend and make meaning of the ideas in the text. My students started to ask questions about if people really do live like this, are there people in our own community who may experience poverty and how do we define poverty?

These were great questions and the students wanted to explore them further. Jake Martin, Emma Hamdorf and Chelsea Michalanney organised a guest speaker, Michael Greenshields who manages at the Balaklava Swap Shop and is an elected member on the Wakefield Regional Council. Mr Greenshields explained the three types of poverty, the effects of poverty and what people can do to help.

The students have asked to take this learning and turn it into their final English assessment. I’m extremely proud to have such caring, passionate and excited learners and look forward to seeing how this project evolves. Our students will continue to share this story and their learning in upcoming newsletters.

Michelle Pudney

Middle School Assistant Principal

The Year 10 Child Studies Class have been making felt toys and mobiles to use with a child from the ages of 0 to 5 years. The class have also experienced pregnancy by wearing the simulation vest in class and some were brave enough to wear it in other classes.

After a year of hard work, the Stage 2 Food and Hospitality Class finished with a celebration by designing and creating their very own Celebration Cake. They were required to research current cake trends and presentation styles to then plan for, bake and decorate a cake of their choice. With master classes during the holidays, the students were able to demonstrate passion and patience as they made their creations come to life. Miss Mayer is very proud of all their hard work.

REFLECTION OF LEARNING PRESENTATIONS

At the end of every year, we like to celebrate the successes of the year and to begin this our Year 8 and Year 9 students have begun working on their Refection of Learning (ROL) presentation (originally known as Authentic Assessment).

Year 8 students will prepare and deliver an oral presentation on what and how they have learnt in three subject areas relating to the topic of “Change” to their Homegroup and a panel.  

Year 9 students will create a report on their learning, focusing on their skills, knowledge, abilities and achievements in three subject areas they have studied this year. In their presentation they may wish to speak about their understanding of how each of their subject areas inter-relate.

All panels will be made up of school staff and members of the public and delivered in Week 9 on Tuesday 8^th and Wednesday 9^th December.

We are currently seeking community members to sit on these panels, on one or both days from 9am - 1pm. If you or someone you know would like to be a panel member please send your details and the days that you can attend to michelle.pudney209@schools.sa.edu.au.

YEAR 8 & 9 END OF YEAR EXCURSIONS

Following the ROL presentations, on the 10^th December the Year 8s will attend an excursion to the Gawler Recreation Centre, for a session of skating to some boppy tunes. The Year 9s will be rewarded with an excursion to Barossa Bowland, participating in a game of mini-golf and ten pin bowling.

MIDDLE SCHOOL GRADUATION ASSEMBLY

On the last day of term, Friday 11^th December we will hold our Middle School Graduation Assembly in the Gym at 12pm and parents/caregivers are invited to attend. We look forward to seeing you there and celebrating all the achievements of our students in 2020.

Congratulations to the Year 8/9 Boys and Girls Basketball teams who competed in the State Finals last week at The Lights Community and Sports Centre. The girls were competitive all day against strong competition from Kadina, Naracoorte and Nuriootpa while the boys defeated Whyalla High School and had some tightly contested matches against Woodville, Wirreanda and Kadina. Thanks to Shannon Schutt and Jamie Banwell for coaching and for the many lunchtimes spent training their teams.

Thanks to fundraising efforts throughout the year, $300 was donated to the South Australian Bushfire Appeal and $300 donated to WWF Koala appeal. We have also purchased some giant games which have been available for students to use at lunchtime. We replaced the old BBQ with a new one for general school use. We cooked up a pancake breakfast and played some Giant Jenga and Connect 4 to celebrate our new purchases.

As the year 2020 comes to an end, it's time for our Year 11's to step up as our school leaders and re elect for Head Students. Congratulations to Tiarhn Carpenter and Lachlan Gaze on their selection as our Head Students for 2021!

Colleen Lowe

It has been a busy time at the library with Book Week, NAIDOC Week and celebrating BHS students who completed the Premier's Reading Challenge. Also, every Thursday morning we have It's Story Time at your library.