Filter Content
- Principal's Report
- Food and Hospitality Camp
- SA Chief Scientist Visits BHS
- Art Excursion
- Zoo Excursion
- Interschool Athletics
- Year 10 Geography Excursion
- Canberra Trip
- Japanese Visit
- Thought Spot
- Languages Alive
- Youth week
- Lunchbox Resilience Notes
- School Photographs
- SZApp
- Entertainment Books
- Country & Outback Health
- Community News
It’s an exciting time to be a student at Balaklava High School where the opportunities they have are many and varied. In the last few weeks our students have been involved in events such as the World Challenge Trial, Interschool Athletics, a variety of excursions in Food and Hospitality, Drama, Art, Geography and French and the Street Smart presentation attended by all of our Year 10 students Wednesday. Yesterday we also had the pleasure of hosting Professor Caroline McMillen, Chief Scientist of South Australia. Students had the opportunity to listen to Professor McMillen and hear her life story as well as being able to ask questions about her work, including clarifying exactly what a Chief Scientist does! This visit was an honour for our school that arose after Professor McMillen met some of our students who were at a Science event in Adelaide with our Chemistry teacher, Merridy Manuel. These students obviously represented our school well and displayed all of the values and characteristics we expect of our students.
Staffing News
Cendall Cowan has won a position as the Senior Leader Learning Improvement Primary (SLLIP) for the Mid North Partnership and will start next term. We are currently looking for her replacement as Coordinator: English/Literacy/LOTE/Performing Arts/Year 8 and plan to have it filled by the end of this term. We thank Cendall for the work she has done at the school, particularly with the Year 8 cohort and we wish her well for her new position.
School Uniform
As the cooler weather is now arriving, I have noticed some of the uniforms in the schoolyard are not meeting our agreed school uniform expectations. The question is often asked as to why we have a uniform and I offer the following as some of the reasons why a school uniform is important:
- Sense of belonging – a uniform allows all students to feel they belong at school and they are equal to everyone else. If students were able to wear clothing of their choice it may cause an uneven social distinction between those who can afford name brand clothing and those who can’t
- Sense of pride – we are proud of our students at Balaklava High School and we want to foster their pride in our school. Members of the public can instantly recognise which school a student is from by their clothing and it sends a positive message to the community if our students look smart and are all dressed the same
- Provide a safe learning environment – we can easily identify our students in the yard, on an excursion or in a crowd through their uniform. A staff member can scan our school yard or classroom and instantly see who belongs and who shouldn’t be there
- Saves arguments – when there’s a uniform in place it saves arguments in the morning about what a student is going to wear and parents don’t need to feel the pressure to provide a variety of outfits for their child for each day of the week.
Students are expected to wear a navy or white school polo top, navy bomber jacket, navy rugby top or plain navy hoodie, all of which are available for purchase from TADS in Balaklava. Shorts and trousers are to be navy or grey and trackpants are to be navy with no stripes or large logos. Families are reminded that black pants and tops are not part of our uniform and leggings, jeggings and jeans are also not acceptable for school. If meeting the uniform expectations is a concern for families, I ask them to contact the relevant year level coordinator to discuss this.
Governing Council
In our last newsletter I welcomed our new Governing Council members and thanked them for supporting the school community with these roles. I also called for nominations for two additional Councillors and I am pleased to welcome Kimberley Brownlie and Tarnia Pratt to these positions. As parents, I encourage you to speak to one of these councillors or any of those listed in the last newsletter if you would like any further information about the governance of the school or if you’d like them to bring something up at a meeting on your behalf. Governing Council members offer you another voice in the school and are available for you to speak to at any time.
Student Free Days and School Closure Day
Governing Council recently approved a number of Student Free Days and one School Closure Day for 2019. Please put the following dates in your diary:
Term 2 Week 1 Friday 3rd May – Partnership Student Free Day – Visible Learning
Term 2 Week 6 Friday 7th June – Site Improvement Plan
Term 3 Week 5 Friday 23rd August –with Riverton DHS - Learning Design, Assessment and Moderation
Term 3 Week 7 Monday 2nd September – Site Improvement Plan
Term 3 Week 10 Wednesday 25th September – School Closure Day for Paskeville Field Days
Sammy D Foundation
On Monday 18th March, all of our students were involved in presentations and workshops delivered by the Sammy D Foundation on the impact of violence in our community, especially relating to one-punch assaults. Students heard from Sam’s father, Neil Davis, who shared the heart wrenching story of what happened to Sam but he also had the audience consider how this impacted on others involved including Sam’s extended family, friends, bystanders, the broader community and even the perpetrator. Neil was an engaging and open speaker who used a mix of humour and honest reflection to share his message with the audience. As a parent, it was a confronting message to hear and, talking to students after the sessions, many of them were also moved by his words. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to ask your child about the session and the messages they took from it.
Finally, I would like to wish all of the students and their families a safe and relaxing time for the upcoming holidays. This break provides an opportunity for families to spend some time together, for students to catch up on some rest and relaxation as well as allowing the chance for senior students to balance some study with these periods of rest. Have a good break and I’ll see you back at school on the first day of Term 2 ready to go!
Sonia Pringle
Principal
On Thursday & Friday of Week 7 the Year 12 Food & Hospitality students embarked on a food & culture journey of Adelaide. This included a cooking masterclass from Regency TAFE chefs, a multicultural tour through Adelaide Central Markets and a trip to the Garden of Unearthy Delights to try a range of food from mobile food vans. We also saw a fringe show which broadened students' understanding of the types of food and culture Adelaide has to offer.
Friday's activities included a $5 breakfast challenge at the markets, information session at the Adelaide City Council and more food from mobile vendors.
A great experience for all and some valuable information for their research tasks.
We were honoured to have SA Chief Scientist, Professor Caroline McMillen visit us on Wednesday, 3 April. This came about because Caroline met students at the Global Chemistry Breakfast back in February and asked if she could visit our school because of this - well done!
On Wednesday, Caroline spoke to Year 11 and 12 Science and Agriculture students about her background and the "sliding doors" that gave her opportunities to lead and learn science. She encouraged students to grab opportunities and have a “no regrets - give it a go” approach. She shared her responsibilities as chief scientist and the vast array of pathways into science. Questions were asked from students and then Caroline queried our students about their thoughts on science. A rewarding informative afternoon. Thank you to Caroline and Gillian, her chief of staff. We are very grateful.
Merridy Manuel
On Wednesday 27th March, two of our Year 9 classes undertook an excursion to the city as part of their Art studies for the semester. The two classes began their morning at the Art Gallery of South Australia, where they viewed exhibits and artworks from talented artists around the world, including works from Ben Quilty – an Australian Contemporary Artist. Next, students visited the South Australian Museum, where they were able to view Ancient Egyptian Art work, something they were trying to recreate in their first unit for the semester. Here, students were also tasked with completing 3, 5 minute sketches, to help refine their sketching capabilities.
Chelsea McCormack
Pictured, Rowdy McKee, Lachie Griffiths and Steven Wade standing on top of the Giant Squid in the South Australian Museum.
On the 22nd March, Balaklava High School’s best and most committed athletes descended on Clare High School to compete in Interschool Athletics. Clare, Kapunda, Riverton and Burra made up the opposition on the day.
The majority of students who attended are to be commended for their efforts and commitment on the day, especially those who covered events for ‘sore’ or ‘injured’ athletes on the day or for those who unfortunately, did not take up the opportunity the day provided.
It was pleasing to witness some impressive performances, especially from Matthew Oliver (U15 Boys Age Group Champion) and Jayden Hendry (U16 Boys Age Group Runner Up) who were standouts in their age division. There were numerous other students who won or were placed in individual events, which goes to show that when our school has our full complement of our best athletes, we can match it with anyone. The majority of these students were rewarded with selection in the Lower North Athletics team (Balaklava, Riverton, Burra combined) to compete at SANTOS. Overall, Balaklava High School achieved a third placing behind Clare and Kapunda who had the magic formula of filling each event.
Matthew Oliver (U15 Boys Age Group Champion) & Jayden Hendry (U16 Boys Age Group Runner-Up)
Students selected for Lower North (SANTOS Stadium, Tuesday 9th April)
Tahneil McArdle, Ailisha Saunders, Mel Myers, Hayley Armstrong, Kara Binka, Tiarhn Carpenter, Abbie McArdle, Jed Davis, Matt Mojares, Lachlan Hendry, Matthew Oliver, Cody Redpath, Ryen Michalanney, Jack May, Liam Bigg, Chris Damiani, Cameron Curnow, Tyler Harbrow, Callum Gaze, Jayden Hendry, Matthew Freebairn.
In Week 8 students in Ms McCormack’s and Mrs Von-Zieden’s Geography classes participated on a fieldtrip to Port Hughes and Moonta. Walking along the beach and on the walking trail between the towns, students observed coastal processes and examined facilities as part of their study of “Environmental Issues and Management”. The weather was perfect which was a relief as in previous years, some groups haven’t made it off the bus! After completing their workbooks, students enjoyed lunch at the local kiosks and walked along the jetty. Thanks also to Mr Brooks for participating and Mr Cmrlec for driving.
30 students will be participating in our Canberra trip during the first week of next term.
The next newsletter and our school Facebook page will show the highlights of our visit. Thanks to the students who have taken up this amazing opportunity. They will have an enjoyable, valuable learning experience and also be able to achieve a Stage 1 Integrated Learning Unit (worth 10 SACE credits).
Karyn Von-Zieden
Students from Meidei High School will be visiting the school during Term 3 – arriving Wednesday 31st July and departing Wednesday 14th August. Approximately 30-40 students will be coming to our local area (Balaklava, Clare, Kadina and Moonta) and Balaklava High School is hoping to host at least eight of these students. Please consider hosting one of these students and discuss with your family. This has been a wonderful cultural experience for all families that have hosted before and it is also a significant fundraiser for Balaklava High School. Please contact Cherie Cmrlec at the school 8860600 if you would like to be involved.
What is a PCW anyway?? This question has been asked of me more times than I could count. I’d like to use this opportunity to provide some insight on the role of the Pastoral Care Worker, and at the same time, introduce myself to the new families and students at Balaklava High School.
My name is Ryan Bernhardt, and I have lived in Balaklava for 11 years, after growing up on the Yorke Peninsula. I am currently a member (and Youth Pastor) at Balaklava Family Church. I have played football, basketball, cricket and soccer in the local area, and have been employed in a number of local businesses. I love the Balaklava area, and look forward to getting to know more people through my work in the school.
The Pastoral Care role is one which has its roots in the traditional chaplaincy program; however changes have been made to cater for the needs of our society. As the School's PCW, I have a unique opportunity to provide mentoring, small group support and 1-1 support to the students at the school. I also have the opportunity to find new ways to support and engage both families and staff. I am currently working two days per week (Tuesday and Wednesday), and am available to be contacted by all members of the school community via the details below. Ultimately, I am here to offer support and a listening ear to the school community, so if I can ever be of assistance please doesn’t hesitate to contact me by email at ryan.bernhardt246@schools.sa.edu.au or by contacting Balaklava High School on 8862 0600.
Academy Photographers have now placed online our sport and special group photos.
Parents can view and purchase these photos on our website ios.academyphoto.com.au using the following secure shoot key.
General: 6HQQLDRB
If Students are in multiple groups, Shoot keys can be ‘changed’ during the ordering process to continue to purchase.
Alternatively, you can view the photos online and then contact their office on 1800 816 224 and place an order over the phone.
All orders will be posted directly to the customer’s home address.
I encourage all parents/families to download the SchoolZine App so that you can access our Balaklava High School Newsletter via SZApp. This App is FREE and is a very convenient way to read the Newsletter and to access the school calendar of events. Please use the information attached and if you have any trouble, please contact me at the School for any support.
Cherie Cmrlec
Bargains! - get the Entertainment Book
Help the Student Council raise much needed funds to provide additional facilities for outdoor areas at the school and you will also be able to save hundreds of dollars on things you love to do.
These books are a fantastic way of saving money! Whether you like the occasional meal at a pub or restaurant, takeaway, movie tickets, adventure activities, footy tickets, discounts on shopping (eg Chemist Warehouse, Woolworths, Drakes, ShoeShed, Sportspower etc) you will get your money back with the use of three or four vouchers.
Hard copies of the books are available or you can upload the app onto your phone—both cost $70.
A sample book will be available at the front desk and the library to check out from Friday 5th April.
PLUS, order now to receive over $150 of bonus Early Bird Offers (hurry, these sell out quickly).
Follow the link www.entertainmentbook.com.au/orderbooks/1s61485
Country & Outback Health is a local not-for-profit health service provider specialising in mental health services.
Discovering Me is a new program now available in Clare, offering behavioural support therapy for children with an NDIS plan.
Discovering Me
The Discovering Me program has been designed to provide behavioural support to children with disability and their family. Discovering Me aims to grow your child’s understanding of their disability and help them to develop coping strategies for daily life, through psychological based therapy and skill development.
Discovering Me focuses on:
* Growing emotional awareness - by learning about feelings and how to cope with uncomfortable feelings like anger and confusion
* Growing social skills - by learning social cues, how to respond in different situations and how to work with others
Discovering Me can also support parents/caregivers by:
* Growing your understanding of your child’s disability and how it individually impacts on them
* Helping you to further develop behaviour management skills and implement successful behavioural management plans
* Building your communication skills
Discovering Me is generally suitable for children under 12 years of age and can be accessed through NDIS packages which include Behavioural Support funding. We generally recommend a minimum of six appointments in addition to an introductory appointment for parents/caregivers.
My Independence
Therapeutic support for NDIS participants to increase their independence by growing their daily living skills.
The My Independence program can provide you with the therapeutic support that you may need to understand your own behaviour and how it can be stopping you from achieving your personal goals. Goals like getting to places on time, doing the food shopping on your own or keeping your house tidy.
The My Independence team can work with you to grow the skills that you need to carry out daily activities that you may be struggling with. Our mental health clinician will help you to learn about self awareness and develop strategies that will help you to complete daily tasks on your own. Our connection workers will then support you to put these strategies in place and answer any of your questions.
My Independence can provide you with the therapeutic support you may need to;
* Understand your behaviour and how it impacts on you and on others
* Understand and talk about your feelings
* Understand what tasks you do well and what tasks you might need to work on
* Understand body language, including facial expressions and posture
My Independence works towards helping you to;
* Complete daily tasks independently
* Judge how well you complete daily tasks
* Connect with others and understand how they are feeling
* Learn from your mistakes and accept feedback from others
Through therapeutic skill development My Independence can help you to grow your confidence, making it easier for you to complete daily tasks on your own.
My Independence is suitable for NDIS participants aged 16 years and over who have ‘Daily living skills’ included in their NDIS package.
We recommend a minimum of 6-8 hour sessions with our mental health clinician followed by 2-4 hour sessions with our connection worker.
The cost of the My Independence program has been set by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA).
For more information about the program please see our website http://cobh.com.au/discoveringme/ or E-mail us at NDIS@COBH.ORG.AU
A Choco-rama Day for Children is being held at the Avon District Hall, 1883 Avon Road, Avon on Tuesday 16th April 11am to 2.30pm. A fun day of chocolate making, Easter crafts & activities. Cost:-$5. per participating Child, includes light lunch. For those not participating light lunch $2.50 per serve. All children must be accompanied by an adult and remain the responsibility of that person. Bookings for supplies and catering appreciated Ph.88671127, 88671120, 85272303.
Mallala Football Club
Mallala Football Club are involved in an exciting new female football competition that will involve selected clubs from both the APFL & NEFL fielding teams in a Northern Plains Female Football Competition.
The competition will involve teams from Balaklava, Mallala, Two Wells (APFL) & Blyth/Snowtown, Min Man & North Clare (NEFL).
The competition structure is;
* Under 13 (born in 2006, 2007, 2008) & Under 16 (born in 2003, 2004, 2005) divisions
* 9 a side on the field teams
* Matches played on modified ovals with modified rules
* Played on Sunday mornings with the U13 games at 10am & the U16 games at 11am
* 6 week season commencing on 28th April & concluding on the 2nd June
* One Venue each week that will rotate between the clubs involved
We are holding our first training Wednesday 10th Mallala Football Oval 4.30-5.00 start.
If you are interested in playing please contact
Ruth Jones 0409 671 633 ruthjones1@bigpond.com