18 October 2024

FROM THE PRINCIPAL – TIMOTHY BARRAUD

I respectfully recognise and pay my respects to the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands on which we reside, work, and educate. As a community leader, it is an honour to assist present and future generations in upholding Australia's commitment to reconciliation for First Australians, in particular elders of Turrbal and Jagera country. I appreciate the wisdom and guidance of Elders who have shaped the past, those who contribute in the present, and individuals who continue to shape the future. This extends to the Elders associated with Balmoral State High School and their contributions.

Dear Parents, Students, and the Balmoral Community,

As we return from the September holiday break, it’s hard to believe how quickly the end of the school year approaches. Earlier this week, our school community bid farewell to our Year 12 cohort as they prepare for their final exams. On behalf of the entire Balmoral community, I want to wish them all the very best as they enter this important stage of their academic journey. A reminder to Year 12 students and their families: our staff remain available on-site and via email to provide support, answer questions, and assist with exam preparation during this critical period.

Awards Night 2024

A heartfelt congratulations to all of our award recipients at this year’s Academic Awards Night! The theme of 'Shine' was truly fitting, capturing the impact and success of our remarkable students throughout 2024. In my address, I highlighted Balmoral's continued growth and transformation in all aspects of school life, including our ongoing commitment to reconciliation with Australia’s First Nations peoples. I’m proud to share that this remains a key focus for our school as we deepen our understanding of culture, connection, and belonging. Through ongoing collaboration with members of our local First Nations community, we are building a school environment where cultural traditions thrive and contribute to our collective sense of identity.

Another highlight of the year has been the strengthening of student voice and agency across the school. From the selection of our new house mascots to the enhancement of student leadership and mentorship programs, we have empowered students to take an active role in shaping Balmoral’s future. This includes inviting students to attend leadership meetings and contribute to the development of our three-year strategic plan. It has been a pleasure to co-design our school’s improvement strategies alongside our students, who offer valuable perspectives.

Thank you to the parents who provided such positive feedback about the evening, particularly regarding the incredible performances from our school band and musical ensembles. I would also like to extend my gratitude to our invited guests and acknowledge the tremendous efforts of my staff in bringing our 'Shine' vision to life.

University of Queensland Design Sprint

A special thank you to all the parents, students, and staff who participated in our Design Sprint with the University of Queensland last term. The innovative ideas shared, particularly around curriculum and school innovation, have been truly inspiring. The final report has just been received, and I will be working with our team to review the proposals for consideration. Some of the recommendations include expanded mentorship opportunities for students and a review of our Connect Program, which supports student wellbeing. I look forward to sharing more details as we integrate these insights into our 2025 Strategic Plan and Annual Improvement Plan.

Our Contribution to Staff Shortages

This year, we’ve been fortunate to have a fully staffed school, despite the staffing challenges many of my Principal colleagues face in other regions. You may have noticed some changes in staff throughout the year, as some of our experienced teachers have been called to support schools in North Queensland. Their willingness to step away from their own families to contribute to the education of students in regional areas is truly admirable. I’m proud of Balmoral’s role in supporting the broader state education system, and I’m equally excited to welcome new staff next year, many of whom are transferring from regional and remote areas across Queensland.

For families planning to move over the break, I encourage you to notify your relevant Deputy Principal to assist us in managing staff allocations for next year.

Tuckshop Upgrade

A big thank you to the P&C Association for their ongoing efforts in the planning of our tuckshop refurbishment. We are now nearing the final design phase and will soon be moving to the tender process. We’re optimistic that construction will begin over the summer break, with completion expected by February next year. During the build, we’ll work with the P&C to provide alternative service locations and a reduced menu. More information on these temporary arrangements will be shared with parents in due course.

Transition Day Year 7 2025 – 25^th November 2024

Thank you to the families who have completed their enrolment applications for 2025. As we begin the transition phase for our incoming Year 7 students, we are working closely with our feeder primary schools to ensure a smooth process. An information night for Year 7 parents is being planned, and we’re excited to have an adolescent psychology specialist join us to provide insights into how parents can support their children through this important transition.

If you haven’t yet completed your enrolment, I encourage you to do so before the transition day to assist with the organisation and set up of individual classes for Year 7 students.

Finally, I’d like to once again thank all of the parents, students, and staff who made this year’s Awards Night such a memorable occasion. It was wonderful to see so many of you there, filling the Arts Hall to standing room only! I’m looking forward to our upcoming Year 12 Graduation and wish all our seniors’ success in their final exams.

Timothy Barraud
Principal

FROM THE DEPUTY – MICK BAKER

Awards season is in full swing. Thankyou to the staff, students and parents who were onsite to witness the School celebrate the amazing achievements of our students. From the bands to our captains, it was a chance to highlight the amazing achievements in the School. As the Year 7 Deputy I had an incredibly proud moment of announcing the Year 7 Student of the year, Olivia! This award went to the student that has embodied everything that Balmoral has to offer. Olivia seized every opportunity afforded to her, whether extra-curricular activities, engaging with peers, or contributing to whole school events. Congratulations.

Our Year 10s are approaching the end of their transition into the senior phase of learning. A number of students have been in discussions with our HOD Middle School, HOD Senior School, Guidance Officer and myself. The 2025 timetable is being finalised and pathways getting locked in. Thanks to the parents for their support in this program.

This week you will see our School based Psychologist has put in an article on procrastination. Thanks to Pedro for the informative tips to tackle at the beginning of the term. Have a chat with your student about the strategies presented, it might even help with those jobs at home!

Mick Baker
Deputy Principal
Year 7 & 10 students

FROM THE DEPUTY – NICOLE COLLINS

As we begin the final leg of the year, we are celebrating students for their incredible efforts across all aspects of their schooling. 

Tuesday 22nd October we are hosting Brilliant Balmorals, a catered morning tea to celebrate the amazing contribution, effort and behaviour of our students. Invitations have been shared with the students that fall into this category and their parents/carers. We are excited to celebrate their growth, achievements and dedication to their schooling. This event will provide a wonderful opportunity for parents, teachers and students to connect and celebrate the hard work these students have put in throughout the year. 

We look forward to celebrating the achievements of our Brilliant Balmoral students together! 

Nicole Collins
Deputy Principal
Year 9 & 11

FROM THE DEPUTY – KELLIE BAUMGART

It’s been a huge start to Term 4 with Queensland Mental Health Week and Academic Awards Ceremony already done a dusted, and so much more to come!

Thank you to all the parents who attended the “Parenting through the teenage years, maintaining connection amid change” session presented by Nicole Dorrington. There were some great insights into how the teenage brain changes and what strategies parents can use to help facilitate ongoing communication from their children about what’s going on in their world.

Our Year 12s completed their final official week of learning this week, with their External Exams for General subjects occurring over the next 3 weeks. Exams can be a stressful time for our diligent students, please reassure them that they have done all they can to prepare for what they will need to do in their exams and that they can contact their teachers or the school directly for additional support during this time. Students will need to sign in and out via student services to ensure their safety in the event of an emergency. More detailed information has been sent via email from Sarah McDaniel, Head of Senior Schooling. A Graduation Week program has also been communicated to students including expectations for attendance and behaviour as well as their final graduation, where we have alumni coming to celebrate with the graduating class of 2024.

Safety when leaving school is everyone’s responsibility. While students and staff arrive at school over a larger window of time, when school finishes at 2:45pm, there are approximately 1000 people trying to exit the school, causing a bottleneck. There have been a number of changes over the year that have impacted the way students are exiting the school. One change is the construction site at the bottom exit of Thynne Road. This ongoing construction means there are fewer gates for staff and students to exit the school at the end of the day. In order to alleviate some of the pressures of students leaving via a range of modes of transport including; walking, parent pick-up, bike/scooter and bus, the bus stop has been temporarily moved to the stop opposite the Bowls Club on Thynne Road. We are working closely with Brisbane City Council to ensure that everyone is safe during this transition time and would ask you to reinforce the message from school to stay safe. This includes behaving appropriately while travelling home from school, being safe on roads and on public transport.

Finally, as we head towards the end of the school year, and are finishing with an 11-week Term, please encourage your child/ren to keep up their effort to the end of the year. It is now that we start to see some poor habits sneaking in. Helping your child/ren be prepared learning by helping with routines around sleep, study and recreation and making sure they are ready and at school on time at the start of the school day including; having appropriate food and equipment (charged laptop, washed uniform, etc) is a good way to set them up for success at school. Please let us know in advance if your child will not be at school and remember every day counts!

Kellie Baumgart
Deputy Principal
Year 8 & 12 students

WHAT’S ON AT BALMORAL

P&C General Meeting

The next P&C Meeting will be held on Monday 21st October at 6pm until 7pm.

You can join either via Zoom or in the Staff Room, please email Secretary for more details: secretary@balmoralshs.eq.edu.au  

During this time, you will hear from the principal on key proceedings, a welcome from the P&C President, Treasurer's report, fundraising ideas, BHIP, Alumni, tuckshop and uniform shop updates, teaching staff and other parents.

As parents, this is a great place for you to ask any questions, express concerns and opinions, and hear first-hand what is going on at Balmoral State High School.

HAVE YOU UPDATED YOUR CONTACT DETAILS?

Have you recently changed address, phone number or email address?

If so, please send through an email – Admin@balmoralshs.eq.edu.au to advise of the following information:

               Your full name, student name and the changes you wish to make

Updating your details will ensure you receive regular communications from Balmoral SHS.

HOMESTAY FAMILIES NEEDED

Balmoral State High School new international students arriving this term!
Do you have a spare room and are you able to host?

If you have been thinking about hosting a student, this is a great opportunity to try out being a homestay provider. Benefits include a high rate of remuneration paid and dedicated school support staff.

Should you wish to enquire further please contact Rebecca Sutton, our Homestay Coordinator: rsutt48@eq.edu.au

SCHOOL BASED TRAINEESHIPS

School Based Traineeships are structured, self-paced training programs, which combine theory and practical workplace experiences delivered in a flexible work environment.

Balmoral SHS are aware of several traineeships on offer at Colmslie Pool, Event Cinemas, Reece Plumbing and many more.

Please see Ms Tracey in the Library for more information.

STUDENT SUCCESS STORIES

JASMINE DOUGLAS

The holidays have been busy for our Prima Band Captain Jasmine. After auditioning in April with 5000 other aspiring instrumental musicians from around the country, Jasmine was the first Balmoral SHS student to be accepted into the prestigious Queensland Conservatorium and Griffith University Australian Honours Ensemble Program (AHEP). After three days of intensive rehearsal with international conductors, and making friends with international students from the USA, the program finished with a sold-out concert which equalled any professional production. A big shout out to Mrs Nunn for nominating Jasmine and attending the final concert at 36 weeks pregnant! What a wonderful and fulfilling experience!

ARTS DEPARTMENT

BALMORAL NETBALL ACADEMY NEWS

Another successful outing for all Netball Academy players at the Southside Super 7’s Competition. The 7 Orange team placing 2nd, The 7 Red team placing 3rd and the Year 9 Blue team placing 3rd in their divisions. Well done girls!!!

Term 4 Upcoming Dates:

• Netball Awards Afternoon: Wednesday, 30TH of October (Week 5)

• Northside Super 7’s: Friday, 8th of November (Week 6)

CAREERS CORNER

What’s on, upcoming events, important future events and much more inside. Stay up to date with weekly career news and plan for your future today, provided by Study Work Grow.

View the latest Careers Newsletter here.

Study Work Grow is your destination for resources and articles.

Find everything you need to make a successful transition through high school, and from high school into the ‘real world’.

Recent articles:

• 10 jobs for people who love reading
• Work Experience at Queensland Performing Arts Centre
• STEM careers and resources for students with disabilities
• Recipe for easy money: how to become a young entrepreneur

STUDENT SUPPORT AND WELLBEING

At Balmoral, student wellbeing is everyone’s business. Students can access support from Teachers, HODs and the Student Wellbeing Team.

Guidance Officers – Kate Niland & Helen Martschinke

Guidance Officers respond to the identified and emerging needs of all our students. We do so by working collaboratively with the wider school community to promote and foster achievement, participation, personal skills development, resilience, physical health, mental health and wellbeing.

Such a response to the diverse needs of our community requires the strengthening of partnerships and sensitive communication with students, parents, caregivers, relevant departmental staff, external agencies, organisations and medical specialists.

Our work involves a multidisciplinary approach within an environment of competing priorities. Guidance service extends to:

• Social and emotional support
• Solution focused, brief counselling
• Academic and learning support
• Reasonable adjustments and care provisions
• Career guidance and planning

Community Education Officer – Deanne Broome

Hi my name is Deanne Broome and I am a proud Aboriginal woman, my family are from Goreng Goreng in Bundaberg and Knuleken in the Northern Territory. I have four beautiful daughters, I love AFL and being with my family. I have lived, travelled, experienced and witnessed many first nations life experiences. I worked in rural, remote areas, urban and mainstream schools for the past 15 years.

I bring personal experience and educational knowledge. I am a great listener, quietly spoken but very humble to all. I always speak respectfully and I hope to give you some understanding so you too can help others in making good choices as well. I can’t wait to work together with the Balmoral State High School staff and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders students and their loved ones.

School Psychologist – Pedro Calafiori-Adan

As a school-based psychologist, my focus is on providing early intervention mental health support to those students identified as experiencing mild to moderate mental health concerns.

This service is provided to students and their parents/carers via an internal referral process. I provide personalised, evidence-based interventions, assisting students with issues that may be affecting their social and emotional well-being, psychological health, and academic success.

Referrals come through the Student Wellbeing team.

How to Tackle Procrastination Early in the Term: Advice for Students and Parents

Students and parents often report feeling overwhelmed by the mounting workload towards the end of a term. Procrastination is a common culprit, and understanding its roots is key to preventing the stress and poor outcomes it often brings.

Procrastination involves delaying tasks that need attention, even when it’s known this will lead to negative consequences later. For students, this might mean putting off assignments or study until the last minute, which can result in rushed work, stress, and anxiety.

Why do students procrastinate? Often, it stems from fear of failure, perfectionism, or feeling overwhelmed by the task at hand. Some may feel the work is too difficult or beyond their skills, leading to avoidance. In other cases, distractions like technology pull focus away from academic responsibilities.

If procrastination is tied to emotional distress and has an ongoing impact on well-being, seeking support from a doctor, psychologist, or the school guidance officers is recommended, even for mild issues. Early intervention can prevent bigger problems and help students develop healthy coping strategies and resilience.

Whether or not students are experiencing distress, managing their workload early in the term can be aided by these effective strategies:

1. Worst-First: Tackle the hardest task first. By getting the most dreaded task out of the way, all others will feel easier in comparison.
2. Using Momentum: Start with a task students enjoy, then quickly switch to one they’ve been putting off. This energised shift can make the harder tasks feel less daunting.
3. Prime Time and Prime Place: Students should identify when they are most productive or creative and work during that time. Likewise, choosing a distraction-free environment is key. Isolating themselves from distractions, if necessary, can greatly improve focus.
4. Set Time Limits: Setting a specific time limit, such as 30 minutes, helps prevent tasks from feeling overwhelming and reduces mental fatigue.
5. Plan Rewards: Rewarding themselves after completing small tasks helps build positive reinforcement, reducing the feeling of deprivation that often fuels procrastination.

By adopting these strategies early, students are more likely to gain control over their workload and reduce last-minute stress

For more strategies and resources on managing procrastination, visit the Centre for Clinical Interventions’ resources at

School Based Youth Health Nurse – Nadia Rainbird

I’m Nadia, the School Based Youth Health Nurse. My role is to support students at school with their health care needs. I am often the first point of contact for young people, their families and school community members seeking health information, advice, and support. For issues requiring treatment or counselling, I provide referrals to the relevant services. Students can come and talk to me confidentially about many things including physical health, mental health, healthy relationships, substance use including vaping and sexual health. You’ll also see me doing education in the classroom about important youth health issues. I am at Balmoral SHS every Monday.

Speech Pathologist – Nina Williamson

School based Speech Language Pathologists work with students to support them to: communicate effectively at school, understand and use language for thinking, discussing, reading, writing and learning, develop literacy and numeracy, manage social interactions.

They also support and develop the capability of the school team to: address barriers to learning that arise from language, deliver programs, plan curriculum delivery that meets the needs of all learners.

Referrals come through the Student Wellbeing team.

School Chaplain – Lucca Cameron

As Chaplain I assist in the monitoring and identification of students who might need extra support in a variety of areas. I also assist students and families in accessing community resources for everything from financial challenges to mental health.

Link and Launch

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

To all Balmoral SHS Alumni and staff, we extend an invitation to reconnect with us. Whether you graduated recently or years ago, we are proud to call you members of our Balmoral family.  We would be delighted to hear about your life journey and keep you informed of any upcoming school events within the Alumni community. Please take a moment to complete your registration via the provided ink below to celebrate our Balmoral connection together!

CLOSURE OF MORNINGSIDE TRAIN STATION

Please read below information that has been sent to the school from Queensland Rail re alternate public transport options due to this closure.

“To fast-track construction, the Morningside train station will temporarily close from Monday 22 January and reopen in the second half of 2024. Feedback collected from community and school surveys back in October has been used to develop alternative transport options, to ensure we meet travel needs during this time.

Shuttle bus 237 will operate between Morningside and Cannon Hill stations throughout the closure period. Please find a flyer attached which outlines the alternative transport options in more detail, including the route and stops shuttle bus 237 will service.

A dedicated shuttle services will be implemented for school students travelling to Balmoral State High School (BSHS) and Lourdes Hill College (LHC).

This will be titled shuttle bus 848 and will travel between Cannon Hill station – LHC – BSHS in the morning school peak on weekdays. In the afternoon, the route will do the reverse and travel BSHS – LHC – Cannon Hill station.

The route will account for BSHS’s later start and earlier finish times (in comparison to LHC). Below are the draft route maps the bus will travel between Cannon Hill station and the schools.”

Morning weekday route:

Afternoon weekday route:

The timetables for shuttle bus 848 have been confirmed and are as follows:

Morning school peak:

Cannon Hill Station................................... 7:51
Lourdes Hill District Stop........................... 8:10
Balmoral High - Walkers Dr....................... 8:21

Afternoon school peak:

Balmoral High - Walkers Dr....................... 14:58
Lourdes Hill fs Beatrice St......................... 15:13
Cannon Hill Station................................... 15:28

SCHOOL BUS UPDATE

While our school carpark is undergoing construction the bus stop is located near our main entrance gate. This main entrance gate is a shared access point for students leaving the grounds, and parents/guardians and community members coming into the school at that time of the afternoon. As a result, this access point has become congested and we are implementing changes to the bus travel waiting area for our students in the afternoons in an attempt to minimise the congestion in this space. This information has been shared with students via email and they have been encouraged to share this with their families. 

In addition to this, all bus travellers are asked to use their Go Cards and are reminded of the Code of Conduct for School Students Travelling on Buses as this aligns with our Balmoral expectations of all students respecting themselves and others throughout the community.  

There are five Translink bus services which operate after school bus routes.   

We are working with Brisbane City Council to review the bus services for our school and will provide updates as they become available. If you have suggestions you wish to offer to support the review process please use the following link - https://forms.office.com/r/WdGCJGEgrC or QR code below.  

QPARENTS

Balmoral State High School will provide parents with access to a convenient, online education department approved parent portal called QParents.

The QParents web and mobile application provides an easier way for you to interact with our school. Parents will have secure, online access to their child's student information, anytime, anywhere, through a smartphone, tablet or computer.

QParents provides secure, online access to student information such as:

• Consent management 
• Attendance details
• Report cards
• Downloading exam timetables and assessment planners
• Class timetables
• Viewing unpaid invoice details, payment history, and making payments online
• Viewing and updating personal student details, including medical conditions and address
• Upcoming events
• Payment history
• Student photo

The benefits of QParents

Convenience and time saving for parents

• Parents can view or update their child's details without having to pay invoices and report absences without having to call the school or come into the office.
• Secure 24/7 online access.
• Available anytime, anywhere — access QParents on your smart phone, tablet or computer on a web browser or using the app (iPhone or Android). 

Greater transparency of information

• Improves accountability between parents and schools by providing parents with timely access to their child's information online.
• Allows parents to engage more deeply in their child's schooling.

Improved administration efficiencies for schools

• Allows schools to streamline their administrative processes and cut down on printing.

What do you need to do to get started?

The office will be sending out emails inviting parents or guardians to become a QParents Account Owner (QPAO) for their student. QPAOs will be able to register for QParents to access and manage the student's information online, view the student's information and submit requests to update some of the student's details. To obtain full access to student information, as part of their QParents registration users must complete an identity verification process. QParents offers two options for identity verification – online and offline.

If you don't have sufficient documents, or are unsure, you may still be able to register. For more information on the online identity verification process, see https://qparents.qld.edu.au/#/identityInformation

Please note that QParents does not maintain copies or records of any identity documents used for account verification, either online or offline. 

EQ ID

You will also need to have your child's EQ ID (their Education Queensland identification number) in order to complete your QParents registration. This can be found on your student’s ID Card or timetable.

Safe and secure

QParents is a secure portal that meets strict industry standards. The Department of Education and Training considers student information to be confidential (it is classified as PROTECTED by the Department). Only people with the right to access information about their child will be given an account. Additionally, as part of the registration process, 100 points of identity or equivalent will need to be presented to prove that the person who is registering is the person the school invited.

Further information

BCC PARKING OFFICERS PATROLLING FRONT OF SCHOOL

After ongoing concerns from Council Bus drivers regarding the danger of collision with illegally parked cars, Council has informed the school they will begin regular afternoon patrols from 2.30. Fines associated with these infringements range from $143 to $287.

Two major issues identified by Council are:

Parking on yellow lines: A driver must not stop where a no stopping sign or yellow no stopping line applies.

Passenger loading zone: Passenger Loading Zones allow you to stop for up to two minutes to pick up or drop off your child. This should be enough time to help your child with luggage and seatbelts. While it is preferable that you do not leave your car, you are permitted to do so to walk a young child into school or to collect your child, however you still need to be mindful of the two-minute limit.

Further information provided by Council can be accessed below:

This is a link that provides all parking rules Council enforces at schools.

These Council’s regulations ensure a safe environment for all students, and the school would ask parents to follow these guidelines please

MEDICATION SAFETY AT SCHOOL

Does your child need medication during school hours?

If your child needs to take medication at school, please provide the office staff with:

• A completed and signed Consent to administer medication form;
• The medication in its original container; and
• Medical authorisation (e.g. the pharmacy label, or a letter from the doctor, or a completed and signed health action plan).

If you have any queries, please contact the office by email, info@balmoralshs.eq.edu.au

PAY IT FORWARD, STUDENT WELFARE FUND

Parents and carers can make a meaningful donation to support students facing financial challenges, helping them with school resources and excursions. Your donation could make a huge difference in the life of a student. You can help provide them with the tools and opportunities they need to succeed, impacting their future in helping them achieve their goals.

If you would like to make a donation, please use the following account:

Balmoral State High School General Account
BSB: 064-136
Account Number: 00090146
Reference: Pay it forward

SAVER PLUS PROGRAM

Build Lifelong, life-changing savings habit and save on education costs.

Join us for an information session Every Friday 1pm – 1:15pm

For further information email – SaverPlusQLD@thesmithfamily.com.au

THE THIRD SPACE EVENT FOR HIGH-SCHOOLERS

WITH THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS