Principal’s Report

Positive Token System

I am looking to re-highlight with our community the positive token initiative that was launched by our School Wide Positive Behaviour team last year. This initiative is designed to recognise and reward students who display behaviours aligned with our school values of respect, opportunity and resilience. When students demonstrate these values, they’ll receive a token from staff. Each token can then be placed in one of the jars at the office, entering them into a monthly draw for a chance to win exciting awards including:

Movie tickets
Chip lunch for a group of friends
Gift vouchers

We are especially grateful to our Parents Association who have kindly agreed to sponsor these awards, ensuring that students receive prizes they can truly get excited about! Additionally, each positive token will be logged as a "positive chronicle" in Compass, allowing parents to follow their child’s achievements from home.

Thank you for helping us promote a positive, values-driven community!

Term 1 Key Dates:

Monday 10/3: Labour Day Public Holiday
Tuesday 25/3: BHS 2026 Open Night
Tuesday 1st April: Parent/Student/Teacher Interviews
Friday 4/4: BHS Fun Run & Term 1 ends

Swimming Sports

Our annual swimming sports event was a splash hit, with the event this year taking on a festival atmosphere. Pete Ingamells took over the event this year and has done a great job turning the carnival into an event for all, with music playing, the kids pool hosting a water polo tournament. An announcement will occur in House Assemblies next week around our winners.

School Council Parent Representatives / Voting

Following the call for nominations for the Belmont High School Council, we received eight nominations for the Parent Member category. We sincerely thank these parents for their interest and willingness to contribute to our school community. I have attached the personal profiles of our candidates to this message.

You are invited to vote for up to four candidates by completing the ballot paper (Compass Post on Tuesday 18 Feb) and returning it to the school office by 4:00 pm on Wednesday, 26th February 2025. We request that you print the ballot paper and place the completed form in a blank envelope before submitting it. The envelope should then be placed in the ballot box at the school office, where the voter's name will be marked off the register.

Instructions to Vote

To cast your vote, please follow these steps

Print the ballot paper or collect a copy from the school office (either personally or via your child).
Clearly mark your selections next to the names of up to four candidates.
Place the completed ballot paper in a blank envelope.
Submit your vote between 8:15 am and 4:00 pm on any school day before the ballot closes at 4:00 pm on Wednesday, 26th February 2025.

Place the sealed blank envelope containing your ballot in the ballot box at the school office.
Your name and address will then be marked off the voter register to confirm your vote has been received.

We appreciate your participation in this process and your ongoing support of the Belmont High School Council.

2026 Info Session

Although we are only just settling into 2025, planning for 2026 is already well underway. Over the coming months, we have a range of opportunities for prospective families to learn more about Belmont High School, including our Open Night, SEALP Information Session, and small group tours. These events provide valuable insights into our programs, culture, and the many opportunities available to students.

For those interested, you can find more details and book via the links below:

🔹 Open Night bookings: Click here

🔹SEALP Information Session: Click here

🔹Small group tours: Click here

We look forward to welcoming future students and their families as they begin their journey with us!

School Camps

The school encourages parents to consider taking out travel insurance for school camps as schools often incur a cancellation fee that we are not able to absorb if your child is forced to withdraw due to unforeseen circumstances.

DET Policy on Personal Items

A reminder that the Department of Education does not hold insurance, nor does it accept responsibility for private property brought to school by students, staff or visitors.

Annual privacy reminder for our school community

Our school collects and uses student and parent personal information for standard school functions or where permitted by law, as stated in the Schools’ Privacy Policy and the Schools’ Privacy Collection Notice.

Our Photographing, Filming and Recording Students Policy [https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:AP:a915f7d1-62ef-4a6d-9a62-b474606f9562], describes how we collect and use photographs, video and recordings of students. The policy also explains when parent consent is required and how it can be provided and withdrawn.

We ask parents to also review the guidance we provide on how we use [Microsoft 365/Google Workspace for Education] safely at the school and what parents can do to further protect their child’s information. If after reviewing the guidance, you have any questions or concerns regarding your child using [Microsoft 365/Google Workspace for Education], please contact the school.

For more information about privacy, refer to: Schools’ privacy policy: information for parents. This information is also available in ten community languages.

Kind regards,

Joshua Baker

Principal

Sustainability