The daffodils, bending in the ice-cold wind at 6:00 am this morning as I passed them on my dog-walk, didn’t seem convinced that Spring is only a couple of weeks away. As a 13-year veteran of Ballarat’s unique take on Australian weather, I remain optimistic that the weather is on the turn and the longer days are just around the corner. The daffodils themselves, reluctantly preparing to bloom, are a clear sign that change and renewal are afoot.

Schools very much operate on a seasonal basis and it’s important that, amidst the speed of change, we stop to evaluate where we are at and how far we have come, so that we can stay true to the direction we have chosen.

All schools need to model the expectations that they have for their students: to aspire to be the best that they can be. I have spoken before about the sheer volume of experiences on offer for our students, but what has become more apparent is that these opportunities come thick and fast. It seems at Ballarat High School that no sooner than we celebrate one achievement, we are quickly moving onto the next. It is pleasing to see so many students take advantage of these opportunities and get involved in shaping the present and future culture of our school. In these busy times, it is important that we take the time to appreciate the moment for what it is and each of us appreciate and celebrate what we have at BHS. After all, Ferris Bueller wasn’t wrong when he observed, ‘Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it’.

Our Senior students, who are very much in the grips of the hard yards of winter, could be forgiven for wanting to wish away this time of year. Whilst talk of graduation and valedictory ceremonies offer some light at the end of what seems like a very long tunnel, they should not lose sight of the fact that the time they have here is precious with so many memories still to make. This is the season of the year when they need to throw themselves into the work and make the most of the time they have because there is still plenty of time to make a difference.

It is also important for them to realise the difference between stress and pressure: stress refers to the situation of too many demands and not enough resources – time, money, energy – to meet them. Pressure is a situation in which you perceive that something at stake is dependent on the outcome of your performance. High performance in any area relies upon pressure for us to raise our game and we naturally feel it because it matters to us- we should never be in any doubt how committed our students are to realising their aspirations.

Working with Senior teachers this week underlined the clear commitment our staff have to support our students in this final leg of their journey. It is important that our students seek out the support or help that they need, as time is still on their side. Teachers reflected on how students managed their mid-year exams and how this was compared with their SAC performance. At this stage, any assessment has to be seen as a mirror up to what still needs to be learned. Through feedback, our teachers can support students in making further progress and connecting knowledge with knowledge: the essence of learning. We are also very fortunate to have secured, albeit on a temporary basis, the services of VCE expert Stef Sharkey to provide additional tutoring in English for our students. Every additional word written, problem solved and feedback given can make a difference: our students have to believe that. I hope that when summer comes our Year 12 students are ready to make that great leap forward and are satisfied with the work they have put in and feel pressure and not stress- there is still time.

For our Year 11 students, it feels very much that Spring has already sprung! Along with so many of our students, they are in the process of course confirmation and, in their case, choosing pathways that lead to their post-BHS futures. Befitting with a change in the season, we have transition of School Captaincy as we welcome our 2025 School Captains Elise and Harry and our Vice Captains Charlie and Emity.

Maxine, Dylan and the Year 12 Leadership group have had such an impact throughout 2024 in every aspect of our school and I have been really fortunate to have worked with such a committed group of young leaders in my first year as school principal. The legacy of the whole 2024 team could be felt in the quality and passion of the speeches delivered at the Year 11 Leadership assembly by students willing to be leaders in 2025.

I am incredibly excited by what the future holds for student leadership at BHS. Our Leaders are driven by the desire to make this school the best that it can be. I share that desire and I can’t wait to work with them as another year rolls around and we are able to look back and see the changes that we have achieved. With over 270 families applying for places for Year 7 in 2025, we continue to thrive as the first-choice school for our community.

And looking at the weather forecast for next week… 16 degrees Sunday to Tuesday- for someone who grew up in Northern Britain, it feels like we are almost there!

Stephan Fields

Principal

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