Principal Update

Message from the Principal

Free Dress Day & Collective Efforts Food Drive - Proud Principal Moment 

This week, I was filled with pride witnessing the generosity and spirit of our students during the FareShare Food Drive. A heartfelt thank you to Zena Carusi-Lees l Head of Pedagogy and Performance and our student leadership team, and the Year 7 Horizons Group for leading this initiative. Their efforts model what it truly means to care for our community—especially those facing food insecurity. It’s genuinely inspiring to see how many kilograms of shelf-stable items were collected, all of which will be transformed into nourishing meals for those most in need. This is what collective compassion looks like in action. 

Every Day and Every Minute Counts 

As I’ve shared with staff and now with you, our focus on maximising learning time remains a high priority. We’ve recently seen an increase in requests for students to be regularly dismissed early, particularly around 2:30pm, due to transportation convenience. While we understand the logistical challenges families face, consistent early departure means students are missing crucial moments—final instructions, formative feedback, and preparation for future learning.

We ask for your support in reinforcing that every minute in class matters, especially during this critical part of the term. Our Deputy Principals will be contacting families where early departures are becoming routine. This is not a punitive approach—it is part of our proactive commitment to supporting every student’s learning journey.

Last week, we shared data linking student attendance percentages to hours of learning lost. These conversations have already begun with students, especially those with low attendance patterns. For students with individual needs, we are working closely with families to ensure targeted support is in place.

In line with this, we have adjusted our student support structure so that each year level is now directly connected with a Sub-School Head of Department, a Deputy Principal, and a support team. This model enables more consistent, relational support across the student’s time at Balmoral State High School. If there are extenuating circumstances affecting your child’s attendance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the relevant Year Level Deputy Principal or Sub-School Head of Department.

Sense of Belonging and The Resilience Project

We continue to cultivate a school culture where every student feels safe, connected, and empowered. One example of this comes from our Head of Inclusion, Mitchell Johnson, who has been embedding the GEM framework (Gratitude, Empathy, Mindfulness) into his classroom. He shares the following reflection:

“For the past few weeks, I've used GEM to begin each class. We start with mindfulness—10 minutes of quiet, accompanied by calming music and a live aquarium stream on the projector (our students call it ‘Tank Time’). We then gather to share what we're grateful for."

"While initial responses were simple—like ‘sleep’ or ‘food’—students are now offering thoughtful reflections on relationships, school, and society. Our empathy conversations often follow, usually sparked by something one student has experienced. This has led to meaningful connections and a deeper sense of shared understanding. Recently, we’ve even brought in world news to help students empathise with people from vastly different backgrounds. Since beginning these discussions, the class feels more cohesive, connected, and supportive.”

This is just one example of how we are building a thriving school culture—one where wellbeing, resilience, and belonging are not just buzzwords, but lived experiences.

Let’s continue working together to ensure all students are welcomed, supported, and given the tools to thrive—both academically and personally.

Timothy Barraud

Principal, Balmoral State High School