Message from the Principal

This week began with our P&C Committee Meeting, where I was incredibly pleased to see the continued commitment and support our parent community has for Balmoral State High School. A significant highlight from the evening was the P&C’s financial commitment of $15,000 towards the purchase of new equipment for the school gym space located on the oval.

Following conversations with Duncan Short, we will now move forward with the purchase and installation of this equipment over the coming weeks. Prior to any use, all relevant staff and student safety inductions will be completed to ensure the space is used safely and effectively by our community. This investment represents another exciting step forward in continuing to enhance student wellbeing, physical activity, and engagement opportunities across the school.

Each year, Balmoral participates in an annual Learner Engagement Survey, with questions developed in partnership with Amy Berry, one of our key learning partners. In our initial review of this year’s student data, there are many positive indicators that deserve celebration.

Most notably, we have seen a 5% increase from this time last year in students positively identifying themselves as capable learners, with over 80% of students agreeing or strongly agreeing with the statement that they are a good learner.

Student perception around the use of the Engagement Continuum and Classroom Accelerator has also strengthened, with 60% of students identifying these tools as having a positive impact on their self-reflection and learning growth.

Importantly, between 80–85% of students indicated they could clearly articulate how to move from “investing” to “driving” their own learning experiences, both inside and outside the classroom, particularly through online and independent learning opportunities.

This data is significant and reflects the intentional work occurring every day across our classrooms. It acknowledges the professionalism and commitment of our teachers in supporting students to know themselves as learners, access timely feedback, reflect deeply, and build new aspirations for their learning growth and success.

This week also saw our student leadership team, including our Belonging Prefects, lead an outstanding Multicultural Week celebration across the school. The week was filled with energy, pride, and community spirit — from Cultural Dress Day, to the Fashion and Dance Showcase on Wednesday, the inflatable activities on the oval yesterday, and today’s Olympic-inspired sporting events. In my conversations with our student leaders throughout the week, we reflected on what becomes possible when young people are genuinely given opportunities to lead, create, and influence the culture of their school. The leadership, organisation, and pride demonstrated by our students throughout these events has been exceptional.

These moments continue to reinforce the strength of our diverse and inclusive school community, where students feel a strong sense of belonging and are empowered to make meaningful contributions.

It has been a very proud week for me as Principal to witness the joy, agency, and connectedness that define Balmoral State High School.

Thank you to all staff, students, families, and our P&C for your ongoing support in making our school such a vibrant and aspirational learning community.

Timothy Barraud

Principal

Message from the Student Leadership Team

Student Innovation: Student National Engineering League

SNEL (Student National Engineering League) is a student-led engineering competition where teams design and build model bridges under strict material, budget, and size constraints. Bridges are tested live, with winners determined by maximum load-bearing capacity during a final assembly and stress-testing session. The premise of this competition is to promote innovation, teamwork, creativity, and strategic thinking in a STEM-focused, competitive environment, while also building school spirit and student engagement. SNEL will run annually, with the inaugural event scheduled for Term 3, Week 3.

Teams will be issued identical materials and must follow strict design rules. Permitted materials include paddle pop sticks, cardboard sheets, hot glue, and PVA glue. No external materials are allowed to ensure fairness and consistent evaluation. All tools and adhesives must comply with safety regulations and be approved or provided by supervising staff. Those teams wishing to enter this competition will be required to construct a bridge.

Construction may occur during supervised sessions or independently at students’ discretion, but all final bridges must meet submission and safety requirements. Teams will also operate within a defined workspace and a set budget to simulate real-world engineering constraints. Bridges must meet specified minimum and maximum dimensions for length, height, and width. Any structure that exceeds these limits will face penalties or disqualification.

Many thanks to our P&C Association who have donated student prizes for this competition. Prizes will be awarded to top teams: $50 (1st place), $30 (2nd place), and $10 (3rd place) in tuckshop vouchers, along with certificates and formal recognition for all placing teams.

For those students interested in getting involved in this competition, please email, Roger Tortian, our Innovation Prefect via email: rtort3@eq.edu.au alternatively, Miss Swindley for more information eswin16@eq.edu.au