Balmoral Bulletin

Principal Update

Message from the Principal

Thrive – Our Commitment to Transformational Engagement in Learning

 

At Balmoral State High School, our commitment to transformational engagement continues to shape a vibrant and thriving learning community. Over the past 12 months, we’ve sustained our focus across the strategic pillars of the Balmoral Blueprint—High Impact Teaching Strategies (HITS), the Engagement Accelerator, Digital Innovation, Community Engagement, and Curriculum Enactment.

 

Each term, we revisit these strategic drivers with staff, reviewing progress, aligning direction, and building shared ownership through purposeful consultation. Together, we are building a school culture where every student is empowered to thrive—not just participate.

 

As a school community, we sincerely appreciate the feedback we have received this year on our progress and improvement. We are especially grateful to our Year 8 and Year 11 families for taking the time to complete the annual School Opinion Survey. This data is carefully reviewed by both the system and our leadership team. We track trends over time and act with purpose in response to the concerns and suggestions raised by students, parents, and staff.

 

The School Opinion Survey is just one part of our ongoing commitment to listening. We continue to engage our community through a range of feedback and consultation opportunities, valuing the perspectives of our parents, students, and partners in shaping the way we operate and improve as a school.

 

As Principal, I am very proud to lead and contribute to such a vibrant and thriving school. Our shared focus on Agency, Belonging, and Innovation is not just shaping how we work—it’s changing the way we think, collaborate, and grow as a connected community of learners.

 

Together, we are building momentum, celebrating progress, and ensuring every student is supported to thrive.

 

We are very proud of our improved engagement over the past year. This infographic references our engagement, the distance travelled and our firm commitment to improving a thriving academic culture in our school where all stakeholders connected to our school are able to contribute to the educational outcomes of our community.

Thrive 2025.pdf

Timothy Barruad,

Principal

NAIDOC Week 2025 – Celebrating Culture, Strength and Spirit 

 

Although NAIDOC Week officially falls during the school holidays, Balmoral State High School proudly celebrated this week, ensuring our students and community could come together to honour the voices, stories and strength of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

 

NAIDOC, which began as a day of protest, has evolved into a national celebration of the oldest living cultures on earth. In its 50th year, Balmoral marked the occasion through activities that fostered connection, reflection, and belonging. 

 

We began the week with an incredible panel at our whole-school assembly, featuring a lineup of inspirational First Nations voices including Gaja (Aunty) Kerry Charlton, Karina Hogan, Kiana Charlton, Zhanae Dodd, and Jesse Green. These leaders shared stories of resistance, cultural pride, and truth-telling, inspiring our students to listen deeply and act with empathy and strength. 

 

Cultural activities throughout the week included cookie decorating, bracelet weaving, traditional games, and the launch of the “Good Quick Tukka” program led by Deadly Choices. A Boomerang Hunt brought students outdoors to explore Country in fun and meaningful ways. The week concluded with the drawing of a custom-designed First Nations skateboard, generously donated by parent Kylie, an Aboriginal descendant of the Coastal Plains Nation in North East Tasmania. Congratulations to Max Huttu, the proud winner! 

 

We extend our deepest gratitude to: 

  • All of our panel guests for their honesty and powerful reflections 
  • Deadly Choices for their energy and commitment to community health 
  • Our parent volunteers whose help made the; cookie decorating, boomerang hunt and weaving workshop a true success! 

Thank you also to our students, staff and families. Your participation and allyship across the week demonstrated the heart of our school—one grounded in mutual respect and a deep sense of community. 

 

Looking ahead, we’re excited to continue working closely with Aunty Kerry Charlton—2025 Brisbane NAIDOC Elder of the Year, language fellow, cultural leader, and contributor to the Wulara-Nguru project and Meanjin journal. Her ongoing collaboration will help increase the visibility of First Nations culture in our school in ways that are both meaningful and lasting. 

 

At Balmoral, our values of agency, belonging and innovation remain at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to building a future where all cultures are acknowledged, celebrated, and empowered. 

 

Kellie Baumgart 

Proud Woolloom Woolloom woman 

Deputy Principal