Welcome back to Term 3! I hope you had a relaxing and enjoyable holiday break. We're looking forward to another productive and rewarding term at Balaklava High School.

Staffing Update 

There have been a few staffing updates to cover Hudson Noack who has begun his new role at Gawler and District College and also a father!! Congratulations Hudson and Emma on the birth of your son George. No doubt George would have been disappointed with the result of the first Showdown!

Some student’s timetables changed at the beginning of the term to accommodate the shuffle in staffing and new staff who have joined the BHS family. Please see the updates below.  

1. Alison Parson has stepped into Hudson’s Year 11/12 PE class for the remainder of the year and I am very appreciative to have Ali guiding our Year 12’s through the final stage of this subject. Ash Parsons will pick up the cover of the Year 11 PE on a Friday afternoon.
2. I would like to welcome Adam Lawrence to Balaklava High School. Adam will be teaching Year 7 & 8 HPE and will be with us on a Tuesday and Thursday.
3. Welcome also to Natasha Liddy. Tash will be stepping into Year 7 and 9 Science for the remainder of the year on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
4. Karyn Von Zieden will also return for 2 half days in Term 3 to assist with mentoring, curriculum development and intervention.
5. Another welcome to Kayla Wildbore who will be joining the team for the remainder of the year as an SSO1. Kayla has worked at a number of schools throughout the district and we look forward to her support in the classroom and with our students.
6. Jules Brewster is stretching her wings and working at MOC 2 days a week during Term 3 and Abbie Tiller will be joining us to backfill these 2 days. Goodluck Jules and welcome back Abbie!
7. Welcome also to Paul Queen who will be with us for the first 3 weeks as a PRT to cover Long Service Leave. 

Balaklava Croquet Clubrooms 

As many in our school community may be aware, Balaklava High School currently holds the lease for the Balaklava Croquet Clubrooms. In collaboration with the Balaklava High School Governing Council, we recently submitted a Community Grant Application to the Wakefield Regional Council. This grant aims to support the redevelopment of the Croquet Clubrooms into a vibrant community hub that fosters learning, connection, and participation across our region.

We are thrilled to announce the BHS Governing Council has been successful in securing a Wakefield Regional Council Community Grant for the re-development of the Balaklava Croquet Clubrooms. This grant is worth $25,000 with BHS contributing additional funds and in-kind donations. We look forward to working with the community to undertake wider consultation on how the space can best serve the community needs and bring the vision of this project to life.

Our vision for the space includes:

1. The redevelopment of the clubrooms into a welcoming, multi-purpose venue suitable for community groups to meet, run small activities, and build local networks.
2. The installation of a fully equipped kitchen, enabling the space to be used for community functions such as birthday parties and social gatherings. It will also allow the school to run training and development courses, and student-led pop-up cafés, with links to our market garden program.

A short summary of the application and draft concept plans is included below. We look forward to working together to bring this exciting vision to life.

Brief description of the project:

The Balaklava High School Governing Council is applying for funding to redevelop the Balaklava Croquet Clubroom into a vibrant, multi-purpose community hub. This transformation will revitalise an underutilised facility to increase community engagement, strengthen social connections, and support a range of educational and training programs. The project will involve essential internal building and infrastructure upgrades (kitchen upgrade, new flooring, painting, new window/doors, new furniture and appliances) and external improvements (painting/paving/new furniture) to create a welcoming, functional space suitable for community gatherings, events, and learning activities. In addition to enhancing local amenities, the redevelopment will foster stronger partnerships between the school and the broader community, reinforcing Balaklava High School's role as a central contributor to the region's social and educational development. 

How will this project benefit the Wakefield community?

The proposed redevelopment of the Balaklava Croquet Clubroom into a vibrant community hub presents a unique opportunity to enrich the Wakefield region both socially and economically. By transforming an underutilised facility into a welcoming, multi-functional space, the project will foster community connection, support youth development through school-led training programs and provide an accessible venue for local events and social gatherings. The inclusion of a quality kitchen and the integration of school and community-led initiatives directly align with the goals of Wakefield 2030 — enhancing liveability, supporting economic growth through local enterprise and procurement and promoting community wellbeing. Importantly, the redeveloped facility will directly complement and promote increased use of the adjacent nature playground, a fantastic space for families, by offering a nearby place for refreshments, gatherings and family-friendly activities. This initiative not only addresses current community needs but also creates a lasting asset that will serve residents of all ages, strengthening Wakefield as a place where people belong, participate and thrive. 

Balaklava Eisteddfod

The Balaklava Eisteddfod kicks off today and tomorrow. Balaklava will be abuzz with the 29th annual Balaklava Eisteddfod today and tomorrow, with visitors from far and wide coming to share their musical talents. I am looking forward to seeing our students perform and send thanks to our wonderful staff who help nurture their musical talents and also to staff who assist with the running of this event.

Balaklava High School has proudly supported this event for a number of years and will again provide the venue for the piano section, commencing at 10:15am on Saturday the 2nd of August. For the detailed program please visit Programme Outline – 2025 Balaklava Eisteddfod Program UPDATED

Operation Flinders

Good luck to our 10 BHS students accompanied by Josh Benge and Kev Kelly who are leaving next Tuesday for their Operation Flinders trip for a week. We hope they all enjoy this fantastic experience in the Gammon Ranges.

Please feel free to contact me at the school if you would like to discuss any aspect of your child’s learning.  I can be contacted via Daymap or email derek.friedrichs447@schools.sa.edu.au or you can phone the school on 8862 0600 and ask to speak with me directly. Alternatively, I would be happy to discuss your needs in person – please pre-arrange this with the Front Office Team so that I can ensure I am available when you arrive.

Enjoy the weekend.

Regards

Derek Friedrichs

Principal BHS