Ballina Coast High School …up! up! and away!If perchance you have driven along Cherry Street in Ballina, you would have seen the new Ballina Coast High School rising up out of the soil. It is becoming difficult not to see as it reaches for the sky.This term we have seen signage put in place introducing this new partner in our community. In January 2019 we will open the doors to students and community.The new building reflects a redesign of learning and heralds the start of a focus on students being at the centre of our decisions. It acknowledges the need to continually work collaboratively with others to do our collective best. Ballina Coast High School has been relentless in developing strong teams of people to support all students. The new build reflects the open and transparent use of space to celebrate and acknowledge the value of working together as a team. Classrooms are not isolated four wall pockets but open, airy and shared spaces that capture the social and interactive nature of learning. It accepts that some spaces are needed for small group and individual work. Some key points on the new school build are; • Fast wifi• Open learning spaces• Modern architecture• Integrated technology• Learning centres• Café facilities• Village Green• Performing Arts Centre• Indoor and outdoor basketball courts

• Aboriginal Education Centre• Toilets distributed throughout• Indoor student spaces with sinks• Array of furnishings to support

individual preferences• 57 air conditioned spaces• Celebrates our local cultures• Trade Training Centres in Hospitality

and Construction

VIBE

And much more. We look forward to watching it grow.Janeen Silcock, Principal.

Term 1 2018

A Place of ChoiceOn January 29 2018 Ballina Coast High School was born. Growing together, creating futures is our vision and our logo symbolises this. The colours swirl upwards that form our community with sun, sand, rivers, ocean and sky as our colours. Students are part of a school community and go out into the world as different, strong individuals. The shapes being scattered at the top of our emblem show this.We are creating a learning community of choice at Ballina Coast High School. It is a very different place and space to the schools most people attend or have attended.Our young people still want the same things they have always wanted – the same things valued by staff, parents, carers and our community. They want to be happy, safe, respected, connected and engaged in purposeful learning that will create varied opportunities for them in the future.Some things have changed. If you think back ten, twenty or thirty years ago to the car, the telephone, the television or the food you were eating…it was different. Yet if we walk into a school today…it appears very little has changed. Desks are organised around a teacher’s desk at the front. Exams and toilet blocks, set subjects and a multitude of things have remained the same. Schools have been left behind. Research has found that it has caused students to become disengaged from learning.The core of our responsibilities at Ballina Coast High School is to provide quality teaching and learning that will develop literate and numerate students. We are committed to delivering educational, social, emotional and physical opportunities that will see our students engaged and competitive at the highest level. This may be tertiary entrance, traineeships, sporting teams, or in areas, we have not seen created yet.We know that students need to feel connected to school so 100% of students at Ballina Coast High

School have a significant person working with them daily and with their family to ensure they are supported. Learning Coaches will be with the student for the six years.We know students need to see the relevance and interest in lessons. At Ballina Coast High School in Stage 5, close to 90% of lessons are choice based. We adhere to the academic rigour needed and have created extension and support for students. We treat each student as an individual and they have a personalised curriculum.In Stage 4, we are developing lifelong habits and dispositions for learning and Learning Coaches support this.We have a number of innovative programs to meet student needs. This includes the Alternative Learning Centre, Targeted Sports Program, Flex and SHAPE.In 2018, our students are being introduced to flexible spaces in our school and this will prepare them for 2019 and the move into the new build.

I am so very proud of staff, students and our community. We were challenged with something to do that was quite extraordinary and we are doing this because it is the right thing to do. We will continue to reflect and grow, we will continue to improve because our kids matter, our staff matter and our community matter and together we can change the world.Janeen Silcock, Principal.

International Womens Day

Togane Visit

Yr 7 Day One

SRC Donation to Refugees

Yr 7 Camp

SRC Team Building

Goats Have Come to SchoolAs part of the module Macro Beasts, students have an opportunity to interact with and care for two goats for the last two weeks of this term. The goats have been enjoying the lush green grass we have grown especially for them and have shown their agile climbing skills getting up onto the brick wall to trim the tree. Students have named them Jackie and Lila.We thank Mr Byrnes from the Science department for bringing in his goats for us to enjoy.

Youth of the Year Competiton

Onstage Drama Excursion

HSIE Mummies Excursion

Nathan Hindmarsh WorkshopFormer International, State of Origin and Parramatta footballer Nathan Hindmarsh visited the school recently as part of the Solid Mob program.Nathan had a stellar career as a footballer and is very well respected by supporters of all clubs for his fair play, commitment and teamwork.During the workshop for students at Ballina Coast High School he was able to answer a range of interesting questions from students and staff. Nathan also spoke to the students about the importance of good nutrition for optimal performance and the need to train regularly to maintain peak condition.

Targeted Sports ProgramRugby League Ballina Coast High School is excited to announce a new partnership between Gold Coast Titans and a new Targeted Sports Rugby League Program at the school. This unique opportunity combines academic studies with training at school. Jamie McCormack, the Elite Player Development Manager for the Gold Coast Titans, understands the importance of having a Targeted Rugby League program in partnership with Ballina Coast High School and the opportunities and pathways it may provide for students in the community of Ballina Coast High School. Students will receive specialised coaching in all aspects of the game including, core, physical, tactical and welfare skills. Continual monitoring of players occurs throughout the program with individual testing components to support development in the sport of Rugby League. Pictured right: Kuyan, Malachi and Rowan.

Chess ChallengeThe Ballina Coast High School Chess team played Xavier Catholic College in the first round of the NSW Secondary Schools Chess Knockout. We played four games and had four wins. Congratulations to Noah, Joshua, Jack and Takhobi.

Ballina Shire Citizen of the YearCongratulations to Grahame Marlowe who has been named Ballina Shire Council Citizen of the Year. Grahame volunteers at Ballina Coast High School with the support students. We really appreciate the time he gives to our school and are proud of this achievement.Grahame is involved in many other community activities. Below photo: Grahame "Sunshine" Marlowe talking with some students at school.

Winners are GrinnersBallina Coast High School is very proud of Year 9 student Vivani Damon who recently excelled at an international event in Melbourne. The Arnold Classic Sports Festival is named after Arnold Schatznegger the famous body builder, actor and politician.Thousands of people attended from all over the world and Vivani competed in the Tae Kwon Do 50kg events. She participated in three divisions sometimes against Black belts. In the team pattern she gained Gold. In the Individual pattern she achieved a Silver and in the Sparring event she attained a Bronze.Vivani is coached by Ballina Tae Kwon Do. She enjoys the discipline and fitness as well as the competive side of the sport. Big congratulations to Vivani.

Growing Good MenOn 17 March Riley Green Yr 9 thought he was just having some fun with his mates. Sure, he was volunteering his time on the beach as part of a member of Patrol 11 of the Ballina Surf Life Saving Club, and yes, he had undergone many hours of training, practice and testing to be where he was, but in Riley’s mind it was all fun. That was when an elderly lady approached him for some support.It turned out the lady was an avid beach goer but hadn’t been near the water for 12 months as she’d had double knee surgery and was very unsteady on the sand. Riley offered her his hand and she gratefully accepted. He even scooped up water and put it over her head when she got too hot. Riley, being the type of kid that he is, did not think too much about what he was doing, he just did what he thought was right.What Riley didn’t know was that a photo had been snapped of him holding hands, and that photo was going to rebound around the Internet.The photo was placed on the Ballina SLSC Facebook page (https://goo.gl/HdcYhU). Surf Life Saving NSW requested a copy and posted it on their own Facebook page (https://goo.gl/v7nWDq). Steven Pearce, the CEO of Surf Life Saving NSW, saw the story and was so moved he penned his own thoughts entitled “When our values and beliefs come to life” (https://goo.gl/rM9cmY). The story appeared in the Northern Star (https://goo.gl/mztjsd). Where it will turn up next is anybody’s guess but rumour has it that Channel TEN’s The Project are looking for good news stories and it may even appear there.So yes, Riley, you were having fun with your mates. You were also displaying an empathetic kindness that is not often reported in teenagers. Thank you Riley. You made all the adults watching on the beach that day, which included your mum, your teacher, and the parents of your friends, so proud of you.

Indigenous Cultural ProgramDynamic Active Journey of local Aboriginal Cultural Ways is a self-discovering, interactive learning and sharing of local Aboriginal Culture, using traditional and modern methods to demonstrate and explain the function and management of interconnection between environment and society. Students will create and produce their own works. The journey includes engagement with the local Aboriginal Cultural Calendar, guided by local Aboriginal People, and using this knowledge about plants, animals and the environment to create a shared community resource with tools made, as well as being inspired by the drama, dance, language, and special stories connecting to country. Students will meet with local Aboriginal Community to learn how we connect to places and build strong relationships by visiting culturally significant places and listening to their stories.

June Fri 1 - FNC Cross CountryMon 4 - 2019 Yr 7 Info nightThu 7 - Athletics CarnivalFri 15 - NC Cross CountryTue 19 - Friends of BCHS MeetingFri 29 - FNC Athletics

FNC Touch Football

FNC Swimming

May 1, 2, 3 - MADD Theatre PerformancesThu 10 - Yr 11 immunisations & Yr 7 catch upsFri 11 - Yr 10 immunisationTue 15 - Friends of BCHS MeetingFri 18 - Cross Country CarnivalTue 22 - Yr 7 & 8 Learning Conferences

April Fri 13 - Last day of TermWed 25 - ANZAC DayMon 30 - Staff Development Day (students do not attend school)

Congratulations Janeen Silcock Principal Ballina Coast High School who has been awarded a prestigious award for Excellent School leadership at the Commonwealth Bank teaching awards. This is national recognition of BOTH Janeen as an inspirational leader and the hard work and excellent collaboration of her staff to give Ballina Coast High School students the best possible education. Congratulations Janeen from the Ballina Coast High School Educational Community.

2-40 Chickiba Drive, East Ballina, NSW 2478T 02 6686 0503 F 02 6686 0508 E ballina-h.school@det.nsw.edu.auwww.ballina-h.schools.nsw.edu.au

MADD Production - Poseidon’s CrewRehearsals are well underway for Ballina Coast High School’s 2018 MADD Production ‘Poseidon’s Crew’. Written and directed by Drama Teacher Ali Chigwidden, the production is best described as ‘part rock eisteddfod, part muscial, part high seas-pirates-vikings-sirens adventure’ and boasts a rocking soundtrack featuring the music of Led Zeppelin, Wolfmother, Katy Perry and The Chemical Brothers. Starring over 100 students and a talented live band, this orginial, high energy production will be staged at the Ballina Players Theatre on 1st, 2nd and 3rd May at 7pm and 2nd and 3rd May at 12pm. Performances always sell out quickly so get your tickets from the school office today. $15 each.Nibblie plates, tea & coffee and sweet treats will be available for the evening sessions only.Phone 6686 0503.

Leo’s NewsLeo Clubs are a sponsored affiliation of Lions Clubs International that encourages young men and women to serve others in their community and around the world. Leo Club activities include regular meetings, service projects & social functions.

The Leo motto – Leadership, Experience, Opportunity – is fulfilled as members work together in response to the needs of others. Through belonging to a Leo Club members gain experience in leadership, teamwork and social skills, self esteem, problem solving and decision making skills.

The Leo Club of Ballina Coast High School meets on a Thursday every other week and notices are displayed around the school. Membership is free to all students from years seven to twelve but parental consent is required. The Club has been in existence for thirteen years and has a proud history of supporting many school and community causes. Individual students have excelled in the annual Leo of the Year competition with a number of students progressing to the state level of the competition with two students competing at national level with one being named as the Australian Leo of the Year and then one of nineteen International Leos of the Year. The Club has twice won awards for it's bi-annual Children of Courage Award ceremony that recognises the daily bravery of children with disabilities.

The first fundraiser held by the Leo Club for 2018 was a Pancake Breakfast to raise funds for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation which is a national independent charity of the Australian Book Industry that is funded entirely by donations and corporate sponsorship. It's aim is to improve the literacy rates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children living in remote communities across Australia. The Foundation provide access to new culturally appropriate books to more than 250 remote communities. The books are gifted to these communities with some of the books being translated into the language of the community that have received them. The Leos also held a cup cake stall with the funds raised to be donated to Childhood Cancer Research Foundation.

The Club welcomes students to come along to a meeting to see if it is a club they would like to belong to. New members are always most warmly welcomed.Dawn Sword, Leo Advisor.