Barrack Heights Public School is located within the Shellharbour City Council and currently caters for 300 primary students. The committed and experienced staff work in co-operation with the community to provide a positive environment for our students to achieve their potential. This is reflected not only in the full and active curriculum focussed upon literacy, numeracy and student welfare but also, in the breadth of sporting, artistic and strong values-based learning experiences provided for our students.
Our pupils come from diverse multicultural backgrounds and the school is committed to promoting the importance of cultural diversity through units of work that develop understanding of cultural, linguistic and religious difference and explicitly address issues of racism and discrimination. The school also has a significant Aboriginal student population and there is a crucial focus maintained on addressing the needs of these students, celebrating success and ensuring that Aboriginal culture and history are taught throughout the school in appropriate areas.
The staff are dedicated to engaging in professional learning activities in a range of areas in order to further enhance their skills and maintain a sound understanding of the latest pedagogical technology. The school undertakes rigorous self-evaluative procedures throughout each year so as to continue to effectively address the needs of its staff and students and assess the direction the school will be taking in the future.
Our Priority Areas for 2009-2011 are as follows: 1. Raise the standard of Literacy and Numeracy through whole school intervention. 2. Embed the principles of Quality Teaching in NSW schools into the schools’ teaching and learning outcomes. 3. Empower our students to make positive and resilient decisions in their relationships with others. 4. Enhance assessment procedures to inform our students’ learning. 5. Embed sustainable and ecologically sound decision-making into the practices of the school. |
Uniform Policy
The school colours are red, white and blue and these are represented in different combinations and patterns on each uniform item. The uniform shop is open each Monday between 9am and 9.30am or alternatively, an order form can be collected from the office.
• Polo Shirts (Sizes 4-14) $20.00 • Sports Shirts (Sizes 8-14) $23.00 • Girls Culottes (Sizes 4-16) $20.00 • Boys Cargo Shorts (Sizes 4-16) $22.00 • Girls and Boys Jumpers (Sizes 4-14) $28.00 • Girls and Boys Jackets (Sizes 4-14) $30.00 • Girls and Boys Long Sleeve Polo Shirts (Sizes 6-14) $25.00 • Wide Brim Hats (Sizes S, M, L) $12.00 • Baseball Caps (One Size Fits All) $15.00 Drink Bottle (school logo) $8
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Staff
Principal: Mr Robert Cusack
Assistant Principals: Ms Maria Fornaciari, Ms Elizabeth Scott, Miss Marianne Bunt
Classroom Teachers
Miss Lisa David
Mrs Jenine Bailey
Mrs Denise Broomham
Mrs Dimi Wheeler
Mrs Rhonda Holloway
Mrs Vicky Kater
Mrs Angie Maranesi
Mr Peter Evans
Mrs Christine Mangos
Learning Support Officers
Mrs Belinda Kejda
Mrs Sue Chapman
Mrs Kylie Brooker
Mrs Sonia Pasalic
Mrs Jenny Bedford
Ms Veronica Archibald
Ms Kathy Grice
Release From Face to Face Teacher: Mrs Julie Manchur
School Administrative Support Staff: Mrs Glenda Grimshaw - Manager, Mrs Helen Mullin
Support Teacher Learning: Mrs Lauren Borst, Mrs Natalie Harris
School Counsellor: Mr David Grose
Librarian: Mrs Linda Leslie
Library Assistant: Helen Leishman
General Assistant: Ed Costelloe
Extra-Curricular Activities
Dance
Barrack Heights Public School has an established tradition of proudly participating in the South Coast Public Schools’ Dance Festival. In 2007, for example, students from Year K-3 were involved in an outstanding performance entitled ‘Open Sesame.’
Musica Viva
Our school has partnered with this exceptional music program in recent years to enhance the education of our students in this area. In both 2007 and 2008, this culminated in the active involvement of students producing live performances such as ‘The Song Company’ and ‘Marla.’
Dance Nova
Our school has been involved in this program in past years to create positive experiences in dance for all our students.
Film Club
A film club has been recently established at the school to encourage all students in various creative pursuits. In 2007, the film club produced a short film as an entry in the South Coast Schools’ Mini Movie Festival. The story was based on a pair of round eye glasses that were found in the playground and which looked remarkably like Harry Potter’s glasses.
Sport
Our school has an established tradition of excelling in all sporting areas and many activities are organised to foster our students’ enjoyment and ability in sport. In 2008, for example, three major carnivals of swimming, cross-country and athletics were held with very high participation rates, particularly in the latter two. Twenty-four students went to the District Swimming Carnival with several advancing to Regional. Forty-eight students competed at the District Cross-Country Carnival where our school was successful in finishing second overall and ten students gained selection to Regional. Over fifty students competed at the District Athletics Carnival, where our school attained first place. Twenty-one students subsequently competed at the Regional Carnival, at which Barrack Heights achieved Regional Champion School for the very first time. Nine students were successful in gaining selection for the state team.
The school has also partnered with numerous skill clinics such as the CRL Joey League, Illawarra Netball, Australian Football League, Illawarra Hockey and Illawarra Hawks Basketball to provide valuable sporting experiences for our students.
Camp
Our school conducts annual camps for Stage 3 students to enhance their academic learning through practical experience. In 2009, the Year 6 students will be accompanied on a three-day excursion to Canberra, where they will visit Parliament House and the Australian War Memorial as well as engaging in other important learning and enjoyable activities. All past participants have thoroughly enjoyed their camp experiences with the majority viewing these activities as the highlights of their primary school years.
