KINGYSPIRIT Newsletter

PRINCIPAL’S COLUMN

Parent Engagement Survey In the second year of our new school plan, we are focusing on reviewing and aligning our school processes to better capture the excellent work happening across the school and to share these best practices within all classrooms. A parent engagement survey has been sent to all families, consisting of 10 brief questions designed to gather your feedback on our progress and any changes you would like to see.  You can access the survey via your email.   Open Night Thank you to all students, prospective students and family members who participated in our Open Night event.  We were delighted by the large turnout and the opportunity to engage with our community.  A special thank you goes to our staff for organising such wonderful activities and exhibits.  Attendees received valuable information about our exclusive 2027 programs, including Extension classes, Sports Excellence, STEM Academy, as well as other learning and external opportunities offered at Kingscliff High School.  More information will be provided in the coming weeks and can also be found on our website.  For parents, the most important step at this time is to respond to the 2027 Expression of Interest emails sent by our partner primary schools, ensuring that Kingscliff High School is listed as your number one preference. https://kingscliff-h.schools.nsw.gov.au/about-us/stories-and-highlights   North Coast Swimming Top Performing School After dominating at the Far North Coast level, our students advanced to compete in the North Coast swimming championships, which included schools from as far south as Forster and up to the Queensland border. Once again, our swimming team delivered outstanding performances, with Kingscliff High School finishing as the top-achieving school by nearly 100 points ahead of the closest competitor.  We wish all our athletes the best of luck as they prepare to compete at the NSW CHS Swimming Championships at SOPAC in April.   Attendance As we approach the Easter break, it is essential that your child attends school every day. School provides the optimal environment not only for learning but also for building social connections and developing lifelong skills.   We understand that families may wish to reconnect with loved ones, enjoy a well-deserved break, or avoid peak travel times. However, please remember that any planned travel should occur only during scheduled school holidays.   Students are expected to attend school each day throughout the term, unless they are unwell or have a valid reason for absence.   Regular school attendance offers numerous benefits, including enhanced learning opportunities, strengthened social relationships, and improved wellbeing through access to support and quality education.   Year 7 2026 Camp We warmly welcome back our Year 7 group from camp, tired yet inspired by their experiences. The videos and photos shared on our social media truly capture the bonds formed and the skills developed beyond the classroom.  Despite challenging weather conditions, these experiences have only served to strengthen those connections.  We extend our sincere thanks to all the staff who participated and to the families for their support in sending their children to this valuable opportunity. NAPLAN – this week - 16-20 March 2026  Kingscliff High School was fortunate to schedule our NAPLAN start for this week, thereby avoiding the online technical issues that affected many schools last week. Year 7 students will sit their exams during Period 1 each day, followed by Year 9 students later in the day.  Each testing session will involve only one exam component to ensure a smooth and focused experience.    Pinnacle Program / Year 7 Extension Class  Thank you to everyone who participated in our Pinnacle/Extension Class information session held during Open Night. We plan to offer an additional information session early next term for those who are interested but were unable to attend. We are proud to be one of only 20 schools across the state selected to participate in the Department of Education’s HPGE Extension Class pilot program for 2027 enrolments. Useful links related to the program can be found below.  https://kingscliff-h.schools.nsw.gov.au/learning-and-support/pinnacle-program  https://kingscliff-h.schools.nsw.gov.au/learning-and-support/year-7-extension-class    Harmony Week 16-20 March  The SRC warmly invites the Kingscliff High School community to join in celebrating Harmony Week from Monday 16 March to Friday 20 March.  To kick off the week, students were encouraged to wear orange mufti on 16 March in support of cultural diversity and inclusiveness.  On Friday 20 March, a free pancake breakfast will be held from 8:00 am to bring everyone together in celebration.  Additionally, a range of Harmony Week activities will take place during lunchtime (Break 2) in the Library from Monday through Thursday, providing engaging opportunities for students to learn and connect.    National Close the Gap Day – 19 March   At Kingscliff High School, we recognise and value our established and meaningful partnerships between our school, the Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (AECG), and the broader community. These collaborations are essential in improving lifelong outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and families. On National Close the Gap Day, held on 19 March, we reflect on the importance of genuine partnership and shared decision-making to ensure Aboriginal voices shape the education and support they receive.    E-Bike Safety Program  The majority of our students ride their e-bikes safely within the community. To support this responsible behaviour, Kingscliff High School has introduced an E-Bike safety program that combines identification plates with an online safety course, helping to promote accountability while students travel to and from school. This initiative also helps distinguish students who demonstrate safe riding practices.    Safety remains our top priority. As part of the program, students will complete a self-paced online module covering NSW e-bike laws, safe riding techniques, and a brief quiz. Upon successful completion, families may purchase an official KHS e-bike identification plate on SchoolBytes. This is available on our school website now.     From the start of Term 2 2026, only e-bikes displaying the official plate will be permitted to be parked on school grounds. Students without a plate will have their e-bike secured until they are able to be collected.    If required, support for students to complete the program will be provided during Sport on Wednesday 25 March and Wednesday 1 April.    Parents and carers are responsible for ensuring their child’s e-bike meets NSW road rules and safety requirements.    Information was emailed to parents and carers last week, a copy of which is also included in this week’s newsletter.     Parent Teacher Night – Tuesday 28 April   We have rescheduled our Parent Teacher interviews to Tuesday 28 April to ensure we can offer the most meaningful feedback to families.  This decision was made in consideration of the timing of senior students’ assessments, with most Year 11 and Year 12 exams and tasks scheduled across the final weeks of Term 1.  By moving the interviews, teachers will have the opportunity to thoroughly mark these assessments and provide parents with comprehensive and accurate information regarding their child’s progress.  This adjustment supports our commitment to effective communication and helps families make informed decisions in partnership with the school.    Year 12 Half Yearly Exams (Weeks 9 & 10) – 26 March-2 April  A copy of the upcoming Year 12 Half Yearly Exams schedule is included in this newsletter.     Aboriginal Education Officer Yarn up  Kingscliff High School is currently recruiting for an Aboriginal Education Officer.  The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Recruitment Division is hosting an online Yarn Up to share information about the role and the application process on Tuesday 17 March 2026 at 2:30pm.   Please refer to the flyer attached to this newsletter for more details and how to join online.   Please feel free to share with anyone in the community who may be interested.    Wishing all of our school community a great week.    Damien Borg  Principal     

GENERAL NEWS

VIRTUAL STEM ACADEMY - APPLICATIONS CLOSING

NSW Virtual STEM Academy is a unique opportunity for students to participate in unique lessons once a week with a specialist online NSW STEM Enrichment Teacher and students from across regional NSW. Courses range from Science specialisations in physics, chemistry, biology and forensics, to artificial intelligence, electronic microcontrollers (Arduino), sport science and Food Technology. If students missed the Friday cut off to apply, they can see Mr Wiggins, Head Teacher Industrial Arts by no later than close of business Monday 16 March to nominate their name to apply for a course and to obtain a course prospectus. Applications will be submitted by Wednesday 18 March. If you have any further questions regarding NSW Virtual STEM Academy please feel free to contact Mr Wiggins, Industrial Arts Secondary STEM Project Officer, Coastal Academy of STEM Excellence (Kingscliff High School).

FREE PANCAKES

ABORIGINAL EDUCATION OFFICER YARN UP

Kingscliff High School is currently recruiting for the substantive Aboriginal Education Officer position. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Recruitment Division is hosting an online Yarn Up where you can hear more about the role and how to apply. The Yarn Up will be held online at 2:30pm on Tuesday 17 March.  Please see the attached flyer for more information and details how to join. Please feel free to share this with anyone in the community who may be interested.

BEYOND BRONCOS WORKSHOP