Byron Breeze tERM 2 | wEEK 3 2025

On Tuesday, all students will arrive at school and go to their timetabled Period 1 class for roll marking and general information about the day.

Come to school as normal

As the carnival is now at school, students will arrive in the morning and leave in the afternoon as normal.

If your child needs to leave early for any reason, our early leaver procedures still apply. Parents will need to come into the school office to sign their child out. Please DO NOT email or phone our office with requests - our staff will remind you that you will need to come in in person.

Food

There will be NO canteen facilities available at school on this day.

Students are advised to bring some food and plenty of water with them. If they wish to purchase food, our Year 12 students will be running their legendary BBQ fundraiser, with sausage sandwiches, snow cones, cakes and epic hot donuts available for purchase. Snow cones will be $3 each and donuts $5 each.

What to wear

Students can wear casual clothing suitable for participating in activities. We encourage them to have fun and dress in their House colours... the brighter the better!

We also remind students to bring a hat and sunscreen, no matter what the weather is like... and also a jumper in case the weather turns cool.

Other event details

Students will compete in the age group of the AGE THEY TURN THIS YEAR. Age groups range from 12–17+ years of age. Some events are restricted to certain age groups at Far North Coast level, however we run all events at our school carnival.

Any students wishing to nominate for the events that are not run at school but are run at NSWCHS State Athletics (2km Steeplechase, 200m Hurdles, 400m Hurdles, Pentathlon, 12-14 Years Girls 1500m Walk, 12-15 Years Boys 1500m Walk, 15-19 Years 3000m Walk) will need to nominate on the day and have evidence of qualifying times in these sanctioned events.

Parents are very welcome to attend the carnival. The Program of Events has been emailed to all parents/carers.

We are looking forward to a great carnival!

Mrs Kelley Caoyonan - Sports Organiser

Winter Arts Festival Showcase update

It is with a heavy heart that we announce, that due to the ongoing hall refurbishment, there will be no Winter Arts Festival Showcase this year.

However, fragments of the Winter Arts Festival Showcase, being our annual Art exhibition and Year 10 Drama performance, as well as the Senior Music performance evening, will still be happening in Week 9 this term. We will publish the dates and times for these events in next week’s Breeze.

The Art & Photography exhibition will be set up as per usual in the school office Administration block. It will showcase works from Year 7 to 11 Art and Year 11 Photography, in a variety of styles and mediums, including ceramics, painting and drawing.

The Year 10 Drama performance, ‘Can you Relate?’ is a group-devised work originally designed for and performed to a Year 6 audience, but is also open to community, friends and family members to view during this after-school performance. The play was created by our Year 10 Drama ensemble ‘SPOTT’ Project (Supporting Positive Outcomes Through Theatre) for local primary school students, to help them navigate various relationships they have in their lives such as friends, parents, online and their first crush.

The Senior Music evening will showcase performances from our Senior music students, in both solo and ensemble capacities, and will give the community the chance to hear the amazing works the Year 12s have been developing for their HSC.

There will be multiple opportunities to celebrate the creative and performing arts skills of Byron High students across all Year groups throughout the 2025 school year in events such as:

• The Massed Year 7 Choir recording - watch this space
• The Whole School Musical ‘Firebringer’ - in Weeks 4 and 5 of Term 4
• Year 12 Art Exhibition
• Lunchtime Music Sessions
• Battle of the Bands competition

Ms Simone Museth - Relieving Head Teacher CAPAL

Can your family host a Japanese student?

Seeking BBHS families to host Japanese students in Term 3

Families from our Byron Bay High School community are invited to express their interest in hosting a Japanese student from Okutama from Sunday 27 July to Wednesday 6 August. This would be a wonderful opportunity for your family to experience Japanese culture in your own home.

If you are interested in finding our more about this initiative please email Mr Humphreys through our school office: byronbay-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Student spotlight

After suffering a serious knee injury, Year 7 Byron Bay High School student Leihani Z faced a long road back to competition. With the support of the Surfing Australia High Performance Team, she committed to months of focused rehab, strength work, and recovery.

Check out the attached YouTube documentary that takes an honest look into Leihani and her recovery—the setbacks, the slow progress, and the unwavering drive to get back in the water.

Congratulations to Leihani! We look forward to following her achievements over the coming years.

Far North Coast Tennis Champions 2025

BBHS Open Boys team

Our Boys Open Tennis team delivered an outstanding performance this week, taking out the title at the Far North Coast CHS competition in South Tweed!

Displaying great tennis and excellent sportsmanship throughout the day, the team dominated their matches and only dropped 2 sets out of 16 games!

Congratulations to Che B W, Jude B, Marley C and Bjorn I-E on a well-earned victory!

Mrs Kelley Caoyonan - Sports Organiser, PDHPE teacher and Year 12 Year Advisor

Bill Turner interschools soccer tournament

U15 Boys Bill Turner Cup - Round 2

Last Friday, our U15s Boys produced a dominant performance against Evans River K-12 School in their Round 2 knockout fixture of the Bill Turner Cup.

Byron Bay High School defeated Evans River K-12 School, 10-nil

It was a joy to observe the agility and skill of our players, along with the ball being passed around the park with confidence and finesse. We had a number of goal scorers on this occasion - Jools, Tong, Ace, Lukah, Marlow, Trystan, and some of our younger players Seb, Rory and Oliver all getting on the score sheet.

Thanks to Evans River K-12 School for making the journey to play us; they never gave up and exhibited great sportsmanship!

We look forward to facing our next opponent in the knockout competition in Round 3.

Mr Harry Humphreys - PDHPE teacher

U15 Girls Bill Turner Trophy - Round 2

On Friday 9 May, we hosted the Round 2 game of the Bill Turner Trophy competition against the challenging Cape Byron Rudolf Steiner School team. Despite pouring rain and difficult conditions, the match was intense, with the score tied at 1-1 by halftime. Unfortunately, Cape Byron Rudolf Steiner managed to score in the 2nd half, leading to our elimination from the competition.

We are incredibly proud of our girls for their teamwork and effort throughout the game!

Well done team!

Miss Kirra Dale - PDHPE team

Year 6 to 7 Transition Program

Year 7 students visit our partner primary schools

This week, Byron Bay High School visited Year 6 students at our partner schools - Eureka Public School, Byron Bay Public School, Bangalow Public School, Newrybar Public School, and the Byron Bay Community School.

These visits gave students a great chance to learn what high school is like. They heard from current Year 7 students, and found out about the many subjects and experiences waiting for them in 2026.

A big thank you to our Year 7 students Clancy K, Hughie D, and Isaac F. They spoke proudly about their school and helped make the visits fun and welcoming.

Thank you also to our 2026 Year 7 Advisors, Sarah McGregor and Charlotte Connell, for supporting the visits and helping future students feel ready for high school.

We’re now excited to welcome the Year 6 students to Taster Lessons at Byron Bay High School, on Wednesday 21 May and Wednesday 28 May. These days will give students a chance to try out high school classes and meet some of their future teachers and classmates.

Byron Bay High School is proud to work closely with our local partner primary schools and we look forward to welcoming the Class of 2026! Please refer to the flyer below for the dates and times for those primary school's who will be participating:

Science news

Year 9 go from Byron Bay to Betelgeuse - A stellar visit

Our Year 9 Science students were treated to an unforgettable cosmic experience when local astronomer and astrophotographer Dylan O’Donnell visited the school to share his work from the Byron Bay Observatory — a state-of-the-art setup he operates from his own backyard right here in Byron Bay.

As part of their studies on the life cycle of stars, students from classes 9J and 9I were captivated by Dylan’s breathtaking imagery and expert insights, all captured and processed by him under the dark (and even light) skies of Byron Bay.

Dylan guided students on a virtual journey through space, showcasing the beauty and complexity of stellar evolution. From newborn stars forming in colourful nebulae, to the explosive end of a star’s life, his presentation brought classroom concepts to life. The entire journey took students from Byron Bay to Betelgeuse, the red supergiant on the brink of a supernova!

Mr Kai O'Connell - Head Teacher Science

HSIE news

The Vital Role of Flying Foxes - Guardians of Our Forests and Night Time Gardeners

Did you know that flying foxes—also known as fruit bats—are some of Australia’s most important pollinators? These amazing animals might seem noisy or a bit strange, but they actually play a huge role in keeping our forests healthy. Every night, they fly long distances to feed on nectar, pollen and fruit, and as they move from tree to tree, they spread seeds and pollen—helping new plants grow.

Flying foxes are especially important for trees like eucalyptus, melaleuca (paperbarks), banksias and corymbias. Without the bats, these trees would struggle to reproduce. And because flying foxes can travel up to 50 kilometres in one night, they help connect forests that are far apart, which is great for wildlife that depends on those trees.

Sadly, flying foxes are in trouble. They’re losing their homes and food because of land clearing and new buildings.

Climate change is also hitting them hard—heatwaves can kill thousands in a single day. They also get stuck in fruit tree netting, hit by cars, and sometimes harmed by people who don’t understand how important they are.

But here’s the good news - we can help!

One of the best ways to support flying foxes is by planting native trees that provide food all year round. Here are some great ones to plant if you live in Northern NSW:

• 🌳 Eucalyptus tereticornis (Forest Red Gum)
• 🌳 Corymbia maculata (Spotted Gum)
• 🌳 Eucalyptus robusta (Swamp Mahogany)
• 🌳 Melaleuca quinquenervia (Broad-leaved Paperbark)
• 🌳 Banksia integrifolia (Coast Banksia)
• 🌳 Syzygium australe (Brush Cherry)

By planting these species in schools, parks, backyards, and along streets, we can create more 'stepping stones' of habitat to help flying foxes feed and move across the landscape safely. Choosing wildlife-friendly netting, keeping pets away from roosting sites, and raising awareness in our communities are also key actions we can take.

Flying foxes may be noisy and sometimes misunderstood, but their nightly work keeps our forests alive and they are absolutely essential for the environment.

By helping them, we’re helping the forests—and ourselves. So next time you see one flying overhead at sunset, remember: that’s one of nature’s hardest workers out on the job!

Ms Michelle Lowe - HSIE teacher

English news

Writing competitions available for buddying young writers

There are some exciting opportunities available at the moment for students to enter their original writings. Students can submit a piece of work that they have already created at school.

We have had students win EVERY year (for the last few years) in the Byron Writers Festival competition. Students are encouraged to see their English teachers or consult their Google Classrooms for more details.

Year 10 news

Higher School Certificate (HSC) minimum standard

Information for Year 10 parents and carers

The introduction of the Higher School Certificate (HSC) minimum standard policy by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) means students in NSW need to demonstrate a minimum standard of literacy and numeracy to receive their Higher School Certificate (HSC) credential.

Year 10 students will sit the HSC minimum standard tests in the three domains of reading, writing and numeracy. The tests will be conducted within the Year 10 Preparing For Success (PFS) classes. Each online test is 45 minutes in length and is structured as follows:

• a multiple-choice test for reading
• a multiple-choice test for numeracy
• a test for writing (up to 500 words) based on a written or visual prompt

Students need to achieve a Level 3 or 4 in all 3 testing domains to achieve the HSC minimum standard. This means that students who demonstrate the standard have the basic functional skills used in everyday life, for work and further study.

If a student plans to leave school before completing the HSC, the minimum standard test results can be used to demonstrate their level of literacy and numeracy. There is no cost to sit for the tests.

Students have multiple opportunities each year to sit these online tests, from Year 10 until the end of Year 12. There are waiting periods between re-attempting each test.

Students will be supported by the school to meet the HSC minimum standard. There will be practice tests conducted at school and demonstration questions are also available online on the NESA website:

If your child has access to extra provisions for assessment tasks, they have also been offered for the HSC minimum standard tests.

Please access this link to the NESA website or contact Ms Leanne Croft, Curriculum Advisor for more information.

Year 12 news

Year 12 vs teachers volleyball showdown

The Battle Begins!

In the first showdown of our epic 5-part teachers vs Year 12 lunchtime sports series, the battleground was set... Volleyball.

The trash talk was flowing in the lead-up, and the vibe courtside was electric. With energy, agility, and a whole lot of youthful flair, Year 12 came out swinging and took the first set. It was looking like a student takeover!

But never count the teachers out ...

Once our joints warmed up and the competitive fire was lit, the staff brought the heat! Mr Schwagger was spiking like a pro, and Ms Trease broke out some splitz-worthy moves that had the crowd gasping. In a stunning comeback, Team Teacher snatched the win, taking the series lead 1–0.

Next stop... the Futsal court.

Bring your A-game, Year 12… the teachers aren’t done yet!

Mrs Kelley Caoyonan - Year 12 Year Advisor, Sports Organiser and PDHPE teacher

Year 12 fundraising raffle

Please buy tickets and support our Year 12 students!

With prizes donated from very generous local businesses from across the Northern Rivers, this raffle is NOT to be missed! All funds raised will go towards the Year 12 formal at the end of 2025, with the aim of creating an unforgettable experience for these young adults before they move off into the world.

Tickets are for sale in NSW and QLD and can be purchased here:

• Tickets are priced at $5 each, or
• 3 tickets for $12,
• 5 tickets for $20,
• 10 tickets for $35,
• 20 tickets for $65,
• 50 tickets for $125

The raffle will be drawn on 4 July 2025. We thank you for supporting Year 12 2025!

From the Careers Advisor

University Clinical Aptitude Test - UCAT

The UCAT (University Clinical Admissions Test) ANZ 2025 will take place from 1 July to 5 August, 2025.

This is an important exam for Year 12 students who are applying to Bachelor of Medical Studies, Doctor of Medicine, Bachelor of Dental Surgery, Bachelor of Oral Health, Bachelor of Dental Health Science, and some other medical science programs programs in Australia and New Zealand for the 2026 entry year.

Key dates for registration and other deadlines can be found on the UCAT ANZ website. Please refer to application cut off dates and costs:

NOTE: In general, UCAT is not required for admission to most veterinary medicine programs in Australia. However, there are some exceptions, such as the Joint Medical Program at the University of Newcastle and University of New England, which does require UCAT ANZ.

The Law Admission Test (LAT) - University of NSW

Prerequisite to law at UNSW

The on-time registration fee for the 2025 Law Admission Test (LAT) is $199 (GST inclusive). The registration fee covers online registration, materials required for the test and provision of test results. Late registration incurs an additional $55 fee.

UNSW is making changes to the admissions process for their Bachelor of Laws. 2025 will be the last year they offer the Law Admission Test (LAT) for entry into UNSW's Bachelor of Laws programs:

The LAT 2025 key dates are:

• Registrations open - Monday 12 May 2025
• Registrations close - Monday 11 August 2025
• Late registrations close - Monday, 8 September 2025

Early Offer Program - Southern Cross University

The Southern Cross University (SCU) Early Offer Program is now open for 2026 applications!

Do not hesitate to contact SCU if you'd like any further information about their Early Offer program on 1800 626 481. Applications close Tuesday 30 September. Byron Bay High School has organised for a SCU representative to attend the school later this term to answer any questions our students might have.

Other university early entry programs

Mr O'Connor also has early entry details for the following universities. Please contact the BBHS Careers Office for more details:

• University of Technology Sydney (UTS) – Early Entry Program
• University of Newcastle – Early Entry Program
• Western Sydney University – HSC True Reward
• University of Canberra – Early Offer Scheme
• UAC Schools Recommendation Scheme (SRS)

Thrive: Finishing School Well Study

Presentation at the BBHS P&C meeting - Tuesday 20 May

Representatives from the Western Sydney University -Transforming Early Education and Child Health Research Centre (TeEACH) will be attending our P&C meeting next Tuesday evening, from 7pm to outline a research project that is happening at Byron Bay High School, and in other school communities across New South Wales.

Research tells us that when young people feel like they belong at school, they feel good about who they are, feel connected with their peers, teachers and communities and feel safe to learn and do well at school.

TeEACH want to know what young people and their parents/carers feel young people need to develop a sense of belonging to their schools. Please consider coming along and finding out more about this important research study and how your family can take part:

• When - Tuesday 20 May, from 7 pm
• Where - Byron Bay High School Library

Winter uniforms reminder

With the cooler weather ahead, it's time to start sourcing appropriate uniform items