Welcome to Byron Bay High School ~ The ultimate guide to our school in 2024 ~

Our school website - your best friend!

Everything you need to know about our school!

The Byron Bay High School website is a wonderful resource for new families and will answer many of the questions you might have in the first few weeks at our school. To find upcoming event dates, access the school calendar, past newsletters, assessment publications, links to forms and information about our daily procedures, please check out our Byron Bay High School website first. You'll be surprised how much information is online!

Below are some links to our website with important information you will need. Please click through each point to become acquainted with all the 'need to know' information:

• absences
• excursions
• illness at school
• late arrivals
• leaving early
• library times
• school map
• sport
• student wellbeing
• uniforms
• virtual tour

On our website's Home page you will also find direct links to information that is relevant to your child's Year group:

• Year Advisor's name and contact details
• BBHS Essential guide
• Workbooks and essential materials
• Assessment handbooks and calendars
• Subject selections and elective course handbooks

Our TOP 3 TIPS to make your BBHS journey simpler!

We've put together our top 3 tips for parents to help answer some of the most frequently asked questions.

1. Absent? Reply to the sms

When your child is absent or late to school, please wait for the ‘absence sms’ that we will send you around 11am. Unless you have urgent information, there is no need to call or email the school office to let us know - simply reply to the sms with a reason why your child is away from school and your response will be automatically entered into our Attendance system.

If your child will be away for more than 5 school days for travel, please ensure you submit an Application for Extended Leave - Travel form at least 1 week prior to departure.

2. Leaving early? Send in a handwritten note before 9 am

If your child needs to leave school early for any reason, write us a short handwritten note stating their name, the leaving time, a detailed reason why and who will be picking them up. Your child will present the note to the Office before 9 am and a Leaver Slip will be generated. Then, at the designated pick up time your child can leave their classroom and meet you at the car!

3. Check your emails! All consent and payments are done online

All communications from us will be emailed to you. Please keep a regular eye on your inbox. For all school fees, excursions and sporting events you will be emailed an easy online consent and payment link.

2024 Bell times

Timetables

Our school's day is organised on a 5 period, 7-day rotating timetable. If you aren't sure what timetabled day of the week it is, you can find this information on our school calendar.

Your child's timetable is very important. It tells them what classes they have each day - where they need to be and when. By looking at their timetable they can work out what books or equipment they need to bring to school each day. Your child's timetable will also show them the names of their teachers they have for each subject.

When students lose their timetable it can cause them undue anxiety. They can miss out on vital learning in the classroom as they try to find out where they should be. It's important that your child stores a printout of their timetable in a secure location in their bag, diary and/or locker.

Student timetables are available for viewing online through their Department of Education Student Portal, in the 'Edval' tab. This can be done before school from home or in the school Library whilst at school.

What can students do if they have lost their timetable?

If your child can not find their timetable we encourage them to independantly:

• Visit their Year Advisor in their faculty staffroom to request another printout.
• Log in to their Student Portal and access the online version through the 'Edval' tab (they can do this at home or in the school Library - Library staff are on-hand to assist if they have any questions).
• Visit the timetable checking screen on the counter in the Office. Students will need to scan their student card to access this service independently.

NOTE: Due to the morning workload at the counters, our office staff CAN NOT help your child access another copy of their timetable before the bell goes. It is recommended that students have a look at (and print out where possible) their timetable online before coming to school.

Student cards

Early in Term 1, each student is given a new Student ID card. This plastic card has the Byron Bay High School logo, the student's name and their photo on it. New students are issued with their cards a couple of weeks after they start. Each card costs $5 and is billed to your Statement of Account.

It is important that students bring their card to school each day. They are encouraged to store the card securely in a wallet or a pocket in their bag.

Students use their card to:

• Prove that they are an enrolled student at Byron Bay High School (some transport and travel providers require this proof)
• Sign in at the school office when they are late
• Check their timetable at the kiosk in the office
• Sign into the Library and borrow books

If your child loses their Student ID card, they can order a replacement card through the school Office with a payment of $5.

Mobile Phone Policy

In line with the new statewide NSW Department of Education policy, all student mobile phones must be switched off and in their bags before they enter the school gates.

“Off and away for the whole day! Mobile phones must remain off and out of sight for the entire school day.”

Any phone seen out during the day (including Recess and Lunch breaks) will be have to be handed in to a Deputy Principal (DP) and collected at the end of the day. This also includes any electronic devices and earpieces which students use to listen to music. Parents/carers will receive an email advising them if their child has breached the Mobile Phone/Electronic Device Policy.

Refusal to hand in a mobile/electronic device to the Deputy Principal when requested will result in the student being placed on a Deputy Principal Monitoring Card and the student will be required to hand in their phone each morning to their Deputy Principal until the Monitoring Card has been completed.

PLEASE NOTE: Students will need to bring a physical EFTPOS/credit card or cash to use at the canteen. The canteen will not accept cards on a mobile phone.

We appreciate that parents and caregivers may need to contact their child throughout the day and we kindly ask that this communication be made through the school Office by phoning 6685 8188 or emailing byronbay-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au

For more information about the BBHS Mobile Phone Policy please refer to the document linked below:

Uniforms

School uniforms are available from School Locker located at the Harvey Norman Home Maker Centre, 26 Boeing Avenue, Ballina.

Be sure to label all uniform items when you get them home! We can not return lost items to your child if they do not have a name on them.

Our uniform colours are white, teal and navy blue.

Books and essential materials lists

We have put together a list of the books and stationery items that your child will need for each of their subjects. You can find these lists on the Whole school information page on our website:

Book and stationery packs are available to purchase online through Dolphin Office Choice

For your convenience, the workbooks and essential stationery items needed for all Year groups can be purchased online through Dolphin Office Choice via the link provided below:

If you are accessing the Dolphin Office Choice Booklists on your phone, please see the instructions below:

Bring your own Device (BYOD)

Here at BBHS we have a number of laptop banks, devices and dedicated computer rooms for student's to use whilst at school.

However, we do also support students who wish to bring their own laptop. If you plan to go shopping, please take the following details to your place of purchase.

Laptop Minimum System Requirements

School Locker in Ballina also sell laptops and technology:

How do we communicate with parents?

Byron Bay High School uses a variety of platforms to communicate with our families. We have compiled a guide below so you know what to keep an eye on.

Email

When we need to send parents and carers important school information it will always be via email

All school updates and online permission notes for excursions/sporting events will be emailed to you from noreply@mail.schoolbytes.education

Please check your inbox daily for emails from us. Also ensure that the email address noreply@mail.schoolbytes.education is marked as a 'safe sender' in your email browser... so our messages don't end up in your 'junk box'!

PLEASE NOTE: In the first instance, our School Bytes communication system will always send emails to the email address provided on your child's enrolment form for Parent/Carer 1. If this email address changes at any time, or you would like us to add in an additional address for Parent/Carer 2 please contact our school office to let us know and we will manually enter in this address.

INTERNATIONAL EMAIL ADDRESSES: Unfortunately our communication system does not recognise or send to international email addresses. If you have provided us with an international email address on your child's enrolment form, please contact our school office to provide an alternate address.

Byron Breeze online newsletter

A weekly update on what's happening at our school

Each week we will email you a link to our latest Byron Breeze newsletter. This weekly newsletter contains current information about what's happening at Byron Bay High School. In the Byron Breeze you will find key dates for your diary, updates about school events and celebrations of student's achievements.

You can also find our Byron Breeze newsletters on our school website and Facebook page.

Facebook

'Byron Bay High School Official' Facebook page

Like us on Facebook today for a little bit of fun and some important bits'n'pieces too! On this page we will often post important school information, reminders about upcoming school events and celebration of student achievements.

Excursions and activities

Please check your emails regularly so that your child doesn't miss out on an event

All information regarding excursions and sporting events will be emailed to you from our School Bytes Event Management system.

To avoid your child missing out on important excursions, please ensure you check your email inbox regularly and action your consent and payment before the due date. The event portal will always close 2 days prior to the excursion to allow us to finalise staffing, buses, medical information and rolls.

Some sports and excursions have limited spots and fill up fast! To avoid disappointment please read and action your emails daily! You are able to add excursion events to your calendar, or print them for your fridge using the blue icons at the top of the online permission form.

If you give online consent for your child to attend an excursion please have a conversation with them, so they know that they are attending.

PLEASE NOTE: Unfortunately over the telephone payments are not available via the school office for security reasons - all payments are processed either online or via cash/cheque/card at the school office.

The School Bytes Parent Finance Portal

Our School Bytes Parent Finance Portal is available for you to easily track your Statement of Account. Parents and carers can visit the portal at any time to make a payment online, view payment history and track your credit.

Once your child commences at Byron Bay High School you are able to register for the Parent Finance Portal.

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Lockers

Student lockers are available to hire for $10 per year, depending on availability. Please email the school at byronbay-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au to add your child's name to the Locker Waiting List.

Please make sure you include your child's name and their Year group when emailing us.

School buses

Students who live beyond a 2km radius from the school can apply for a bus pass online. All applications are made through the Transport NSW website (see links provided below).

If you need information regarding bus timetables please contact the local bus company in your area:

• CDCNSW (formerly Blanch's & Brunswick Valley Coaches) - 6686 2144
• Northern Rivers Buslines - 6626 1499
• Ballina Buslines - 6686 3666

Click here for more information about travelling to school on buses, bikes, scooters and skateboards:

Bus passes

Access the Transport for NSW webpage here:

Other important things you need to know

Permission to Publish

Byron Bay High School often publishes student achievements online; in our school newsletter, on our Facebook page and school website. Students photos might also appear in school publications and handbooks.

On the last page of your child's enrolment form you have the choice of ticking 'I give permission' or 'I do not give permission' to allowing the school and department to publish photos and basic details of your child online. This is called 'Permission to Publish'.

You can change your child's Permission to Publish status at any time by emailing our school office.

The information published online may include your child’s first name and last initial, Year group, plus information collected at school such as photographs, sound and visual recordings of your child, your child’s work and expressions of opinion (quotes or interviews).

We ask that you please discuss your decision regarding Permission to Publish with your child. Often students are not aware that their parents/carers have chosen 'no' and they do not understand why they can not appear in a photo with their peers.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please be aware that students with 'no' Permission to Publish will NOT be included in the Whole Year Group school photo taken each year. Your child will receive an individual photo only. We ask that you are aware of this when ordering your photos from the photography company.

For more information about the Department of Education's Permission to Publish policy, please visit:

Keeping your details current

Have you changed your email address, home/postal address or phone number since you filled in your child's enrolment form? Has your family situation changed? Are your emergency contacts still current? Remember to keep us in the loop if any of your family details change!

In the event of illness or an emergency it’s vital we have up to date contact details so we can reach you quickly. You can notify us easily in writing of all changes by filling in our Change of details form on the 'Whole school information' page on our website and returning it to our school office.

Printouts of this form are also available at the school office on request.

Wednesday Sport

Wednesday sport runs for the duration of each term and is a compulsory part of the Byron Bay High School curriculum for students in Year 7 to Year 10. There will be plenty of support on hand as our new students navigate this process.

On Wednesday's, Sport finishes at 3:10 pm, in time for students to catch their usual buses home.

All Sport selections take place online. Links are emailed to the student's school email account towards the end of each term.

The Sports Selection process:

• At the beginning of Term 1 (or at the end of Terms 2, 3 & 4), your child will receive a list of the available sports for the new term, including their location and cost. Please have a conversation with your child about their choices prior to the selection portal opening.
• On the day the Sports Selection Portal becomes live, students will receive an email with a link to the Portal. The email will be sent to their Department of Education (DoE) school email inbox - they can access this from home by logging into the DoE Student Portal. The Sports Selection Portal link always becomes live from 8 pm.
• Students will select 2 preferences and submit their choices.
• Some sports have maximum capacities and as they fill up, they will drop off the selection menu.
• Computers will be available at school for students who cannot access a phone/computer/internet from home.
• Students will be advised of the date and time that the Sports Selection link will close.
• Any student who does not select a sport online by the deadline will have a sport chosen for them by the Sports Coordinator.
• In the days after the Sports Selections Portal closes, our Office will send parents a sport confirmation email - including a payment and consent link for parents to complete.

There are loads of great sports to choose from so we encourage students to pick something they enjoy or even try something new - but they need to get in quick as some sports are very popular!