Mental Health in Primary Schools

Today, I had my first session with the Mental Health in Primary Schools (MHiPS) trainers. This important initiative is supported by the Department of Education and is based on research from the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in partnership with the University of Melbourne. It is designed to strengthen how we support the mental health and wellbeing of our students, helping to create a safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environment where every child can thrive.

The MHiPS initiative focuses on building the capacity of schools to identify and respond to the mental health needs of students early, ensuring that wellbeing is supported alongside academic growth.

You’ll notice a new section in our newsletter titled "Mental Health & Wellbeing." This will be a dedicated space where we share updates, resources, and information about the initiative and how it is being embedded into our school community.

We’re excited about the positive impact this initiative will have and look forward to working together to support the wellbeing of every student at our school.

New Toilets

While the students have been eagerly the opening of the new toilets, we have identifed a few items that need to be fixed before we're confident that the children can use them but we can’t wait for them to see the finished result.

We’re still working out the details of how we’ll mark the opening of our new toilets, but we’re confident the children will come up with a creative way to celebrate. While we’re not yet certain when they’ll be ready for use, we hope the children will soon come home with some exciting news to share about their brand-new facilities.

Thanks for being so patient while we work through this process.

School Flags

We’re excited to share that a long-awaited project has now been completed—our third flagpole is officially in place!

At the end of 2023, we applied for a $2,000 grant to install an additional flagpole, and we were thrilled to be successful. Finding the right pole proved to be a challenge, as the style of our original two is no longer made. But in the end, we decided that what mattered most was flying the flags, and we moved ahead with sourcing and installing a suitable third flagpole.

To mark the occasion, our Year 6 students proudly raised the flags in front of the entire school during a small flag-raising ceremony. With all three flags now flying, the front of the school looks a bit more colourful—and we’re a lot prouder!

School Review

Every four years, all Victorian government schools take part in a School Review—a valuable process that helps us reflect on our progress, celebrate our successes, and set clear goals for the future. This review is led by an external Department of Education (DET) appointed reviewer and involves input from a range of people, including staff, students, parents, and external experts.

The review helps us focus on continuous improvement, ensuring that every student, no matter their background or circumstances, has the best opportunities to learn and thrive. It also reinforces that every school—including ours—can always keep growing and improving.

At Bolinda Primary School, we welcome this process and see it as a fantastic opportunity to:

Involve the whole school community, including parents, in discussions about our strengths and areas for growth
Gather insights from staff, students, and external experts to guide our next steps
Look closely at key data, including teaching and learning outcomes, student engagement and wellbeing, school policies, and financial planning
Visit classrooms to see learning in action
Celebrate what we’re doing well while also identifying ways we can improve

Our School Review will take place in Term 4, and at the end of this process, we will develop our School Strategic Plan (SSP), which sets our direction for the next four years. Following the review, our website and key documents will be updated to include:

Reports on student learning and academic progress
Results from surveys of students, parents, and staff
School policies that are reviewed as part of this process

We are excited to take part in this review and continue our journey of improvement. If you have any questions or would like to know more, please feel free to contact us.

School Council

We’re looking for two family members to join our School Council this year. This is a great opportunity to get involved in the school, help shape decisions, and support our students.

No experience is needed—just a willingness to work with others and do what’s best for our school community.

Meetings are held from 6:00–7:00pm on the following dates:

March 6, May 8, June 19, August 7, September 4, October 23, and December 4.

If you’re interested, nomination forms are available at the school office or can be sent home with your child. Forms need to be completed and returned by Friday, February 28.

Just call or email us if you’d like a hard copy sent home.

Being part of the School Council is a fantastic way to have a say in what happens at Bolinda Primary. It’s a chance to make a difference, meet new people, and be involved in decisions that help shape the future of our school.

If you’ve ever thought about getting more involved, now’s the time. We’d love to have more families on board and look forward to welcoming new members.

Ranges Music Network