Principal Report

Welcome to Term 4 

What a huge term we have ahead of us, with so many exciting activities and events. From our Production, The Amazing Adventures of Superstan to the 70th year Celebration, the Colour Run and the swimming program. What a term! 

2026 news 

As you are now all aware this is my last term as Principal of Boroondara Park PS. As I wrote in my Compass post I have been in public education for almost 40 years and it is with absolute pride that I celebrate working in eight school communities, as a classroom teacher, an art teacher, a leading teacher, a curriculum consultant, an assistant principal and as a principal in two schools. 

As a member of Boroondara Park PS I feel pride in the daily endeavours of our staff and students. Each year there are so many amazing students to learn with and support. Building relationships with students has been key to all I have done in education. As a member of the Department of Education I have been involved in networks and always found opportunities to support the growth of those I have worked with. 

The power of education is seen day to day as students build their skills and knowledge but more importantly as they grow as thinkers, engaged in their learning and being their best selves, confident to pursue their passions in life. 

When I think back on my career it is filled with memories of students and staff. 

Next year I am going to spend one day a week with a two year old – we will read books, learn words and play – what better way to spend a day. I will spend time concentrating on my health and wellbeing. I am looking forward to an exciting Term 4 filled with time in classrooms and teaching. 

The Department of Education will advertise the principal position at Boroondara Park PS this term, with the aim of having a new principal in place from the start of the 2026 school year. 

What do you want to share about your child? 

You will have as we move well into the planning for 2026 we would like to give you the opportunity to provide information about your child. We ask you to tell us about your child's social, emotional and learning needs. This is not an opportunity to pick a teacher for your child; it is not policy of the school that parents get input into which grade their child is placed into. We are proud of the strengths of all of our teachers and know they would each provide a learning environment that would suit various students.

Parents have until Tuesday October 21st to complete the google form providing information to be taken into consideration.

Dear Ms Lowe 2026

Production Tickets 

We are excited about our production The Adventures of SuperStan on November 10th. 

Based on parent feedback from the last production, this year our production is on one night only. Ms Zoe spent hours looking for a venue which would meet our needs. The Round in Nunawading has a capacity of 626 seats and will be a ticketed event with allocated seats. We want a full audience, and we also want all families to have the opportunity to attend. 

For the first two weeks families will be able to purchase 2 tickets. After this more tickets will be released – as it is a ticketed event extra tickets will mean you are not sitting together.

You will need to provide the name of your students at the time of booking (please include the names of all of your children attending BPPS) and this information will be provided to the school to monitor sales and ticketing rules. School will be contacting families if there has been difficulty with the ticketing rules. 

A reminder you do not have to purchase a ticket for your student as they will be in the production and will be on stage or in the Studio throughout the evening. 

The tickets are currently on sale. Booking details – The Amazing Adventures of Superstan 

We look forward to seeing everyone on the night. 

Respectful Relationships

As part of our whole school approach to strengthening student wellbeing and mental health, we continue to plan for successful implementation of programs, initiatives and approaches including Respectful Relationships. 

Respectful Relationships is a mandated Department of Education initiative and is part of our whole school approach to wellbeing at Boroondara Park Primary School.  

Respectful Relationships education is a core component of the Victorian Curriculum from Foundation to Year 12 in all Government Schools. The Royal Commission into Family Violence in 2016 identified the critical role that schools and early childhood education have in creating a culture of respect to change the story of family violence for future generations. 

Everyone in our community deserves to be respected, valued and treated equally. We know that changes in attitudes and behaviours can be achieved when positive attitudes, behaviours and equality are embedded in our education settings. 

In the primary years, Respectful Relationships is taught as part of the Health and Physical Education and Personal and Social Capability areas of the Victorian Curriculum. The curriculum supports schools to promote and model respect, positive attitudes and behaviours. It teaches our students how to build healthy relationships, resilience and confidence. 

These age appropriate and evidence-based materials are designed to enable teachers to develop student’s social and emotional capabilities to promote positive, healthy and respectful relationships. 

This term we are focusing on Topic 7: Gender Norms and Stereotypes, and Topic 8:  Positive Gender Relationships. In these topics, the relationship resources provide an age-appropriate and research-informed approach to teaching about the ways gender norms can lead to harmful or limiting outcomes. 

Topic 7: Gender Norms and Stereotypes

Activities within this topic area will assist students to:

• Reflect on the influence of gender norms and stereotypes
• analyse the impact of peer and adult actions in maintaining or changing contemporary gender norms
• develop an awareness of the impact of gender norms on attitudes and behaviours, developing an appreciation and respect for difference  
• identify the standards and association actions that underpin respectful gender relations
• develop awareness of the ways that gender stereotypes in media and literacy influence gender norms

Topic 8:  Positive Gender Relationships

Activities within this topic area will assist students to:

• develop an understanding of the negative impacts of gender-based violence
• identify and normalise behaviours that demonstrate respect and recognition of the rights of others within interpersonal relationships
• develop an understanding of the positive impact of respectful gender relationships
• explore the relationship between negative gender norms and acceptance of gender-based violence

During the year, teachers engage in professional learning and collaborative team work in delivering the Respectful Relationships curriculum, in particular, around the topics teaching of topics 7 and 8. This assists in identify best practice in teaching the curriculum when the content can be challenging to deliver. 

For further information contact Kristen Schultz, Wellbeing Learning Specialist or visit the Respectful Relationships site: https://www.vic.gov.au/respectful-relationships

\

Colour Run

We hope everyone has the Colour Run in the calendar - Friday December 5th 

Celebrate and support diverse learners 

October 2025 is Dyslexia Awareness Month and ADHD Awareness Month and 17 October is Developmental Language Disorder Day. 

It’s a great opportunity to learn more about these conditions and how we can support diverse learners in school and at home. 

About diverse learners

Diverse learners include students with characteristics of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, developmental language disorder (DLD) and learning difficulties such as dyslexia.

Our school is committed to inclusive education where all learners are supported by evidenced-based teaching practices, which are essential for diverse learners.

Diverse Learners Hub

The Department of Education’s Diverse Learners Hub provides evidence-based guidance and resources for teachers and families on how to support diverse learners. The hub’s website includes: 

• information about supporting students with language difficulties, including DLD 
• information for parents about learning difficulties, including dyslexia
• resources developed by the department’s partner, Monash University’s All Play Learn team, including: 
  • parent resources 
  • why some children have trouble sitting or staying focused 
  • primary students with ADHD 
  • secondary students with ADHD.

Video case studies

These video case studies may be of interest to you. They feature schools that have exemplary practices in supporting diverse learners. The videos show how: 

• Bentleigh West Primary School uses evidence-based explicit teaching to support students with learning difficulties 
• Mansfield Secondary College supports secondary students with learning difficulties 
• Roxburgh College supports students with language difficulties.

Are you leaving Boroondara Park at the end of 2025? 

Are you moving house? Are you moving interstate? Are you moving overseas? If you know your child is not returing to BPPS in 2026 please let us know by filling in this google form. 

Leaving BPPS 

Thunderstorm Asthma - be prepared this pollen season

Grass pollen season, which typically runs from October to December each year in Victoria, brings an increase in asthma and hay fever symptoms. It also increases the risk of thunderstorm asthma. For people with asthma or hay fever, especially those who experience wheezing or coughing with their hay fever, thunderstorm asthma can be sudden, serious and even life threatening.

Boroondara Park PS will implement a range of measures to keep our school community safe as the risk of thunderstorm asthma increases. 

Many of our staff are trained in asthma first aid. We will monitor the Vic Emergency app to receive thunderstorm warnings and, where appropriate, keep students indoors when weather forecasts identify greater risk.

During the season, there are some things you can do to prepare and protect yourself and your family:

• If your child has ever had asthma, talk to your doctor about what you can do to help protect them from the risk of thunderstorm asthma this pollen season, including updating your asthma action plan. Taking an asthma preventer properly and regularly is key to preventing asthma, including thunderstorm asthma.
• If your child has hay fever, see your pharmacist or doctor for a hay fever treatment plan and check if you should have an asthma reliever puffer. These are available from a pharmacy without a prescription.
• If your child has hay fever and experiences wheezing and coughing, it is important to make sure they don’t also have asthma. Speak to your doctor about an asthma action plan.
• Where possible, avoid being outside during thunderstorms from October to December, especially during the wind gusts that come before the storm. Go inside and close your doors and windows. If you have your air conditioning on, turn it to ‘recirculate’.

Protect yourself this pollen season – managing asthma and allergies matters.

Find out more For more information, speak to your doctor. You can also refer to the Better Health Channel website. This website can be opened in a variety of languages. 

Share your views to help make our school safer 

The Department of Education is inviting parents and carers to take part in an online survey.

The survey seeks views on how the department can best protect school communities from harmful behaviour by parents and carers, and other adults:

• on school grounds and other places school activities happen
• online including social media.

Harmful behaviours can include abusive, aggressive and disruptive behaviours, including on social media platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp. 

The survey will help the department:

• better understand community attitudes around this issue
• seek input on whether stronger protections are needed for school communities.

The survey closes at 11:59 pm on Monday 10 November 2025.

At Boroondara Park PS, we are committed to creating a safe and supportive environment for the entire school community. We support ongoing efforts to address harmful behaviour by adult members of our school community, including online. 

I encourage you to share your views by taking part in the survey. 

To access the survey, refer to Keeping school staff safe onsite and online on the Engage Victoria website. 

School Community Safety Order Scheme: statutory review

A report and recommendations from the statutory review of the School Community Safety Order Scheme are now available.

While the majority of parents and carers work well with schools to resolve concerns, sometimes there is harmful behaviour affecting our school staff and students. The scheme allows principals and other authorised persons in Victorian schools to make School Community Safety Orders to stop or limit parents, carers and other adults who behave in harmful, threatening or abusive ways towards people in the school community. 

For more information on the review, refer to Independent statutory review into the School Community Safety Order Scheme. 

For more information on the scheme, refer to the School Community Safety Orders webpage.

Respectful behaviours in the school community

For more information on the shared roles of parents, carers and school staff in creating a positive environment for learning, refer to the department’s Respectful Behaviours within the School Community Policy webpage.

Student Scholarships 

The Department of Education administers a range of scholarships on behalf of various trusts. The scholarships are available to students currently enrolled in Grade 4 to Year 11, and students enrolled in Year 12 in 2025 who plan to begin tertiary studies in 2026. 

The details of scholarships are provided for your information. 

Smile Squad - free dental - reminder 

The Smile Squad team from health Ability are at our school. 

Smile Squad is the Victorian Government free school dental program. This means all students can get a free dental check-up, preventive services, and treatment at school.

How to access free dental care

We need your consent before we can provide services. Consent is usually provided by a parent or guardian.

Sign up to Smile Squad at: https://bit.ly/smilesquadvic 

OR use the below QR code:

Paper copies of the consent form are available at the office. The electronic consent form can be translated into more than 100 languages, and the paper form is currently available in 13 languages. 

Balwyn Blazers - Dribblers program 

Balwyn Blazers run a Dribblers Basketball program for children aged 5-9 years. The program is held at Balwyn High School and supports children to learn the basic skills of basketball in fun environment. Please see attached document for details. 

Interpreter service for calling the school 

This week we sent out information relating to an interpreter service you can use when calling the school. There is a simple step by step process to make a call to the school using a telephone interpreter.  

Volunteer induction and registration 

Thank you to those parents who have completed the induction and registration so they can volunteer at BPPS in 2025. 

A reminder - All volunteers must undertake the induction and register to be involved in school activities. 

Volunteer induction and registration

BPPS Facebook and Instagram

Don't forget to follow our social media accounts and see what is happening at school each day. Boroondara Park Primary School Facebook

Search @BoroondaraPark on Instagram to follow the school.