Engagement & Wellbeing

Student Principal For a Day Competition

In recognition of Principal’s Day, on Friday 2 August (the end of next week) we are giving one student a chance to see what it’s like to be a principal and become Student Principal for a Day! 

This is a fantastic opportunity to step into the shoes of Mr Conlan and shadow him for the day, develop leadership skills, and make a positive impact on our school community.

It’s open to all students and any interested students will need to submit an application (no more than one A4 page), explaining why they would like to be the Student Principal for a Day. Our principal team (Mr Conlan, Mrs Phillips and Mrs Sullivan) will then select the lucky candidate based on creativity, an idea or opportunity they can see for our school and enthusiasm for the role. 

Good luck to all of the students who apply!

Bringing Trading Cards to School (Footy cards, Pokémon cards, etc.)

We would like to remind everyone that while students are welcome to bring trading cards (e.g., footy cards, Pokémon cards) to school, they do so at their own risk. Unfortunately, we have had incidents of cards being lost or damaged, leading to disappointment and frustration.

Also, please remember that trading or swapping cards at school is not allowed. This rule helps prevent conflict and keeps things fair and fun for everyone. 

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

Guess the Jelly Beans in the Jar Competition

A huge thank you to everyone who entered our “Guess the Jellybeans in the Jar” competition! We had two jars: a large one for students and a smaller one for staff.

Congratulations to our winners:

• Emily W (Year 3) with a near-perfect guess of 372 jellybeans (the actual count was 373)!
• Gaye Murphy (ES staff) who guessed exactly 166 jellybeans!

Although not everyone could win, your participation helped us raise $268.20 for the Type 1 Diabetes Foundation. Your contributions support families living with Type 1 Diabetes, and for that, you are all heroes!

A special shoutout to Mia in Year 5 and her mum Cassie for their fantastic organisation of this event.

School Volunteers 

Working With Children’s Check (WWCC) Reminder

Please remember that to volunteer in classrooms, attend excursions or camps all parents and carers require a valid Working with Children Check on file at school. 

WWCC are valid for 5 years and are free for volunteers to apply for.  You can apply, renew and check your existing status by visiting https://www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/ .

We regularly  encourage volunteers in classrooms and on excursions. Even if it is not something you have previously considered, it can be useful to have and we encourage you to apply. 

Once your card arrives, bring it to the school office where the staff will take a copy and add you to our WWCC register.  

Volunteer Child Safe Reminder:

• All volunteers at Buninyong PS are required to be familiar with our policies and procedures relating to child safety and understand the important role they play in maintaining and promoting the safety of our students.
• Volunteers must read the suite of policies and procedures in the links below before commencing any work where children are likely to be present.
• Buninyong Primary School is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children. We want children attending our school to be safe, happy and respected.
• We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where diversity is supported and students feel safe to bring their whole selves to school.
• Allegations and concerns relating to the safety and wellbeing of our school community will be treated very seriously and consistently with our policies and procedures.
•  We are committed to preventing child abuse, identifying risks early and removing and reducing these risks.
• Everyone has a role to ensure children are safe – if something doesn’t feel right, speak up. If you have any concerns about any inappropriate behaviours in the school community you should speak to the Principal or Assistant Principal. If this would not be appropriate in the circumstances, you can contact the Ballarat Regional Office of the Department of Education and Training on 1300 338 691.
• All new volunteers must read and familiarise themselves with the following documents. Please click on the hyperlinks to access each document. They are also available on our website www.buninyongps.edu.au. If you would prefer a hard copy of this pack, please contact the team in the office who will happily provide you with one.
• Buninyong Primary School Volunteers Policy
• Buninyong Primary School Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy
• Buninyong Primary School Child Safety Responding and Reporting Obligations Policy and Procedures
• Buninyong Primary School Child Safety Code of Conduct
• PROTECT: Four Critical Actions for Schools – Responding to incidents, disclosures and suspicions of child abuse
• PROTECT: Identify child abuse

Bunjil Awards

Congratulations to the following students who received a Specialist Bunjil Award at last week’s assembly. 

Bunjil awards recognise student achievement and those who display our school values of being respectful, responsible and kind.

Well done! All of our recipients enjoyed a hot chocolate or zooper dooper with a principal.