From the Principal's Desk

What a fortnight it has been at Banmira! From our four-yearly School Review to Halloween celebrations across both campuses, there has been plenty happening as we approach the halfway point of Term Four.

Before sharing some of the highlights, there is one particularly important reminder for all families.

Important Reminder: A Four-Day Weekend!

This Monday 2 November is a STUDENT FREE DAY, while the majority of our staff take their required Time in Lieu following their involvement in school camps and after-school programs.

Tuesday 3 November is the Melbourne Cup Public Holiday, meaning students will return to school on Wednesday 4 November.

We hope everyone enjoys a fantastic long weekend! Stay safe, take care and make the most of this little mid-term opportunity to recharge before another busy few weeks at Banmira.

Arabic Translation | العربية

تذكير مهم: عطلة نهاية أسبوع طويلة لمدة أربعة أيام!

يوم الاثنين 2 نوفمبر هو يوم بدون طلاب، حيث سيأخذ معظم موظفي المدرسة إجازة تعويضية مستحقة عن الوقت الإضافي الذي عملوا فيه خلال المخيمات المدرسية والأنشطة التي أُقيمت بعد ساعات الدوام المدرسي.

ويوم الثلاثاء 3 نوفمبر عطلة رسمية بمناسبة سباق كأس ملبورن، وسيعود الطلاب إلى المدرسة يوم الأربعاء 4 نوفمبر.

نتمنى لجميع عائلاتنا عطلة طويلة رائعة! حافظوا على سلامتكم، واعتنوا بأنفسكم، واستفيدوا من هذه الفرصة القصيرة للراحة وتجديد النشاط في منتصف الفصل الدراسي، قبل الأسابيع الحافلة القادمة في مدرسة بانميرا.

Our School Review: Celebrating Success and Planning Our Future

On Monday and Tuesday this week, Banmira completed our four-yearly School Review, an important milestone in reflecting on our progress and establishing the directions that will guide our school over the next four years.

Across both campuses, our Review Panel visited classrooms to observe teaching and learning in action and met with a range of focus groups, including students, parents and carers, Teachers, Education Support Staff, our Allied Health, Wellbeing and Inclusion teams, Leading Teachers, Learning Specialists and our Inclusion Outreach Coach.

It was an enormous two days, providing a wonderful opportunity to showcase the incredible work happening across Banmira, celebrate the progress we have made and have some important conversations about where we go next.

One of the most valuable parts of the review was the opportunity to reflect on what makes our school special, while also identifying how we can continue to strengthen the quality of education and support we provide to every student.

Our priorities for the next four years centre around four key areas:

• Using student learning data more effectively: Strengthening how our staff assess, understand and use information about student progress to ensure teaching is targeted to what each learner needs next.
• Strengthening teaching and learning practices: Building greater collaboration between staff through curriculum planning, classroom observations, professional feedback and opportunities to learn from one another.
• Improving coordinated student support: Strengthening our school-wide systems for learning, wellbeing and inclusion so students receive the right support, at the right time, in a consistent and coordinated way.

• Expanding learning opportunities and pathways: Continuing to develop our curriculum, enrichment opportunities and senior pathways to ensure students have meaningful opportunities to learn, grow and prepare for life beyond school.

   

These directions are still being finalised through the review process, but they provide an exciting foundation for the next chapter of Banmira.

A sincere thank you to our students, families and staff who contributed to the review, particularly those who participated in focus groups and shared their experiences so openly. Your voices are an important part of shaping our future.

Halloween Fun Across Banmira!

There were plenty of spooky sights across both campuses today as our students and staff got into the Halloween spirit!

From creative costumes and classroom activities to parades and plenty of laughs, it was a fantastic opportunity to bring our school community together for a little fun.

A huge shout-out to our Student Voice Councils across both campuses, who helped organise the celebrations and bring their ideas to life.

Student Voice is such an important part of our school. Events like today provide wonderful opportunities for students to contribute ideas, make decisions, take on leadership responsibilities and help create the kind of school community they want to be part of.

It was fantastic to see their efforts enjoyed by so many students and staff!

Looking Forward: Senior Campus Art Exhibition

One of the events we're particularly excited about in the next fortnight is our Senior Campus Art Exhibition on Tuesday 17 November.

We warmly invite the families and friends of our Senior Campus students to join us between 3:30pm and 5:30pm for a wonderful celebration of creativity and artistic expression.

Throughout the year, our students have explored a range of artistic experiences, developing their creativity, expressing their individuality and producing some incredible pieces of work.

The exhibition will be a fantastic opportunity to see these creations on display, celebrate the talents of our students and recognise the wonderful work happening within our Arts programs.

We would love to see as many families and friends there as possible!

As we move further into Term Four, we also have plenty of significant milestones ahead, including our Year 12 Graduation, transition activities and our end-of-year celebrations.

Thank you, as always, to our students, families and staff for your continued support and partnership. With our School Review behind us and some exciting priorities beginning to take shape, there is plenty to celebrate about where Banmira has come from and even more to look forward to as we continue growing together.

Enjoy the long weekend, everyone, and we look forward to welcoming our students back on Wednesday!

Jesse Whittaker

Principal