THE 2023 SCHOOL YEAR DRAWS TO A CLOSE

Despite this term being 12 weeks, it has been a challenge to fit everything in and the last few weeks have been particularly busy. Since last week’s newsletter we have finished off Parent Teacher Interviews and held the Meet Your Teacher session. Yesterday the Scotsburn Campus had it’s end of year concert. The staff and students did a brilliant job, and it was great to see lots of parents and other family members in attendance to support the kids. Well done to Kylie Smith who delivered a lovely speech on behalf of the parents.

Today will be action packed as it’s ‘moving day’. We’ll have a crew of staff and students moving teacher equipment and resources to the relevant rooms for 2024, and a separate crew moving student tables and chairs to meet requirements for next year. And then tonight we have Grade 6 Graduation. This will be taking place on the outdoor stage at the Buninyong Campus. This year’s grade 6s have been fantastic and we know they’ll have a wonderful time tonight.

Tomorrow morning we’ll hold the final assembly for 2023. As always, this will be a large event and we welcome all parents and extended family members to come along. The final assembly in December is a great opportunity to celebrate the year. In keeping with tradition, the assembly will conclude with a guard of honour for our grade 6s, as they make their way out to the oval before counting down and throwing their hats in the air and lots of signing tops. This is a really nice way of finishing off the year.

We’re really pleased with what we have been able to achieve at both campuses this year. Some key reflections include:

· We celebrated 150 years of education at our Buninyong Campus. On September 1 everyone was invited to come along in costume from any era over the past 150 years and we marked the occasion with an assembly, followed by a costume parade and then a day of activities that helped students understand how school functioned in years gone by. We had lots of past students and staff look through a memorabilia display and attend an evening function in the Bowling Club. We used the occasion to seek help from the community to find photos and other memorabilia, which was very successful. We also captured history by interviewing past students and staff and by relocating the original school bell to the office foyer, where it will feature for many years to come. Overall, the event was a huge success.

We held a fete for the first time since 2019. We had beautiful weather, and an enormous crowd enjoyed the food, along with the many stalls and activities.
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) was introduced as a specialist subject, which the students have thoroughly enjoyed.
The Buninyong Playgroup relocated to our school site, giving us the opportunity to make connections with families well before they start school.
We ran our first ever Colour Run. This was a huge success, with everyone having loads of fun whilst raising close to $19,000. Largely these funds were used to fund our participation in EBT (Energy Breakthrough). Our VOTS Team have decided to spend the remaining funds on the purchase of soccer goal posts for the Buninyong Campus.
We got loads of use out of the new kitchen at the Scotsburn Campus and the newish kitchen at the Buninyong Campus. It has been fabulous to see joy on the faces of the many children that have been involved in cooking programs.
A feature of our school is the range of opportunities our students have to engage with extra-curricular activities. This year has been no exception, with students involved with Energy Breakthrough, Victorian State School Spectacular, a school disco, grade 3-4 & 5-6 Camps, a Japanese Day, Grandparents & Special Friends Day, the Young Authors Program, Sleep Overs, the Grade 6 GRIP Leadership Conference in Melbourne, the Bulldogs Read Program, the Victorian High Achievers Program and a load of interschool sports. There is something for everyone that is willing to give things a try.

As this year draws to a close, we look forward to some exciting developments coming in 2024. These include:

The expansion of STEM as a specialist subject at both campuses, meaning all classes will receive a weekly 60 STEM session.
The introduction of Scholarship Programs and other improvements funded through the Coxall Family Scholarship Fund. This will provide a number of students with opportunities not normally available in primary schools.
Our first school concert since 2018. We know this be the highlight of the year for many of our students. This will be held from August 28-30.
The return of our trips to Japan. Our last trip was in 2019 and we are very much looking forward to resuming this tradition next year.

A big thank you to everyone for your contribution to our school in 2023. We know this comes in many forms and hope you understand this is appreciated. Good luck to all of our grade 6s and others moving on and we hope you will have fond memories of your involvement with Buninyong PS.

We also wish all the best to staff that are moving on, those being Mitch Walsh, Shauna Muller Trudy Coles, Sally Evans, Kelly Hiscock, Jodie Hogan, and Erin Dexter.

We wish you all a merry Christmas and happy new year and we look forward to doing this all again in 2024.

The Ready, Set, Grow (RSG) team concluded its inaugural year with a vibrant potato harvest, joined by special guests from Buninyong Community Bank, Kelly, and Ian. The team's hard work throughout the year was evident as they showcased their achievements, including the establishment of new gardens and planting of diverse fruits and vegetables like cucumbers, capsicums, and strawberries. We would like to thank the Buninyong Community Bank for their crucial support and to the Friends of Buninyong Botanic Gardens, along with volunteers Dr. Jones, Maria, and Claire, whose dedication has been instrumental in supporting our students.

As the school year comes to an end, the RSG team expresses gratitude for the collaborative efforts that have shaped a successful program. The support from partners and volunteers has not only made a significant impact on the students' learning experiences but has been the highlight of the school year.

PARENT CONTRIBUTIONS

A document outlining financial contributions we are seeking from parents was sent home 2 weeks ago in hard copy form. If this hasn’t made it to you yet, please check your child’s bag. Please give the office a call if the contribution request form didn’t make it home.

As mentioned previously, as a public school, we rely heavily on parent contributions to provide your children with the resources and programs you expect and thank you in advance for this support. If you have any questions regarding financial contributions or would like to set up a payment plan, please contact our Business Manager, Trudy Coles by calling the general office.

ACCESS TO COMPASS FOR STUDENTS LEAVING OUR SCHOOL (including year 6)

Please note that Compass will automatically remove students who are not enrolled at Buninyong PS in 2024 at the end of the current school year.

This means that families will no longer have access to any information stored on Compass, such as school reports, beyond the end of this week. Please ensure you have downloaded or printed anything you wish to keep before the final day of school.

UNIFORM

Over the summer break, some parents will be purchasing items of uniform for their children. When doing so, please make sure the items you purchase fit our uniform policy (see our website for a copy).

In particular, please make sure your children have:

· Shorts that comply - that is, all black and without a visible logo. Not sports shorts please, which tend to be shorter than what is appropriate for school.

· Black school shoes, runners or boots.

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