From the (Acting) Principal's Desk

Welcome back to Term Two! I hope everyone had a restful break and enjoyed some special time with family and friends.

It has been wonderful to see our students return with energy and enthusiasm, ready to embrace a new term of learning and growth. Across our Junior and Senior Campuses, there is a real sense of excitement for the weeks ahead.

This term brings many opportunities for students and families to engage in both learning and community activities, including:

• National Simultaneous Storytime – where we’ll join students across Australia to enjoy a shared reading experience.
• Mother’s Day High Tea and Stall – a special celebration to honour the wonderful mothers, special carers, and family members in our students’ lives.
• School Photo Day – a chance to capture precious memories as our students continue to grow.
• NAIDOC Week activities – a time to recognise and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures, and achievements.
• Senior Years Careers Day and All Abilities Soccer Gala Day – exciting events that support our senior students' development and community participation.

We are also pleased to share that Parent Hub sessions are now running at both our Junior and Senior Campuses. At Junior Campus (1–19 Parkside Drive) and Senior Campus (2 Verney Road), families are warmly invited to drop in, enjoy a coffee or tea, connect with other families, and network with our wonderful staff and broader community. 

Sessions are held twice weekly (at Junior Campus) and once weekly at Senior campus from 9:00-10:00am - we encourage you to come along, whether it’s for a quick visit or a longer stay!

Please remember that Seesaw remains our primary communication platform for updates, event reminders, and celebrating student learning. Be sure to keep an eye on Seesaw for all the latest news throughout the term.

Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership. We are looking forward to another fantastic term ahead - full of learning, connection, and celebration.

Jesse Whittaker

Principal

Banmira Specialist School

2025 Student Attitudes to School Survey - Information for Families

From Monday 12th May to Friday 6th June 2025, students at Banmira Specialist School who are Grade 4 age and older will be invited to participate in the annual Student Attitudes to School Survey (AtoSS). 

This survey, coordinated by the Department of Education, gathers valuable feedback about students' experiences with school life, learning, wellbeing, relationships, and more.

Participation is voluntary, and students can skip questions or withdraw from the survey at any time. Survey responses are confidential and help our school plan programs and activities to improve student engagement and wellbeing.

If you do not wish for your child to participate, please email banmira.ss@education.vic.gov.au before Monday 12th May 2025. 

For more information about the survey, please visit the Department of Education’s website or speak to Kylie (Assistant Principal- Junior Campus) or Dan (Assistant Principal- Senior Campus).

ANZAC Day attended by Banmira Specialist School

Mother's Day 

The Mother's Day Stalls will be held next week. This year we will run one at Junior Campus and one at Senior Campus. 

Please see the flyers in the Junior and Senior Campus News sections of the newsletter for more information.

We will also be holding Mother's Day High Tea's at both Campuses:

• Junior Campus

  Friday 9th May 10:00am - 11:00am

   

• Senior Campus

  Friday 9th May 11:30am - 12:30pm

  NO HOT FOOD ORDERS ON THIS DAY

Further details to be provided soon.

CSEF

Camps, Sports & Excursions Fund (CSEF): The CSEF is an annual payment paid to the school, to be allocated towards camps, sports and/or excursion expenses for the benefit of the eligible student.  If you are the holder of a concession card such as a Pension Card or Health Care Card, you may be eligible for CSEF.

    The annual CSEF amount per student is as follows:

• Primary school student rate: $154 per year

• Secondary School student rate: $256 per year

If you believe that you qualify for this payment, please contact the office for further information.