Principal's Report 

Welcome Back

Welcome back to Term 2. We hope our Bimbadeen families have enjoyed a lovely break over the school holidays. We have an exciting term ahead with lots of excursions, our Foundation BBQ, Open Night and a further return to normalcy at school.

Last week we sent out information to our families about changes to COVID protocols that are now in place for Term 2. These allow for parents and carers to attend school events, cohorts of students to work together, and wearing masks is no longer a requirement (although students and staff who would like to continue wearing a mask are more than welcome to do so).

There are no vaccination requirements in place for parents and carers to visit the school for events, meetings, interviews, etc. However, if parents and carers are volunteering in a role working directly with staff and/or students (such as attending an excursion, helping in the classroom or listening to students read) DET guidelines require them to be triple vaccinated. Parents and carers who would like to volunteer and contribute to the school who do not meet these requirements will have opportunities to be involved in events not directly working with students. We really value having members of our community involved with the school and we will find ways to make this work.

The rules for staff and students who are Household Close Contacts have also changed. Close Contacts will still be able to attend school if they are symptom free, however parents and carers will need to notify the school that they are a close contact and they will be required to complete 5 RATs over the course of the 7 days (one each morning before they attend school), and wear a mask at school if they are 8 or older.

ANZAC Service

Our annual ANZAC service was held on Friday 29 April and was once again a highlight of the school year. While we had prepared for an outdoor ceremony with parents and carers in attendance, the inclement weather forced us to move the ceremony inside. We had several special guests attend the ceremony including Ms Bridget Vallence MP - Member for Evelyn, Mr Bill Dobson - President Lilydale RSL, Mr Bill Dunkley - trumpet player with the Croydon City Band, Mooroolbark College Principal, Ann Stratford, and Mooroolbark College Captains, Hayley Knight and Jackson Addicott. We were incredibly proud of the respect and honour that our students demonstrated during the service. The service included readings and stories from our school captains and house captains. The special ANZAC song, written by our own music teacher Mrs Lynne Burt, is also a highlight as the choir and percussion group lead the school in singing the words of the catchy chorus; 

“We remember, we remember,

A legend not of victory but courage under fire.

We remember, we remember,

Gallipoli on ANZAC Day.”

Our ANZAC service is always a proud moment for our school as the respect shown by all the children is amazing as they listen attentively and stand completely quiet for the minute's silence. Thank you to all who came along and helped to make it a special event and to the children who brought along family medals or other mementos to honour the ANZACs.

Thank you to our students and community members who once again, supported the Lilydale RSL ANZAC Appeal through the purchase of commemorative merchandise. We are very happy to share that our school ANZAC Appeal raised the highest amount from all schools in the Lilydale area. Thank you to all community members who contributed to this worthwhile cause.

Happy Mother’s Day

Happy Mother’s Day to the wonderful mothers and special friends in our Bimbadeen community for this Sunday. On behalf of the students and staff at BHPS, we would like to express our heartfelt thanks for everything you do to support your children to be the best they can be, to strive to reach their goals and to fulfil their potential. Thank you for your contributions to our school and to the wider community and thank you for being you! 

While Mother’s Day is traditionally a day of celebration, it can also be a challenging time for some of our community members. We want you to know that you have been especially in our thoughts at this time, and we are sending you a giant hug as we acknowledge the mothers who are no longer with us and those with whom we are unable to celebrate. 

We hope you all enjoy a lovely day on Sunday including some special time with the important people in your lives.

While we have been unable to hold a Mother's Day Stall this year, we would like to express a big thank you to Amelia Laird, our Art Teacher, who has worked tirelessly with our students during their Art classes, and our Classroom Teachers who have supported our students in the classroom over the first two weeks of term to prepare a very special surprise for our Bimbadeen mums. We hope you enjoy your special gift, made with love.

A special Mothers' Day Gift will be brought home by your child this week, to share with their mum or special friend this weekend.

Open Night

We warmly invite our Bimbadeen families and prospective families along to the school for Open Night on Wednesday 25th May. Classrooms will be open from 5:30pm to 7pm, with fun maths activities to complete in classrooms across the school. 

Please see the Open Night flyer in this newsletter and the advertisement board at the front of the school for further information. We would love to see all Bimbadeen families attend our Open Night. 

We hope to see you there!

Morning Clubs are Back!

There has been a buzz in the school grounds each morning as we have welcomed back both our Active Club and Breakfast Club over the past two weeks. Active Club is run on Monday, Thursday, and Friday mornings from 8:30am on the running track, while Breakfast Club is run on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings from 8:15am in the Art room. 

We are very fortunate to have student volunteers from Mooroolbark Secondary College assisting with our Breakfast Club program this year. We encourage all students and their parents to come along and enjoy a session of physical activity or breakfast before school each day. 

Remaining Pupil Free Days for 2022

School Council had previously approved a Pupil Free Day for Wednesday 4 May, and that was rescheduled to Friday 24 June provide a Teacher Professional Practice Day for staff. This will be a student-free day and parents and carers will need to make other arrangements of their children on this day. OSHClub will be operating a whole day program for our families that require care. Please contact OSHClub directly to book your child into their service.

Teacher Professional Practice Days are part of the current Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA) negotiations between unions and the Department of Education and Training (DET). DET has recommended the following:

The department recently reached an in-principle agreement with unions, as bargaining representatives of employees in the Victorian Teaching Service, on a proposed replacement enterprise agreement that will apply to teaching service employees (eligible employees).

If approved, teachers will be entitled to 3 professional practice days in 2022, starting in Term 2, 2022.

For Term 2, 2022 only, the department recommends schools hold their first professional practice day on the same day for all staff. Schools are not required to do this, but, where this will support effective and efficient use of the day and alleviate any workforce pressures, schools can take up this option.

This Teacher Professional Practice Day replaces the previously scheduled student-free day for our school. The remaining student Free days that have already been scheduled for 2022 include:

• Friday 27 May (Term 2)
• Friday 24 June (Term 2)
• Date TBC (Term 3)
• Tuesday 23 August (Term 3)
• Friday 28 October (Term 4)

Victorian School Nursing Program (Primary)

Jody Daff, a Visiting Primary School Nurse from the Department of Education and Training, will be attending the school to conduct Foundation student health screening assessments and to see children in grades 1-6 as requested by teachers and parents and carers (only with parent or carer consent).

The purpose of the visit is to provide all Victorian school entry aged children with the opportunity to have a health screening assessment, to link children, families, and schools to services available in the community, and to provide information and advice about children’s health and wellbeing. 

Parents and carers are invited to contact the Visiting Primary School Nurse if there are any issues they wish to discuss; Jody’s contact number is 0412 081 846.

Parents and carers of students in grades 1-6, who request for their child to undertake a health screening assessment by the Visiting Primary School Nurse, must complete a Primary School Nursing Program Student Referral Form which is available at the school office. The completed Primary School Nursing Program Student Referral Form must be returned to the school office for collection by the Visiting School Nurse.

2022 Attitude to School Survey

Over the next few weeks students in Years 4, 5 and 6 will participate in the 2022 Attitude to School Survey. As in previous years, children will complete the 20-minute survey online during school hours using a purpose built secure online survey tool. The confidentiality of your child’s responses is protected at all times. 

It is important to note that we are not in any way ‘testing’ the children. We value student voice as a means to improving student engagement, wellbeing and quality instruction and are conducting the survey to find out what your child thinks of our school. 

The Attitudes to School Survey is an annual student survey offered by the Department of Education and Training to assist schools in gaining an understanding of students' perceptions and experience of school. We will use the survey results to plan programs and activities to improve your child's schooling experience.

The survey results will be reported back to the school at the end of term 2. All survey data that is made available in reports are for groups of students only so that no individual student can be identified.

A letter with further information about the 2022 Attitude to School Survey has been sent home with students in Years 4, 5 and 6.

2022 NAPLAN

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) for Years 3 and 5 students will be held over the next two weeks. NAPLAN tests assess student knowledge and skills in Writing, Reading, Language Conventions (spelling, grammar, and punctuation) and Numeracy. The results of the tests provide information for students, parents/carers, teachers, and principals which can be used to improve student achievement. Student’s personal NAPLAN reports will be sent home to parents/carers later in the year, usually around September. 

Each year it is of concern for teachers as we notice that some children become highly anxious about these tests. We work hard to ensure that children are well prepared for these tests and that every child does their best, however we know that the results of this test do not define them as a learner and certainly don’t define them as worthwhile individuals. The NAPLAN test is just a snapshot of their learning. We certainly do not over-emphasise the importance of these tests and we certainly do not believe that NAPLAN results are the most important measure of success of our school. 

A letter with further information about the 2022 NAPLAN has been sent home with students in Years 3 and 5.

2023 Foundation Enrolments

Enrolments are open for Foundation in 2023. We encourage prospective parents to complete an online tour via the school website where you can learn about our wonderful school and meet our staff and students. Prospective families can also attend an in-person tour where we can show you our wonderful school and answer any questions you might have or discuss your child’s individual needs. 

Parents/carers of 2023 Foundation students are encouraged to submit their enrolment form as soon as possible, but no later than the state-wide Foundation enrolment due date of 12 August 2022. We will be notifying parents/carers of their child’s Foundation placement at Bimbadeen Heights PS by 26 August 2022.

Completed enrolment forms can be returned to the school:

• directly, by dropping enrolment forms and additional documentation into the school office
• via post to Bimbadeen Heights Primary School, 118 Hayrick Lane, Mooroolbark 3138
• via email to bimbadeen.heights.ps@education.vic.gov.au (please scan and send all sides of the enrolment form, including additional documentation).

We hope you enjoy a fantastic weekend.

Adele Gregson and Sabrina George