Principal's comments

New Website

If you haven’t already visited our new website please take a look.  It is at the same address, www.bimbadeenheightsps.vic.edu.au but has a very different look and feel.  It has a very strong focus on providing people searching for a school with lots of information about who we are, what we do and how we are different to other schools in the area.  The drop-down menu for Current Parents includes the basic links and information that you will use to stay in touch with us, eg. a link to the Sentral Parent Portal, a link to our newsletter and notices, a link to the Uniform shop and Canteen for ordering.  Under the drop-down menu ‘The Bimbadeen Heights Difference’, you will find a tab ‘Meet The Teachers’, where you find all the staff along with our email addresses, a great way to communicate with the staff here.

There is also a number of online tours that anyone can register for and over a few weeks they will get a link to a video every few days of teachers, students or parents speaking about Bimbadeen.  The new website has only been online for a few weeks and already we have had many online requests to book personal school tours and many others who have registered for the online tours.  Please take a few minutes to check it out and register for the online tours.  I’m sure you will be pleased with what you see. 

Building Project Update

In the past couple of weeks the brick walls and cladding are over half-way finished and we expect plaster on the internal walls next week.  It really is starting to come together and if we stand on our toes and squint we can see the finish line of this building project!  At this week’s Project Site Meeting, it was stated that they expect we will be moving into the new building early in Term 3.

Parking, Traffic Management & Active Travel

Please continue to be ultra-cautious and safe around our school at drop-off and pick-up times.   Also remember to be courteous and respectful.  I had another report last week from a neighbour who reported that their driveway was blocked and they couldn’t get out.  I’m sure you can imagine how frustrating that would be. 

Remember, if you want to avoid the traffic congestion, use active travel.  Walk with your children, get them to walk with friends, follow the ‘Free Range Kids’ walking routes identified by yellow chicken feet painted on the footpaths, or park a few blocks away from the school and walk the rest of the way.  The children will be exercised,  socialised and much more ready to learn when they get to school and you wont have to deal with potential traffic infringement notices, or other hazards related to trying to drop your child off at the front gate.

Celebrate Mooroolbark Festival

On Saturday March 23rd  we will be involved at the Celebrate Mooroolbark Festival again.  Our school is represented at this event each year with children performing in the talent quest, entering the various competitions or participating in the parade.  If you are visiting the festival in a  couple of weeks time please call past the Bimbadeen Heights tent and say hello to show your support for our school. 

Lilydale District Primary School Athletic Sports

Over the next couple of Thursdays we will have Year 3 – 6 children competing in the annual Lilydale District Primary Schools Sports Association athletics carnival at the Croydon Athletics track.  This is a very big organisational achievement and thanks goes to the team of PE teachers and others who pull it all together.  Thanks also to the many parent helpers who will help to marshal groups of children around on the day.  The Year 5/6 carnival is on Thursday March 14, with the Year 3/4 carnival the following Thursday, March 21.  We wish all of our students the very best of luck and am sure that they will do us proud.

Sentral App

If you have not yet registered for the Sentral App I encourage you to please do this.  Sentral is our primary data management system and is where parents notify the school of student absences, access attendance data, and receive important notifications.   The App will send messages directly to parents phones without the need of going to the Parent Portal.  Please download the Sentral App and follow the instructions on how to register and log-in. 

If you have any problems with this please don’t hesitate to speak to our Sentral co-ordinator Melinda Ruscitti.  (The best way is to email her at ruscitti.melinda.m@edumail.vic.gov.au)  We would love every parent to have this app on their phones as it will make staying in touch with the school so much easier.

Classroom Parent Helpers Program

On Monday evening this week Mrs Liz Nicholson, our literacy leader, along with Annie Rountree and Michelle Franks, ran the Classroom Parent Helpers program.  Over 20  parents completed this program that not only gave them some good strategies to help their own children with their reading and learning, they are now able to help out in the classroom and provide help to the teacher and other children.   If there is sufficient demand further evening programs will be offered later in the year.

Special Guest required for our ANZAC Service

On the last school day before ANZAC day we always hold a special whole school ANZAC ceremony here at 2:00PM. (Wednesday April 24 this year, the second day of Term 2.) This is one of the most memorable school assemblies that we hold at Bimbadeen each year and it always makes us proud to see the children showing such respect and learning about this important part of Australia’s history.  It is a formal service but one that is very age-appropriate with an educative purpose.  We strive to have a special guest speaker, preferably a returned Serviceman or woman who we usually access through the RSL.  We would love to have a suitable member of our school community or a relative who would be able to come along and speak to the children at this service for no more than 5 minutes.  If you know of a suitable person who would be prepared to be a part of our service could you please let me or Garry Fowler know by the end of term. 

Final-Leigh:  

"You cannot force someone to comprehend a message that they are not ready to receive. Still, you must never underestimate the power of planting a seed."