Principal's Message
We are already into Week 3, and it has been great to see how quickly the students have settled back in and gotten to work.
It has also been wonderful to welcome Ella and Alice to Bolinda Primary School this term. We are really pleased to have them join our community and begin their journey with us.
It’s been good to be back after I had Long Service Leave for six weeks. A sincere thank you to Anna Rapetti for overseeing the day-to-day running during that time, and to our staff, who continue to support one another so well. It is always reassuring to know that everything continues to run smoothly.
As always, we have a lot happening across the term. Please keep an eye on Compass and the newsletter to stay up to date with upcoming events and important information.
OSHC Update
We continue to make steady progress towards the establishment of our Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) program.
I received the good news this morning that our Child Care Subsidy application has now received final approval. This is a significant milestone and an important step forward in getting the service up and running.
At the same time, we have recently re-advertised the OSHC Coordinator position. As we’ve shared previously, the success of this program will come down to finding the right person to lead it. While this has meant a slower start than we had initially hoped, it is important to us that the program begins on a strong foundation.
We look forward to sharing further updates as things progress and are excited about what this will offer our community once up and running.
Prep 2027
Since returning to school, we’ve welcomed a large number of families through for tours, and it has been fantastic to see the level of interest in Bolinda Primary School for 2027.
There is a real sense of momentum at the moment. We’ve been actively promoting our school, and it’s clear that more and more families are taking the time to come and see what makes Bolinda such a special place. What continues to stand out is that once families walk through the school, they can how calm our school is.
If you know of any families with children starting school in 2027, we would love you to point them in our direction. There is nothing quite like seeing our school in action and experiencing firsthand what makes our community so special.
Junior Landcare
Our Junior Landcare program has been in full swing over the past few weeks, with students working together across the school to develop our new garden spaces.
With the generous support of the Lancefield Men’s Shed, we now have a number of raised planter boxes in place, and students have been learning about what is needed to give plants the best chance to grow.
So far, they have been building the foundations — starting with sticks and organic material, followed by mulch, and now soil. Each step has been a chance to understand how these layers work together to support healthy plant growth.
What has been great to see is the way students have approached the work. Across all year levels, there has been a willingness to get involved, help one another, and take pride in improving our school environment.
We’re looking forward to the next stage, where students will begin planting seeds and seedlings and seeing their efforts come to life.
Whole School Athletics
Our Whole School Athletics Day is coming up next Friday, May 8, and we’re looking forward to a great day of participation, effort, and fun across all year levels.
Students will take part in a range of events throughout the day, with a focus on getting involved, having a go, and supporting one another.
As always, families are very welcome to come along and be part of the day — whether that’s helping out or simply cheering on the students.
If the weather is not on our side, we will postpone the event to the following Friday.
We’re hoping for good conditions and a great day for everyone involved.
Rolling Facilities Evaluation
Our work with the Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA) as part of the Rolling Facilities Evaluation continues.
This process is an important opportunity for us to ensure that the condition of our buildings is clearly understood and that the needs of our school are accurately represented.
Over recent months, we have been working closely through this process, providing additional information and clarification where required. This includes ensuring that both the day-to-day realities of our spaces and longer-term considerations are well documented.
While this is a detailed and ongoing process, it plays an important role in informing future planning and potential upgrades.
We will continue to engage with the VSBA and keep our community informed as things progress.
ANZAC Day
Our school marked ANZAC Day with a whole school service led by our student leaders, who did an outstanding job.
They led the service with care and respect, and it was pleasing to see the way the entire school engaged. The level of respect shown by our students throughout the service was a credit to them.
On Saturday, our school leaders also represented Bolinda Primary School at the Romsey-Lancefield RSL service at the Lancefield Cenotaph.
They supported the service by handing out programs, assisting with the laying of wreaths, and reading two verses of a poem in front of a large crowd. They represented the school with confidence and respect, and we were very proud of the way they conducted themselves.