Principal's Reports

Wellbeing & Engagement Animal - Owen!

Dear Parents and Carers,

We are pleased to inform you that Bunyip Primary School has introduced a wellbeing and engagement dog as part of our commitment to supporting the social and emotional development of our students.

Our wellbeing dog, Owen, is an (almost) two-year-old Golden Retriever owned by Alexandra Lewis, our Learning Specialist. Owen is undergoing formal training to become a certified school support dog and has already demonstrated a natural affinity for working with children.

Research indicates that the presence of a wellbeing dog in educational settings can offer numerous benefits, including:

• Reduction in stress and anxiety levels
• Enhancement of physical and emotional wellbeing
• Improvement in self-esteem, empathy, and interpersonal skills
• Facilitation of relationship building and social cue recognition
• Increase in attendance rates, particularly among students at risk of disengagement

At Bunyip Primary School, Owen's involvement includes:

• Supporting students primarily in the Science Room
• Spending time in classrooms as he progresses through his training
• Greeting families in the school yard before school
• Participating in walks during recess and lunch breaks
• Visiting the OSHC Club regularly

Students have the opportunity to engage with Owen through activities such as:

• Petting and hugging
• Speaking and reading to him
• Practising basic training commands
• Walking with him under supervision 

Our program aligns with the Department of Education and Training's "Animals – Wellbeing and Engagement" policy, ensuring that all interactions with Owen are conducted safely and ethically. 

We are committed to keeping you informed and welcome any queries, concerns, or feedback regarding this initiative. If you have a preference for your child not to be involved in this initiative please feel free to contact the school via email. 

bunyip.ps@education.vic.gov.au

Warm regards,

Jenny Dowsett 

Sports Tops Mondays:

School Council would like to encourage all students to wear their teams sports top on Mondays, whether their team wins or loses. As a Carlton supporter, I'm very excited by this option. Students are not limited to which sport they support in the wearing of their team's top, but they are limited to Mondays only and tops only. Students should wear a t-shirt under any tops that are singlet style. Supporting your team only includes the top, the rest of school uniform must be worn.

Preventing Racism in Schools:

At Bunyip Primary School we value the diversity of culture, ethnicity, and faith of all our students. Everyone is welcome at our school.

Celebrating the diversity of our community makes us stronger, kinder and more innovative. We are committed to making sure that students from all backgrounds feel accepted, supported and able to learn.

We teach all students according to our school values and teach the respectful relationships framework. This includes education around diversity and inclusion.

To achieve our values and aims, everyone at Bunyip Primary School plays an important role.

This week, we have reminded students of our values of Respect, Responsibility and Resilience and the importance of using these in everything we do. 

To help us make Bunyip Primary School a place where everyone feels welcome, respected and supported, we encourage you to also speak to your child about these values, as well as the importance of:

• understanding that we celebrate diversity and multicultural inclusion
• understanding the importance of everyone at school being treated with respect.

For more information, please see Racism: talking with children and teens, Raising Children Network.

We expect families to also display our school values when dealing with other members of our school community.

After School Supervision:

We love that our school community enjoys using our facilities and spending time together with other families after school. Can I please ask that you support us by ensuring your children still follow school expectations even after the bell has gone. This includes: footballs to be used on the football oval, using playground equipment safely, staying out of the trees and gardens and keeping our feet off the tables and seats. Thank you for your support.

Parent Teacher Interviews:

All parents should have received access to their child's school report yesterday. We have scheduled parent teacher interviews for early term 3 to allow further discussion about your child's report. We encourage all parents to attend these interviews. Interviews will be held on Tuesday the 12th of August and Tuesday 19th August 2.30pm - 5.30pm. A link will be sent out on compass at the start of next term to book a time. Specialist teachers will make appointments for any families they need to speak to.

Sandpit Toys:

A huge thank you to the families that have been quietly donating sandpit toys for the students to use. The sandpit is one of our students' favourite places to play and the toys have provided extra enjoyment.

Lost Property:

The school holidays are a great time to check that all of your child's school clothes are clearly labelled with their name. If your child has a pre-loved and pre-labelled school jumper, I would encourage you to re-label it with your child's name. The amount of lost property continues to be a whole school issue and I would encourage families to reinforce the need for their child to be responsible for their school items. If they left wearing a school jumper, please ensure they return with their school jumper.