Principal's Message

It’s been a little while since our last newsletter, and in that time, so much has happened! We’re already at the end of Week 3, and there’s still a heap more to come this term — it’s going to be a busy and exciting finish to the year.

Please make sure to keep an eye on the school calendar, as there are plenty of events and activities coming up that you won’t want to miss.

A reminder that Monday 3rd November is a Common Professional Practice Day, which means no students are required at school on this day. Staff will be working together on planning and professional learning to ensure we continue to deliver the best programs for our students.

You might have also heard your child mention a Farm Visit — and it’s true! You’ll see an event pop up on Compass next week. We’ll be visiting Hollyburton Farm, home of Madelaine’s Egg Farm, just a couple of paddocks away from school. During STEM this term, students are exploring food production, and this visit will be a fantastic opportunity for them to see it all happening first-hand — from paddock to plate.

It’s shaping up to be another wonderful term at Bolinda, full of learning, community, and celebration as we head towards the end of the year.

Bendigo Divisional Athletics

On September 15, Owen and Peter proudly represented Bolinda Primary School at the Bendigo Divisional Athletics Competition, competing against students from schools across the division.

Peter took part in the 100m sprint for 12/13-year-olds, finishing 5th overall—a stunning achievement at this level. Owen competed in Discus against other 10-year-old students, earning an impressive 3rd place overall.

Both boys demonstrated fantastic effort, determination and sportsmanship throughout the day. We’re super proud of their achievements and the way they represented our school.

CFA Bonfire Night

What a night! It was incredible to see so many friendly faces at the CFA Bonfire Night last Saturday. Our school had a strong, vibrant presence in the heart of the community — and it was all thanks to the people who made it happen.

A huge shout-out to Alana and Libby, who drove this initiative. Their organisation and energy made everything possible, and we simply couldn’t have done it without them. Thank you to every family who donated ingredients, treats and time. These gestures make a huge difference for our school. 

Our thanks also go to Sharon, Donna and Katie, who gave mammoth efforts running the staff stall. The stalls were packed all evening (the burritos were a sell-out hit!) and the long lines said it all. Both stalls raised well over $800 each, which is an incredible result. But beyond the fundraising, what mattered most was being out in the community — connecting and celebrating what makes Bolinda special. 

New Fence

The new fence is up and fully enclosing our school grounds! While the change has taken a little time for everyone to get used to, staff are absolutely thrilled with the outcome.

The fence gives our school a secure and calm feel, ensuring that students, staff and families can enjoy peace of mind throughout the day. We’re still figuring out the final challenge — how to deal with those footballs that make daring escapes over the fence — but that’s a good problem to have!

We are also trialling locking the front (north) gate and the west gate across from the Bolinda Hall. We have many visitors who use the front entrance to access the school when they should be signing in at the office first. In addition, if students arrive late for any reason, they do need to be signed in at the front office before joining their class.

We hope this extra layer of security will help keep our staff and students safe.

Thank you to everyone who’s supported this long-awaited project and helped turn our plans for a safer, stronger school environment into reality.

New Garden

Our brand-new community garden is now installed, and our first seedlings are already in the ground.

This space isn’t just about plants — it’s about learning in action. Students are using the garden to explore where food comes from and how production starts, linking beautifully with our science and sustainability programs.

With the Food Cubes now set up, each class will continue adding new life to the garden over the coming weeks. Soon, the produce grown here will make its way into our Kitchen Garden program, where students will cook and share what they’ve helped to grow.

We have also been gifted a herb garden box that will be put to good use. This has been donated to the school by the Lancefield Men's Shed. We are in communication with them to see how we are able to work together in the future. 

Urgent Tree Works

This week, arborists carried out important priority tree works after a safety inspection found three trees in serious decay. While we never like removing trees, the safety of our students and staff always comes first.

Nothing will go to waste. The mulch created from the works will be used in our new front gardens, and the wood will be raffled off. We’ll also be re-planting new trees soon, ensuring that we continue to balance safety with sustainability.

School Review 

This week marked the conclusion of our three-day School Review, a process that happens every four years and helps schools reflect on their achievements and set goals for the next chapter.

Across the three days, our students displayed tremendous pride and confidence, speaking with clarity about their learning and their school. The review panel repeatedly noted how engaged and enthusiastic our students are — something we see every single day but were so proud to have recognised by others.

The review panel included our Senior Education Improvement Leader, two challenge partners, our School Council President, Kylie, and Anna and myself. Together, we explored data, teaching practices, and student/parent/staff voice to shape our next School Strategic Plan.

Looking ahead, our focus will continue to be on strengthening Literacy and Numeracy outcomes and further developing our wellbeing practices to ensure every student continues to thrive. Once the new School Strategic Plan is finalised, I’ll be sharing it with our community. For now, I want to thank everyone — staff, students, and families — for being part of our wonderful school.

Rolling Facilities Evaluation

Every Victorian government school takes part in a Rolling Facilities Evaluation (RFE) — a process that assesses the condition of school buildings and grounds to help guide future maintenance and capital works planning.

This review normally occurs every five years, but at our request, Bolinda’s evaluation was brought forward by 12 months so we could proactively address our facilities and plan ahead. The evaluation has now been completed by an external company, who conducted an inspection to identify any structural concerns and assess the overall condition of our school buildings.

While we know that facilities don’t define success, they certainly help to support it. Our staff and School Council have been strong advocates for facilities that bring Bolinda in line with our network and similar schools — ensuring that the quality of our learning spaces reflects the exceptional teaching and learning that already takes place here.

Our academic results are above those of similar and network schools, and we’re hoping that the findings from this review will help us continue to enhance our wonderful school.