The Bolinda Bulletin

Principal's Message

Cobaw District Athletics 

 

On Friday 15 August, our athletics team headed up to Bendigo to compete—and what a day it turned out to be! Our students gave their all, showing terrific effort and sportsmanship, and came away with a number of ribbons for their performances.

 

The day finished on an absolute high, marking our most successful athletics outing in a very long time. Peter took out the 12/13 Year Old 100m event, running the fastest time on the track, while Owen out-threw a strong field of competitors to win the 9/10 Year Old Discus event. Both now qualify for the Division Athletics Event in September—a fantastic achievement.

 

The day wasn’t without its hiccups, though. The mini-bus unfortunately got a flat tyre on the way home, which meant a late return to school. Staff reported that the students handled the situation brilliantly, staying calm and relaxed about the whole thing.

 

All in all, it was a day of achievement, resilience, and teamwork—well done, team Bolinda!

 

Book Week 

 

Last week we celebrated Book Week, and it was a terrific week! On Tuesday, students and staff dressed up as their favourite book characters—and I have to say, I was blown away by the effort everyone put in. The students really impressed me with their creativity, and the staff took things to the next level, too. It was fantastic to see the whole school community get into the spirit of the day.

 

Throughout the morning, students were grouped and rotated through four engaging activities, each designed to highlight the joy and love of reading. A special mention goes to Donna, who—keeping in line with this year’s Adventure theme—created a wonderful story walk featuring one of the most popular books ever. This got students moving, exploring, and reading in such a fun way.

 

Thank you to our community for helping to make Book Week such a success. Celebrations like these remind us just how important reading is. In fact, research shows that just 10 minutes of reading a day can expose a child to over 600,000 words in a year, boosting vocabulary, imagination, and overall achievement.

Curriculum Day

 

On Monday, our staff came together for our Curriculum Day. We delved into the science of learning—simply put, understanding how the brain learns best based on real research. This means exploring how children pay attention, remember what they’ve learned, and apply knowledge in meaningful ways.

 

We also turned our attention to the new Victorian Teaching and Learning Model 2.0 (VTLM 2.0), which is grounded in that same solid evidence about how students learn. 

 

This refreshed model focuses on just two big buckets:

  • Elements of learning, which include:
    • Attention, focus & regulation: Helping students tune in and stay engaged, while feeling safe and included.
    • Knowledge & memory: Building new knowledge on what students already know.
    • Retention & recall: Using repetition and practice so learning sticks.
    • Mastery & application: Applying what’s learned in real-life ways to deepen understanding. 
  • Elements of teaching, which are:
    • Planning: Mapping out lessons in logical, manageable steps.
    • Enabling learning: Creating an environment where students feel supported to take ownership of their learning.
    • Explicit teaching: Presenting new ideas clearly, modeling them, checking understanding, and giving guided practice.

    • Supported application: Scaffolding tasks so students can apply what they've learned confidently and independently. 

       

All Victorian government schools are expected to start using VTLM 2.0 from 2025, with full implementation required by the start of the 2028 school year. As part of the day, we conducted an audit of our teaching practices and were really pleased to find that we already cover the majority of the required factors. That means we are in a very strong position moving forward.

 

This was a fantastic day of discussion and discovery, expertly led by our very own Leighann Bloomfield. It was a real pleasure to be part of such thoughtful, forward-looking conversations—leaving us all feeling inspired and more united in our approach to teaching.

 

Garden Works Commence

While our staff were busy inside on Curriculum Day, learning about the science of learning and the new Victorian Teaching and Learning Model, there was just as much action happening outside in the veggie garden.

 

The whole garden space has now been completely levelled, making it ready for the installation of our brand-new community garden on Tuesday, 16 September. This project is going to give us a fantastic space that students, families, and the wider community can all enjoy together.

 

When you add this to our plans for the front of the school and the upcoming new fence, Bolinda Primary School is set for a real refresh in the months ahead. It’s an exciting time of change, and we can’t wait to see these improvements come to life.

 

Parent Opinion Survey

 

Our school is taking part in the annual Parent / Caregiver / Guardian Opinion Survey run by the Department of Education, and we’d love your feedback.

 

The survey helps us understand families’ perceptions of school climate, student behaviour, and student engagement. Your input is optional, but it is highly valued and appreciated. The results guide us in identifying areas for improvement, planning professional development, and shaping school planning and improvement strategies.

 

Survey dates:

Opens: Monday 18 August 2025

Closes: Friday 19 September 2025

 

Who can participate? All families are invited to take part in this year’s survey.

 

How to take the survey:

  • The survey is online and takes about 20 minutes.

  • It can be completed on a desktop computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone at any convenient time.

     

We encourage you to take part and help us continue to make Bolinda Primary the best it can be. If you would like more information, please contact the office or see the Compass News Feed Item.