Principal's Reflection

Our Semester Two Stand Tall celebration was a wonderful occasion, bringing together students, families, staff, and our community partners to recognise and celebrate the growth and achievements of our young people.

We extend our sincere thanks to all who joined us, including our special guests Father Nathan Verallo and Monsignor Chris, Shaun Mason (Principal, Galen Catholic College), Sophie Cleal (Wellbeing Practitioner, NESAY) and Senior Constable Hayley McDonald (Victoria Police), and former parent Jan Meloury. Your presence reflects the strong partnerships that support our school.

Stand Tall continues to be a significant moment in our year, an opportunity to celebrate the learning, courage, resilience, inclusivity, and curiosity demonstrated by our students. It also acknowledges the dedication of our teachers and Educational Support team, whose commitment ensures each student is supported to grow and succeed.

Learning and Growth

A key focus throughout the year has been literacy. The implementation of MacqLit and DIBELS has strengthened our capacity to deliver targeted, evidence-based reading support. The results have been highly encouraging, with clear improvements in reading ability accompanied by a significant lift in student confidence.

Students are increasingly engaging in reading, taking risks in their learning, and beginning to see themselves as capable and successful learners. This growing confidence is a significant achievement for our school community.

Wellbeing and Personal Development

Our Social and Emotional Learning programs have also continued to strengthen, particularly through the Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships curriculum. Students are developing important skills in emotional literacy, problem solving, goal setting, and strengths-based reflection.

These initiatives align closely with our Borinya WALK values of being courageous, resilient, inclusive, and curious, which continue to guide our work and shape our culture.

Engaging Learning Pathways

Our VPC elective program remains a key feature of student engagement. Subjects including Creative Art and Food Studies provide valuable opportunities for students to explore their interests and develop practical life skills.

• In Creative Art, students are building confidence through self-expression and producing work they are proud of.

• In Food Studies, students are developing independence, teamwork, and real-world skills through hands-on learning experiences.

These programs, alongside our literacy focus, are helping to develop well-rounded, confident young people ready to embrace growth and challenge.

Continuous Improvement

Borinya remains fully committed to Magnify Sandhurst, with our work alongside the Knowledge Society continuing to strengthen classroom practice. Our implementation of Classroom Mastery strategies, including our Borinya Cue Start and structured Entry and Exit routines, has been recognised as exemplary.

This reflects a strong culture of continuous improvement and a willingness across our community to embrace new learning and challenges.

A Strong Community

Schools are more than places of learning—they are communities built on relationships, support, and belonging. Events like Stand Tall play an important role in strengthening these connections and celebrating shared success.

We thank our staff, students, and families for their continued commitment to Borinya. Together, we are creating a culture where every young person is known, valued, and supported to succeed.

Eamonn Buckley 

PRINCIPAL