Principal's Report

Newsletter April 4th, 2025

Term wrap-up

What a fabulous term this has been! Thank you everyone for a successful term 1 and start to the 2025 school year.

Congratulations to our Year 3 and 5 students who have worked very hard on their NAPLAN assessments this term. Well done!

Term 2 starts on Tuesday 22 April at 8:55 am. The first week back will be a short three-day week as Friday April 25 is the ANZAC Day Public Holiday.

For those looking for activities for the family over the Easter break, there are many excellent holiday activities in Melbourne for children, as described via the following web link:

https://whatson.melbourne.vic.gov.au/things-to-do/family-andkids/school-holidays 

Resources for Parents/Carers 

From time to time, parents/carers ask the school for guidance on supporting their children—whether it’s advice on health, nutrition, learning at home, or encouraging positive behaviour. The Raising Children website is a valuable resource with expert information on a wide range of parenting topics, from pregnancy through to the teenage years and beyond. We encourage you to explore this site for practical tips and support. See https://raisingchildren.net.au/

Attendance 

Our leadership group have been investigating our attendance figures for 2024, and the figures are somewhat alarming. Each cohort of students (e.g. prep, one, two) is allocated an attendance percentage at the end of each year and the school and Department of Education track these figures. The purpose for this is to ensure that all school aged children are enrolled in a registered school and attend school every day the school is open for instruction.

While we do not suggest that children attend school when they are sick, and we understand that children sometimes suffer from ‘School Can’t’, we do encourage the best possible attendance for each child. Children who are at school do not miss crucial steps in learning.

Bundoora Primary School’s attendance figures for 2024 are as follows:

2024 overall attendance rate (all students combined) 86.3%

Students with 95% or higher attendance in 2024 (prep to 6) 23% (77 students) Bundoora PS

11% or 36 students had 70% or less attendance for 2024

11% or 36 students had between 70% and 80% attendance

25% or 84 students had between 80% and 90% attendance

29% or 98 students had between 80 and 95% attendance

Given these attendance figures, we have decided to acknowledge students with excellent attendance. These students have been at school on time every day this year (up to Friday March 28th. This group have received a certificate of acknowledgement today at assembly and their names were put into a draw for two movie tickets.

Each term we will start the attendance record again and acknowledge those who get 100% attendance with no late passes at the end of the term.

Students with 100% attendance in term one:

Grade six: Hazel Armstrong and Kahsha Sappleton

Grade five: Kenji Lancaster and Raffy Stanyer

Grade four: Owen Carless, Violet Valvasori, and David Zhang

Grade three: Anju Lancaster and Ryder Wills

Grade two: Claire Chen, Belinda Ding, Lily Milesi, Zara Quigley, and Iris Simpson

Grade one: Elena Zhang

Prep: Emma Kutrolli, Elsie Milesi, Indiana Mills, Mason Smyth, Marcus McGillivray, Rio Primarolo, Luca San Pedro, Felix Valvasori, and William Zanatta

Congratulations to these students.

Staffing

We have had some staffing changes this term and welcome the following teachers to our team.

Ms Melanie Henry is joining the 1/2 team. Melanie has worked at LaTrobe University’s School of Education and a national not-for-profit, Ochre Education, which provides curriculum to schools.

Mrs Danielle Dolinko is joining the prep team. Danielle comes to us from Apollo Parkways PS and is an experienced Early Years teacher.

Mr Steven Meagher will be returning to his classroom 4 days per week.

Ms Ashlea Dyson will be working in 56B and 12D.

Mrs Alyce Tabb will be moving into the prep and 3/4 teams.

Welcome to our new and returning staff members. 

Celebrating Neurodiversity Week

Last week, celebrate Neurodiversity Week. Mrs Louise McLean organised some great activities for staff and students, with some thought-provoking visual displays. Our wellbeing leaders, Nini and Jasmine, gave a wonderful speech at assembly as well. You can read their speech in the newsletter. 

Groundworks

If you are around the school over the holidays, you will notice some works taking place.

Our empty portable is finally being removed, and grass will be planted in this area, behind temporary fencing. 

We are also due to have some ramp works done on Bendoran Crescent. This means that the ramp will be out of actions to prams and OSHC families. 

Parents with prams can use the ramp on Balmoral crescent (leading to the prep rooms) to access the playground.

OSHC parents will need to enter TheirCare via the deck between the administration and Discovery buildings. 

At the same time, we hope that the work on repairing the amphitheatre near the Palace will begin. 

Bundoora’s Got Talent

Yesterday we were privileged to enjoy many wonderful performances at BGT. We were entertained by comedians, dancers, singers, and musicians, with the morning organised and emceed by the wonderfully talented Mrs Newell. 

Not only was each act talented, but they were also courageous It can be difficult to perform in front of an audience, and the children yesterday performed in front of approximately 400 people! Quite a feat!

Celebrating Neurodiversity Week

Last week, celebrate Neurodiversity Week. Mrs Louise McLean organised some great activities for staff and students, with some thought-provoking visual displays. Our wellbeing leaders, Nini and Jasmine, gave a wonderful speech at assembly as well. You can read their speech in the newsletter. 

Policies

Several of our school policies have been updated recently. We have consulted with the community and school council, and we thank those who responded. You can find the updated policies on our school website, with a link to the page here: https://bundooraps.vic.edu.au/about-our-school/school-policies/

Respect for staff and the school

Child Safety and wellbeing at Bundoora Primary School: information for families and the school community

Bundoora Primary School is committed to providing an environment where students are safe and feel safe. Our child safety framework includes policies, codes and procedures that explain how we support and maintain the safety and well-being of our students and protect them from harm. These documents are available on our website. We are also committed to continuous improvement of our child safety framework. We are currently reviewing our child safety policies and practices to ensure they are up-to-date and effective. Our students and families are important partners in this process. We welcome your feedback or ideas on ways we can improve our approach to child safety and wellbeing. If you have any suggestions or comments, please contact the school 03 9467 2601.

Annual report 

The Annual Report of our school performance for 2024 is attached with this newsletter for your information. It will be available on the school website very soon. 

2025 Parent/Carer Contributions 

Parent/Carer payments help the school to operate effectively. Bundoora Primary School provides a significant range of programs and resources including laptops, iPads, computers, and other materials that cannot be supplied without the optional support of families. We would like to thank the families who have already made these contributions. Please contact the Mrs Kristina Smith, Business Manager, at the office if you would like to contribute and set up a payment plan.

Respect for staff and the school

Recently, some members of our office and teaching staff have been treated disrespectfully by parents at our school.

All the staff at Bundoora Primary School work extremely hard every day to make a difference in your children’s lives. All staff members deserve to be treated with respect every day. 

As I say to own children, ‘You don’t have to like everybody, but you do need to be respectful.’

I have included a copy of the ‘Respect for School Staff’ policy in the newsletter. 

Getting a difficulty, disability, or neurodivergence diagnosed.

Sometimes parents ask us how to go about getting a difficulty, disability or neurodivergence diagnosed. Recently I read a useful blog post by Mark Le Messurier that parents may find useful.

1. Trust your mum or dad instincts. 

If your instincts are saying your child may have a difference in their development, they probably do.

2. Get organised and begin to observe and record the emotions and behaviours you’re seeing in your child. It may be differences with reading, writing, math, attention, memory, organisation, self-regulation or social interactions. Other indicators might include clumsiness, trouble following directions, or frustration with school tasks. By doing this you’ll start to see patterns and will become more confident about explaining the differences to others.

3. Chat to close and supportive family and friends and ask them if they see what you see. Talk openly, honestly and supportively.

4. Make an appointment to discuss your concerns with your child’s kindy, pre-school, or primary teacher. They can provide additional insights into your child’s classroom performance and behaviour. Depending on what the difference is, teachers may recommend school-based assessments or support programs.

5. Visit your General Practitioner (GP) because they’re great at taking a sensible/rational approach. Firstly, they’ll help you to rule out issues like hearing or vision problems. Always go to a 'paediatric audiologist' and a 'behavioural optometrist'. As well, your GP can refer you to other specialists, such as paediatricians, psychologists, speech pathologists, or occupational therapists for further assessments.

6. Make an appointment to see a paediatrician but do your homework. Chat to friends, teachers, other parents, and your GP about the most suitable paediatrician. This is one way to have the difference identified. Paediatricians are also qualified to administer medications. There may be a considerable wait to see a paediatrician.

7. Request a professional assessment; psychologists, speech pathologists, occupational therapists and learning specialists like developmental educators can conduct assessments to identify a range of conditions such as learning disabilities like dyslexia, dysgraphia, ADHD, Autism, PDA, ODD, quirky behaviours or developmental delays. A clinical psychologist will conduct psychoeducational testing. These can be incredibly helpful. Once again, survey teachers, friends, and family to establish professionals with a good reputation. Generally, schools can’t help with these assessments, so a paediatrician is the best way to access them.

8. More about the professional assessments. It’s best to seek a full assessment to identify both strengths and the challenges you see. Private assessments are more expensive than hospital and university assessments done in their clinics. Private assessments are usually quicker, and hospital and university assessment often have long waitlists. 

9. Early intervention and collaboration with teachers and professionals are crucial for supporting your child’s learning and socialisation. If identified, with a difficulty, disability, or a neurodivergence work with school and specialists to develop an all-important Individualised Education Plan (IEP). As well, you can access additional literacy/numeracy programs inside and outside of school. Therapies like speech or occupational therapy usually beneficial.

10. Provide support at home. Best idea is to create a structured routine, use clear instructions, visuals, and break tasks into smaller steps. Encourage open communication about their challenges and celebrate progress.

A word to the wise; the child you LOVE is still the very same child after assessment and identification. The real difference is you now better understand their neurotype, style, preferences and triggers - the why's, the how tos, and options.

I wish you everybody a safe and happy holiday. See you all back here in Term two!

Best wishes,

Sherrin Strathairn

 Help for non-English speakers.

If you need help to understand this policy, please contact the school office on

 9467 2601

PURPOSE

To ensure that members of our community understand Bundoora Primary School’s expectations for appropriate interactions with school staff. 

POLICY

Staff at Bundoora Primary School, including teachers, education support staff, office staff, the Assistant Principal and Principal are committed to providing a positive and supportive learning environment for all our students. Our staff take their work very seriously and feel privileged to be able to play an important role in each child’s education. 

Parents/carers and visitors to our school also have an important role to play in fostering a safe and inclusive environment for the entire school community.

Respectful behaviours within the school community

All staff at Bundoora Primary School have a right to a safe and supportive work environment, and we expect that parents/carers and visitors behave in an appropriate and respectful manner at all times. 

The Department of Education and Training has outlined expectations on parent/carer behaviour within Victorian government school communities in the Respectful Behaviours within the School Community Policy. 

Unacceptable behaviours

When parents and carers engage in unacceptable behaviours against a staff member of another member of the school community, this can affect their health, safety and wellbeing. 

Unacceptable behaviours include, but are not limited to:

• being violent or threatening violence of any kind, including physically intimidating behaviour such as aggressive hand gestures or invading another person’s personal space

• speaking or behaving in a rude, aggressive or threatening way, either in person, via email, social media, or over the telephone

• sending demanding, rude, confronting or threatening letters, emails or text messages

• discriminatory or derogatory comments

• the use of social media or public forums to make inappropriate or threatening remarks about the school, staff or students.

At the Principal’s discretion, unacceptable behaviour may be managed by:

• requesting that the parties attend a mediation or counselling sessions

• implementing specific communication protocols

• written warnings

• conditions of entry to school grounds or school activities

• exclusion from school grounds or attendance at school activities

• reports to Victoria Police

• legal action

The Principal may also seek support from Department of Education and Training staff when managing unacceptable parent or carer behaviour. 

Respectfully raising complaints

We welcome complaints from parents and carers if they are communicated in a respectful and constructive way. Complaints and concerns raised with us can help our school community by providing feedback to improve how our school operates. 

When raising a complaint or concern with us, Bundoora Primary School expects all members of our community to act consistently with this policy, our Statement of Values and School Philosophy and the Department’s Respectful Behaviours within the School Community Policy.

For information on how to raise a complaint or concern with our school, refer to our Bundoora Primary School Parent Complaints Policy.

The Family Engagement in Learning is also a useful Department resource outlining how parents and carers can best engage with schools to provide feedback, suggestions and complaints. 

COMMUNICATION

This policy will be communicated to our school community in the following ways: 

• Available publicly on our school’s website

• Reminders in our school newsletter 

• Included in staff induction processes

• Included in staff handbook/manual

• Included in transition and enrolment packs

• Hard copy available from school administration upon request

RELATED POLICIES AND RESOURCES

Department of Education and Training policies and resources:

• Work-Related Violence in Schools Policy 
• Respectful Behaviours within the School Community Policy
• Family engagement in learning

Bundoora Primary School polices:

• Parent Complaints Policy
• Statement of Values and School Philosophy 

POLICY REVIEW AND APPROVAL