Engagement & Wellbeing

Promoting Multicultural Diversity and Inclusion

Dear parents and carers, 

At Buninyong PS we value the diversity of culture, ethnicity, and faith of all our students. We are proud of our diversity, and 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 Buninyong PS plays an important role.

We regularly reminded students of our values of Respect, Responsibility and Kindness and the importance of using these in everything we do.

To help us make Buninyong PS 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.

Photography Scholarship – School Values Posters

What better way to begin Term 3 than by celebrating our school values! Our talented photography scholarship students recently worked with Mark, a marketing and social media expert, to create a series of eye-catching posters that bring our values to life.

Each poster highlights one of the key qualities we live by at Buninyong Primary: Respectful, Responsible and Kind.

We’re so proud of the creativity and thoughtfulness our students have shown. Keep an eye on our Facebook page over the coming days as we share each value in focus!

Wait Mate Website - Hitting Pause on Smartphones

Wait Mate is a parent-led initiative designed to support families in delaying smartphone use for primary school children.

Wait Mate encourages parents to work together, creating a supportive network where families agree to wait until at least high school before giving children smartphones. The aim is to protect kids from early exposure to addictive screen habits, social media pressures, and online risks — helping them enjoy a healthier, more connected childhood.

The website includes:

• Research and advice on the impact of smartphones on developing brains
• Tips for alternatives, such as basic phones or two-way watches
• A pledge system, once 10 families in a year level sign up, they’re connected to form a supportive group

You can explore the movement and access free resources at:  www.waitmate.org.au

While not a school-run program, we’re happy to share this resource with our parent community in support of student wellbeing.

Reminder: Mobile Phone Guidelines

As a reminder, under the Department of Education and Training Victoria’s mobile phone policy, any mobile phones brought to school by students must be switched off and handed to the classroom teacher at the start of the day. Phones are securely stored and returned at the end of the school day.

These guidelines help us maintain a safe, focused learning environment for all students. 

Thanks for your continued support.

Parking Around the School – Please Park Safely

A reminder to all families to please drive and park safely around the school. 

The City of Ballarat conduct regular patrols around our school to ensure parking rules are being followed and any breaches observed will be enforced.

This is all about keeping our students, staff and community safe — particularly during the busy drop-off and pick-up times.

We kindly ask all road users to:

• Park legally and respectfully
• Avoid stopping in no-standing zones or across driveways
• Be patient and mindful of pedestrians, especially young children

Thanks for doing your part.