Welcome back to Term Four! It has been wonderful to see our students and staff return from the holidays, refreshed and ready for the final term of 2026.

Term Four is always an exciting time at Banmira. It's an opportunity to celebrate everything our students have achieved throughout the year, while also beginning the important work of preparing for the next. Just two weeks in, we've already hit the ground running!

Running, Laughing and Getting Slimed!

Today we celebrated our annual School Fun Run, and what a fantastic day it has been across Banmira!

Our School Fun Run is always a highlight of the year, bringing students and staff together for a day of movement, fun and fundraising. This year, our community has already raised more than $6,500, which meant a few of our lucky (or perhaps unlucky!) staff members earned themselves a good sliming!

The best part is that every dollar raised will go towards creating even more engaging and functional play spaces for our students across both campuses.

This year's fundraising will support the installation of Thermo Markings, colourful, durable playground markings that transform ordinary outdoor spaces into opportunities for play, movement and learning. From number games and colourful pathways to activities that encourage coordination, turn-taking and social interaction, these additions will help us make even better use of our outdoor environments.

We've included some examples of the types of markings we're hoping to introduce, and we can't wait to see these spaces come to life!

There is still time to contribute! Families and community members can continue supporting our fundraising efforts through myprofilepage.com.au.

A massive thank you to our wonderful Physical Education Teachers, Matt (Senior Campus) and Ash (Junior Campus), for the enormous amount of planning and preparation that goes into making this event such a success. Thank you also to our families for your generosity and encouragement!

Our School Review: Celebrating Our Progress and Planning Our Future

On Monday 26 and Tuesday 27 October, Banmira will undertake our School Review.

Every four years, Victorian government schools participate in a review of their progress against their School Strategic Plan. For us, this is an important opportunity to reflect on how far we've come, celebrate the successes of our students and staff, and identify the priorities that will guide Banmira over the next four years.

Across the two days, our Review Team will visit classrooms across both campuses, speak with staff and student focus groups, and hear directly from families about their experiences of our school.

We are particularly looking forward to celebrating the incredible work happening in our classrooms and sharing the progress we have made as a school community.

Family voice is an important part of this process, and we will be inviting interested parents and carers to participate in a discussion with our Review Team. More information will follow shortly for families who would like to be involved.

We look forward to using the review as an opportunity to recognise our achievements and continue building an even stronger Banmira for the years ahead.

Planning for 2027

While there is still plenty of learning and celebration ahead in 2026, behind the scenes our Leadership Team is already well into planning for next year!

This is a significant undertaking across a school as large and diverse as Banmira. Our planning involves carefully considering each student's individual learning, communication, wellbeing and support needs, building balanced class groups and considering staff preferences to ensure we create the best possible learning environments for 2027.

We know how important positive relationships, familiar routines and supportive peer connections are for our students, and these are all important considerations as we begin putting next year's class structures together.

We also value the insights of our families. If there is anything you feel we should know or consider when planning your child's class group for 2027, we encourage you to get in touch with your campus Assistant Principal:

Junior Campus: Kylie Freeman
Senior Campus: Dan Lloyd

While we cannot guarantee particular class placements or staffing arrangements, your feedback will help inform our planning alongside the learning and support needs of all students.

Looking Ahead: A Big Term of Celebrations!

There is so much to look forward to over the coming weeks as we head towards the end of another school year.

An especially important date for many of our families is our 2027 Senior Campus Information Night on Thursday 5 November.

This evening is for families of all students who will attend Senior Campus in 2027 (students born in 2015 or earlier), including those transitioning from Junior Campus.

It will be a valuable opportunity to learn more about Senior Campus, the programs and opportunities available to students, and what families can expect as we prepare for 2027. We strongly encourage families to come along, ask questions and begin getting familiar with this exciting next stage of their child's schooling.

We'll also enjoy some student-led Halloween fun on Friday 30 October, before heading into a shorter school week with our Student Free Day on Monday 2 November and the Melbourne Cup Public Holiday on Tuesday 3 November.

Later in the term, we have our Senior Campus Art Exhibition on Tuesday 17 November, an opportunity to celebrate the creativity and achievements of our students.

One of the most significant milestones on our calendar is our Year 12 Graduation on Thursday 26 November. We look forward to recognising our graduating students, celebrating their journeys through school and acknowledging the families and staff who have supported them along the way.

December will bring our State-wide Transition Day on Tuesday 8 December, our Whole School Christmas Assembly on Friday 11 December, and our students' final day of school for 2026 on Wednesday 16 December.

Please keep an eye on our Term Four Key Dates calendars, as there is certainly plenty happening across both campuses!

Thank you, as always, to our students, families and staff for the energy, enthusiasm and support you bring to Banmira. With another busy term ahead, we're looking forward to celebrating our achievements, strengthening our partnerships and finishing 2026 on a high!

Jesse Whittaker

Principal

Outside School Hours Care (OSHC)