Principal's Report
GRANDPARENTS AND SPECIAL FRIENDS DAY
Last Friday was another very successful Grandparents and Special Friends Day event at both campuses. It was fantastic to see how many visitors joined us on the day and how much the occasion was enjoyed by both the students and with grandparents & special friends. Please pass on our thanks to your family members that made the effort to come along and get involved.
A big thankyou to the many parents that sent in some morning tea. As a result, we had brilliant spreads for our grandparents and special friends to enjoy. Thanks also to the team of parents who helped to organise and serve the morning tea and tidy up afterwards. If you sent in some morning tea and haven't collected your plate, please pop in and collect it from the kitchen.
SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM CELEBRATION EVENING
Last night, we held a celebration event for all students involved in the scholarship program throughout this year. Students from all 5 programs shared their learning experiences from throughout the year with their families which included artwork, photography and Lego robots to name a few.
We were also entertained by the Music Scholarship students and the MasterChef students provided an array of delicious finger food for all the guests.
It was a terrific showcase of all the scholarship programs, and we thank all those that attended, we appreciate your interest.
P-2 SPORTS DAY
Last Tuesday we held the Grade Prep-2 Sports Day, which had been previously postponed due to wet weather. Thanks to Ms. Claire Morris and the team of Grade 6 helpers who pulled off another successful P-2 sports day. Great fun was had by all and the event drew lots of parent/carer spectators throughout the day. Thank you to everyone who came along to show your support, we really appreciate your interest.
OFFICIAL SHED OPENING CEREMONIES
Yesterday we had the official opening of our Energy Breakthrough Shed at the Buninyong Campus and our Sustainability Shed at Scotsburn Campus. Both of these fantastic facilities were made possible with the generous support from Community Bank Buninyong and the Buninyong Mt Helen Lions Club. They will support our students at both campuses for many years to come.
A big thank you to everyone involved in making these projects a reality. We're excited for the opportunities they bring to our students.
Scholarship Program Applications
We expected interest to be strong for the 2025 Scholarship Programs but weren’t quite prepared for the number of applications that have been submitted. Overall, we’ve received over 200 applications for the 5 programs, those being Visual Arts, Music, Photography, Master Chef and STEM Extension.
Well done to all of the students who have made the effort to apply, some of which have gone to a great deal of effort. We’d like to have a position for everyone, but sadly that’s not the case. This week we will be carefully going through applications with the relevant people ( Liz Morgan, Steve Skilbeck, Emily Gilliland, Isha Edwards and Rachel Middlin). Our plan is to announce the membership of scholarship programs at the end of this week or at the latest, early next week.
PREPARING FOR 2025
As always at this time of year, there is lots of work happening behind the scenes to prepare for the following school year. This includes:
CLASS GROUPINGS
Over the past few weeks teachers have spent considerable time placing children into classes for next year. As always, we are seeking to develop classes that are most likely to provide the best possible learning environment for our students. To achieve this, we focus on developing well balanced groupings, taking account of academic progress, behaviours, friendships and how children work with each other in the classroom.
We place particular importance on student friendships and try very hard to make sure every student is placed in a class where they will feel welcome and comfortable. Information supplied by parents regarding placement is also taken into consideration. It is worth noting that parents have been very reasonable with their requests, which is very much appreciated. As you could understand, grouping children with so many aspects to consider is no easy task and we hope you will be pleased with the outcome.
Students get the opportunity to meet their new teacher next Friday, December 13 and will spend an hour and a half with their class for 2025. Most children will be excited about the change that comes with a new teacher and mixing with some new children. Others might be disappointed with the prospect of not being with all of their friends. If this is the case, help your child see the positives in the situation…they will still get to mix with whoever they like at break times and out of school and will get the opportunity to work with some different children in class.
Please encourage your child/ren to approach the Meet Your Teacher session with a positive mindset. Our aim is for all students to enter these transition periods with the confidence they need to achieve success. The attitude our children take to this will be shaped by trusted adults around them.
PARENT CONTRIBUTIONS
A document outlining 2025 financial contributions we are seeking from parents will be sent home later this week via email. If this doesn’t make it to you, please give the office a call.
As a public school, we rely heavily on parent contributions to provide your children with the resources and programs you expect and thank you in advance for this support. If you have any questions regarding financial contributions or would like to set up a payment plan, please contact our business manager, Chris Delaney by calling the general office.
Overall, we are really pleased with how things are coming together for next year. Whilst this week is pretty much business as usual (apart from the Grade 3 and 4 camps), next week we look forward to quite a few end of year events and activities including Orientation Day, the Grade 1 excursion to the Melbourne Museum and the Scotsburn sleepover.