Dear BEPS Community,

As we approach the end of Term 3, I want to take a moment to thank you all for your continued support and engagement throughout what has been a fast-paced and rewarding term. Our students have made tremendous growth in their learning, and it’s been a pleasure to witness their enthusiasm, curiosity, and persistence each day.

I will be taking Long Service Leave during the final week of term. During this time, Teri will step into the role of Acting Principal, with Edwina supporting her. I know the school will be in excellent hands, and I thank them both for their leadership and care.

Last week we welcomed John Mullahy MP to our school. It was a fantastic opportunity to showcase the vibrant teaching and innovative learning happening across our classrooms and specialist areas, as well as the unique culture that makes BEPS such a special place. John was particularly impressed by the strong sense of community, the dedication of our staff, and the respectful, engaged learners we have here.

He also commended our efforts to support staff wellbeing and reduce out-of-hours workload – something we are proud to prioritise. We’re grateful for John’s time, interest, and support, and we look forward to continuing to work together to further strengthen our school and its connection to the broader community.

A big shout out to Lucy and Tyler, our school captains, who toured John through the school giving him a student's perspective of what makes BEPS a great place to learn.

We were thrilled with our recent NAPLAN results, which showed BEPS outperforming both similar and network schools. This is a testament to the dedication of our staff, the efforts of our students, and the support of our parent community. Congratulations to everyone involved – we’re very proud of what we’ve achieved together.

We are currently inviting families to complete the 2025 Parent/Caregiver/Guardian Opinion Survey. Your feedback is incredibly valuable in helping us continue to grow and improve as a school. If you haven’t yet had a chance, we encourage you to take a few minutes to complete the survey.

Our Kiss and Go zone continues to be an effective and safe drop-off and pick-up point. Please remember that vehicles must not be left unattended in this area. Unattended vehicles can disrupt the flow and present safety concerns – and may result in a fine. Thank you for helping us keep this space running smoothly for everyone.

A reminder that Friday 19 September is the final day of Term 3. Students will be dismissed at 2:30pm. Please ensure your child is collected at this time or is enrolled in the Team Kids Out of School Hours Care program.

Last Thursday and Friday, our school came alive with excitement during our annual Father’s/Special Person’s Day Stall. It was a joy to watch students carefully choosing gifts and showing such care and appreciation for the special people in their lives.

Thank you to Teri and our PFA for their outstanding coordination and for sourcing such a great range of gifts. A special thank you also to the many parent volunteers who helped run the stall – your time and effort made all the difference.

Beyond being a treasured tradition, the stall also offered a rich learning experience from managing money and estimating change to thoughtful budgeting, giving students the opportunity to apply real world mathematical skills in a meaningful way.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this much loved event.

At BEPS, the safety and wellbeing of our school community is always a top priority. We continue to undertake regular inspections, audits, and maintenance works to ensure compliance with Essential Safety Measures, Building Codes, and Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) requirements.

Recent works this term have included:

· Term 3 OHS Inspection

· Annual Tree Audit (Safe Trees Program)

· CBC inspections (including fire safety and building compliance)

· Fire hydrant pressure testing

· Shade sail inspections

· Locksmith repairs

· Maintenance of fire hoses and hydrants

· Annual Playground Audit

· Rolling Facilities Evaluation (RFE)

· Arborist remediation works

· Emergency Management Plan updates

These efforts are an essential part of ensuring that our facilities remain safe, compliant, and welcoming for everyone.

Making classes for 2026

I trust the following information helps you understand how we design classes, and the processes and thinking that go into making classes; it’s complex and takes a lot of time.

Can parents choose teachers?

• The short answer is ‘no’.

What can parents request?

• That their child might be with (or not with) another student based on their education needs, or if there may have been a past incident or negative history with another student.

Parents may request something like, having your child separated from a good friend to help them focus or have the opportunity to make new friends.

Who do I send my request to?

Email to Darren: darren.mcdonald@education.vic.gov.au

No later than 5pm Friday October 10th, 2025

Student Friend Requests

Although we seek to have students with at least one ‘friend’ request, we can’t promise this. We have found that mixing classes up and providing the opportunity for new friends is a great way to broaden friendships and build resilience.

How do we make classes for 2026?

We start by asking students to identify ‘friends’ they might like to have in their class for the next year. When we say ‘friend’, we mean someone who they would work well with, not always their best friend. Students have ample time and opportunity to be with their best friend outside of school and during breaks. Importantly we don’t guarantee all ‘friend’ requests, usually students will get one or two of their ‘friend’ requests.

Sometimes not getting requests upsets students and their families. Invariably, however, we find that students meet new friends (in their year level) that they wouldn’t have met if we hadn’t encouraged mixing students across their years at school. This is a deliberate strategy that supports students building their friendship groups across the years.

Who makes the class?

Classroom teaching staff and specialist teachers all contribute to making a class. The Principal Class Team will review all classes before they are published.

What factors do we consider when we make a class?

When we make a class, we consider things like academic capabilities / friendships / students’ behaviour. We also ensure that grades have an even spread of gender– we do not stream grades.

I trust this explains how we do this process; this is consistent with most schools.

Are you leaving BEPS in 2026?

We ask that you let us know if you are moving or have enrolled in another school in 2026. We require this information as soon as possible to establish structures for the start of the new school year.

If your child is currently in Foundation to Year 5 and will not be at Burwood East PS in 2026, please notify the school office in writing or email me as soon as possible.

Thank you once again for another fantastic term. I hope you and your families enjoy a safe and restful break.

I look forward to seeing everyone refreshed and ready for an exciting Term 4!

Yours in Partnership,

Darren

Box Hill Community Arts Centre