Principal's Report 

2024 Staffing Structure

After thorough workforce planning, we are very pleased to announce our Leadership and Staffing Structure for 2024 (repeat information sent home on Tuesday 12 December):

Leadership Structure

Principal:                                                                                             Adele Gregson

Assistant Principal:                                                                          Sabrina George

Leading Teacher – School Improvement/Inclusion:             Marty Gill

Learning Specialist – School Improvement:                           Bree King

Learning Specialist – School Improvement:                           Alec Baroni

Administration Structure

Business Manager:          Adele Gates

Administration:                 Shelley Canning

Administration:                 Emma Chandler

Classroom Teaching Structure

0JG         Jemima Gange (Team Leader)

0NW      Liz Nicholson (Mon, Tues, Wed) / Kate Wood (Thurs, Fri)

0AJ         Ashleigh Janssen

0ST         Sam Tallentyre

1WD      Emily Way (Mon, Tues, Wed) (Team Leader) / Beth Dean (Thurs, Fri)

1MT       Melissa Thomas

1MR       Miranda Read

1TJ          Tracey Johansen

2SB         Stacy Brookes (Team Leader)

2SE         Sharon Egan

2MF       Michelle Franks

2MR       Tania Maniscalchi (Mon, Tues) / Melinda Ruscitti (Wed, Thurs, Fri)

3KH        Bree King (Mon, Tues, Fri) (Team Leader) / Annikka Hay (Wed, Thurs) 

3TW       Tayla White

3DM      Dominic McKay 

4JG         Joshua Gray (Team Leader)

4AK        Alycia Kennington

4SC         Laura Simkin (Mon, Tues) / Hayley Cook (Wed, Thurs, Fri)

5OM      Olivia Maestri (Team Leader)

5LH         Lizzy Henderson

6BB        Lauren Barbour (Mon, Tues) / Alec Baroni (Wed, Thurs, Fri) (Team Leader)

6EM       Erin Murphy

Specialist Structure

Visual Art (VA):                                 Amelia Laird (Team Leader)

Physical Education (PE):                 Jarrod Wait

Performing Arts (PA):                     Kate Schie (Wed, Thurs, Fri)

                                                                Natalie Lowe (Mon, Tues)

Chinese (C):                                        Candice Xue

Extra Specialist:                                 Natalie Lowe (Wed)

Early Intervention:                          Kristine Borys (Tues, Thurs, Fri)

Learning / Equity Tutor:                 Michaela Gray

Team Leader Release:                    Blair Blackburn (Mon, Wed) (Graduate Release and Extension Education)                                                               Annikka Hay (Tues)

Primary Mathematics Specialists:              Becc Davenport, Beth Dean, Melinda Ruscitti

Teacher Replacement:                                   Kate Buzaglo (Mon, Tues, Wed), Becc Davenport (Thurs, Fri)

Education Support Staff Structure

Student Wellbeing Coordinator:  Liam Bransgrove (Tues, Wed, Thurs) 

Student Counsellor:                        Liam Bransgrove (Tues, Wed, Thurs) 

                                                               Natalie Robertson (Mon, Tues, Thurs)

Intervention/Library:                       Karin Sansom (Mon, Tues, Wed)

Integration Aides:                            Tracey Price-O’Reilly, Kim Durose, Gerry Ladiges, Sam                                                                      Lam, Sarah Hawker, Jo Palmer, Emma Beer, Tristan                                                                            Stafford, Harry Brzozek

ICT:                                                        Ken Worth

Welcome to Bimbadeen

We are excited to be welcoming 13 new staff members to our community in 2024, in either Classroom Teacher, Specialist Teacher or Education Support staff roles. We are pleased to share the following introductions to most of our new Classroom Teachers, Specialist Teachers, and Education Support Staff members with our community, and we look forward to these professionals joining our team in 2024. We will introduce you to our other ES staff member Emma early next year.

Ms Erin Murphy  -  Year 6

Hello, Bimbadeen Heights community! My name is Erin Murphy and I’m looking forward to meeting you and becoming a part of the BHPS learning community in 2024. I will be working in the Grade 6 space with Mr Baroni and Mrs Barbour. I enjoy working collaboratively in teams, sharing best practice ideas, and learning together, creating authentic learning opportunities for our students.

In my 15 years as an educator, I have taught in every year level from Foundation to Year 6 and, for two years, I was in an acting Assistant Principal role. I love teaching all subjects and find it hard to choose a favourite – though I’m super excited about Science and Sustainability. I am passionate about working with young people and helping them connect their passion to their learning journey. I believe that every child is unique and can achieve great things. Building a strong and supportive classroom community and striving for our personal best, is important to me.

When I am not teaching, I enjoy baking, spending time in my garden and veggie patch, practising in a pottery class, or going on adventures in the great outdoors. I especially love playing with my dog, Yuki, and cat, Stellar. I look forward to meeting you all soon!

Ms Miranda Read  -  Year 1

Hi there, Bimbadeen Heights families!

I'm delighted to introduce myself as a Year 1 teacher for the upcoming school year. My name is Miranda Read, and I am thrilled to join the BHPS school community in 2024. Having heard wonderful things about Bimbadeen and having briefly experienced the school environment and culture during a teaching placement in 2021, I can't wait to kick off my teaching career here officially!

Before diving into the world of teaching, I wore various hats as an Italian language assistant, tutor, and education support staff member. These roles are what initially ignited my passion for teaching and supporting students. As a lifelong learner, with a curiosity to travel, in 2023, I was lucky enough to jet off to Europe with my partner, exploring the wonders of France, Switzerland, and Italy for six unforgettable weeks. Testing out my Italian language skills, trying delicious food, and visiting breathtaking places made for an unforgettable and enriching adventure. When I'm not dreaming about my next holiday destination, you can find me enjoying walks with my dog, tracking down delicious restaurants with my partner, and cherishing quality time with my wonderful friends and family.

I am thrilled to start my teaching career at such an excellent school and look forward to getting to know the BHPS community. If you see me around in the new school year, please don't hesitate to stop by to say hello!

Ms Tayla White  -  Year 3

My name is Tayla White, and I am excited to be teaching Grade 3 at Bimbadeen Heights Primary School in 2024. You may remember me from preservice teacher placements I did here in 2021 or more recently Casual Relief Teaching in Chinese and across other year levels from Foundation to Year 6. In Term 4, I was lucky enough to take over 3/4H. At my previous school I taught Year 3 and am looking forward to being in the year level again. 

I love being a teacher and inspiring our students to reach their full potential. I enjoy watching students grow and develop as learners, I am compassionate and understanding and will always listen to any questions or concerns that families or students may have. I strongly encourage open communication between myself and the students’ families to ensure the best possible outcomes for the students. 

I live with my friend and her puppy Hugo. He is an Australian Shepherd. My other pets live with my family where we have 3 sheep, 3 chickens, my cat Archie and our two labradors Angus and Axel. I love going on adventures and camping with the dogs. I also enjoy supporting my brother play football in the winter and cheering on Essendon. 

I am looking forward to connecting with you all throughout 2024!

Mr Dominic McKay  -  Year 3

I’m excited to be joining the Bimbadeen teaching team in 2024. I’ve been teaching Year 1 and 2 at Auburn Primary School in Hawthorn East for the last three years and bring with me a strong commitment to facilitating a safe, kind, and fair classroom that is inclusive and engaging. 

My professional interests are centred around implementing evidence based educational practices in literacy and numeracy. 

I enjoy taking part in continuous professional development and regularly engage with the latest educational research to enhance the outcomes of children that I teach.

In my personal life I enjoy a range of hobbies including learning Spanish, reading, cooking, martial arts, and playing the bass guitar. I'm a father of a two-year-old daughter and have a labrador named Silky and a cat named Txiki. 

Open and continuous communication between home and school is essential. I welcome and value your perspectives and am keen to collaborate with you to optimise your child's educational experience. Please don’t hesitate to contact me for any reason as the year progresses.

I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to your child's education and well-being. Together, we can strive to make this an enriching and productive year for them.

Mr Jarrod Wait  -  Physical Education (PE)

Hello, Bimbadeen Heights community! I'm Jarrod Wait, and I'm thrilled to join this school as a Physical Education teacher. My journey in education began in 2012, and for the past decade, I've been lucky to teach at Eltham North Primary School, where I have served as the year 4 and 6 coordinator.

Fuelled by my passion for sports, I've made the exciting decision to transition into a PE teaching role. Throughout my teaching career, I have fostered a love for physical activity among my students. I have coached multiple teams to the HoopTime state finals and even clinched a state championship which was a huge highlight.

Basketball holds a special place in my heart—I grew up playing basketball and football, and to this day, I continue to hit the court for a game (albeit not quite at the pace of yesteryear!). Beyond the love for the game, I am deeply inspired by the way sports can create connections among students, fostering a sense of community and establishing positive relationships with each other. 

I am happily married and blessed with two energetic (crazy) daughters, aged 5 and 3. Our household is complete with a pug named Maggie, whose snoring has a volume that often challenges our TV. I'm eager to contribute my passion for sports and education to the Bimbadeen Heights community, and I look forward to an exciting journey ahead!

Mrs Candice Xue  -  Chinese

Ni hao (Hello) Bimbadeen Heights Primary School families, my name is Candice Xue, and I am thrilled to be joining the vibrant BHPS community in 2024. As a Mandarin teacher of your children, I am excited to embark on a journey of language and cultural exploration together. As a language enthusiast with a deep appreciation for Chinese culture, I have a great passion for teaching the Chinese language and culture combined with three years of experience in teaching Mandarin to young learners. 

Firstly, I believe in the power of fostering curiosity and creativity in the language learning process. In our classroom, I use an interactive and dynamic approach to language acquisition from stimulating language games to hands-on cultural activities. Students will have the opportunity to explore Mandarin in a way that is both educational and enjoyable. Additionally, I believe that language is a bridge that connects us all, and I am committed to creating opportunities for our students to engage with Mandarin in meaningful ways. My final goal is to create an engaging and inclusive learning environment where every student uses their initiative to learn and develop not only language proficiency but also a genuine appreciation for Chinese culture and traditions. 

When I am not teaching, I love spending time with my husband and travelling around Australia. I also enjoy reading books, watching movies, and doing some sports like ping-pong, badminton, and swimming. I am also good at cooking not only Chinese food but also cuisine from all over the world to treat myself.

Mrs Lauren Barbour  -  Year 6

I'm Lauren Barbour and I am very excited to be working at Bimbadeen Heights Primary School in Year Six for 2024. I will be working together with Alec Baroni to support and empower our students in their final year of primary school. I have been a familiar face at Bimbadeen as a Casual Replacement Teacher for over 5 years and am thrilled to become an official member of this wonderful school. This has allowed me to get to know students across the school and it has been wonderful to see their growth over the years. I am keen to build upon these connections with my own class next year to create a positive and supportive classroom. I genuinely care about every student that I teach and will be a consistent and committed part of their learning journey. I have always loved the culture at Bimbadeen and the emphasis on student wellbeing. It is a special place to be, and I want to make this a special year for our students. 

I have been a teacher for 13 years and have taught at Rowville Primary School for many years in full time and part time roles.  I have worked successfully in part time roles in the past and believe those students were fortunate to have two dedicated teachers who could combine their experience, knowledge, and strengths to support them. Part time and casual teaching opportunities have allowed me to continue to work in the profession that I love whilst also raising my own children. I value my role as a teacher and as a mother. I have five children and they are all girls!  Family and friends are very important to me. I love spending time with them; at home in the pool, catching up at a park or camping in our caravan.  

Mrs Blair Blackburn  -  Teacher Release and Extension Education

Bimbadeen Heights Primary School is an excellent community to be a part of.  I thoroughly enjoy walking through the doors when I come to work here and I believe that’s due to the positive relationships that all staff strive to maintain (with parents, students, and all staff). I've been teaching for 16 years and am very excited to continue my learning journey with the wonderful team at Bimbadeen Heights.  I am passionate about wellbeing. I will ensure that when I’m working in classes I am consistent with predictable routines and that I acknowledge our school values.

In 2024, I will be working in a variety of classes from Foundation to Year 6 while teachers are released for planning. I’m looking forward to working with students as I challenge their thinking, provide opportunities for them to apply their knowledge and promote problem solving skills.  I anticipate an exciting year with lots of fun (and learning) as students strive to achieve their social and academic goals.  

Mrs Sarah Hawker  -  Education Support Staff

Sarah has been working at Bimbadeen since the later stages of Term 3 as an Education Support Staff member, and will continue in this role as an ongoing employee at Bimbadeen Heights PS:

Hi, I'm Sarah Hawker and I joined the Bimbadeen Heights Education Support team in 2023. I've been an Integration Aide for five years and have spent lots of that time working with children who have Down Syndrome. I have two autistic children and have ADHD myself, so I find that I relate well to neurodivergent students. I find that combining learning with play helps these children to engage with a topic. You'll often find me in the playground during breaks counting birds with students or talking about what a tree needs to grow or sharing other random facts. Everything is a learning opportunity! The best part of my job at school is seeing children have "aha" moments when they finally understand something they have been struggling with. 

I come from Sydney and have lived in Victoria since 2015. This is only a problem when it comes to footy season, and I tell the kids that I don't have an AFL team! The current front runners are the Hawks because of my last name, or GWS Giants because they're from where I lived in Sydney. Something I do enjoy is bushwalking and visiting waterfalls with my husband and three children. My middle child and I like taking lots of photos on our hikes and I catch Pokémon with my youngest.

Mr Harry Brzozek  -  Education Support Staff

Hello, my name is Harry Brzozek and I’m thrilled to be back at Bimbadeen Heights Primary School in 2024 where my own schooling journey began! In my Education Support role, I’m looking forward to working hand in hand with the amazing staff we have here to facilitate an environment that is safe and inclusive, where all students feel capable of being active and engaged learners. There is nothing more rewarding than helping students to become not only happy and confident lifelong learners, but to see them grow into incredible people!

Outside of Bimbadeen Heights PS, I have previously worked at a school in Rowville and was a Duty Manager at Kmart Chirnside Park. I am currently completing my Bachelor of Health and Physical Education at Deakin University to become a secondary school teacher. In my spare time I love coaching my U9 & U10 basketball teams, as well helping at the Mooroolbark Football Club when I can. I am a passionate Collingwood Magpies supporter - even travelling to Sydney, Perth, and Adelaide to watch their games! I enjoy spending time with my family away on holidays, attending concerts, and venturing out to new restaurants for dinner with friends. I can’t wait to meet you all and become a member of the Bimbadeen community in 2024! 

Mrs Sam Lam  -  Education Support Staff

Sam has been working at Bimbadeen since the beginning of Term 3 as an Education Support Staff member, and will continue in this role as an ongoing employee at Bimbadeen Heights PS:

I started at Bimbadeen Heights as a casual Education Support and was really impressed by all the genuine love, care and nurturing at the school. It’s wonderful to be part of a passionate team working with the students in such a beautiful environment. I love to support, mentor, and encourage the students as they work towards achieving their full potential.

Outside of school I enjoy gardening, cooking, and spending time with my family.

Mr Tristan Stafford  -  Education Support Staff

Tristan has been working at Bimbadeen since the beginning of Term 4 as an Education Support Staff member, and will continue in this role as an ongoing employee at Bimbadeen Heights PS.

Hi, my name is Tristan Stafford, and I have recently joined the Education Support team at Bimbadeen. I am studying education, and starting this next chapter of my time working in Education could not be better spent than at Bimbadeen. I attended Bimbadeen as a student and have a solid and personal devotion to the school and its students. I love working with other members of Education Support and the teachers to deliver the best support and care I can. Seeing the students I work with excel in any way means the world to me, knowing I had some small part in helping them. 

In my spare time, I love to write all sorts of music, whether for my taste or other artists, and I love to spend time with my friends and family. I look forward to working my first full year at Bimbadeen, and I'm excited to broaden my skills and better support the students.

Welcome Back Ms Wood and Ms Cook

Next year we will be welcoming back Ms Kate Wood and Ms Hayley Cook who are returning to their roles as classroom teachers after a period of leave. Ms Wood will be working in Foundation, sharing a grade with Mrs Nicholson, while Ms Cook will be working in Year 4, sharing a grade with Mrs Simkin. We are very pleased to be welcoming them back to the Bimbadeen community next year.

Farewell

It is with heavy hearts that we bid farewell to Mrs Lynne Burt and Mrs Sarah Cherry who are leaving Bimbadeen at the end of this year. Mrs Burt has taught at Bimbadeen for over 12 years and Mrs Cherry has taught Chinese at Bimbadeen for many years, on and off, and are both well known to families past and present. 

I am sure you will join us in thanking Mrs Burt and Mrs Cherry for their contributions to our community and wishing them all the best for the next adventures that await them.

Ms Tess Matthews, Mrs Alana Bell, Mrs Ashlie Rich, and Ms Rachel Hallang will be leaving Bimbadeen at the end of the year as they take up new opportunities in their careers. 

We would like to express a sincere thank you to each of them for their work, service, and contribution to our community through their roles as classroom teachers and Education Support Staff members and wish them every success for their futures.

See you soon!

Mrs Virginia Gardner and Ms Jenna Fowler will both be taking 12 months leave from their roles at Bimbadeen Heights PS to spend time with their families and explore different career challenges. We wish Mrs Gardner and Jenna all the best for next year and look forward to welcoming them back in 2024.

Whole School Transition - Foundation to Year 6

Teachers have worked diligently to finalise our 2024 classes and prepare for our Whole School Transition Meet the Teacher and the Class session that was held on Tuesday this week. During this session, students including all current and new students attending Bimbadeen Heights PS in 2024 met their teacher and spent some time with their new class for next year. There is always much excitement around meeting your new teacher and classmates for the upcoming year. It was very pleasing to see the high level of resilience our students showed throughout the session and how much they enjoyed meeting their new teacher and peers. 

On this day, students completed a document to bring home to their parents and carers explaining who their teacher will be, something they are looking forward to in 2024 and some class members they are looking forward to working with. On the same day, our Year 6 students moving onto government secondary schools had their Year 7 Transition Orientation where they spent the day preparing to begin their secondary schooling in 2024.

State Basketball Competitions

Congratulations to our Year 3/4 All Star Girls team who played in State HoopTime Finals at Dandenong Stadium on December 4. Well done to the Junior All Star Girls team’s hard work in the State competition today. To get here, they were in the top 20 of 200 teams in the State. What an achievement! They had official photographs taken and they were looking very professional. Perhaps they will be future WNBL stars?! They came 4th in their pool, winning 1 out of 4 games. The competition was tough and a great challenge for the team to face. A uge thank you to “Coach Cooper” who led the team brilliantly, focusing on good sportsmanship, working as a team, and improving skills along the way. Also thank you to the supporters who came along and those who scored at each level.  Finally, well done to the playing team. You’ve put in so much effort and so glad you could show off your skills at a state level. 

Thank you to our Parent and Carer Helpers

Each year, we thank our wonderful parent and carer helpers who have contributed to our school community in a multitude of ways throughout the year. Without the support and assistance of our parent/carer community, we would not have been able to support our students to the same level, nor provide the extensive incursion and excursion experiences that we have throughout this year. 

It takes a village to raise a child and the motivation that children get from seeing their parents and community members involved in their learning has a remarkable positive impact. Our school is known for the great relationships that exist here, and the relationships we have with our parents and volunteer helpers are relationships that we highly value and respect and it is a privilege for us to work with you. 

This year, we want to say a huge THANK YOU to all parents and carers throughout our community for the incredible support you have provided our students and for working in partnership with our teachers this year. 

COVID-19 Increase in Community Transmission

There is at present an increase in community transmission of COVID-19 in Victoria. You can help us keep our school as safe as possible by taking 2 important steps:

1. Ensure your COVID-19 vaccinations are up to date. Information on how and where to get vaccinated is available on the Get vaccinated webpage.

2. If your child shows symptoms of COVID-19, please ensure they stay home and get tested. The easiest way to test is to use a rapid antigen test (RAT). [Optional, please adapt or delete as appropriate: We have RATs available at our school for collection.] Free RATs are available from your local council where you can collect 2 packs of 5 RATs and an extra 2 packs for each person in your household. People with disability and their carers can get 4 packs of 5 RATs. You are not required to have a Medicare card and you can collect RATs as many times as you need. You can also buy RATs at supermarkets, pharmacies and other retailers.

If your child has symptoms but tests negative, please ensure they stay home until they no longer have symptoms.

If the RAT test result is positive, please ensure they say home for at least 5 days and until there are no more symptoms.

Thank you for your support – these steps will help us all stay well towards the end of the school year.

Child Safe Standards

Bimbadeen Heights Primary School is committed to child safety and upholding the Child Safe Standards. To do so, we continually review and update our processes and procedures to strengthen a culture of Child Safety to create and maintain a child safe organisation. 

The School Community will be informed about the strategies and allocated roles and responsibilities through the school newsletter and information via the school website. School Council reviews and ratifies the Child Safety related policies throughout each year, to reflect the requirements of Ministerial Order 870 and outlines the school’s approach to Child Safety.

The Child Safe standards information including policy and associated documents as well as other resources can be accessed on our school website at https://www.bimbadeenheightsps.vic.edu.au/child-safe-standards/

Bimbadeen Heights Primary School has zero tolerance for child abuse. We are committed to providing a child safe environment where children and young people are safe and feel safe, and their voices are heard about decisions that affect their lives. Our child safe policies, procedures, strategies, and practices will be inclusive of the needs of all children, particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, children with disabilities, LGBTIQA students and children who are vulnerable including students who are in out of home care.

Every person involved in Bimbadeen Heights Primary School has a responsibility to understand the important and specific role they play individually and collectively to ensure that the wellbeing and safety of all children and young people is at the forefront of all they do and every decision they make.

The role and responsibility for implementing and monitoring the Child Safe strategies at Bimbadeen is Assistant Principal, Mrs Sabrina George. Mrs George can be contacted on 03 9726 9989.

We hope the Bimbadeen community has a great weekend, and we look forward to seeing you all for the final (half) week of 2023!

Kind regards,

Adele Gregson and Sabrina George