Principal News, 07.02.2025

Dear Banyan Fields Primary School Community,

Firstly, welcome back to the new school year! We are delighted to have welcomed all 522 students back over the past week and are all set for a very positive 2025. We would like to extend a particularly warm welcome to our Foundation students, all of whom have settled in well with the support of their families and the staff.

Staff

You might have noticed a few new faces around the school this year - we are working on gathering photographs of our new staff members so keep an eye out on the staff page this term for updates. Going forward, we will introduce you to a different member of staff in each newsletter. Some of these people will be brand new, others will be familiar to you but may not be to others. We hope you enjoy getting to know the team.

This edition, we introduce Patrick Halpin, Principal of Banyan Fields Primary School:

Hi everybody! I am delighted to have joined the team at Banyan Fields Primary School this year and look forward to getting to know you all. I spent Semester Two, 2024 at Ormond Primary School and, before then, was the Principal of Seaford Park Primary School. I began my teaching career in 2004 in a small school about 30 minutes north of Dublin City, Ireland. Since then, I have taught students from Prep to Year 6, in both mainstream and specialist schools and have been a member of the leadership team, at some level, for the past 19 years.

I am excited about what’s to come for our community!

Allied Health Professionals - Changes to our processes

In line with Department of Education expectations, School Council will be updating the processes around Allied Health Professionals visiting students at Banyan Fields Primary School. This will include psychologists, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, and anybody else who provides a service onsite that is paid for by families (either privately or through the NDIS). We will update you on the new process once it’s finalised but families are advised to inform anybody who this might impact to start preparing for this change.

Consent Forms

This week, you would have received two consent forms for your child(ren):

Our Digital Technologies Consent acts as an agreement between you, your child, and the school. It is sent home following a classroom discussion about online etiquette and safety. Please note that your child’s use of digital technologies will be limited until you return a signed consent form. They may still access online assessments and tools relevant to their learning.
Photo and Video permissions; The Department of Education have updated this policy, which previously stated that parents were required to give consent each year for permission to film and photograph students. Parents and carers now only need to complete this form once during their primary schooling. Once you have given permission, if you do change your mind, this can be revoked by contacting the school office.

Lost Property

There is a large number of unlabelled clothing (mainly school uniform items) that have been left out on the yard and around the school. While the staff do all they can to remind the students to collect their belongings and store them safely on a routine basis, certain items can and will be forgotten about and lost. Anything that is labelled is returned to the student so we would encourage all parents and carers to label or write your child’s name on everything.

Managing all of the lost property items is a big job for the staff. If you can spare time, either on a regular basis or every now and then, to help with this task, please contact the school office.

All of the lost property that we currently have will be available for purchase (gold coin donation) at our upcoming Welcome Barbecue - make sure you get in early so you don’t miss out.

Swimming

This year, all students will be given the opportunity to participate in swimming lessons at Paul Sadler Swim Centre in Carrum Downs. During Term One, it will be our Year 4 and 6 students who will walk to the swimming centre over six Fridays. Please check COMPASS to consent to this and speak to your child’s classroom teacher if you are available to volunteer your time to come along. Other year levels will participate in swimming lessons throughout the remainder of the year.

Parent Helpers

Here at Banyan Fields we welcome parents and carers to volunteer their time at our school. This could include coming along to school excursions, camps, assisting with incursions, breakfast club and helping out in the classroom. If you would like to volunteer you will need a current Working with Children Check.

Curriculum

Over the past week, our students have been busy setting the climate for learning in their classrooms. They have been establishing routines, understanding expectations, and practising what it means to be Safe, Respectful, Resilient, and Honest members of our school community. A key focus has been our School Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS), ensuring that every student feels supported in creating a positive and inclusive learning environment. These early lessons will set the tone for a successful and productive year ahead.

Our Foundation students have also had an exciting start, diving into their learning with enthusiasm! They have been exploring the ‘m’ sound and had a wonderful time meeting Milo the Monkey, making their first steps in Literacy fun and engaging.

Students across other year levels have embraced the start of their class novel studies, immersing themselves in rich and engaging literature. These studies provide opportunities to develop critical thinking, comprehension skills, and a deeper appreciation for storytelling. Through discussions, reflections, and related activities, students build strong reading habits and foster a love for learning that will continue throughout the year.

It has been a joy to see the energy and excitement in our classrooms, and we look forward to all that this year will bring for our students and their families.

Patrick Halpin - Principal

Jacqui Sampson - Assistant Principal

Jennifer Churcher - Assistant Principal

Sharleen Nason - Assistant Principal

Student Empowerment