I am sending this a day early because Celebration Day is tomorrow, and it is a very busy day. It is hard to believe that we have reached the end of another term already. As I reflect on the past ten weeks, I continue to be amazed by our students and all that they have achieved. The children at Bolinda Primary School have been absolutely fantastic and we are incredibly proud of their efforts, growth and achievements throughout the semester.

We have had a huge term of learning and so many wonderful moments along the way. From our Landcare sessions and inspiring guest speakers, to our whole-school Athletics Day, PWS Awareness Day, Kitchen Garden rotations and ANZAC Day service, our students have embraced every opportunity with enthusiasm and curiosity.

Of course, it is not just the special events that make our school such a wonderful place. Every day, our students continue to challenge themselves, support one another and strive to do their best in the classroom. It is a privilege to watch their confidence and skills continue to grow.

Thank you to our staff, families and wider community for the support you provide our students and school each and every day. I hope everyone enjoys a safe and relaxing holiday break and returns refreshed and ready for another exciting term in Term 3.

Celebration Day Preparations

Preparations for Celebration Day are truly well underway, with excitement building across the school!

Our Junior Class has been busy all week putting their learning into action as they prepare many of the delicious treats that will be enjoyed on the day. Students have been applying a range of skills throughout the process, including planning, following procedures, measuring ingredients, reading and interpreting recipes, working collaboratively and safely using kitchen equipment. It has been wonderful to see students transferring their classroom learning into a real-world context.

The classes have also voted on the movie they will be watching and we've dusted off the speaker in preparation for a day of fun and celebration.

While Celebration Day is certainly a chance for students to relax and enjoy themselves, it is also much more than that. The day is designed to acknowledge and celebrate all of the hard work, perseverance and learning that has taken place throughout the term. Our students have worked incredibly hard and thoroughly deserve the opportunity to celebrate their achievements.

We hope all students have a fantastic day. We're also keeping our fingers crossed that we'll have the opportunity to tune in and watch the Socceroos in action!

NOTE: There is enough lunch food for each child, so please send them with a snack. If your child is a fussy eater, you might want to include something in their lunchbox in case they're not a fan of the prepared lunch.

Early Dismissal - 2.30PM

Please don’t forget that as tomorrow is the final day of Term 2, students will be finishing at 2.30pm. Students return to school on Monday 13th July.

Principal Network Presentation

I was invited to present to principals from across the Macedon Ranges at our Principal Network Meeting.

Bolinda Primary School continues to achieve very strong outcomes, and I was incredibly proud to speak about the engaging and stimulating learning experiences our students receive, as well as the strong sense of connection that exists within our school community.

One of the key factors I highlighted was the stability of our staff. For the past four years, we have had the same teaching and support staff working alongside our students. This consistency has helped create a learning environment where children feel safe, supported and confident to take risks in their learning.

I was particularly proud to showcase the many unique opportunities available to students at Bolinda, including our Kitchen Garden and Landcare programs, our calm and supportive learning environment, and the explicit teaching practices that underpin learning across the school. It was wonderful to be able to share the incredible work happening every day at Bolinda Primary School.

New Students in Term 3

We are excited to welcome a group of new students and their families to Bolinda Primary School in Term 3. I know our students and families will make them feel welcomed, valued and included as they become part of our wonderful school community.

Starting at a new school can be both exciting and daunting, and we are looking forward to supporting our new students as they settle into life at Bolinda. Our students have always done an outstanding job of making new classmates feel welcome, and I am sure this term will be no different.

PFA Meeting - First Week Meeting Term 3

Our next Parents and Friends Association meeting will be held on Thursday in the first week of Term 3 from 2:30pm to 3:30pm.

We would love to see as many people there as possible. We are particularly looking for support with an exciting whole-school community event planned for the end of Term 3. The more people involved, the more successful and enjoyable these events become for everyone.

We are always keen to welcome new members, whether you can attend every meeting or simply help out occasionally.

Some of the topics we could discuss include:

• Planning for our whole-school community event

• Future fundraising opportunities

• Community events and activities

• Father's Day celebrations

• School grounds improvements and working bees

• End-of-year celebrations

If you have an idea or would simply like to become more involved in school life, please come along.

Works Around The School

The front car park has become muddy and, at times, difficult to navigate. Over recent months, I have gradually been adding rock to the entrance area and, now that the school has received the return of over $9,000 in project funds, we will continue adding crushed rock to improve the surface.

In the longer term, we would love to undertake a complete resurfacing of the front car park. However, this will require significant funding and will remain a longer-term goal for the school.

This week, we also had a leak repaired in the old toilet block. Additional plumbing works are scheduled to take place over the holiday period.

We are hopeful that new drinking taps will be installed during the school holidays, providing students with easier access to drinking water.

During our recent Curriculum Day, I worked to declutter and remove unused items from around the school. In total, approximately eight cubic metres of old furniture, equipment and unused materials were removed. This has already made our learning spaces more functional, organised and enjoyable for students and staff alike.

Classrooms

The Year 3/4 classroom caught my eye this week as students completed their creative 'Fraction Bots'. Students used their understanding of fractions to design and construct colourful robot characters, applying their mathematical learning in a hands-on and engaging way.

In STEM, our Junior students have been investigating the concept of floating and sinking. Through a hands-on experiment, students collected and tested natural objects including rocks, sticks and other materials found around the school grounds to explore buoyancy.

Students discovered that increased weight combined with a smaller surface area generally results in an object sinking — a fantastic example of scientific learning in action.

Kitchen Garden

During Fridays, the aromas drifting from our kitchen always make us hungry, but last week's laksa was particularly irresistible! Sharon works incredibly hard to provide these rich learning opportunities for our students, and the Kitchen Garden program is something that truly makes our school unique. We are so fortunate to be able to offer experiences like these, where students develop important life skills while exploring healthy food choices and sustainable practices.

Guest Speaker

Today, our students were fortunate to welcome Kate Tucker to Bolinda Primary School.

Kate has completed three expeditions to Antarctica as an Antarctic Field Training Officer and shared with students her remarkable experiences of living and working in one of the world's most remote and extreme environments.

As part of our Landcare program, students have been learning about different environments and the importance of caring for them. Kate's presentation brought this learning to life through her personal stories, stunning photographs and firsthand insights into the unique Antarctic landscape.

Students were completely captivated throughout the presentation. One particular highlight was watching a video Kate had taken of penguins going about their daily lives. The excitement in the room grew even more when students realised that what first appeared to be an ordinary rock in the background was actually an elephant seal!

The students insisted on watching the footage again and again to spot it for themselves.

We extend our sincere thanks to Kate for taking the time to visit our school. Opportunities such as these inspire curiosity, enrich student learning and encourage our students to think more deeply about the wider world around them.

Bolinda Birthdays