Important Community Information and Reminders

A Big Thank You for a Wonderful Term

As we move towards wrapping up another great term at Bimbadeen, we want to extend our gratitude to all the staff, students, and families for your ongoing support in making this term a success. Your contributions to learning, well-being, and the many fun activities have been invaluable.

This term has been packed with exciting events, including two camps, Hooptime competitions, Book Week, swimming sessions, Parent/Teacher Interviews, SRC meetings, celebrating Foundation students’ 100 days of school and our Year 6’s 100 days left of school, Student Excellence programs, our annual Trivia night fundraiser, NAIDOC Week, cyber-safety incursions, and visits to our local secondary schools to watch their productions - just to name a few!

Work at the Victorian state election

The Victorian state election will be held on Saturday 28 November 2026.

The Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) is looking for people to staff voting centres in paid roles.

Roles suit a range of skills, experience and availability. Some involve several weeks of work before or after election day. Others are just for election day.

Working at an election is a chance to:

earn extra income
gain valuable work experience
meet new people
support your community
play a role in Victoria's democracy.

The VEC provides training and support. Hear more about the experience from casual staff at youtube.com/electionsvic

Find out more and register at vec.vic.gov.au/electionwork

To help the VEC place you at a local voting centre, please take 2 extra steps when you apply:

write our school's name in the free-text section of your application
email workingatelections@vec.vic.gov.au with our school's name to confirm you've registered.

For enquiries about state election employment opportunities, contact the VEC at workingatelections@vec.vic.gov.au

Looking Ahead to Term 4

Next term is shaping up to be just as busy!

Be sure to check the Sentral Calendar to stay informed about what is coming up. Some key events to look forward to in Term 4 are our Year 4 and 6 Camps and Year 2 Day Camp, a host of incursions and excursions, our end of year Christmas Concert, and the Year 6 Graduation ceremony! Please check Sentral for key dates and mark them in your calendar’s now.

Term 4 is a SunSmart Term!

Bimbadeen is a SunSmart school, where school hats are compulsory in Terms 1 and 4. Children will not be allowed to play out in the sun without their hats on next term (or in Term 1 next year). Students without hats will be asked to remain under the veranda in front of the hall, or in the shade outside their classroom doors during recess and lunch times. If your child has misplaced their school hat or requires a new one, new school hats can be purchased from our uniform shop via the link on our school website, or directly from Spartan School World store in Bayswater.

Wearing sunscreen is another important way to protect your skin from harm. Students will be provided with time in their classroom to apply sunscreen prior to recess and lunchtime. Students must apply their own sunscreen at school. We encourage parents and carers to apply sunscreen to their children before school, include personal sunscreen in their child’s school bag, and encourage their children to reapply sunscreen prior to lunch play. Sunscreen is always available at the office for staff and students who do not have their own at school and wish to access it.

Scholarship Opportunities

The Department of Education manages a range of student scholarships. These are available for students who:

complete Grade 4 to Year 11 in 2026
are enrolled in Year 12 in 2026 and plan to do tertiary studies in 2027.

The department will evaluate applicants on their:

academic achievement
participation in school and community activities
financial need.

Scholarships are either one-off payments or cover the duration of the student’s course.

Applications for these scholarships open on Thursday 1 October 2026 and close on Monday 1 February 2027.

To view all available scholarships and for more information on each, including how to apply, refer to Student scholarships.

National Child Protection Week – Every Conversation Matters: Shifting Conversation to Action

National Child Protection Week is an important opportunity to reflect on the role we all play in keeping children and young people safe, supported and heard.

It reminds us that protecting children is everyone’s business and that strong, caring communities are an important part of preventing harm before it occurs.

The 2026 theme, “Every Conversation Matters: Shifting Conversation to Action,” encourages us to go beyond simply having conversations about child safety and wellbeing and consider the practical actions we can take to make a difference.

Conversations are incredibly powerful. They can help children feel heard, build trust, strengthen relationships and help us better understand what children and young people need. Importantly, meaningful change occurs when those conversations lead to action that helps children feel valued, respected, safe and supported.

At Bimbadeen, creating a safe and supportive environment for every child is at the heart of what we do. We want our students to know that their voice matters, that there are adults who will listen to them, and that they can speak up whenever something doesn’t feel right.

Families also play an incredibly important role in building these strong foundations. Some simple ways we can turn conversations about safety into action include:

Identify trusted adults together. Help your child identify adults both within and outside the family they can talk to if they are worried, upset or don’t feel safe. Make sure those adults know they are someone your child trusts.
Make talking part of everyday life. Car trips, preparing dinner, going for a walk or simply spending time together can provide natural opportunities to check in. Regular conversations can make it easier for children to raise bigger or more difficult concerns when they need to.
Listen and take children seriously. Give children the time and space to talk, and reinforce that they can tell you about anything - no matter how big or small it may seem.
Help children recognise their feelings and body signals. Talk about how our bodies can tell us when we feel comfortable, worried or unsafe, and encourage children to trust these early warning signs.
Talk openly about emotions. Helping children develop the language to describe feelings such as happiness, anger, frustration, fear, worry and excitement supports them to communicate what they are experiencing.
Act when something concerns you. When a child shares a worry, listening is the first step. Following up, seeking support where needed and ensuring the child knows what will happen next shows them that their voice has been heard and matters.

National Child Protection Week provides an important national focus, but keeping children safe is something we work towards every day of the year.

By listening carefully to children, valuing their voices and turning conversations into meaningful action, together we can continue to build a community where every child feels safe, cared for, respected and able to thrive.

Child Safety and Wellbeing at Bimbadeen Heights PS - Information for families and the school community

As part of our Child Safety processes, we regularly review and update our child safety policies and procedures. These are available to view on our school website: https://www.bimbadeenheightsps.vic.edu.au/

We are committed to continuous improvement in our approach to child safety and wellbeing and welcome feedback from families and members of our school community on ways we can further strengthen our child safety policies, procedures, and practices.

If you have any suggestions, comments, or questions about Child Safety and Wellbeing at Bimbadeen, please contact a member of the school’s leadership team.

2027 Parent Contributions Information

It may feel a little like seeing Christmas decorations in the shops far too early, but we prefer to think of it as being well organised and giving our families plenty of notice to help with planning and managing family finances

Early in Term 4, families will receive important information about Parent Contributions for the 2027 school year. This will outline the contributions that support the curriculum programs, resources and learning experiences we provide for our students at Bimbadeen.

Providing this information early gives families plenty of time to plan ahead and, for those who choose to do so, make their 2027 contributions before the end of the year.

Term 3 Holidays and Getting Ready for Term 4

TeamKids will be running their after-school care program from 2:30pm on Friday 18 September (final day of Term 3) to cater for the early finish. They also have a comprehensive holiday program planned for the school holiday break. Please contact TeamKids directly for bookings and further information.

As we come to the end of Term 3, we want to thank you for another wonderful term of learning, growth and community spirit. Our students have worked incredibly hard, and it has been a joy to see them continue to thrive, support one another and take on new challenges.

With the school holidays now upon us, we hope everyone enjoys a safe, restful and well‑deserved break. Whether you’re travelling, spending time with family or simply slowing down at home, we wish you a lovely few weeks to recharge.

We’re already looking forward to welcoming all students back for the first day of Term 4 on Monday 5 October. As we prepare for the final term of the year, a few small things can help set students up for success:

Re‑establishing regular routines in the days before school returns
Checking uniforms, school shoes and hats are ready to go
Talking with your child about their goals and what they’re excited for in Term 4
Starting conversations at home thinking about the transition to a new level in 2027

Warm regards,

Adele Gregson, Sabrina George, Marty Gill and Bree King