Principal's Report 

COVID-19 Impact on School Operations

It was with great excitement, that we welcomed our students back onsite today, after a period of remote and flexible learning in response to the increased community transmission of COVID-19 and a subsequent 14-day lockdown across Victoria. Our students were delighted to be back at school with their teachers, classmates and friends, and swiftly settled back into the routine of school. Thank you to our families for supporting our students while they were learning from home and for your support and positive feedback to our teachers and staff on their working throughout this time. 

In response to the continuation of community restrictions, the following protocols are currently in place at Bimbadeen Heights until further notice:

• Non-essential visitors are not allowed on-site (including parent volunteers and school tours)
• Excursions are not permitted
• Interschool sports are not permitted (Year Level (intra-school) sport is permitted)
• Assemblies are permitted, but only with staff and students attending - Assemblies will continue to be held via Webex with a link to the live assembly or a recording provided to families via Sentral
• No staff or student bubbles will be in place that limits mixing of students from different year levels (i.e., Buddies and STARS will be able to go ahead)
• There will not be staggered start/finish school times
• Lunch orders will continue to be available on Tuesdays and Fridays (including today).

The wellbeing of all our students is our priority and our school staff and teachers are here to support you and your family. Information that might be of assistance to you in talking to your child about COVID-19 is available. If you are concerned about your wellbeing or that of your child, please contact the school so we can talk with you about how we can best assist. Other sources of support include: Parent Line 13 22 89 and Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800.

A reminder that if you, your child, or a family member develops symptoms of COVID-19, you should get tested at a COVID-19 testing facility and stay home. Each family should regularly check the list of public exposure sites in Victoria (where a person with COVID-19 has attended), and if anyone in the family has attended a site at the times listed, follow the instructions given. If you are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccination, please check out the website for information and bookings. Like getting tested if you have symptoms, getting vaccinated goes a long way to keeping our communities safe and schools open.

Food Hampers Available at the Office

Food Hampers are currently available at the office, thanks to the generosity of Foodbank Victoria, through our school Breakfast Club program. If you or someone you know would benefit from receiving a food hamper, please collect one from the school office during school hours. Hampers containing supplies for the upcoming school holidays will be advertised and available in the final week of term.

National Reconciliation Week - National Acknowledgment of Country

On Thursday 27 May, the Bimbadeen community was pleased to be a part of the launch of National Reconciliation Week by taking part in the National Acknowledgment of Country.

Acknowledging Country shows you accept and understand that no matter where you are across this nation, you are on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lands, and you acknowledge ongoing connection to Country.

At 9am, we made the following Acknowledgement of Country on behalf of our school community:

This National Reconciliation Week, we acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the Land on which we stand and come together to learn each day. We acknowledge the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and extend that respect to other First Nations peoples present here today and who are a part of our community.

As a school, we planned activities that helped build on the respectful relationships we have with our indigenous families and the broader community. While our plans were cut short due to the transition to remote and flexible learning, the experiences our students participated in helped to build a respectful understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and contributions among the next generation of Australians that is critical to achieving reconciliation.

At our End of Term Assembly on Friday 25 June, we will be unveiling a framed Apology to Australia’s Indigenous Peoples that will reside in our school foyer. This ceremony follows on from our work in classrooms to recognise National Sorry Day on 26 May, another strong symbol for reconciliation.

Our assemblies are still closed to parents and carers due to community restrictions and density quotients, however parents and carers will be able to tune into our assembly via the Webex link that will be sent to parents/carers via Sentral.

Men’s Health Week

National Men’s Health Week provides a valuable opportunity for school communities to focus on health issues, including mental health and wellbeing. Held from Monday 14 June to Sunday 20 June, the week provides the opportunity to learn about men’s health issues and take action to help improve health outcomes for men. 

Men are typically at higher risk of serious health outcomes, many of which are preventable with early intervention and diagnosis. The risk increases for men in marginalised populations, including men living in rural areas and socially disadvantaged men.

The Bimbadeen community plays an important part in helping to change the narrative around men accessing support proactively and reducing stigma associated with asking for help. To mark National Men’s Health Week, we want to highlight the importance of men’s health by:

• encouraging the men in our community to undertake regular health checks, listen to their bodies, seek psychological support and feel comfortable talking about health issues
• reminding the men in our community that seeking help isn’t a sign of weakness and is just a general part of maintaining good health and wellbeing

For more support and resources around men’s health, we encourage you to access the following resources:

• the Healthy Male website, for resources, tools and information about men’s health
• the Men’s Health Information and Resource Centre
• the Head to Health: Supporting yourself – men website
• Beyond Blue, for information on depression and anxiety, advice for new dads and taking action to make positive changes
• the Better Health Channel website
• MensLine Australia, a free online counselling service and forum for men available by phone: 1300 78 99 78 or online chat. Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week
• Dads in Distress, a peer support network for separated dads. Available Monday to Saturday, 8:30am to 5pm by phone: 1300 853 437
• SANE Australia, providing support for people living with a mental illness. Available 10am to 10pm, Monday to Friday, by phone: 1800 187 263 or live chat
• Australian Men’s Shed Association, providing a support network for men. Phone: 1300 550 009 to find a local chapter.

2022 Foundation Enrolments

Enrolments for Foundation in 2022 close on Friday 25 June. We strongly encourage prospective parents to complete an online tour via the school website where you can learn about our wonderful school and meet our staff and students. Prospective families can also attend an in-person tour where we can show you our wonderful school and answer any questions you might have or discuss your child’s individual needs. 

Parents/carers of 2022 Foundation students are encouraged to submit their enrolment form as soon as possible but no later than the state-wide Foundation enrolment due date of 25 June 2021. We will be notifying parents/carers of their child’s Foundation placement at Bimbadeen Heights PS by 23 July 2021.

Completed enrolment forms can be returned to the school:

• directly, by dropping enrolment forms and additional documentation into the school office
• via post to Bimbadeen Heights Primary School, 118 Hayrick Lane, Mooroolbark 3138
• via email to bimbadeen.heights.ps@education.vic.gov.au (please scan and send all sides of the enrolment form, including additional documentation).

2021 Don Parsons Memorial Anzac Essay Prize

Each year, Tony Smith MP, holds an Anzac Essay Prize for Year 5 and 6 students. 

This year, the competition was re-named to the Don Parsons Memorial Anzac Essay Prize in honour of the former Lilydale RSL President, the late Don Parsons who passed away last year. 

The essay topic for 2021 was about the significance of our war memorials to local communities. A committee volunteers their time to judge the essays and decide the winners. 

Congratulations to our students who received prizes in the 2021 Don Parsons Memorial Anzac Essay competition - Jack M (Highly commended award) and Jasmyn B (Participation award).

Mid-Year Reports

Our teachers are busily finalising Student Report Cards that will be made available to parents on the Sentral Parent Portal. They will look different to our reports in 2020 as we will be returning to the same format as our reports pre-2020 and will show student learning progress over the past 18 months, as this was the last time we reported against the full curriculum. 

Reports will be available for parents/carers on Sentral on Friday 18 June at 4pm. For parents/carers to access these reports they will need to be registered for and be able to access the Sentral Parent Portal. If you have not yet registered or are having difficulties accessing the portal, please contact our Sentral co-ordinator Melinda Ruscitti on Melinda.Ruscitti@education.vic.gov.au or Shelley and Emma are also able to provide support at the office.

Parent/Teacher Interviews

Parent/Teacher Interviews will be held in Week 3 of Term 3, with information being sent to families at the beginning of next term. 

Interviews will be booked online via Sentral and will be held either via Webex or in person, depending on community restrictions in place at the time.

Student Portfolios

The school’s leadership team is developing a survey to be sent to parents and carers to gather their views about student portfolios and seek feedback on student learning goals that were sent home earlier this year. The survey will be pushed out to parents at the beginning of Term 3. 

Keep an eye out on Sentral, we would love to hear your views!

Open Night to be Rescheduled

Due to the recent lockdown, we were unable to hold our Open Night on Wednesday 26 May. Our Open Night will be rescheduled for a date in Term 3 (TBC) and we look forward to welcoming our community members into our classrooms for an evening of fun maths.

The screening of the Steve Biddolph’s film, Raising Boys, will also be rescheduled, with further information being sent to parents/carers vis Sentral, next week. 

Mooroolbark Level Crossing Removal Works

As part of Victoria Big Build, the level crossing at Manchester Road is being removed by building a rail bridge over the road and a new station. To allow for these works, Mooroolbark Station will temporarily close from 9pm Friday 16 July to late 2021. What to 

expect: 

• Trains will not stop at Mooroolbark Station for up to four months.
• A replacement shuttle bus will operate between Croydon and Lilydale to reconnect passengers back to their train line.
• All replacement bus services will depart from the Red Earth Community Centre on Brice Avenue.
• Customer service staff will be at the bus stops at all times.
• All station facilities will be closed, including the myki machines. All myki touch on and off can be done as passengers reconnect with their train services at Croydon and Lilydale. You can top up your myki at:
  • ptv.vic.gov.au/myki,
  • at neighboring stations or,
  • 7/11 on Manchester Road, Mooroolbark.
• While the station is closed, some train services will be altered on the Lilydale Line. More information can be found at ptv.vic.gov.au
• Buses will operate to the same frequency as the train timetables.

Disruptions to the Lilydale Line in July 

In addition to the Mooroolbark Station closure, there will major weekday works on the Lilydale Line. Buses will replace trains as follows:

Keep up to date on ptv.vic.gov.au for additional weekend and night works on the Lilydale Line. You can now register to receive disruption information via text message. Simply text the word Manchester to 0437 616 692 to sign up to alerts for traffic and construction impacts for the Manchester Road Level Crossing Removal Project. Alternatively, you can sign up to their email updates at www.levelcrossings.vic.gov.au/contact/subscribe

We hope you all remain safe and well and enjoy a lovely Queen’s Birthday long weekend.

Adele Gregson and Sabrina George