We made it, and can’t thank our staff and families enough for the outstanding effort this year to keep us all safe and well and at school.

It has been a huge achievement navigating the many transitions that 2021 has brought, and we wish you all a wonderful break.

A special farewell to our Grade 6 students, who enjoyed our traditions of graduation and the final assembly farewell. Their week started with a wonderful 90s themed lunch celebration then the formal graduation ceremony that honoured their final year in primary school. Many thanks to our Parent Graduation Committee and outstanding grade 6 teachers who have supported this week of celebrations. Then it was all about dancing the night away with Tilly's dad as DJ and rocking on as parents hit the dance floor with the kids.

“We are not the things we accumulate.

We are not the things we deem important.

We are story. All of us.

What comes to matter, then is the creation of the best possible story we can when

we’re here. You, me, us, together.

When we can do that and we take the time to share those stories with each other,

We recognise our kinship –

We change the world one story at a time.” RICHARD WAGAMESE

And…our special Year 6 Grads of 2021 did create the best possible story in their time at BBPS. They have a special Year Book capturing their wisdom - many thanks to Kate Jenkins for this fabulous edition and for all the former editions you have so lovingly put together. Images do truly speak a thousand words. Our kids and families have been so lucky to have you put this together.

We wish them all the very best as they head off to commence year 7

We also say goodbye to some of our much-loved staff this week and wish them well on their next adventure. Many thanks to Showji Ito, Anoushka Prockiw and Vanessa Gadea. And a special thank you to Kate O’Hara, who has been a member of the BBPS community for 12 years. You will be missed.

State education is great education - Thank you to all our parents who appreciate that State Education relies on parent contributions - curriculum and other contributions and have jumped in before the end of year to pay. A reminder that payments are officially due in the new year. We start 2022 with a refurbished library and 2 brand new shade sails which are on their way as well as a number of air purifiers set to be delivered in January. We cannot do what we do without your generous contributions and we endeavour to make every effort to keep the cost of items and activities to a minimum and affordable for all parents.

Semester 2 Reports and Visible Learning: You will have noticed that semester 2 reports went live on Compass yesterday. To accompany these, we are introducing for the first time a Visible Learning opportunity where teachers are sharing a piece of learning evidence with you as a way to further build communication re learning progress between school and home. This is the first of what will be a whole school focus into 2022 and we welcome your feedback. Please see yesterday’s Compass post for more information.

COVIDSafe Operations: Some of you may be wondering where the school stands currently on the latest information re vaccination requirements for primary aged students. At this stage, we have not received any information from DET. Should something be announced by the DET over the holidays, we will communicate via Compass any important information prior to school returning.

Staffing 2022: Our students met their 2022 teacher today.

We welcome Eleanor Savage (Prep); Maddison Rolfe (Grade 2); Itai Gororo (Grade 2); and Will Crossland (Grade 5) as classroom teachers, and Petronilla Furfaro and Rose Siracusa as Education Support Staff.

Prep: Kirsty Walker, Eleanor Savage, Alison Coutts

Grade 1: Eliza Bernau, Daphne Fourniotis

Grade 2: Maddison Rolfe, Itai Gororo, Amy Chisholm

Grade 3: Megan Craig / Claire Paitiridis, Tasleem Sahib

Grade 4: Ryan Bolger, Paloma Ellis-Vega

Grade 5: Kylie White, Will Crossland

Grade 6: Kirsten Braun, Jodie Gates

Performing Arts: Sally Wickes

Visual Arts: Georgia Hellier, Shanti Treloar

LOTE Japanese: Esther Yamada

Physical Education: Josh Ancrum, Linda McCaffery

Learning Support: Georgia Hellier (TLI); Averil Gramaconi (Reading Recovery)

Administration Office: Sue Klein, Benita Danckert, Terry Morris, Kellie Sneyd, Shane Dawes

Education Support Staff: Simone Kennedy, Patrick Porter, Ruth Pascoe, Gilly Jedwab, Angela Franzi, Rose Siracusa, Petronilla Furfaro, Sophie Strang (Library).

Student Teacher Training: BBPS received an acknowledgement from Melbourne University for hosting 9 teacher candidates in 2021 and thanking us for being a partner school. We take the role of supporting our young teachers in training very seriously and enjoy placing them into classes to learn their craft here at BBPS. Thanks must go to Kirsten Braun and Kylie White for coordination of this program.

School Leadership roles 2022: Congratulations Grade 5 for completing an outstanding leadership process this year. Grade 6 leadership positions were announced, and we congratulate Ati and Edan as our 2022 School Captains. It is an exciting time for them to both contemplate what they want to make of these roles with the team of leaders they have around them. We congratulate all our year five students for embracing and committing to the application process. This is a huge learning opportunity for our senior students to further delve into their dispositions, to challenge their thinking about responsibility and the ethics of leading as our incoming year 6 and being at the head of the school.

Return to School: All students ( including 22 preps) commence school on Wednesday, 2nd February. Classrooms will be open from 8:45am for a 9:00am start. The School Office will be open from Monday, 31st January.

Library News

Tallulah, Pippa, Max and Vivi