Teaching & Learning 

Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge

Earlier in the year, all students were invited to take part in the Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge. It involved reading a set number of books and registering them online. We had a total of 24 students complete this challenge and many others start it.

Today, those students who were successful have finally received their certificates and as you can see below, they were very excited. Well done to all those involved and we look forward to once again participating in 2021.

Solar Boat Challenge

This week the year 6 students will bring to an end a unit of study around solar energy, buoyancy and electrical circuitry with the annual Solar Boat Challenge. Normally, we would be hosting teams from schools all over Ballarat, however, COVID-19 has meant the plans have changed for this year. The event will go ahead just with Buninyong students.

This Thursday the Solar Boat teams will put all of their investigation and design to the test as they compete to find out which boat will be 2020 champion.

Will the race record be broken?

Students from across the school will be invited to come and have a look throughout the day to see what all the excitement is about.

We wish our Year 6 students all the best for the race.

Moving to Composite Classes 

Last week we started a series of parent-information sessions that help outline our move to composite class structures in 2021 at the Buninyong Campus. Each of these sessions will be focussed on a specific topic that will help understand composite classes and how the school will implement the change during the next few months.

Thanks to those who were able to attend or take the time to view the recording of the session in the last few days. We will once again record this week’s session and make it available on Compass the following day.

Session 1: Wednesday November 18 - 7-7.30pm - Organising the Curriculum for Composite Classes. Recording of session.

Session 2: Wednesday November 25 - 7-7.30pm - Catering for Individual Needs in a Composite Class.

Session 3: Tuesday December 1 - 7-7.30pm - Supporting Student’s Social & Emotional Needs in a Composite Class.

Session 4: Thursday December 3 - 7-7.30pm - The Scotsburn Model

To join the session, please use the following link:

https://eduvic.webex.com/eduvic/onstage/g.php?MTID=e86e6734d4d37b1266d151d669867e6c8

End of Year Parent - Teacher Interviews.

The end of year Parent - Teacher conferences form a very important part of our reporting process of student achievement. This term, these conferences will take place on Webex, similar to the way in which they were conducted in June. 

The following process will be followed over the coming weeks. Please add the following dates to your calendar.

Booking a Parent Teacher Interview on Compass:

Bookings for Parent - Teacher Interviews open next Monday 30th November a 3.30 pm. Below is a reminder of how to book interviews on Compass.

Bookpacks 2021

This week you will receive a fees and booklist letter that outlines the process for the 2021 school year. 

It is important to keep in mind that the changes to this year’s booklists have occurred after considerable consultation with parents and teachers. We understand that some of the processes are different from previous years, however they will hopefully meet our goals of:

• reducing the cost of the book packs for parents
• reducing our ecological footprint
• giving parents the opportunity to reuse some consumables from previous years.

Key changes:

• Booklists include less consumable stationery items than from previous years. Should students lose or damage resources during the year, parents will be required to replace them.
• Teachers will manage the resources in the classroom. Developing organisational strategies that help students to clearly label and take pride in their resources will be a key part of this process. Book packs will be sent straight to the classroom in 2021 instead of requiring parents to collect them from the office in the days leading up to the start of school.
• A stationery shop will be set up in the office so that replacement resources can be accessed quickly and easily by parents.
• A sustainability shop will be set up in the office to help reuse unwanted or donated unused resources.
• These changes would normally indicate a cheaper booklist for parents, however with remote learning, the red book boxes have struggled to make it through the year. For this reason a book box has been added to all bookpacks.
• Students in Years 3, 5 and 6 will need to bring a pair of scissors, ruler and sharpener on the first day. We encourage families to re-use these items from this year.

We understand that some families use the labelling process of books and stationery as part of their preparation for school. As all book packs will be delivered straight to the classroom in 2021, students are welcome to bring their labels into school on the first day.

It is important that book packs are paid for or a payment plan has been discussed prior to January 27th 2021.