Dear Parents and Carers,

As we prepare for our upcoming Bullying No Way: National week of action, I wanted to share more about the philosophy that underpins our approach to behaviour and wellbeing at our school.

At Boneo, we believe that positive behaviour is taught, just like reading, writing and mathematics. Children are not born knowing how to regulate their emotions, solve problems, manage conflict or make responsible decisions. These are important life skills that develop over time through explicit teaching, clear expectations, positive relationships and regular opportunities to practise.

Our role as educators is to guide and support students as they learn these skills, helping them build respectful relationships, make positive choices and contribute to a safe and inclusive school community. When mistakes occur, we see them as opportunities for learning, growth and restoration, while also ensuring that those affected are supported and that all students feel safe at school.

Research tells us that students are most successful when expectations are taught clearly, routines are predictable and adults respond calmly and consistently. When children feel safe, supported and connected, they are better equipped to engage in learning and make positive choices. This underpins our whole-school 5Rs Whole School Approach to Behaviour Support: Remind, Refocus, Relocate, Remove and Restore. This framework provides a consistent approach across Prep to Year 6, ensuring students experience clear expectations, common language and the support they need to be successful. It is designed to teach positive behaviours, maintain calm and orderly learning environments and support students to develop the skills they need for success. While many students may move through the stages of the framework, it is important to understand that responses are not always linear.

Our approach is built around our two whole-school non-negotiables:

Safety for All – everyone has the right to feel physically and emotionally safe. Respect and Inclusion – everyone deserves to be treated with kindness, dignity and respect.

If a behaviour impacts the safety, wellbeing or learning of others, staff may move directly to the most appropriate response. Our priority is always to respond proportionately and support students to learn from the experience.

Behaviour change takes time. Like any learning, students need repetition, feedback, reflection and opportunities to practise new skills. When mistakes occur, we use these as opportunities to teach, guide and strengthen the behaviours needed to be respectful and responsible members of our community alongside consequences of behaviour choices.

Teachers explicitly teach expectations, routines and school values, while proactively recognising positive behaviours and responding calmly and consistently when expectations are not met.

We recognise that behaviour incidents can impact more than just the student displaying the behaviour. We are committed to supporting all students involved, including those affected by the behaviour. Depending on the situation, support may include checking in with students, providing opportunities to speak with a trusted adult, repairing relationships through restorative conversations and implementing strategies to help students feel safe and confident returning to learning. Contact with family is to encourage communication, seek support and work together on strategies that help students be successful. Families are always welcome to contact their child’s teacher or a member of the leadership team if they have questions or would like further information.

Remind – Teachers use calm prompts, non-verbal cues, visual cues or a quiet conversation to remind students of the expected behaviour before a small issue becomes a bigger one.

Refocus – Teachers help students return their attention to learning by providing guidance, reducing distractions or offering additional support so they can be successful.

Relocate – Sometimes a different workspace within the classroom helps a student regulate, minimise distractions and successfully re-engage with their learning.

Remove – If a student’s behaviour compromises the safety and learning of all, or the previous three strategies have not improved the repeated disruptive behaviour, they may be temporarily removed from the classroom with leadership support. This allows the student time to regulate, reflect and prepare to return successfully. Removal is always followed by support, teaching and restoration – it is never simply about punishment.

Restore – Before returning to class, students participate in a restorative conversation to reflect on what happened, repair relationships where needed and revisit the expected behaviour. The goal is to restore relationships, rebuild trust and reconnect students with their learning and classroom community. We believe every child deserves the opportunity to learn from mistakes, take accountability and make things right.

At Boneo, our goal is always to return students to successful learning as quickly as possible while preserving the dignity of every child and maintaining the safety and wellbeing of all members of our school community. Together with families, we are committed to building a safe, inclusive and supportive environment where every child can thrive and develop the skills they need for life.

A Reminder for Parents and Visitors

We kindly ask that all parents and visitors report to the school office upon arriving at school during the school day. If you need to drop something off or collect your child early for example, our office staff will be happy to assist and contact the classroom if needed. Thank you for your continued support in helping us maintain a safe, secure and positive learning environment for all students.

100 Days of Prep 

On Monday, the Prep students had a wonderful time celebrating their 100th day of school! Throughout the day, they took part in a range of fun activities to mark 100 days of learning, growth and friendship. We finished our celebration by inviting families to enjoy some old-fashioned games together, creating special memories and sharing in this exciting milestone. It was a joyful way to celebrate all that our Prep students have achieved in their first 100 days of school.

SAKG- Pumpkin Gnocchi 

Our students have been busy in the kitchen as part of our Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program (SAKG), creating delicious homemade pumpkin gnocchi using fresh pumpkins grown in our school garden.

From harvesting the produce to preparing and cooking the meal, students developed valuable gardening, cooking and teamwork skills while enjoying the rewards of growing their own food.

What a wonderful way to celebrate fresh, seasonal ingredients and hands-on learning.

Well done to everyone involved!

Lego Club Creations 

Lego Club has been a fantastic success, with students enjoying the opportunity to build, create and collaborate each week. Students have shown incredible creativity, teamwork and problem-solving skills.

It’s wonderful to see everyone having fun while bringing their ideas to life, one brick at a time!