Dear Parents and Carers,

Across the school, students have been deeply engaged in rich learning experiences that reflect our whole-school curriculum approach. We maintain a strong focus on academic achievement by ensuring every student is appropriately challenged and supported in their learning. Teachers use ongoing assessment and evidence of student progress to identify individual strengths and areas for growth. This information informs the development of personalised learning goals, which help students understand what they are working towards and take ownership of their learning. To stay connected with your child’s learning, we encourage all families to regularly check the Compass Learning Previews. These provide valuable insight into upcoming learning, key skills and ways you can support learning at home. Your engagement helps reinforce what’s happening in the classroom and supports your child to take ownership of their learning journey.

Planning for 2025

Our teachers are about to begin the process of creating classes for 2026. If you would like to make a request regarding your child’s class placement, please submit this in writing to boneo.ps@education.vic.gov.au by Friday, 31 October.

Please note that requests will only be considered for wellbeing reasons. Requests based solely on friendships or specific teachers are not appropriate. At Boneo Primary School, all teachers are caring, dedicated professionals and we are confident that every child will receive a high-quality education, regardless of their class placement.

When forming classes, we carefully consider each student’s learning needs, social connections and the importance of creating balanced groups. This is a complex process, and once classes are finalised, it is extremely difficult to make changes. Even one adjustment can have a flow-on effect that impacts other students and strategic decisions.  For this reason, requests received after Friday, 31 October will not be considered.

While we cannot guarantee that all requests will be accommodated, we will do our best to take the information you provide into account.

If you have previously made a request and would like it to remain in place for wellbeing reasons, please submit a new request so we have your updated preference for 2026.

Thunderstorm asthma – be prepared this pollen season

Grass pollen season, which typically runs from October to December each year in Victoria, brings an increase in asthma and hay fever symptoms. It also increases the risk of thunderstorm asthma. For people with asthma or hay fever, especially those who experience wheezing or coughing with their hay fever, thunderstorm asthma can be sudden, serious and even life threatening.

Boneo Primary School will implement a range of measures to keep our school community safe as the risk of thunderstorm asthma increases. Many of our staff are trained in asthma first aid. We will monitor the VicEmergency app to receive thunderstorm warnings and, where appropriate, keep students indoors when weather forecasts identify greater risk.

During the season, there are some things you can do to prepare and protect yourself and your family:

• If your child has ever had asthma, talk to your doctor about what you can do to help protect them from the risk of thunderstorm asthma this pollen season, including updating your asthma action plan.
• Taking an asthma preventer properly and regularly is key to preventing asthma, including thunderstorm asthma.
• If your child has hay fever, see your pharmacist or doctor for a hay fever treatment plan and check if you should have an asthma reliever puffer.
• If your child has hay fever and experiences wheezing and coughing, it is important to make sure they don’t also have asthma. Speak to your doctor about an asthma action plan.
• Where possible, avoid being outside during thunderstorms from October to December, especially during the wind gusts that come before the storm. Be inside and close your doors and windows. If you have your air conditioning on, turn it to ‘recirculate’.

For more information, speak to your doctor. You can also refer to the Better Health Channel website.

Medications at school

Schools must obtain written authority for all medication to be administered by the school. It is required that we have a Medication Authority Form signed by the student’s medical or health practitioner for the administration of any medication at school. Forms are available from the office.

Information Required:

• Appropriate storage and administration directions.
• Medication should be in the original container with the original label including the name of the student, information on dosage and times to be administered (where prescribed).
• Medication should be within its expiry date and promptly replaced at the date of expiry.

Unfortunately, we cannot administer any medication (including over the counter medication such as eye drops, hay fever or Panadol medication), unless we have this signed form returned to school.

Principals for the Day

This week, Sophie H and Charli B had the exciting opportunity to step into the role of Principal for the Day. Their day was filled with important responsibilities – completing administrative tasks, visiting classrooms to see learning in action and celebrating the wonderful achievements of our students. They even took time out of their busy schedules to rescue and revive the office plants! It was a fantastic experience that gave them a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to help our school run smoothly.

Oaks Day 2025

Oaks Day preparations are now in full swing. Ticket sales are flying, so please ensure you make contact with the office if you are interested in attending. Numbers will need to be confirmed with the venue by Friday 31st October.

The continued success of this major fundraising event is testament to our incredibly generous extended community. The event is supported by a far reaching range of community stakeholders and we are extremely grateful for their support.

A very special thank you to our local business community for their continued support of our school. We have acknowledged some of these businesses below.

Oaks Day Major Sponsors

Swimming Week

Students in Prep, Year 1 and Year 6 have thoroughly enjoyed their week of swimming lessons at Yawa. Throughout the week, the children have made fantastic progress, refining their strokes while learning essential techniques and water safety skills. They also took part in fun, water-based games designed to build listening skills, encourage safe instruction-following and promote awareness of themselves and others in the pool environment. A highlight of the program was when students ‘fell’ into the water fully clothed and practised the skills needed to keep themselves safe and get out of trouble. What a wonderful and valuable program!

Basketball Year 6 v Teachers

Today marked the first of our annual Term 4 ‘Year 6 versus Teachers’ sporting challenges. Despite the students playing with skill and flair, the teachers took out this first round. 

Division Athletics