Boneo Buzz: 24th February
Dear Parents and Carers,
As another wonderful week comes to a close, I would like to thank you all for your ongoing support of our school.
It was delightful to see so many family members attend our ‘Share the joy of maths games’ morning today. Our students loved being able to showcase their mathematical thinking and engagement in learning through a wide variety of maths games!
We had many families supporting us at the Boneo Market on Saturday – this is always very much appreciated. The Boneo Market is a significant fundraiser for the school with money raised going toward resources for our students, including the new Ninja Course which will be an exciting addition to our playground. If you are able to support us with the market which is every third Saturday of each month, please call through to the office to volunteer.
Goodbye ‘for now’ to Chloe Umbers
Chloe Umbers begins her Maternity Leave on Monday. Whilst we will miss her at Boneo, we wish her all the very best on this exciting new chapter of her life and look forward to meeting her new bundle of joy soon.
Upcoming School Council Elections
All government schools in Victoria have a School Council. They are legally constituted bodies that are given powers to set the key directions of a school within state-wide guidelines. In doing this, a School Council is able to directly influence the quality of education that the school provides for its students. Parents on School Council provide important viewpoints and have valuable skills that can help shape the direction of our school. Parents who become active on School Council find their involvement satisfying in itself and may also find that their children feel a greater sense of belonging and engagement. Each year, approximately half of the School Council retires to allow new members to become involved. To this end, we are now formally calling for nominations for the 2023/2025 Boneo Primary School Council. Membership on the council is for a period of two years and meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month. If you would like to know more about being a councillor, don’t hesitate to call the office or contact Owen Goodwin, our School Council President. In 2023, we have 4 parent vacancies and 2 DET vacancies on School Council for a full period of two years.
The annual School Council General meeting is being held on Tuesday 21st March.
Nomination forms may be obtained from the school and must be lodged by 4pm Thursday 9th March.
School Council Election Process and Timeline
‘Talking the Talk’ information night
Thank you to all of our families who were able to join us for the information night on Monday evening. It was wonderful to see so many of you there engaging with the content. Feedback I have received from families has been extremely positive. If you were unable to join us on Monday, there is a pre-recorded parent session you can access on the website: Talking The Talk Sexuality Education (talkingthetalksexed.com.au).
More information will be provided in the preview to learning via COMPASS by your child’s teacher.
School preparedness and pre-emptive actions for the bushfire season
Fire danger ratings indicate how dangerous a fire would be if one started in those conditions and provide clear direction on the safest options for preserving life. They can be a trigger for action in community and for school and household level fire plans.
Schools and children’s services listed on the Department of Education and Training’s Bushfire At-Risk Register (BARR) and those at some lower risk of bushfire or grassfire on the Category 4 list will be closed when a Catastrophic fire danger rating day is forecast in their Bureau of Meteorology district.
Schools and early childhood services listed on the Department of Education and Training’s Bushfire At-Risk Register (BARR) and those at lower risk of bushfire or grassfire on the Category 4 list take pre-emptive actions on elevated fire danger days to minimise the risk of being caught in a fire in these conditions. The category of risk (per the BARR or Category 4 list) determines the actions that the school or early childhood service will need to take on days of elevated fire danger.
Our school has been identified as being one of these schools at high bushfire or grassfire risk, and is a BARR 4 grass fire school.
Our school will close on a day forecasted as Catastrophic fire danger rating in fire district.
The department will advise our school of the potential for a Catastrophic fire danger rating as information becomes available, however the pre-emptive closure will be confirmed by 1pm the day prior to Catastrophic fire danger day.
Fire danger ratings are forecast by the Bureau of Meteorology up to four days in advance. Should a Catastrophic day be forecast, we will notify you of the potential closure by an email and Compass notification. Along with putting this on Facebook. Closure of the school due to a forecast Catastrophic day will be confirmed on the day prior and we will provide you with advice before the end of the school day.
Once confirmed, the decision to close will not change, regardless of improvements in the weather forecast. This is to avoid confusion and help your family plan alternative care arrangements for your child. It is also important to note that:
- No staff will be on site on days where the school is closed due to a forecast Catastrophic day.
- Out-of-school-hours care will also be cancelled on these days.
- School camps will be cancelled if a Catastrophic fire danger rating day is forecast for the Bureau of Meteorology district in which the camp is located, or if the travel involves passing through areas that have Catastrophic fire danger.
- The Cape Schanck bus will also be cancelled.
Families are encouraged to enact their Bushfire Survival Plan on Catastrophic fire danger rating days. On such days, children should never be left at home alone or in the care of older children.
For those of us living in a bushfire prone area, the Country Fire Authority (CFA) advises that when Catastrophic days are forecast, the safest option is to leave the night before or early on the morning of the Catastrophic day.
As part of preparing our school for potential hazards such as fire, we have updated and completed our Emergency Management Plan.
What can parents do?
- Make sure your family’s bushfire survival plan is up-to-date and includes alternative care arrangements in the event that our school is closed due to elevated fire danger or a Catastrophic fire forecast. Further information can be found on the CFA’s website.
- Ensure we have your current contact details, including your mobile phone numbers. Keep in touch with us checking Compass or Facebook
- Most importantly at this time of year, if you’re planning a holiday or short stay in the bush or in a coastal area, you should check warnings in advance of travel and remain vigilant during your stay.
- If your child is old enough, talk to them about bushfires and your family’s Bushfire Survival Plan.
- You can access current information about school and early childhood services closures, including those due to elevated fire danger, on the Department of Education and Training’s website – see http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/health/pages/closures.aspx
Multiple sources that offer information on emergencies are listed below:
- VicEmergency app – that can be downloaded on your android and iOS mobile devices
- VicEmergency Hotline (1800 226 226)
- Website https://emergency.vic.gov.au
- Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/vicemergency)
- Twitter (https://twitter.com/vicemergency)
- ABC local radio, Sky News and other emergency broadcasters
Assistance for Eligible Families
Conveyance Allowance
The conveyance allowance is a contribution towards the costs of transporting children to and from school.
Please contact the school office to confirm your eligibility and collect an application form, or download from the link below.
Eligibility
An application on behalf of a student may be submitted if the student is:
- a Victorian resident;
- school aged and enrolled (3) three or more days per week at a school; and
- attending a school/campus located outside the Melbourne metropolitan conveyance boundary
A student who meets the above requirements may be eligible if they:
- attend their nearest or designated neighbourhood government school/campus appropriate to their year level, at which admission is permissible, and
- reside 4.8km or more by the shortest practicable route from the campus attended
- whose nearest school is not serviced by a free school bus provided under the School Bus Program
https://www.education.vic.gov.au/PAL/conveyance-allowance-form-1-car-private-travel.docx
Snapshot of Learning
Year 4 – Quantum Victoria Excursion
Year 4 attended Quantum this week. As part of their reflection upon returning to school, students were asked to write a recount of their experience by selecting their purpose, audience and text structure. Students explored examples of fictional narratives, news articles, diary entries and letters. See if you can pick which style of writing the following students selected.
QUANTUM VICTORIA
By Artie
Hello, this is Channel Two News coming to you live from Quantum Victoria. Boneo Primary has hit the lab and are working hard to turn playdough into a circuit with the help of MaKey MaKeys. But first, they need to work out the objects that work as a conductor and those that work as an insulator. The key component is the alligator clip as it helps to connect with objects to see if they are a conductor or insulator. What was fascinating for the students is the confusion of the plastic coating around the wire. If they don’t work it out and clip the alligator clip onto the end of the wire to avoid the plastic, they will never complete their challenge to make a playdough keyboard. Only time will tell!
Signing off,
Artie
BREAKING LIVE NOW
By Scarlett
All Year 4 have entered Quantum in a stormy rush, pushing and pulling to get inside. 7 by 7 students are entering at one time in a horrendous rush. We count them now getting into pairs and racing to their seats to pull out their Quantum Mission Booklets. As they tick and cross through different questions, students seemed challenged by last one. Witness saw them digging their hands into playdough to find the answer, squishing and squashing through their fingers. Apparently the answer connects with the mass of the playdough, will it be milliliters (mls) and grams (g), who knows.
Dear Students of Quantum Victoria,
Today my school, Boneo Primary School, visited your place of learning. We had so much fun making our very own playdough in partners. My partner was Annabelle. I loved the sensation of the flour, water and food colouring squishing through my fingers. Eventually, we had to stop mixing and wash our hands. The playdough was AWESOME.
Yours Sincerely,
Daisy
Share the Joy of Learning – Maths Games
STEM with the Preps
This week with the Preps we read ‘Imagineer’ by Christopher Cheng. We learnt about letting our imagination guide our amazing building ideas. In teams of engineers, the preps used our new building planks to make towers, houses, mazes and more!
‘Superhero in Me’ Incursion – Year 1 & 2
Reminders
Kinect2Dance - Prep to Year 4
Monday 27th February – Monday 3rd April
Consent due on Compass by Wednesday 22nd February
Lucky Jar - Free Dress Day
Thursday 9th March
Student free dress day. Lucky Jar donation for Family Food & Fun Night
Curriculum Day - Student Free Day
Friday 10th March
Labour Day Public Holiday
Monday 13th March
Golf Day Fundraising Event
Friday 17th March
See event flyer in this edition of the Buzz
Boneo Community Market
Saturday 18th March
Year 4 have been allocated BBQ duty for this market.
Please contact the office to volunteer.
School Council AGM
Tuesday 21st March
Year 6 Wilsons Prom Camp
Tuesday 21st – Friday 24th March
Consent/Payment due on Compass by Tuesday 14th March
Family Food & Fun Night
Friday 24th March
See event flyer in this edition of the Buzz