Dear Parents and Carers,

At Boneo Primary School, we believe that every child has the right to learn in a safe, respectful and supportive environment. Our ethos is grounded in building strong, positive relationships and fostering a culture where students take responsibility for their actions and feel supported to learn from mistakes.

We use positive behaviour management strategies as the foundation of our approach. This means we focus on recognising and reinforcing the behaviours we want to see, teaching students the skills they need to manage themselves and helping them develop empathy and respect for others.

Alongside this, we implement restorative practices, which encourage students to reflect on the impact of their actions and repair relationships that may have been harmed. We also use tailored interventions, strategies or consequences to support students in making better choices in the future, all of which are individualised dependent on need.

One part of this approach is the use of the Echidna Lounge – a supportive space where students can take time to reflect, reset and regulate their emotions. The Echidna Lounge is a space that provides students with the opportunity to pause, think through what has happened, take accountability for their actions and agree on preferred actions and strategies.

Through this balanced and respectful approach, we aim to empower our students to take ownership of their behaviour, grow in resilience, and strengthen the sense of belonging within our school community.

We want your input

Every four years, schools undergo a comprehensive School Review to evaluate performance, effectiveness and areas for improvement. As part of this process, we are completing a Pre-Review Self-Evaluation, and your input is invaluable. I invite you to join me, Tom Pollett and our School Council President, Davey Smith, for a discussion on our school’s strengths and areas for growth on one of the dates below. Your feedback will help shape the future of Boneo, and your support is greatly appreciated.

When: Friday 12 September and Friday 10 October

Where: Boneo Hall

Time: 2pm – 3.15pm

Our Parent Opinion Survey is also still open for you to provide feedback. Login details were sent via Compass.

School hats

Please ensure that your child has a Boneo school hat at school. They will be asked to wear them during recess, lunchtime and during outdoor activities. Students who do not have a hat will have a designated undercover area to play in.

Student dress code policy

It’s been wonderful to see so many of our students wearing their uniform with pride and representing our school so positively each day.

Just a gentle reminder that:

• Studs, small sleepers and watches are the only acceptable jewellery.
• Nails are to be kept neutral without acrylics.
• Shoulder length or longer hair is to be tied back to help restrict the spread of lice and for student safety.

We appreciate your continued support in helping our students feel confident, safe and ready for learning.

Cyber Safety for parents and carers

Our school uses the Cyber Safety Project to support students in becoming responsible, resilient and empathetic digital citizens. I’m including a link below for parents and carers to access at home, so you can explore the same tips and resources we use at school. Cybersafety Project

Scholarships to support students

The Department of Education administers a number of scholarships that are available to eligible students who are enrolled in Year 4 to Year 12 in 2025.

Applicants for these scholarships will be evaluated on their:

· participation in school activities

· community involvement

· academic achievement.

Scholarships are either one-off payments or cover the duration of the student’s course or annual study.

Many of these scholarships have specific eligibility criteria, so please refer to individual applications for more information.

Applications open on Wednesday 1 October 2025 and close on Monday 2 February 2026. For more information and a list of available scholarships, refer to the Student scholarships for Year 4 to Year 12 fact sheet. Scholarships fact sheet.docx

For information on how to apply, refer to Student scholarships. Student scholarships | vic.gov.au

“Wild at Art” is Australia’s biggest art competition open to children 5-12 years old.

It is an opportunity for kids to get creative while learning about Australia’s threatened plants and animals.

The competition is for a painting or drawing of an Australian threatened plant or animal. Instructions for submissions, threatened species lists and a teacher’s lesson guide are available online at: https://www.acf.org.au/get-involved/wild-at-art-competition Prizes include wildlife and zoo experiences, nature activity sets, arts and crafts gift cards, Australian animal soft toys, educational board games and books.

The competition is run by ACF (Australian Conservation Foundation). ACF is a nationwide community group initially started to combat the threat mining posed to The Great Barrier Reef over 50 years ago.

The 2025 edition of the competition runs from Sunday 7th September to Friday 24th October.

Year 5 Inquiry

Hello Buzz Readers,
In Year 5 Inquiry, we have been focusing on recycling with T-shirts. We are making bags by reusing and recycling to help save the world, instead of sitting down and relying on single-use plastics!
It’s bad for our planet, and it’s crucial that you stop and help the world.
Sonny H 5B

Kitchen Garden

Girls and Boys School Badminton Championships

Year 1 Science

Year 1 students have been investigating the idea that everyday materials can be physically changed in a variety of ways. They have conducted a series of scientific experiments with different objects, including everyday materials. Yesterday they explored chemical reactions, making a ‘volcanic eruption’ and changing the colour of a liquid (cabbage ‘indicator water’) by mixing in a second material (sugar, bicarb soda, milk, dish powder and lemon juice). Students excitedly made predictions, observations and comparisons. The erupting volcano was a typical crowd pleaser!

To duplicate the Volcano Experiment at home you will need:

• A clean glass bottle
• bicarbonate of soda
• Red food colouring
• White vinegar
• Sand or soil to build your volcano.

First, pour a few heaped teaspoons of baking soda into the bottle and drip a few drops of food dye on top. Then, build and decorate the volcano (sand pits or the beach are perfect). Next, submerge your bottle up to the neck in the ‘volcano’. Finally, carefully pour the vinegar into the bottle opening. The reaction should be instant with ‘lava’ fizzing out of the top; a fun and exciting ‘volcanic eruption’!