Dear Parents and Carers,

We are proud of the purposeful learning taking place across all classrooms at Boneo Primary School. Students are engaged in meaningful tasks that challenge their thinking, build independence and promote collaboration. Staff continuously use student data to ensure learning is differentiated and meeting the needs of our students. Over the next couple of terms, our school improvement team will be working as part of a triad with two other primary schools in our network, to observe and reflect on teaching practices across different settings. I am excited about the opportunity for us to showcase our practices. These visits provide valuable feedback and support our ongoing commitment to refining instructional practices.

Changes to Mathematics Reporting in 2025

The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) revised the mathematics curriculum (Mathematics curriculum 2.0) ready for implementation this year. We are using the revised mathematics curriculum for teaching and learning, and also for student reporting this semester.

On your child’s previous report, the teacher reported against the 3 strands of the achievement standard for mathematics (Number and Algebra, Measurement and Geometry, and Statistics and Probability). Under the Mathematics curriculum 2.0, your child’s teacher will report against the achievement standard as a whole, providing a single, aggregated score.

As the achievement standards reported on have changed, the first time you receive a report under the Mathematics 2.0 curriculum, it will only show achievement and not progress. For all reports after this, progress will be shown against the single achievement standard. 

The VCAA made these changes to help teachers plan their teaching and learning programs in mathematics, giving them more flexibility to support students to link ideas within mathematics and also with other curriculum areas.

For further information, refer to the department’s policy on Reporting Student Achievement and Progress Foundation to 10.

Safety alert for Wild Mushrooms

Wild mushrooms can be fascinating for curious kids – but they can also be deadly. With poisonous mushrooms popping up around Victoria, it’s a good time to remind your children never to pick, play with or eat mushrooms that they find outdoors. Even though these mushrooms can sometimes look like the ones we purchase from the supermarket, they are not the same and can make us very sick. If you find mushrooms growing in your garden at home – please remove them wearing gloves. If you believe that your child may have eaten a wild mushroom, call 000 or the Victorian Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26.

Triptych Mural

The newly displayed triptych mural (installed on the exterior wall of the Year 3 classrooms) is a beautiful collaboration between Boneo students and First Nations representatives from Baluk Arts. The three eye-catching panels were created by students, who were encouraged to connect with each other through art, explore artistic excellence and develop a deeper connection to Boneo’s School Values, under the guidance of Aboriginal Elders.

Based in Mount Eliza, Baluk Arts is an Aboriginal owned and led, community artists collective. Baluk is a local Bunurong and Boonwurrung word meaning ‘many’ or ‘group of people’ and reflects the diversity of the artists and their work that are members of this group. Artworks of this collective reflect themes of identity, in a contemporary cultural context.

Depicted in the mural are Boneo’s school values; Respect, Empathy and Determination. Surrounding the word ‘Respect’ are the outlines of the eucalyptus, signifying the respect we foster of nature and the reciprocal relationship that underlies respect of, and caring for, our country and community. The many hands of the students surrounding ‘Empathy’ is to show the support we have for each other at Boneo and the final panel ‘Determination’ demonstrates many symbols to encourage our students to show determination, mastery and excellence no matter their pursuits. 

This vivid artwork sits nicely alongside our newly painted tunnels completed in collaboration with a current group of senior students, aptly named ‘The Vegemite Sandwich Crew,’ under the guidance of local artist and Boneo community member, Tyson.

National Reconciliation Week

National Reconciliation Week 2025 will be held from Tuesday 27 May to Tuesday 3 June. The theme this year, ‘Bridging now to next’, reflects ongoing connection (between past, present and future) and encourages us to move forward together, guided by past lessons to build a more united and respectful nation. Students will participate in a number of learning tasks and activities including Floral Friday on Friday 30 May. Floral Friday is a Torres Strait Islander tradition that fosters connection and communication and spreads joy through colour. To celebrate, students and staff are invited to wear free dress on Friday (bright, colourful florals), for a gold coin donation. These donations will contribute to purchasing First Nations cultural resources for the school library.

Year 6 Market Resources Wanted

Hi Boneo, we are ‘Thing’s on Wheels’ and we are seeking cardboard tubes to assist us with sustainably building our product. These tubes can come from finished paper towel rolls, gift wrapping rolls, glad wrap/baking paper/foil rolls. Please no toilet rolls for sanitary reasons. If you are donating anything, please drop it at the Year 6 rooms.

Thankyou!

Artie and Casey

Boneo are you sick of plain hair ties? We are ‘Scrunch it Up’ and we are in need of any spare/unused fabric to assist us in creating our scrunchies. If you can help us, please drop the fabric at the Year 6 classrooms.

Thankyou in advance! 

• Amelia and Lyla 

Pixel Perfect

Our clever Prep students are becoming confident computer users as they create digital pixel art. They’ve been learning how to hold the mouse correctly, use left and right-clicks and scroll with control. A special thank you to the Year 6 STEM leaders who visited the Prep lessons this week to help them bring their creative designs to life with confidence and imagination.

Year 2 excursion to Willum Warrain