Heights Happenings – 2026 – Term 1, Week 1

Welcome to a brand-new school year. I hope you and your family found some time over the summer break to rest, recharge and enjoy a slower pace. It’s been wonderful seeing students return full of energy, stories and that familiar first‑week buzz that fills the school at this time of year.

A special welcome to all families joining Boronia Heights Primary School for the first time, including our new Prep families. Beginning at a new school is a big step, and we’re really glad you’re here. We’re looking forward to getting to know you and supporting your children as they settle in and grow throughout our time together.

We’re also pleased to introduce several staff members who have joined our team in 2026: Helen Clark (STEAM), Shaun Daniels (5C) and Perri Wilkinson (2D). We’re excited to have them with us and know they’ll bring a great deal to our school. We also welcome back Saascha Cargill and Sajani Dharmapala, who have returned to Boronia Heights PS this year.

A heartfelt thank you to all staff for the work that went into preparing for the year ahead. Many spent part of their break organising classrooms, planning learning programs and making sure everything was ready for students to walk through the doors. So much of this work happens quietly in the background, but it makes a real difference to how smoothly the year begins.

Our Office and Education Support staff have also been hard at work managing the many tasks that come with the start of a new year. Their organisation and teamwork play a huge role in keeping the school running well, and we’re grateful for the effort they put in to ensure everything was ready for day one. Lori, Tracey, Tanya and Tanya are always happy to help you with whatever you need.

We’re excited for the year ahead and all the learning, growth and connection it will bring across our school community.

SunSmart Policy

Don’t forget that Boronia Heights is a SunSmart School and wide brimmed hats are compulsory in Terms 1 & 4, (including Phys Ed sessions). Hats are available at the school office and must be worn by all children and staff when outside at playtime and lunchtime. Children who do not have a hat will have a restricted play area under the shaded areas of the school. Please ensure that your child’s hat is clearly named and that they have it at school every day. Our school uniform policy requires that the hat be a school hat, as it is the approved style with a wide brim that provides full sun protection to face, ears and neck.

Focus for 2026

Each year the school leadership team develops an Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) which sets out the key improvement strategies we’re focusing on. This year’s AIP focuses on four key improvement strategies:

1. Teaching practice
2. Using data well
3. Building student ownership of learning
4. Strengthening student voice.

Each of these focus areas has tasks and activities that staff will undertake so that we can continue to improve the learning outcomes of students.

Here are some of the tasks that teachers and Education Support staff will work on to achieve our goals this year:

• Professional learning sessions with literacy and numeracy experts such as Bronwyn Ryrie Jones, Dr Nathaniel Swaine and Emina McLean.
• Implementation of the Top Ten Mathematics program to build strong foundational skills in mathematics, increase student enjoyment of mathematics, and give every teacher the skills to teach maths effectively.
• Implementation of Little Learners Love Literacy in the P-2 years so that our children have the best start possible in learning how to read.
• Ensuring our assessment practices are consistent and in line with current research on monitoring student learning progress.
• Revising our approach to student learning goals and how children track their improvement.
• Ensuring morning circles, now called Yarning Circles, are a common practice in classrooms each day.

These are only a snapshot of the activities we have planned this year for our school improvement work.

Respectful, safe, engaged: shared expectations to support student behaviour

When schools, families and students work together, we achieve the best outcomes. These partnerships are essential to creating school environments that support all students to belong, learn and thrive.

At Boronia Heights PS all students are expected to be respectful, safe, and engaged. These behaviours help make our school a place where everyone can achieve their best. As a parent and carer, you play a vital role in helping your child to understand and meet shared behaviour expectations.

Students meet behaviour expectations by being:

Respectful 

• Following staff instructions and school rules.
• Caring for school property and others’ belongings.
• Using respectful language.

Safe

• Keeping themselves and others safe from harm.
• Speaking up or seeking help from an adult if they or someone else is being treated unfairly.
• Only bringing safe and necessary items to school.

Engaged

• Going to school every day, being on time, and ready to learn.
• Taking part, doing their best, and asking for help when they need.
• Knowing and following the school’s policies, including the mobile phone policy.

Boronia Heights PS is supporting our students to meet these expectations by being:

Respectful

• Teaching and demonstrating school rules and positive behaviour expectations to students.
• Explicitly teaching, modelling and acknowledging expected respectful behaviour.
• Engaging collaboratively and positively with all students, parents and carers.

Safe

• Having clear policies and procedures to prevent and respond to bullying and keep students safe.
• Offering additional supports to students proactively and supporting students to speak up and seek help.
• Proactively identifying and addressing problems to maintain a physically, socially and culturally safe school environment.

Engaged

• Delivering evidence-based, inclusive education that meets the needs of all students.
• Empowering students to have a say in decisions that affect their learning and school life.

• Building strong, trusting relationships to ensure all students feel seen, heard and valued.

How parents and carers can help

By modelling and encouraging positive behaviour, you help your child build the skills and habits they need to be successful at school. This can include:

Respectful

• Knowing the school’s rules and supporting them at home.
• Modelling respectful behaviour in how you speak to and about school staff, families, and others both in person and online.
• Making use of the school’s processes to raise and resolve concerns early.

Safe

• Working together with staff if your child is having problems at school to understand and resolve the issue.
• Ensuring your child knows it is okay to ask for help from a trusted adult at school.
• Ensuring your child stays safe online by talking with them and addressing concerns early.

Engaged

• Helping your child to attend school every day – every day counts.
• Communicating with school staff and working together to support your child’s learning and wellbeing.
• Talking with your child about their day and how they are feeling and encouraging their learning by noticing their effort and progress.

The Respectful, safe, engaged: shared expectations to support student behaviour statement is available on the department’s website.

Further information, resources and support are available at Supporting positive behaviour in Victorian government schools.

Koko the CARE Koala

I’m excited to share that our school has a new mascot, Koko the CARE Koala. Koko has been created to help bring our CARE values to life in a way that feels fun and meaningful for our students. The idea for a mascot began last year when students told us they wanted something that represented who we are as a community and would help younger students understand our values in a more engaging way.

Throughout the process our students played a key role. They shared ideas about the type of character they wanted, what’s its name would be, what it should stand for and how it could help build a stronger sense of belonging across the school. Once all the ideas were submitted to our competition, the students voted and chose Koko by Matilda D (Grade 5 in 2026).

Koko will be popping up on displays around the school to celebrate positive behaviour, recognise student achievements and help us continue strengthening our culture of care at Boronia Heights. We may even see Koko making an appearance at assemblies later in the year!

Enjoy your weekend.

Mat Anderton
Principal

Hello BHPS Families, and welcome to 2026!

We are delighted to continue being part of the Mental Health in Primary Schools Initiative this year, a program that supports schools to help children feel safe, settled, and ready to learn. The initiative brings together expertise from the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne University, and the Victorian Department of Education, and aims to give teachers and school communities even better tools to support your child’s wellbeing.

I am continuing in my role as Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader at BHPS for a second year. Many of you know me as a teacher here for the past 15 years, and I’m also a proud mum to two energetic boys, Fletcher and Remy! In this role, I work with our teachers and families to support students’ mental health by using our whole-school approach, the Berry Street Educational Model (BSEM), and by connecting families with helpful services when needed. My goal is to notice and respond to wellbeing needs early so every student has the best chance to thrive.

Alongside the Berry Street Educational Model, we will continue to deliver Respectful Relationships lessons. Respectful Relationships is a school-wide approach that helps children learn how to treat others with kindness, respect and fairness. It supports positive attitudes and behaviours so that students can build healthy friendships, understand and manage feelings, and feel confident and safe at school. It is part of the Victorian Curriculum and is taught across all year levels in ways that are age-appropriate for students.

This year we will also introduce a program called Friendology to our students in Years 3-6. Friendology is a skills-based friendship program (from URSTRONG) that teaches children simple language, tools and strategies to build and maintain healthy friendships at school and in life. It helps students understand what to expect from friendships, how to express their feelings, how to solve problems and how to manage normal disagreements in a respectful way. The program gives all children a shared framework for making friends, handling conflict kindly and understanding that friendships can change over time, supporting their social and emotional development in an age-appropriate way.

Year 1 and 2 students will learn all about the Zones of Regulation. The Zones of Regulation helps students understand and talk about their feelings and energy levels by sorting them into four colour-coded “zones.” Each zone represents a different emotional state, like calm and ready to learn (green), or feeling upset or overwhelmed (yellow or red), and helps children recognise how they’re feeling in the moment. Students are then taught simple strategies they can use to manage their emotions and behaviour so they can feel more in control and able to participate positively at school and in daily life.

Once Prep students have settled into the routines of school life, they will learn about interoception. Interoception is our brain’s ability to notice and understand what’s happening inside our body, like noticing when we’re hungry, thirsty, tired, or when our heart is beating fast, and linking those physical signals with how we’re feeling. It’s an important skill that helps children recognise their body’s needs and manage emotions more effectively as they grow and learn.

Throughout the year I’ll be sharing practical ideas, helpful information, and resources right here in the newsletter to keep you informed and supported. I want everyone in our community to feel confident about promoting positive mental health at home and at school. If you ever have any questions or would like to talk further, please feel free to reach out.

Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader
Sarah Weichert

Sarah.weichert@education.vic.gov.au

Congratulations to Sammy, who recently had artwork selected for the youth exhibition Faces at Miller’s Homestead Library. The exhibition showcases artworks by young artists up to the age of 25.

Sammy entered two digital artworks – a self-portrait and a portrait of her cat, Maggie. The exhibition coincided with the library’s Christmas celebration, where staff and visitors admired the displayed works. In a wonderful surprise, the library’s CEO expressed interest in purchasing Sammy’s artwork of Maggie, making this her very first artwork sale!

The Faces exhibition will be on display at Miller’s Homestead Library until the end of February. We are incredibly proud of Sammy and her artistic achievement.

Tara Henstock
Visual Arts Co-ordinator

Welcome to the 2026 School year!

Some of our major sporting events are locked in with their dates – please see the list below. While other events like Hoop Time are yet to be available for bookings, I’ll update families via Compass and the Newsletter once we have some confirmed dates and details. As always, there are some events that we would really appreciate the help of parent volunteers to ensure we run a quality event and have adequate supervision. If you are interested in assisting with any of those events (WWCC and school registration required – available at a later date), please speak to or email me.

Active Club will begin again next week, starting on Monday 2^nd February. This term, Active Club will be held on Monday and Wednesday mornings (when the weather allows). For those unfamiliar with Active Club, it’s a free before school program that I run with the assistance of our House Captains to encourage students and their families to get moving and to start their day on a positive note via running/jogging/walking laps of our school ovals. Students have their laps recorded throughout the program, with recognition at assembly given once major milestones are reached. Family members are most welcome to join in although we don’t record your laps. Active Club can also assist with student preparation for the whole school Cross Country event that is held towards the end of Term 1. There’s no requirement to register to participate, simply come to school and enter via the Phipps Ave gate (next to OHSC club), once there see myself or the House Captains who will have the lap recording cards and then join in for as little or as much as you like. Active Club runs from 8:20-8:45 on Monday and Wednesday mornings and will be held in Terms 1 and 4 only. I hope to see you all there.

2026 Sports events

Feb 3^rd: District swimming trials @Knox Leisureworks (registrations close Feb 1^st, see Compass post for details – Yrs 3-6 only).

Feb 19^th: District Swimming event @ Croydon Memorial Pool (selected Yr 3-6 students).

Mar 20^th: Whole school Cross Country event *parent volunteers requested.

Mar 27^th: Yr 3-6 Athletics Day @ Ringwood Athletics track *parent volunteers requested.

Mar 31^st: Prep-2 Mini Athletics event at school.

May 4^th-8^th: Prep-2 Swimming week, lessons @Knox Leisureworks.

May 8^th: District Cross Country (selected Yr 3-6 students).

May 18^th-22^nd: Yr 3-4 Swimming week, lessons @Knox Leisureworks.

May 21^st: AFL Girls Division event (selected Yr 5-6 girls).

May 22^nd: District Winter interschool sports – day 1 (all Yr 5-6 students). *parent volunteers requested.

May 29^th: District Winter interschool sports – day 2 (all Yr 5-6 students). *parent volunteers requested.

Jul 17^th: District Basketball competition (selected Yr 5-6 students).

Aug 14^th: District Athletics (selected Yr 3-6 students).

Aug 19^th: District Summer interschool sports – day 1 (all Yr 5-6 students). *parent volunteers requested.

Aug 27^th: District Summer interschool sports – day 1 (all Yr 5-6 students). *parent volunteers requested.

Nov 19^th: Surfing excursion – group 1 (some Yr 5-6 students).

Nov 25^th: Surfing excursion – group 2 (some Yr 5-6 students).

Dec 1^st: Surfing excursion – group 3 (some Yr 5-6 students).

Shae Warren
Physical Education Teacher and Sport Co-ordinator

2026 Parent Payment Information

The 2026 Parent Payment information was sent out last week. Click here to access a digital copy. The Melbourne Office Supplies portal for student stationary orders is now open. Login information is found in the Parent Payment information packs.

The Parent Payments are a voluntary contribution that enables the school to offer:

• High quality programs & specialist classes to all students
• Maintain high quality ovals and grounds
• Upkeep our new playgrounds
• Delivery a range of current sporting equipment
• Offer effective first aid and first aid supplies for all students

The above cannot happen without the support of our families and their contributions.

2026 CSEF

The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) helps eligible families to cover the costs of camps, sporting activities and excursions/incursions.

If you have a valid means-tested concession card, such as a Veterans Affairs Gold Card, Centrelink Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card, or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible. There is also a special consideration category for asylum seeker and refugee families.

Payment amounts this year are $154 for eligible primary school. Payments are made direct to the school to use towards expenses relating to camps, excursions and sporting activities for the benefit of your child.

You can download the form here.

Check with the school office if you are unsure, and please return completed forms to the school office as soon as possible.

2026 Extra-Curricular Activities

The 2026 Extra-Curricular Activities payment is for activities that enhance or broaden the schooling experience of students and are above and beyond what the school provides for free to deliver the Curriculum. These activities are provided on a user-pays basis.

The amount per student is $100.00 which covers all your child/rens excursions and incursions for the whole year.
It does NOT cover sporting activities, swimming, camps or Year 6 Big Day Out and Graduation.

Parents can choose to pay per event or via this event as a lump sum. If you have a valid Health Care Card, you may be eligible for the Government support through the Camps, Sports & Excursion Funding (CSEF). This can be used to pay for the Extra-Curricular Activities payment.

Attendance

Please remember if your child will be absent ALL day, you need to enter an absence note on COMPASS. The office will be following up all unexplained absences.

Compass will automatically generate an SMS at 10.00am if your child is not at school. Please note that if you are bringing your child in late, ignore this SMS as late arrivals get signed in on the COMPASS Kiosk at the office on your arrival.  However, if your child is going to be absent for a complete day, you must approve this absence with a ‘note’ on Compass. This will avoid you receiving additional correspondence from the office to follow up this unexplained absence.

Name Your Belongings

We know you treasure your uniform and books. Please remember to label all uniform, books and belongings coming to school. Like most years, we have had an incredible amount of lost property through the year. The majority was unnamed, along with illegible tags. We would love lost items to boomerang back to your kids.

Welcome back, everyone! We hope you had a wonderful school break and were able to relax and recharge.

At this stage, we do not have any major projects planned for this year, as 2026 will be a maintenance-focused year. However, if you have any ideas or suggestions for the school, please feel free to email me at leah.hodgson@education.vic.gov.au . The B & G Committee will be happy to review and assess the logistics of all proposals.

We’re looking forward to a positive and successful year ahead.

Leah Hodgson
Assistant Principal

Welcome back, everyone! We hope you had a wonderful school break and were able to relax and recharge.

The Community Hub is a busy and active committee that organises many community events and fundraising activities throughout the year. This work relies on a dedicated team, and we are very fortunate at Boronia Heights to have such supportive parents and community members who generously give their time to help. We are always happy to welcome new volunteers and can be flexible to fit in with everyone’s busy schedules.

Our first meeting will be held on Monday 9 February at 3:30 pm (or as close to that time as possible—we understand school pick-up comes first!). The meeting will take place in the PD room. All are very welcome to attend, and we promise there is no pressure to commit to anything if you’re just coming along to listen and learn more.

We look forward to another great year of community involvement.

Leah Hodgson
Boronia Heights Hubsters