Year 11 National Vietnam Veterans Museum Excursion
Wednesday 13 August 2025
Curriculum Day – Student Free Day
Thursday 7 August
Mt Buller Snow Trip
Friday 15 August 2025
Year 3 – 4 Scienceworks Excursion
Thursday 21 August 2025
Senior Art – French Impressionism Exhibition
Thursday 21 August 2025
Junior School Production – Back to the Future… Again
Tuesday 16 September 2025
Professional Practice Day – Student Free Day
Monday 3 November 2025
Year 3-6 Camp – Mill Valley Ranch
Monday 17 November – Wednesday 19 November 2025
Curriculum Day – Student Free Day
Monday 24 November 2025
School Trivia Night
Friday 24 October
Coming Soon: BK12 Trivia Night!
We’re excited to announce a new community event — our very own Boronia K12 College Trivia Night, happening on Friday 24 October!
Following the success of last year’s Fete, we wanted to create another opportunity for our school community to come together for a fun-filled evening. Mark your calendars and stay tuned for more details to come — we can’t wait to see you there!
New Elite Basketball Program… Coming 2026!
This exciting program will be available to students in Years 6 to 9 through dedicated Elite Basketball Electives for Years 6/7 and Years 8/9. These classes will include:
Specialist coaching from NBL1 players to develop skills, game strategies, and on-court performance
Morning and afternoon strength and conditioning sessions in our brand-new Fitness Centre
Opportunities to complete accredited coaching and refereeing courses, helping students gain official qualifications and build leadership skills
In addition, students in Years 3 to 5 will be able to join our brand-new ‘Little Elites’ Basketball Group, designed to build foundational skills in a fun and supportive environment.
Our current “Tip Off” Basketball Program will continue to run next semester for interested students in Years 5 to 9.
Stay tuned – more information will be shared during subject selection next term.
We can’t wait to see our future basketball stars in action!
As we come to the end of a very positive and productive Term 2, I’d like to take this opportunity to share some highlights from the term, as well as provide an update on what’s ahead for our school community.
Staff Update
Departing Staff
Ms Easton – A big thanks to Iona for her contributions to our college over the past 18 months in the Art team. We wish her all the best.
Ms Tomlinson –We thank Ashlee for her work as an integration aide.
Ms Rankine, Ms Baensch and Ms Ames – We wish Naomi, Riana and Jasmine all the best for their maternity leave.
New Teaching Staff
Ms Nautilli – Legal Studies/Humanities Lynne joins us from Narre Warren South P-12 and brings four years of teaching experience.
Ms Sekulic – English Dragana has taught at Berwick SC and, prior to that, Wellington SC. She is highly experienced and we look forward to welcoming her.
Mr Hinds – Humanities Thomas is a beginning teacher who will be teaching three Humanities classes.
Good to GREAT!
The positivity around the school is palpable! There is great learning and teaching happening across classrooms and beyond. Students are responding positively to the cultural shifts and raised expectations as we continue our journey to move every part of our school from Good to GREAT.
To support this continuous improvement journey, it’s important we continue to embrace the following principles:
Fully adopt a ‘One School’ mentality, where we support each other and lift our community.
Evolve through new values, a renewed vision, a fresh motto, and a new strategic plan.
Provide strong leadership, anchored in a shared vision of success for all.
Set higher expectations for ourselves and our students.
Focus on fewer priorities and do them exceptionally well.
Maintain a calm, predictable, and consistent learning environment.
Although there is much more work to do, after one year as Principal, I am proud to see the many improvements coming to fruition for our students benefit.
Annual Implementation Plan 2025
Our Annual Implementation Plan outlines key focus areas to improve student outcomes. At the half way mark of the year, we are well on track to achieve set goals within 6 key priorities. This visual depicts those priorities under Learning and Wellbeing.
New College Vision, Values, and Motto
This year we launched a refreshed set of College Values, Vision Statement, and Motto, reflecting our aspirations and growth. Our new values — Community, Aspiration, Respect, and Excellence — form the acronym CARE, reinforcing our commitment to ensuring no student is left behind or held back.
In addition, I would like to continue to build greater awareness of our new vision statement, especially the words that hold real meaning for our community. These words reflect the aspirations we hold for our students.
At the heart of our vision is the need for a safe and inclusive learning environment—one where every student feels a strong sense of belonging. We believe that all learning begins with curiosity, a quality that can too often fade during the high school years. Our goal is to nurture and sustain that curiosity throughout a student’s journey.
We also aim to empower students through greater choice in subjects and stronger student voice in decision-making. In today’s world, resilience is more important than ever. Alongside it, the ability to access accurate information, think critically, and be both locally connected and globally minded are essential traits for our young people.
Many schools articulate a ‘graduate profile’—a clear picture of the kind of young person they aim to develop. In many ways, this vision captures ours.
At Boronia K-12 College, our vision is to foster a safe and inclusive learning environment where every student feels a strong sense of belonging. We are committed to empowering students to become knowledgeable, resilient, and curious learners who are equipped to engage with the local and global community. We inspire a shared passion for learning and encourage everyone to strive for their personal best.
And finally our new motto, Belong. Believe. Achieve., captures the heart of who we are and what we stand for.
Instructional Model
A big focus for the next four years will be to embed our new agreed Instructional Model.
Teaching is a complex craft; however, this model offers simplicity, and simplicity builds consistency—not only for us as staff in how we plan and deliver lessons but also for our students, so they can experience a predictable lesson structure and understand their role in the learning process.
Mentor Program
We’ve now completed the first semester of the Mentor Program. As we move forward, we are committed to refining both the content and the support available to staff and students.
The Mentor Program is designed to create dedicated time for the explicit teaching of Positive Behaviours, Topics 1–6 of the Respectful Relationships Curriculum, and Careers Education. These are crucial areas of learning that are often delivered inconsistently in schools, and we want to ensure that our students receive this essential education in a meaningful way.
However, this responsibility doesn’t lie solely with Mentor sessions. Supporting students’ sense of safety, belonging, and social-emotional development is a shared responsibility across all classrooms and subject areas. Every adult plays a vital role in fostering a positive and inclusive school culture.
Early Learning Centre news
We’re pleased to share that a Maternal Health Nurse is now conducting appointments with local families every second Tuesday in our Early Learning Centre (ELC). This initiative is part of our commitment to bringing vital early childhood services within the school gates and making the most of our facilities to support the wider community.
Foot of the Hills Cafe
It’s been incredibly exciting to see both staff and students getting involved in the café project. This is a fantastic example of authentic student participation in a project that not only enhances our school environment but also promotes enterprise learning and builds social connection.
A big thank you to:
Ms McMillan, for guiding the Year 11 Product Design students in building the café cabinetry (see images).
Ms Lumsden, for facilitating the development of the first draft of the café logo.
Mr Kelly, for coordinating the project and joining Paul to chair the Rotary Interact Club who will oversee the development of the café program.
Mr Camille and Mr Walker, for running the VM café pop-ups.
We’re aiming to have the café operating at least once a week throughout next semester. Looking ahead to 2026, the café will also become a Year 10 Business elective, titled Bean There, Done Business.
Foot of the Hills Restaurant
On Friday 13 June, our Year 10 Food Studies students prepared a two-course meal for 16 primary school students who received the highest number of PBE (Positive Behavior Expectations) nominations this term. This event was a trial of an exciting new restaurant concept, and it was a fantastic success.
We’re incredibly grateful to Mr Robinson for guiding the Year 10 students throughout the experience.
Looking ahead, this concept will become an outcome task in the Year 10 Food Studies curriculum next year, and we’re also exploring the idea of extending the experience to include parent/carer dining events.
Growing Together School Garden Network
We have joined a new initiative facilitated by Each called the Growing Together School Garden Network. This is all about helping our plan to build our Edible and Indigenous Gardens and overall sustainability program. We have been successful for the following grants and donations.
Junior Landcare and Biodiversity $3,245
Grow and Gather – Indigenous Edible Garden Project $1,067
Boronia Rotary have kindly donated $2,000
Our plan at this stage is to:
Establish a chicken coop
Build new garden beds for indigenous bush tucker plants
Purchase half wine barrels for a mix of citrus trees
New green house
Hands on Learning
The BK12 Hands on Learning program will start next term with the first middle school cohort of 8 students officially commencing in Week 6 of Term 3. These students will work with program leader Ms Costa and artisan educators Mr Latu and Mrs McMillan. The program will be running on Wednesdays, and we are currently planning to use the timber room as our base and the ELC kitchen to prepare meals. Students are expected to commit to the whole day and will not be able to head out during school break times.
The new Fitness Centre is well on track to open in Term 3. This fantastic facility will be available to all students—from Prep, using it for their PMP (Perceptual Motor Program) sessions, right through to Year 12. We also plan to incorporate a strength and conditioning component into the Basketball Program, along with other activities such as staff Yoga and Pilates.
Mr Groves and the PE team will be setting up the space over the coming weeks and developing guidelines for its use. There will also be opportunities for staff to access the facility in due course – more details will be shared soon.
Term 2 ‘Tip Off’ Basketball Program
A big thanks to Mr Groves for spearheading this new program. Thanks also to Mr Walker and Mt Latu who have assisted throughout the term.
Intergeneration Project 2025 with Boronia Residential Home
This year our students involved in the Intergenerational Project are collaborating with residents at the Boronia Residential Home. This has been going extremely well and we would like to acknowledge and thank Nicole Costa and James Latu for their work.
F-2 Literacy
After significant research and numerous school visits, we have decided to adopt the Little Learners Love Literacy program to support our literacy approach in Foundation to Year 2. All of our primary teaching and ES team will participate in the 2-day training which will occur on the Term 3 Curriculum Day (7/8) and Term 4 Curriculum Day (24/11).
F-2 Numeracy
This year the F-2 team have implemented the Explicit Mathematics Program. Programs – EMP
The Explicit Mathematics Program spans Foundation to Year 2 (with plans to expand to all primary year levels in future), and provides schools and teachers with everything required to run a high quality, rigorous, and research informed program.
Design, Art and Technologies Week
What an awesome week it was with so many activities happening from a Drum Battle to Artist Workshop, Pancake Cookoff, Drawing Comp, Theatre Sports, Mr Squiggle and more.
Alumni Breakfast
This was a great event with over 20 alumni attending. A big thanks to Ms Bennett for pulling this event together.
Reconciliation week
Reconciliation Week was a great success, thanks to Mrs Sturrock.
It plays such an important role for our students, as it promotes cultural understanding and respect. By acknowledging and celebrating it, our Indigenous students at Boronia K-12 are supported in developing a strong sense of identity, pride, and self-esteem.
Young @ Art Student Exhibition at the Hut Gallery FTG
Seven of our talented students featured at the Young @ Art exhibition!
Exhibiting students were:
Ashley D (Year 11) –She was awarded second place and $200 in the Senior category for her painting of a classic car.
Delaram R (Year 8), Crystal E (Year 8), Gypsy K (Year 9), Isabel B (Year 10), Miranda S (Year 12), Miranda S, Annabelle S (Year 12) and Annabelle S
Animal Assistance Engagement and Wellbeing Program
Ms Wright and Ms Ames were successful in their application for the Animal Assistant Program, which is part of the Department’s Inclusive Schools Division. Ms Wright and her dog, Norm, have been participating in the training program, and we hope to have Norm regularly on site starting early-Term 3.
BK12 Production is back… back to the future in fact
We are super excited for our Junior School Production at the end of Term 3.
A HUGE thanks to producer, Ms Crawford.
We will be inviting our own kinder students and those from local ELCs to see a matinee performance on the Monday 15 June.
Thank you once again for your continued support as we continue to improve and evolve as a school community.
‘We are ONE school on the journey from Good to Great!
As we draw Semester 1 to a close, it’s a wonderful time to reflect on the learning, growth, and achievements our college community has shared so far this year. A heartfelt thank you to our families, students, and dedicated staff for your continued support. Together, we remain committed to providing every student with the opportunity to thrive in a safe, inclusive, and engaging learning environment.
Semester Highlights
This term has been filled with rich academic and extracurricular opportunities, showcasing the depth of talent and engagement across our college. I would like to begin by offering two special acknowledgements. First, to our Year 7 students, who have now completed their first semester of secondary school—well done on this important milestone. And to our Year 12 cohort, who continue to rise to the challenges of their final year with determination and resilience—we commend your ongoing efforts and focus.
Our PE and Health programs have seen students diving into a variety of PE and interschool sporting activities, from kayaking, surfing and rock climbing to netball, soccer, basketball, badminton and cross country. Congratulations to Year 9 student Owen, who proudly represented the college in two clay target shooting championships—securing a first-place finish in one and narrowly missing a podium in the other. It’s a fantastic achievement in one of the more unusual interschool sporting events.
Students in Years 7 -10 had their problem-solving skills put to the test during excursions to KIOSC, where they participated in hands-on experimental and design activities. We are thrilled that our students took out a first-place prize at the recent KIOSC STEM Conference and are excited to see how our team perform at the upcoming Hydrogen Car Challenge.
Year 9s began the term with a three-day camp in the high country, enjoying a mix of hiking, kayaking and even paintball. Meanwhile, our VCE Legal Studies students had a real-world learning experience visiting the Supreme Court to witness a criminal trial in session.
Our participation in the Victorian High Ability Program continues, and we’re pleased to see more students taking advantage of our after-school Homework Club—an excellent resource for academic support.
The much-anticipated Senior Social was held on Friday 27 June at Sky High, Mt Dandenong. The evening was a huge success thanks to the organisation of Mr Camille and his team. Students are to be commended for their presentation, behavior, and enthusiastic participation. Thank you to our families for ensuring timely pickups at the end of the night—it was greatly appreciated.
GAT and Semester Exams
Thank you to Mr Judge, Mr Camille, and Mr Barnes for their coordination of the General Achievement Test (GAT) for all Unit 3–4 students—a major logistical effort. This was followed by semester exams for Year 11 VCE students and Year 10 English and Maths assessments.
Semester Reports
Semester 1 reports will be available on Compass from Thursday 3 July. We strongly encourage all parents and carers to spend time reviewing the report with their child. Celebrate successes and identify areas for improvement, especially in relation to effort, engagement, and completion of tasks. As always, consistent effort and time management are the keys to academic growth. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to teaching staff if you have questions or concerns.
Semester 2 and Subject Selection for 2026
Semester 2 is already underway for our Year 11 and 12 students, who have now commenced Units 2 and 4 respectively. Teachers will be providing course outlines and SAC schedules to help students plan their studies effectively. The mid-year break is a great time for senior students to revise and consolidate their understanding of Semester 1 content.
Years 7–10 students will begin their new electives in Week 1 of Term 3 (Monday 21st July).
Planning for the 2026 school year begins early in Term 3 with the subject selection process for our current Year 10 students. They will participate in a VCE and VCE-VM overview, followed by an information session for parents and carers—details will be shared early next term. Our revamped 2025 curriculum provides greater choice of electives for students in Years 7 -10. This change has been embraced by the students. In preparation for 2026 we will also hold a series of information sessions to assist students in their decision making.
Uniform Update
We’re excited to launch our new BK-12 beanies, now available from Spartan. We continue to seek feedback from our students, and this included input on the beanie design. Feedback via student voice and families have also led to other uniform changes which have resulted directly in and increase in sales of the sport polo top by students in the junior school and school trackpants by secondary students.
As a reminder, students unable to wear full school uniform on a particular day must bring a signed note from home and wear an appropriate alternative for no more than three days. Hoodies are not permitted. Spare jumpers and jackets are available from the school if needed.
If you have any uniform items in good condition that are no longer needed, we welcome donations to support families in need.
If you’re seeking uniform assistance, please contact Ms Costa (Student Wellbeing Coordinator) for support.
Call for book donations – ‘Deadly Unna’ by Phillip Gwynne
For the start of Term 3, as well as continuing to welcome uniform donations, we are also very keen to accept donations of the novel ‘Deadly Unna’ by Phillip Gwynne. Unfortunately, this novel was mistakenly omitted from the 2025 Booklist and we would like to boost our supplies for loan to students.
If you have a copy you would like to kindly donate to the school, please drop it of off to our main office.
Have a safe and enjoyable holiday, and we look forward to welcoming students back for Term 3 on Monday 21 July.
Warm regards, Kath Middleton Assistant Principal Boronia K-12 College
Exciting Curriculum Update: IB Primary Years Programme
As many of you know, Boronia K-12 College is proud to be an accredited International Baccalaureate (IB) World School. Since 2022, we’ve been authorised to deliver the Primary Years Programme (PYP), from 3-Year-Old Kindergarten to Year 6.
The IB regularly reviews and updates its curriculum to reflect current research and the changing world. As part of this process, there have been recent updates to the transdisciplinary themes that underpin the PYP. These changes continue the IB’s commitment to holistic, inquiry-based learning that supports students in making meaningful connections across different subjects and to the world around them.
What Are Transdisciplinary Themes?
Transdisciplinary themes are broad areas of learning that go beyond individual subjects. They allow students to explore important concepts, ask questions, and develop skills they can use in real-life situations. These themes form the foundation of our curriculum planning and help students grow as curious, thoughtful learners.
What’s New?
The updated themes place a stronger emphasis on global relevance, student voice, and deeper understanding. They reflect today’s world and aim to support a curriculum that is engaging, inclusive, and student-centered.
Here are the six updated themes:
1. Who We Are
Exploring personal identity, beliefs, health and wellbeing, relationships, and what it means to be human.
2. Where We Are in Place and Time
Learning about personal and shared histories, journeys, exploration, and the connections between individuals and civilizations.
3. How We Express Ourselves
Understanding how we express ideas, emotions, culture, and beliefs through language, the arts, and creativity.
4. How the World Works
Investigating the natural world, scientific principles, and how technology and science impact our lives and societies.
5. How We Organize Ourselves
Looking at human systems, communities, organisations, economies, and how we make decisions in society.
6. Sharing the Planet
Exploring how we share resources, care for the environment, understand human rights, and work towards peace and equality.
Why These Themes Matter
These themes help students build a deeper understanding of themselves, others, and the world around them. Through inquiry and exploration, they become active, compassionate, and lifelong learners—ready to engage with and make a positive impact on the world.
As students’ progress through the school, the Central Ideas and Lines of Inquiry connected to each theme become more complex and meaningful. They are thoughtfully developed to grow with students, both in depth and breadth, throughout their learning journey at Boronia K-12 College.
The Victorian School Saving Bonus, providing $400 per eligible student, is now closed for the use of purchasing uniforms & textbooks. Any funds remaining after 30 June 2025, including online voucher amounts that have not been redeemed, will become a credit to use on school activities, and is expected to be available on your account to use early August.
If you wish to use your SSB on school activities, please email or phone the school at boronia.k12@education.vic.gov.au, or 03 9760 4900.
CSEF Update
2025 CSEF applications have now closed. The department administers the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) to help eligible families with the costs of camps, sporting activities and excursions/incursions.
The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) provides payments for eligible students to attend activities like:
school camps or trips
swimming extension activities and other school-organised sport programs
outdoor education programs
excursions and incursions
graduations/valedictories.
The Victorian Budget 2025-26 is investing $152.3 million to significantly increase the funding available through CSEF.
From 1 January 2026, families eligible for CSEF will see an increase in support to $400 for primary and secondary school children, up from $154 and $256 respectively. Applications for 2026 CSEF support will open from 27 January 2026.
Parent Payment Arrangements
On behalf of the school, I would like to extend our sincere thanks to all families who have made voluntary contributions this year. Your support plays a vital role in enriching the educational experience we provide to all students.
These contributions help us go beyond the basics, funding additional classroom resources, updated technology, art and sports equipment, and supporting extra-curricular programs that inspire and engage our students every day. Your contribution makes a real difference.
If you haven’t had the chance to make a contribution yet and would like to, it’s not too late. Every contribution—big or small—has a meaningful impact. Contributions can be made easily via the Payment Centre on Compass, or by contacting the school office to pay by cash or EFT.
Thank you once again for being such a valued part of our school community.
If you would like further information regarding the payments, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Financial Support for Families
Boronia K-12 College understands that some families may experience financial difficulty at times.
Week 9 saw our Senior School students dive into the challenges and routines of exam season during our annual Exam Festival Week. The highlight of the week was the Year 12 General Achievement Test (GAT) on Tuesday, a significant milestone in their final year journey. Year 11 students embraced the full exam experience, sitting assessments in every subject across the week. Meanwhile, our Year 10 cohort got a glimpse of what’s ahead, tackling their first English and Maths exams on Friday. The week provided valuable experience, building confidence and exam readiness across the senior years.
Senior School Formal at Sky High
On Friday 27th June, our Year 11 and Year 12 students celebrated in style at the Senior School Formal, held at the stunning Sky High Mt Dandenong. The evening began with a giant conga line that set the tone for a night filled with dancing, laughter, and fine dining. A new student-led initiative — the “Awards Ceremony” — added a fun and personalised touch to the night, with both students and staff receiving peer-nominated awards. It was a memorable evening that perfectly capped off a busy term for our senior students.
As we reach the end of Term 2, I’d like to congratulate our Middle School students on completing a busy yet productive semester. Students are to be commended for their efforts, particularly over the past few weeks in which many assessment tasks were completed.
We continue to reinforce the message that every lesson is an opportunity to learn, and that success begins with doing the little things right. This includes being prepared with learning materials (starting with preparing your school uniform at home), arriving to all classes on time, and being ready to learn. We will continue to monitor student attendance and punctuality upon our return next term, which includes issuing after-school LRTs for students who are persistently late without a valid reason. This is part of our ongoing effort to maintain high expectations across the school.
Mentor
Mentor continues to be an important component of each student’s learning at BK12. During Mentor lessons this term, students have used the time to reflect on their learning progress, attendance, and goal tracking. We’ve continued to develop our understanding of the school’s values and Positive Behaviour Expectations, and how these contribute to success both in and out of the classroom.
We celebrated Arts and Technology Week by undertaking a range of engaging activities, explored the significance of Reconciliation Week, and completed valuable learning tasks from the Careers Curriculum. At the Middle Years, students are beginning to explore their strengths, interests, and the industries that may align with these in the future.
Keep up the good work in this space, and remember, it’s important that students continue to embrace and engage with all that the Mentor program has to offer.
SSL (School for Student Leadership)
On Friday 20th June, Mr Edwards and I had the privilege of visiting Matthew, Anna, and Shantarah at the School for Student Leadership in the Snowy River.
Over the past nine weeks, these students have fully immersed themselves in this incredible program, developing their leadership skills through building independence, confidence, resilience, and empathy. It was fantastic to see them present their CLP (Community Learning Project), Turning a Page in the Nursing Home. Through this initiative, the students are working to provide local nursing homes with small libraries where books can be rotated and shared between facilities. The project will launch with a Free Dress Day fundraiser on Friday 22nd August during Book Week. Mr Edwards and I left feeling incredibly proud and inspired by what these amazing young people have achieved. They’ve done themselves, their families, and our school proud.
Stay tuned for more information on this CLP, as well as future opportunities for current Year 8 students to express their interest in attending the program in 2026!
Thank you for your support throughout the term. We wish all families a fun and restful break over the holidays.
We welcomed on board Taylah from ACAP University College who is completing her counselling placement with us until the end of the year. Taylah is in Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
A reminder of who is on the team below.
Programs
James, Nicole and Mikayla deliver the Kind Minds program to the F-2 students with the support of Mrs Williamson on a Monday.
The focus this term has been to build on their emotional intelligence by understanding what their emotions look, and sound like to themselves and others, building their toolbox of coping strategies and how to be a good friend.
The wellbeing team utilises a lot of the Respectful Relationships teaching resources while also weaving the Kimochi’s and Berry Street Education Model resources.
Amy and James have been delivering their Year 7 Connections Group.
Connections group is a 5-week small group program focussing on healthy coping strategies & emotional literacy for year 7 students. The program is designed to help students build a personal toolbox of positive strategies for managing a wide range of emotions—both in and out of school. Over the course of five weeks, participants explore a range of topics related to mental health, resilience, and communication in a safe, small group setting.
During the final week of the program, students then develop their own healthy coping strategies keychain to take home as well as a healthy coping strategies personalised list, including trusted supportive adults, that will be shared with Sub-School.
Mikayla has rolled out the Worry Warriors program which is a 6-session program designed to help students better understand and manage feelings of worry and anxiety in a fun, age-appropriate way. The sessions include engaging activities such as role-playing, drawing, games, and calm breathing, all based on evidence-informed strategies aligned with the Respectful Relationships curriculum. This program is designed to help the student better understand their worries, triggers and emotions and empower them by building on their strengths and emotional regulation skills.
We have continued our work in the intergenerational space and our partnership with Knox Council to connect with Boronia Residential Aged Care. Each Tuesday afternoon across Term 2 we have walked over to meet the residents where they are there to greet us with smiles and enthusiasm. The students who have attended the program have shown care, resilience, kindness and openness to each other and the residents. It has become a highlight of our week (for everyone involved) and we cant wait to find ways to continue to keep those connections into the future.
Pride Month
Boronia K-12 celebrated Pride Month in June with various school activities. In week one the wellbeing team ran a lunchtime activity in which students enjoyed rainbow nail polish, Pride tattoos and a Pride flag scavenger. During this activity students had the opportunity to ask questions about Pride Month, while a dedicated notice board was on display providing information about the significance of Pride Month and highlighting local LGBTQIA+ support groups and resources.
The second event aimed at senior school students, was led by Knox Youth Services who shared what Pride Month meant to them and facilitated craft and game activities. Also, as part of our Pride Month celebrations each class received a rainbow flag along with cards for students to write affirmations and messages of support for the LGBTQIA+ community. The flags filled with the student’s messages will be displayed on the Windows of the Wellbeing rooms as a symbol of our schools’ support and inclusion.
Dr Nat and Nurse Beck have been working hard to support our students through the Doctors in Secondary School’s Program. Since By Design has commenced at Boronia K-12 on 6 March, there has been 37 GP Consultations in 8 sessions (16 New and 21 Recurring) and 50 PN Consultations in 12 sessions.
The main reason for GP consult is Mental Health x 18 (48.6%), Physical Health x 15 (40.5%) and Sexual Health x 4 (10.8%).
All students from Years 7 to 12 can see the doctor or nurse on their own.
How can a student make an appointment to see the doctor?
Boronia K-12 College
See a member of the wellbeing team or speak to a trusted teacher
Our room was alive with imagination as the Puggle’s became astronauts and control centre operators, lifting off into space for adventures among the stars and new planets. As the children walked in, their faces lit up with possibility—they wasted no time jumping into character, musing about which otherworldly journey their space station would spark.
Fine motor development came into play as children gravitated towards the computer keyboards, enthusiastically tapping away as they worked through their missions. It was heartwarming to watch them negotiate roles and take turns, confidently communicating who would navigate from the control panel or suit up as an astronaut. Puggles also practiced sequencing and early numeracy by counting down from ten, finishing with a resounding “Blast off!”. To further our play interest in the Space dramatic area we introduced a space scavenger hunt. A picture list of items relating to Space was placed in the Space area and children were soon to question what this was for. We explained to the children that the same pictures were hidden around the room, so a group of children eagerly began their quest to find the hidden picture.
This was a great way for children to develop their collaboration skills as children were communicating together about the areas they were going to search and sharing ideas. When a picture was found children called out, they had found one and we talked about the picture as a group. This was a fun way to learn, build teamwork and foster social emotional, intelligence.
National Reconciliation Week
During National Reconciliation week, we talked about Acknowledgment to Country, how we respect and care for the land, water, and skies.
At the craft table, we began a collaborative art piece we called the Sea of Hands, experimenting with paint and sand, using the colours of the Aboriginal flag for our handprints. The children especially enjoyed feeling the paint’s texture as they created their designs. Our year 11 student visitors have contributed to our artwork, having their hands painted by the children too.
To finish off the week, we formed a yarning circle where everyone took turns with the clapsticks, seed rattles and maracas producing different beats and rhythms. Children expressed excitement as they joined in the Didgeridoo dance, flapping our hands and stamping our feet to the rhythm, imitating Eagles in the sky. This was a fun way to learn about rhythm and beat.
Primary School Buddies and Whiteboard Drawing
Our adventure into the grade 5/6 class was a big highlight. Each child got paired up with a buddy, sharing a book together. After reading, we tried out whiteboard drawing—our buddies drew pictures for us to copy, and the older students were impressed with our children’s efforts. It was heartwarming watching these connections form so quickly. When it was time to go, we were walked back to kinder hand-in-hand.
These lovely connections kept growing, as a few of the 5/6’s visited us during their recess the next day. Activities like this are so important for developing a sense of belonging and community.
We embraced National Reconciliation Week by exploring the theme ‘Bridging Now to Next’. This encouraged us to reflect on the connections between the past, present, and future, and highlighted our centre’s commitment to inclusive and respectful practices.
We watched the Play School video ‘Walking Together’, which inspired thoughtful conversations about shared journeys and mutual respect. This led to a collaborative art project where we painted our feet and walked together along the same path, creating a vibrant group artwork.
At the craft table, each child coloured a section of a collaborative piece. Once put together, the colourful mosaic gave everyone a real sense of belonging. Many children shared how special it felt to see all the colours come together as one community.
P.E with our Year 8 Students
This Term we were invited to the Gym to take part in PE classes run by the Year 8 students. Their learning intention was to ‘teach someone a new skill’, which set a positive tone for our visit. We headed up to the gym feeling excited for the opportunity to learn from the older students. On arrival, we split into small groups and rotated through different sporting activities, including Soccer, Football, Netball and Basketball. Throughout these rotations, we were introduced to foundational skills such as how to handball and kick a football, how to kick a goal and catch a ball, and how to run and kick a soccer ball. Everyone showed patience, enthusiasm and a strong eagerness to try out each new sport. The Year 8 students were welcoming and kept us energised with high fives and encouraging words as we practiced our new skills.
Prep classroom visit
We had a wonderful opportunity to visit the Prep classroom as a group. When we arrived, we were welcomed by Ms Hopkin, who showed us what the Prep students were doing during their class time. It was really interesting to watch the Prep students learn and work in their classroom. Seeing their activities helped everyone to understand more about what school might be like next year. After our visit with Ms Hopkin, we moved across to another classroom for story time. The children started by reading their chosen books quietly at the table, before gathering on the mat together to listen to a group story. Having story time in a different classroom was a fun way to explore literacy in a new environment. The children shared that they were excited at the thought of visiting again and continuing to learn more about the school environment.
This year at Boronia K-12, our numeracy focus has been on implementing daily maths reviews across all Foundation to Year 10 classes. These reviews are short sessions held at the start of each lesson, giving students the opportunity to practise a variety of maths skills they’ve learned in previous months or years.
Daily reviews are designed to strengthen students’ memory, helping them approach more complex mathematical concepts with greater ease and confidence. In just a short time, students, parents, and staff have all noticed a significant impact—not only in students’ confidence with maths, but also in their overall learning growth.
In Term 1, we introduced a weekly problem-based maths session for our Grade 5 and 6 students. These sessions expose students to open-ended maths tasks and puzzles aimed at sharpening their problem-solving skills.
In Term 2, students have applied their number knowledge to tackle problems involving place value, fractions, and ratios.
Here, we see some eager students working in small groups, collaboratively solving a fun and challenging fractions problem.
We’ve been thrilled to hear such positive feedback from students and parents:
“It’s really good because you can learn and it helps with maths and your brain in the morning to switch on.”
“I think it’s good because it has taught me new strategies for solving hard sums, and it’s nice and quick.”
“I’ve never seen him come home and talk about maths this much.”
“Last week, she came home excited to share that her multiplication essential assessment results showed a 12-month improvement.”
Below, our Year 9 students are shown completing a daily review using mini-whiteboards as they recall what they’ve learned about Pythagoras’ theorem, angles, and ratios in previous lessons.
We’re proud of the enthusiasm our students are showing and the progress they’re making. The future of maths learning at Boronia K-12 is looking brighter than ever!
For those of you who are new to BK12, my name is Mrs. Young, and the College Library is in the red brick building located at the Junior end of the College next to the Foundation – Year 1/2 building.
All primary and secondary classes will have opportunities to visit the College Library on a weekly basis to borrow books for their independent reading programs. While the ELC classes with Michelle and team will visit the College Library on a regular basis for a story and the occasional activity.
Library Bags
All Foundation to Year 6 students require a library bag to help protect their library books if they wish to take them home to read.
Number of books students can borrow:
Foundation: 1 book
Year 1 & Year 2: up to 2 books
Year 3 – Year 6: up to 4 books
Year 7 – Year 12: up to 4 books
Loan period is 14 days
All students can borrow library books for up to 14 days. Students who require more time to finish reading books can renew books any time within the 14-day loan period.
Overdue library books
Students who have overdue library books will not be able to borrow until all overdue books have been cleared either by returning or renewing their books.
If you become aware that your student’s library book is lost or damaged, please let me know, as this will assist in avoiding students having unresolved overdue loans.
Please encourage your students to look after their library books and return or re-borrow their books on time as this will avoid disappointment.
Library Open Times
The College Library is open before and after school as well as lunchtimes for students at the following times.
Before school and after school for borrowing/returning library books:
Before School: 8.30am – 8.45am
After School: 3pm – 3.10pm
Recess: Library Closed
Lunchtimes: Foundation to Year 12
Monday to Friday: 1.30pm – 2pm.
*Please note that no food or drink is to be brought into the library.
Term 2 has been a huge one for school sport at Boronia, with students proudly representing the College across a wide range of events including Soccer, Boys and Girls Netball, Badminton, Division Cross Country, and Senior Basketball.
A special shoutout to Baelan C, Boyd H, Bailey C and Tommy W who progressed through to and competed at the Eastern Metropolitan Region Cross Country at Yarra Valley Racecourse.
The PE team would like to extend a massive thank you and congratulations to every student who participated in sport this semester. Your effort, enthusiasm, and sportsmanship have been outstanding, and you’ve all represented the College with pride. It’s been fantastic to see so many students embracing the opportunity to get involved, try something new, and support one another both on and off the field.
Term 3 Sports
We’re already looking ahead to Term 3, with Basketball and Table Tennis on the calendar. Students interested in representing Boronia in Term 3 are encouraged to check the sign-up sheets on Compass and get involved!
Our school came together to honor National Reconciliation Week, a time to reflect on our shared history and promote respectful relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and all Australians.
Students participated in a range of meaningful activities designed to celebrate and deepen their understanding of Indigenous culture. They played traditional Indigenous games that encouraged connection and teamwork, listened to Dreamtime stories that shared important cultural lessons, and created artworks inspired by Aboriginal art techniques and symbolism.
A special highlight was when some of our senior students visited local kindergartens, where they read an Indigenous story to the children and worked together to create a beautiful representation of Bunjil the eagle, a significant figure in many Aboriginal cultures. This experience helped build a strong sense of community and shared learning across ages.
Reconciliation Week is a powerful reminder of the importance of respect, truth-telling, and working together toward a more inclusive and united future.
Owen Represents Our School at Clay Shooting Competition
On Monday, June 16, Owen proudly represented our school at the Inter-School Clay Target Shoot held at the Sale Field and Game ground. The event was part of the Field & Game Australia competition and drew strong participation, with 145 students from 14 schools across the region taking part.
The shoot was contested over two rounds of 10 single-barrel targets, across five stations with two targets. Competing in a field of 50 boys, Owen performed exceptionally well—scoring 7/10 on the lower course and 9/10 on the upper course, for a total of 16/20. It was a tight finish, with two competitors scoring 18 and one scoring 17, placing Owen just one target short of the podium in fourth place.
Lilydale High School took out the team honors and claimed first place, followed by Catholic College Sale coming in second place, and Nagle College Bairnsdale coming in third place. While Owen narrowly missed a trophy, his performance was a fantastic achievement and a credit to himself and his sportsmanship.
A big thank you to everyone who supported Owen’s involvement in the event. Well done, Owen!
This term, our Basketball Tip-Off Program ran across eight weeks and saw fantastic participation from students in Grades 5–10. Year 8–10 students showed incredible commitment, arriving bright and early for 7:30am sessions each Wednesday, while our Grade 5–Year 7 group trained during period 1. Led by state coach Gerard Hillier and supported by the brilliant Hannah, the program focused on developing fundamental basketball skills, game awareness, and teamwork in a fun, high-energy environment. We were thoroughly impressed by the students’ attitude, focus, and willingness to improve each week. A huge thank you to Gerard and Hannah for their expert coaching and enthusiasm throughout the term. We’re excited to continue the program in Term 3—stay tuned for more updates and session times!
Our Year 10 Outdoor Education students have had an incredible term filled with hands-on learning and memorable experiences that brought the classroom outdoors.
Throughout the semester, students explored key themes such as Outdoor Recreation and Australia’s Diverse Environments, engaging in both theoretical and practical experiences to deepen their understanding. We began with a trip to the Mornington Peninsula, where students examined motivations for outdoor participation and the accessibility barriers that impact different communities.
Back at school, students approached bike education with great enthusiasm—learning everything from helmet safety and gear control to road rules and risk management. They planned and executed their own bike routes, navigating real-world intersections and applying their road safety knowledge in action. Their confidence and skill development on the bikes were outstanding.
We also had the opportunity to explore vertical and water-based environments. Highlights included indoor rock climbing at Hard Rock and a combined kayaking and rock-climbing day at Warrandyte, where students demonstrated teamwork, resilience, and leadership in challenging conditions.
In the classroom, students engaged in thoughtful inquiry tasks—researching Australian environments, Aboriginal land practices such as fire-stick farming, and planning their own inclusive outdoor excursions.
A huge congratulations to all students for their consistent effort, teamwork, and positive attitude. Your growth this term—both in knowledge and confidence—has been truly impressive.
