We hope you enjoy catching up on all that’s been happening across Term 1 at Boronia K-12 College in Issue 2 of the BK12 Buzz. Thank you to our students, staff and families for an incredible start to 2025.
We wish you a fun and restful holiday break and look forward to welcoming you back for Term 2.
ANZAC Day Service, Wednesday 23rd April 2025 – Families Welcome
As Term 1 comes to a close, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the dedication and hard work of our students, staff, and families. It has been a productive and engaging term, filled with rich learning experiences both inside and outside the classroom. From academic achievements to extracurricular events, our school community has embraced every opportunity for growth and connection.
Celebrating Our School Values
Throughout Term 1, we have had a sustained focus on embedding our new school values—Community, Aspiration, Respect, and Excellence—into our daily conversations and activities. The updated Positive Behaviour Expectations (PBE) matrix and explicit teaching of behaviour expectations in mentor classes have helped reinforce these principles. This commitment to a safe and productive learning environment will continue in Term 2.
Highlights from Term 1
It has been wonderful to see students engaging in a wide variety of enriching activities that foster connections across year levels. Some key events this term included:
Whole School Swimming & Athletics Carnivals
Junior & Secondary School District Swimming
Year 7 Camp to Healesville
Interschool Sports (Volleyball & more)
KIOSC Excursions for Years 6, 7 & 12
Grand Prix Careers Event
Junior Choir Performances
Boronia RSL Mural Project
Clean Up Australia Day
Victorian High-Ability Program
Grade 5 Discovery Days
Teddy Bears Picnic
Year 6 Surfing Excursion
Dental Van Visit
NAPLAN Testing
School Photos
Open Night
Open Night & Discovery Days
Our Open Night on March 25th was a great success, providing prospective families with a glimpse into our dynamic learning environment and co-curricular programs. It was a fantastic evening with students and staff coming together to showcase not only our wonderful facilities but more importantly the learning and co-curricular programs across Boronia K-12 College. The event was extremely well attended and included an opportunity for families to also tour our junior school facilities and classrooms. It was fabulous to see so many parents and students engaging with our staff and exploring the school.
Over the last month we have also welcomed Year 5 students from local primary schools for a series of Discovery Days. They had the opportunity to explore typical Year 7 subjects including Food Studies, Art, Robotics, Music, Materials Technology, PE, Humanities, Maths and Science. These experiences sparked much excitement and curiosity as did the opportunity to sample canteen snacks and have fun on our 5-8 playground and multi-purpose courts. We look forward to hosting Year 4 students later this year.
Student Progress and Parent Communication
End of Term 1 Progress Reports have been released, providing insights into student work habits and academic progress. These reports can be accessed via Compass under the Student Profile page – View Academic Reports. Please ensure you scroll down to the Progress Reports section as opposed to Reports – Reporting cycle which houses the Semester Reports only. We encourage parents to reach out to teachers with any questions or concerns. Our staff are always happy to discuss student learning and provide guidance.
NAPLAN Success
Students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 have now completed The National Assessment Programme. Tests were undertaken in Reading, Writing, Conventions of Language (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and Numeracy. We anticipate results will be forwarded to schools and then onto families during the latter half of Term 2. I am pleased to report that NAPLAN ran smoothly and efficiently. We commend our students for their focus and effort during these assessments. NAPLAN serves as a vital tool in evaluating our students’ literacy and numeracy skills, providing valuable insights into their progress and informing our teaching practices. Our well-organised implementation of NAPLAN ensures that students have the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities, enabling us to assess their strengths and identify areas for improvement effectively. We are committed to providing the necessary support to ensure that every student reaches their full potential. I would like to acknowledge Mrs Baensch, Mr Collins and Ms Wright for their work in ensuring that NAPLAN ran seamlessly.
Emergency Evacuation Drill
On April 1st, we conducted a Partial Emergency Evacuation Drill to ensure students and staff are prepared in the event of a real-life evacuation. Students from the Early Learning Centre and E building (years 7, 8 and 9) were safely escorted along a designated evacuation route to our predetermined evacuation site (at the school oval). Students followed instructions well, and the drill ran smoothly. Safety remains a top priority at Boronia K-12 College.
Introducing Our New House Mascots!
After an incredible House Mascot competition featuring 23 student submissions, we are thrilled to unveil our brand-new House Mascots! Congratulations to our winner, Elliot H., whose design showcased local native birds. With Elliot’s permission, we collaborated with BVN Creative to bring these images to life as mascots. A huge thank you to all the students who participated and voted—your creativity and enthusiasm made this competition a tremendous success!
Preparing for Term 2
Student/Parent/Teacher Conferences will be held after school hours in Term 2. Booking details will be shared in Week 1.
Thank you to students and families for your support of the college in ensuring students have been arriving at school on time, in full school uniform and ready to learn. It is important that this continues in Term 2. As the colder months approach, please ensure students have appropriate winter uniform items. Families can still use the $400 School Saver Bonus for uniform purchases from Spartan School World. If you need support, please reach out to the College.
We look forward to welcoming everyone back on Tuesday, April 22nd for the start of Term 2. Please note that Monday, April 21st and Friday April 25th (ANZAC Day) are public holidays.
A Special Congratulations
We are excited to share that three of our staff members welcomed new additions to their families in Term 1. Congratulations to Mr. Keighley, Mr. Howells, and Mr. Broecker on the arrival of Beau, Walter, and Sofia.
On behalf of the principal team I sincerely hope that all members of our school community enjoy a safe and restful holiday period and make the very most of the opportunity to connect with family and friends. I look forward to continuing my role as Acting Principal for the start of Term 2 whilst our College Principal, Mr Paul Broecker, continues his family leave.
It has been a wonderful start to Term 1, with a renewed emphasis on our College Values.
Community: Our Junior School Choir took centre stage at The Basin Music Festival—and they were absolutely incredible! Performing songs like A Thousand Years, Count on Me, Dance Monkey, and Roar, they wowed the crowd with their talent and energy. We’re so proud of how talented, organized, and respectful our students were, with many community members sharing their praise for our amazing Music Teacher, Ms. Crawford. A huge thank you to our wonderful choir members, their families for their support, and, of course, Ms. Crawford for making this opportunity possible!
Aspiration: Our end-of-term progress reports have just been released! We hope you take the time to review the snapshot of your child’s progress across their class and specialist subjects, including Year 6 electives. In these reports, teachers reflect on all areas of the PBE Matrix—from academic progress to reflection and collaboration skills. We encourage you to read and celebrate these reports with your child(ren) and set goals for Term 2 to continue aspire to be the best learner you can be!
Respect: We have been so excited to hear about the wonderful experiences our Year 6 students are having with their new electives. We love how they’ve embraced new student groupings, new teachers, and new classrooms to explore fresh ideas and take risks by trying new things. I am incredibly proud of how our Year 6 cohort, in particular, has stepped up and become such strong role models in the Junior School.
Excellence: Recently, our students in Years 3 and 5 completed the NAPLAN assessment suite—Writing, Reading, Conventions of Language, and Numeracy. This test, now online (with the exception of Year 3 writing), provides the school, staff, and parents with a snapshot of their child’s learning and growth (for those in Year 5 or beyond), allowing us to measure the impact of our Teaching and Learning Programs. Our students were incredibly focused and considerate of others during these tests, giving themselves the best chance for success. Well-done! However, we’d like to remind students and parents that there are many areas that NAPLAN doesn’t measure—areas that are equally important in fostering excellence.
A big focus for the wellbeing team in 2025, is to work with our cohorts as we always do, targeting the workshops to build on our student’s strengths and knowledge.
We have had two sessions this term with the focus being on acknowledging our own strengths and how we can put these into action in our everyday life to show respect to all.
These sessions will continue into Term 2.
Intergenerational Program
Thursday afternoons look a bit different for a group of year 7, 8 and 9 students as we venture down to Boronia Aged Care to meet with the residents as part of our new Intergenerational Program. Our first two sessions have been doing arts/crafts with lots of great conversations. Our students showed respect, compassion, understanding and kindness to all to ensure that everyone felt included and heard.
Here are a few bits of feedback from the residents and staff from Boronia Aged Care.
There was a buzz as we walked back to school of excitement and joy. We share laughs, conversations and interests that showed that there is no barrier to building connections. The program will be continued in Term 2.
On Monday 24 March 2025 the first meeting of the newly formed School Council was held.
Council members for 2025 are as follows:
Parents:
Susie Colling – President
Linda Groom – Vice President
Mandy Hagley – Treasurer
Secretary – Hayley Frisina
Kylie Knight-Brown
Jessica Grimshaw
Denise O’Halloran
Department staff:
Paul Broecker
Kathryn Middleton
Wayne Judge
Students:
Matthew P
Boyd H
General Office Opening Hours
The General Office is open from 8:15am to 4:15pm Monday to Thursday and 8:15am to 4:00pm on Friday.
The Junior School Office is open from 8:30am to 3:30pm Monday to Friday.
General Office Contact Details
Phone: (03) 9760 4900
Email: boronia.k12@education.vic.gov.au
Business Manager Email: maria.jansen@education.vic.gov.au
As always, thank you for your ongoing support as we endeavour to continue providing timely and friendly assistance to our staff, students and families. Have a wonderful holiday break.
As Term 1 comes to a close, it’s timely to reflect on some of the activities and achievements of our Senior School students. From major sporting events to exciting excursions and outstanding student leadership, it has been a dynamic and engaging term for our Year 10, 11, and 12 students.
Two key events on the school calendar—the Swimming Sports in Week 3 and the recent Athletics Day—were enthusiastically embraced by our Senior School students. In particular, our Year 12s demonstrated fantastic school spirit by dressing in their House colours and creative costumes to celebrate the occasions. Additionally, our Year 11 and 12 VCE Vocational Major students took on leadership roles, organising and running activities for our Foundation to Year 2 students. The feedback from F-2 teachers has been overwhelmingly positive, praising the patience, kindness, and organisational skills displayed by our VM students. A huge congratulations to them for their efforts in making these events memorable for our younger students!
Our Senior School students have also represented Boronia K-12 College exceptionally well in various inter-school sports competitions throughout the term. Volleyball, in particular, saw great success, and staff supervising these events have commended our students for both their performance and sportsmanship. Well done to all who participated!
This term also provided unique learning opportunities beyond the classroom. Our Year 11 VCE VM students, along with a select group of Senior School students, had the chance to attend the Australian Formula One Grand Prix and the Avalon International Air Show.
The F1 Grand Prix excursion focused on career pathways in the automotive industry and STEM fields, aligning with the Numeracy unit our VM students have been studying on Formula 1.
Meanwhile, the Avalon Air Show gave students an insight into aviation and Australian Defence Force careers, alongside the chance to witness breathtaking aerial displays, including the impressive RAAF F-18 demonstration. These experiences were invaluable in broadening students’ understanding of potential future careers, and we extend our thanks to our Careers and Pathways Coordinator, Ms. Bennett, for securing these fantastic opportunities.
As we look ahead, Term 2 will undoubtedly pass just as quickly as the first. We encourage all Senior School students to maintain their momentum—whether that means building on a strong start or making adjustments to improve attendance, behaviour, work ethic, and academic performance. Let’s make the next term another successful one!
Our Middle School students are rounding out the term on a strong note, continuing to show growth in their academic progress, social awareness, and overall maturity.
Mentor Program
Over the past few weeks, students have reflected thoughtfully on their mid-term reports. Mentor sessions have focused on developing key personal and interpersonal skills, such as:
Seeking assistance when challenges arise
Following instructions and accepting outcomes
Understanding emotions – both their own and those of others
These skills are vital to helping students develop positive coping strategies that will support their academic and personal success both at school and in life. We’re proud of how students have engaged with these important topics and contributed to class discussions with growing maturity and self-awareness.
Term 1 Highlights
Year 7 Camp – In Week 2, our Year 7s had an incredible time at Ferngully Lodge, building friendships and developing teamwork through a variety of fun, outdoor challenges.
Year 7 Community Afternoon – Our Year 7 families joined us recently to celebrate the cohort’s strong start to secondary school. There were classroom showcases, trivia games, and even some unforgettable magic from Mr Edwards!
Interschool Sport – Congratulations to all students who competed in various sports events with enthusiasm and pride this term. It is always pleasing to hear positive feedback from staff, students, and members of the community about the way our students demonstrate teamwork and sportsmanship, representing the college with pride and excellence.
Coming Up
Year 9 Camp (30th April to 2nd May) – In Week 2 of next term, Year 9 students will be heading to Camp Buttercup in Merrijig, which continues to be one of the highlights of our school calendar. For over a decade, this camp has provided a unique opportunity for students to challenge themselves, grow in independence, build friendships, and make lifelong memories.
It’s important to remember that all students and staff deserve a safe, respectful, and enjoyable experience at camp. To help ensure this, students must continue to demonstrate that they can engage positively at school in the lead-up to camp. This helps assure staff that the same behaviour will be upheld while away.
We’re looking forward to an exciting end to the term and a fresh, energised start in Term 2!
Our ELC families gathered alongside the F-2 families for a delightful Teddy Bear’s Picnic, marking a cheerful start to our year. The school yard was a buzz with families connecting over delicious food and music. The joy was evident in the bright smiles of both children and adults, enjoying the freedom of being outdoors beyond kinder. A huge thank you to all families for making this event memorable. The children enthusiastically showed off their beloved teddy bears and shared endearing stories about their cuddly companions.
Clean Up Australia Day
We excitedly joined the school’s initiative for Clean Up Australia Day, instilling a sense of pride in our young learners. The children, donning gloves and clutching garbage bags, explored the school grounds with determination. Hand in hand, they ventured towards the high school area, collecting a notable amount of rubbish. Their efforts were recognized and rewarded with refreshing ice poles from the Wellbeing team.
Learning About Outer Space
Over the last few weeks we have enjoyed a thrilling dive into outer space as we created our own solar systems. The children honed their cutting and pasting skills, carefully arranging planets around a solar system ring. Group-time featured matching paper mâché planets with pictorial cards, sparking curiosity and practicing the pronunciation of the planet’s names. We introduced ‘The Planet Song’ by Kids Learning Tube, enriching our learning with fun facts about the eight planets in our solar system.
As children settle into our kinder room routines and make connections with others, we’ve introduced the Zones of Regulation framework to aid in understanding our feelings and help regulate our emotions. We can use the Zones of Regulation to help build a common emotional language, connect as a community, and foster regulation skills that are essential to children’s growth.
By exploring emotions and associating them with the coloured zones, our Puggles are developing self-awareness and emotional regulation skills. These skills emphasise our children’s ability to understand feelings and how they relate to others.
Each week we have been delving into each of the coloured Zones, and, to assist with making a connection with our emotions, we have been undertaking a variety of craft activities. Children have enjoyed exploring how different coloured paints make us feel, making rainbow emotion mobiles, and painting their Zones of Regulation thermometers, which will serve as indicators for expressing our feelings throughout the year.
Clean Up Australia Day
Our Puggles joined Boronia K-12 College Junior School for Clean Up Australia Day. It was the first time the Puggles ventured out as a group, forming a ‘snake’ line led by the educator and learning the fundamental skills of safety and the importance of staying together. Children gathered up the litter, filled a large bag, and proudly received icy poles from the Schools Wellbeing team to celebrate their efforts. The children demonstrated their ability to cooperate in a new environment and their participation in Clean Up Australia Day reflects an understanding of community and environmental responsibility, encouraging them to become environmentally aware and show respect for the natural environment.
Boronia K-12 College ELC Lending Library
The Lending Library was introduced into our program to nurture a love for books, with children receiving blue library bags to take home. Each Friday children are encouraged to select a book from our reading corner and read their books with their families at home. This is a wonderful opportunity for children to develop a love for reading and a great way for children to develop emergent literacy skills.
School Yard Adventures
To learn more about our school community and surrondings we went on a schoolyard adventure, practicing safety and cooperation as we walked in pairs. Upon our arrival at the racetrack, we were greeted by Mr. Broecker (College Principal) who spotted us through his window and was intrigued to find out what we were up to.
At the racetrack, the enthusiasm was contagious, with some children taking on multiple laps and others mustering courage for their first. We were delighted to be cheered on by our friends as we finished.
To conclude our schoolyard adventure, we undertook a cooperative parachute activity, where teamwork and communication were put to the test. While it was challenging to refrain from picking up fallen balls right away, the children learned resilience and problem-solving. After all the balls had fallen to the ground, everyone banded together to collect the balls, demonstrating perseverance and collective effort.
On Tuesday, 11th March 2025, we held our annual Whole College Athletics Carnival! Dressed in their house colours, our staff and students attended Ringwood Athletics Track for an action-packed day of track and field events – the day was an excellent display of fun, sportsmanship and community. Thank you to all who helped ensure this day ran smoothly and successfully!
This term has been a busy one for Careers at Boronia. We have seen students participate in a range of programs from the Driver Learner Program at the Australian Grand Prix, to the Career Program at Avalon Airshow. Our Year 11 VM students have also started on their micro-credentials with the industry standard White Card training. This is essential for work in the construction industry.
Next term we are looking forward to more exciting events including National Careers Week, the VCE and Careers Expo, more micro-credentials, Alumni Breakfast and more.
The Sustainability Club has been busy working hard in the garden, helping to weed and maintain the area. Recently, students noticed some produce was ready for harvest, including coriander, rosemary, sage, and mint. Students wrote out their wish lists and helped pick their desired herbs which they bundled up and took home.
We have also enjoyed eating juicy, delicious strawberries straight from the garden! If you’d like to get involved, come visit the garden during lunchtime on Wednesdays. A huge shoutout to Julie, our “garden angel”, for ensuring our garden continues to thrive and grow!
Boronia K-12 College’s Numeracy Boost has been relaunched in 2025. The program is designed to enhance students’ mathematical understanding through targeted small group support, including hands-on learning activities. Numeracy Boost is modelled on the evidence-informed “Scaffolding Numeracy in the Middle Years” framework and is being implemented across our primary and secondary school. The primary focus is on developing students’ multiplicative thinking and proportional reasoning skills, giving them a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts.
In this session we have Roy, Evan, Bodi and Rylan with our Numeracy Specialist Fiona van de Ven. The students are learning about the inverse relationship between multiplication and division using physical manipulatives.
Boronia K-12 College Tip-Off Basketball Program – Come and Try Night
On Thursday, 27th March, Boronia K-12 College proudly hosted its Tip-Off Basketball Program Come and Try Night in the school gym. The session was led by experienced basketball coach Gerard Hillier and drew an impressive turnout of over 40 students ranging from Grade 5 to Year 10.
Throughout the evening, students enthusiastically participated in a variety of skill-based activities, giving them a taste of what the official program will involve. The session focused on fundamental basketball skills such as dribbling, shooting, passing, and footwork, with a strong emphasis on teamwork, communication, and having fun.
The energy and engagement from all participants were fantastic, creating a positive and supportive environment for students of all skill levels to learn and grow. It was a great opportunity for students to not only develop their basketball abilities but also connect with others who share a passion for the game.
The official Tip-Off Basketball Program will commence in Term 2 and run on Wednesday mornings. We look forward to seeing students continue to build their skills, confidence, and love for the sport in a structured and inclusive setting. A huge thank you to Gerard and all the students who made the night a success!
Very excitingly, Boronia RSL requested a mural commemorating ANZAC for the front exterior wall of their building on Dorset Road and they approached our students to be the ones to design and paint it. We saw this as a huge opportunity to take part in something meaningful and creative for our community.
A select group of senior students opted to work on the project throughout Term 1. Our students developed designs in a planning session earlier in the term and have worked with Ruby Parr, a mural artist, to transfer these designs onto the wall of the RSL.
We are on track to have work wrapped up in time for the ANZAC Day Dawn Service. We are super proud of the students involved, not only for volunteering their time on Wednesday afternoons but the level of enthusiasm they have brought each week – even on some pretty hot days – has been commendable.
Senior Mural Artists: Annabelle S., Miranda S., Emily M., Ashley D., Hannah C., Elliott H., Grace E., Vyolette W., Olive K., Hayley B., Anoosha M., Isabel B. and Lily K.
Manufacturing Excursion to Centrefire Joinery and Profile Plastics
We have been learning about methods of manufacturing in low-volume and high-volume production settings. Exploring technologies used in different scales of manufacturing of one-off / bespoke products, low-volume / batch production, high-volume and continuous production. Discussing lean manufacturing and various sustainability strategies, that, when applied effectively, can improve design and manufacturing processes such as – reduction in waste, more productive or more cost-effective practices.
During our visit to Centrefire Joinery, we experienced firsthand the technologies they use to design products such as cabinetry and furniture. In the office, Steve used CabMaster (CAD/CAM: Computer Aided Design & Manufacturing software) to design a cabinet for us. He showed us how the files he created were converted using EnRoute software and sent it through to their CNC machine down on the factory floor. The CNC machine cut and drilled each of the required components of the cabinet. We used sticky labels to identify each component before feeding it through the edge banding machine. Once each component was edged, we shared the job of assembling the cabinet using various tools including the nail gun and drills.
We also visited Profile Plastics, where Elai gave us a tour of the factory. He talked to us about the processes and technologies used to create a variety of products from a wide range of materials such as acrylic, nylon, plyboard and metals. He also talked to us about the types of products they make for their clients and showed us some samples of the CAD drawings and products at different stages of the production process.
Our Boronia College Choir has had an exciting and eventful term, showcasing their talents at a number of performances. Two standout moments were The Basin Music Festival on Sunday 23rd March and the Boronia K-12 College Open Night on Tuesday 25th of March.
The Basin Music Festival
At The Basin Music Festival, which celebrated its 20th anniversary this year, 20 of our amazing Choir students took to the Pavilion Stage at The Basin Triangle. They delivered a stunning set of four songs — A Thousand Years, Count on Me, Dance Monkey, and Roar — to an appreciative community audience. Organisers praised our students for being respectful, organised, and exceptionally talented. We were honoured to be part of such a milestone event!
Boronia K-12 College Open Night
Our Boronia K-12 College Open Night was another unforgettable evening filled with music and school spirit. The stage came alive with performances from the Boronia College Choir, the Senior Band – Pink Bojellica, our Junior and Senior Vocal Groups, and our incredible Senior Ensembles.
It was truly inspiring to see students from different year levels come together in a celebration of music and collaboration. The energy was electric, and our performers certainly rocked the stage, delighting the crowd throughout the night.
A special thank you to our Year 12 students, Anthony H. and Josh M., for running the stage alongside Ms Crawford — your leadership and support was invaluable.
Stay tuned — we’ve got plenty more exciting musical adventures coming your way this year!
Boronia K-12 College Library Student Borrowing Guidelines
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 – 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: 3:00pm – 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.
