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Newsletter 7th August
August 7th
Principal's Report 7th August
Another Exciting New Playground Coming to Birralee!
We have some fantastic news to share! Thanks to the outstanding efforts of our School Council President, Sherry Wang, Birralee has secured another $75,000 grant through the North East Link Project.
This is the second consecutive year Sherry has successfully obtained funding, having also secured a grant for one of our playgrounds last year. While Sherry sought the support of our local Members of Parliament—and we sincerely thank them for their endorsement—the real credit belongs to Sherry for her exceptional grant-writing skills, determination and commitment to making Birralee an even better place for our students.The funding will enable us to create a brand-new inclusive playground at the front of the school, providing another exciting space where all children can play, connect and thrive together.
A huge thank you, Sherry, for your vision, hard work and unwavering dedication to our school community. We can't wait to see this wonderful new play space come to life!
Parent/Caregiver Opinion Survey – Coming Soon - We Value Your Voice
Each year, our Parent/Caregiver Opinion Survey provides families with an important opportunity to tell us how we're doing and how we can continue to make our school even better. This year’s survey will take place in the week beginning 17th August – all parents will receive an email during that week inviting them to participate. Each parent will have their own link; all responses are anonymous – we receive only aggregated data. I sincerely encourage every parent and caregiver to take a few minutes to complete the survey when it is received.
Your feedback helps us understand what you value most about our school, what we're doing well, and where there may be opportunities to improve. Whether your experiences have been positive, challenging, or somewhere in between, your views are important and help shape the future direction of our school.
The more families who participate, the more accurate and meaningful the results become. A high response rate gives us confidence that the feedback truly reflects the views of our whole school community and enables us to make well-informed decisions that benefit all of our students.
The survey results are carefully considered by the leadership team and School Council and are used to inform our Annual Implementation Plan and future school improvement priorities. They will also be an important source of evidence during our School Review in 2027, where they will be considered alongside student learning outcomes, staff feedback, and many other aspects of school life.
Thank you in advance for taking the time to complete the survey. Your voice matters, your feedback is valued, and together we can continue to make our school the very best it can be for every child.
Veronica - Australian Karate Championships
Last Monday, Veronica from Year 3, became seriously ill and was admitted to hospital. By Wednesday, she had been discharged but was weak having lost 3kg in a short period of time. This illness had come at a very bad time as Veronica was only a week away from competing in the Australian Karate Championships in Sydney. She had been advised to rest and recover. For many athletes, that would have marked the end of the competition. But not for Veronica, her determination to compete never wavered. With remarkable courage she insisted on traveling to Sydney to compete on Monday. Against the odds, Veronica produced an outstanding performance to win the gold medal!
What an amazing result! I know Veronica’s parents are incredibly proud, and so are we at Birralee!
Breakfast Club
Many would have notice the fruit, and milk being handed out at the front of the school this morning. There were many excited students enjoying carrot sticks, orange slices, apples, pears and milk.
It is part of the government funded Breakfast Club initiative. Please look for Ms Braddy’s report in this newsletter.
Gymnasium
Many of you will know that Birralee has been advocating for a gymnasium for many years. As a school of our size, if Birralee were being built today, a gymnasium would be included as part of the original design. However, because we are an established school rather than a new one, funding for such a facility is not automatically provided.
This is why our School Council continues to work tirelessly to keep our case in front of the Department of Education and our local representatives. Through our sub-committee, we maintain regular dialogue and advocate strongly for this much-needed addition to our school. Matthew Guy’s office has been in contact with the school to let us know that he is doing everything in his power to advocate for a Birralee gymnasium.
The good news is that the Department of Education has already developed a master plan for our site, which includes a gymnasium. The vision is there—we simply need the funding to bring it to life.
A gymnasium would provide far more than just a space for sport and physical education. It would become a true community asset, hosting school assemblies, concerts, performances and special events, while also being available for local sporting clubs and community groups outside school hours.
We remain optimistic and will continue to advocate for this important project. With the support of our School Council and community, we hope the day isn't too far away when we can celebrate funding for a facility that will benefit Birralee students and the wider community for generations to come.
Outstanding NAPLAN Results for Birralee
By now, you have probably seen media coverage of this year's NAPLAN results across Australia. While NAPLAN is just one measure of student achievement, it provides valuable information about how students are progressing in literacy and numeracy and helps schools reflect on and strengthen their teaching and learning programs.
I am delighted to share that Birralee's 2026 NAPLAN results are outstanding. Across all assessed areas, our students performed exceptionally well, with results that are significantly above the Victorian average. Even more pleasing is that Birralee also achieved results above both our Monash–Manningham network averages and those of our statistically similar schools.
Similar schools are those with student populations that share characteristics such as parental education and occupation, socio-economic background, and the proportion of students learning English as an additional language. Performing so strongly against these comparison groups is a wonderful reflection of the quality of teaching and learning taking place every day at Birralee.
These results are no accident. They are the product of highly skilled and dedicated teachers, hardworking, attentive students, and the unwavering support of our families. Together, we have created a culture where high expectations, strong relationships and a love of learning enable every child to achieve their personal best.
While we are proud of these excellent outcomes, we remain committed to continuous improvement. We know that learning is a journey, and we will continue to build on these successes to ensure every Birralee student is challenged, supported and inspired to thrive.
Congratulations to our students, staff and families. These outstanding results are something our entire Birralee community can celebrate.
Ashley Ryan
PRINCIPAL
School Breakfast Clubs Program
Healthy eating plays a powerful role in supporting learning, concentration and emotional regulation. Fresh fruit provides slow-release energy, vitamins and fibre – all essential for keeping young brains alert and bodies steady throughout the school day. When students have access to nourishing food, they’re better able to engage in lessons, participate in activities and maintain positive social interactions. Making these options freely available ensures every child can benefit.
- Fresh fruit in every classroom
This term, Birralee has proudly partnered with Foodbank Victoria to bring fresh, locally sourced produce straight into every classroom free for all students. Each class now enjoys a fruit bowl filled with apples, pears and bananas, topped up throughout the week to keep students fuelled and focused. The response has been fantastic, with more than half our classrooms needing a mid-week refill in the very first week.
- Breakfast Club trolleys
We have also launched our Breakfast Club trolleys, available every Thursday morning at the front of the school from 8:30am, offering free fresh fruit, full-cream milk cartons, carrot sticks and orange wedges. These simple, nutritious options help students settle into the day feeling energised, calm and ready to learn.
All produce is sourced from local Victorian farmers and manufacturers, strengthening our connection to the community while ensuring high-quality, seasonal food for our students.
We’re delighted to see Birralee students embracing these new healthy-eating initiatives. It’s wonderful to watch them make confident, nutritious choices that support both their wellbeing and their learning.
Bella Braddy
Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader
Dates to Remember
Please take note of our upcoming events.
Check back regularly for updates.
- Junior Open Afternoon - Specialist Classes
Date: August 25, 2026
Time: 03:30pm - 05:00pm
- Year 5 Camp Kookaburra
Date: August 26, 2026
Time: All Day
- Year 4 Werribee Zoo Excursion
Date: August 31, 2026
Time: All Day
- Senior Open Afternoon - Specialist Classes
Date: September 01, 2026
Time: 03:30pm - 05:00pm
- Year 5 and 6 Swimming
Date: October 12, 2026
Time: All Day
Swimming all week at Just Swimming - Nunawading- Year 6 Performance
Date: October 19, 2026
Time: All Day
- Year 6 Performance
Date: October 20, 2026
Time: All Day
Extracurricular Activities
We have various tutors and organisations who provide private tuition and programs before, during or after school. New programs are advertised via flyers or in the community news section of the newsletter. Please contact the event organiser to enrol your child.
Canteen
Lunch orders are available for lunch (12:50pm). Orders can be placed in advance and need to be in by 9:00am for same day processing. To place an order download the Qkr! App.
Click here for instructions on how to download and use Qkr!
Click here for instructions on how to download and use Qkr!