Term 2: Mon 16th April - Fri 29th June
Term 3: Mon 16th July - Fri 21st September
Term 4: Mon 8th October - Fri 21st December
2012 Public Holidays and important dates more...
Address: PO Box 302, Sheffield Road South, Montrose, 3765
Telephone: 9728 2624
OSHCARE: 9728 5867
Facsimile: 9728 1082
Email: Billanook.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au
Website: www. Billanookps.vic.edu.au
" Believe in Yourself"
Location and Demographics
Billanook Primary School is located 42 km east of the city of Melbourne in the picturesque foothills of the Dandenong Ranges. The school has a Student Family Occupation Density of 0.34. Children travel from Montrose and surrounding suburbs, including The Basin, Boronia, Kalorama, Kilsyth and Mount Evelyn.
Enrolment for 2012 is 453 students. We have very few students from non-English speaking homes but a greater diversity in cultural backgrounds. We value the range of views and traditions they bring to our school community. The school has a highly regarded program for the integration of students with disabilities and impairments.
The teaching staff is highly committed to achieving the school’s goals and strives for continuous improvement. The profile reflects a balance of experienced teachers and recent graduates. We are fortunate to have a gender mix to provide a variety of role models for children. Ancillary staff enrich our program provision and provide administrative support. Team ethos is strongly supported by all staff and is a key feature of the school.
Our Vision
At Billanook Primary School we aim to provide a caring and nurturing learning community that enables all children to access a curriculum which challenges them to achieve to their highest potential and that develops knowledge, skills and resilience to be successful in a rapidly changing world.
Government School Performance Summary 2009 - What our school is doing
A big welcome back to all students and parents for 2012.
Billanook is a Sun Smart school therefore it is compulsory that students wear hats whenever they are outdoors during Term 1 and Term 4.
Green slouch hats and red or white legionnaire style hats, priced at $8.00 and $6.00 respectively, are available for purchase from the Uniform Shop on Monday mornings between 8.30am and 9.30am and from the General Office any day during office hours.
How much sun is enough?
The amount of UV exposure needed to maintain vitamin D levels depends on the time of year, location, skin type, day-to-day activity and individual circumstances.
May to August in Victoria
For most people, the general rule of thumb is when the UV is below 3, sun protection is not required unless in alpine regions, near highly reflective surfaces such as snow or outside for extended periods of time.
In Victoria, the average UV is below 3 between May until August, making it a great time to roll up your sleeves and get some winter sun to help with vitamin D levels. Most people need between two to three hours of sunlight spread over a week, to the face, arms (or equivalent area of skin) to help with their vitamin D levels through winter. People with naturally very dark skin may need 3 to 6 times this amount of exposure.
Clicking on the link below to the SunSmart website will give you more information on this matter, as well as the current UV level in Melbourne.
2012 School tours
Parents interested in a tour of the school are invited to call and book for the following tour dates -
Note all tours start at 9.30am and run for 1 hour unless stated otherwise below.
- Friday Apr 20th
- Friday May 4th
- Wednesday May 9th
- Friday May 18th
- Tuesday May 22nd (6.30 to 8.00pm. Note this is Open Night with no booking required)
- Wednesday May 23rd
- Friday June 1st
- Wednesday June 6th
- Friday June 15th
- Wednesday June 20th
- Thursday June 21st (7.00 to 7.30pm - Information Evening with no booking required)
- Friday July 20th
- Wednesday July 25th (Note this is during Enrolment Week)
Education Week
- Monday May 21st to Friday May 25th
Open Evening
During "Education Week" we will be holding an Open Evening on Tuesday May 22nd from 6.30pm to 8.00pm. This is a great chance to have a look around our school with your family. Our Student Leaders will be conducting tours of our schools. Please come to the Office to join a tour. Please feel welcome to visit the Prep building and have a chat with our Prep teachers.
Zumba session
Wed May 23rd at 12.30pm in the Small Hall. Places are limited, so please call the Office to book your spot.
Storytime sessions
- Friday June 8th
- Friday June 22nd
Bookings are required & both sessions run from 10.00am to 11.00am in the schoool library.
Please only book into one of these sessions as places are limited.
Prep Information Night
- Thursday June 21st in the school library from 7.30pm to 8.30pm
For those who have not yet visited the school there will be a tour from 7.00pm to 7.30pm prior to the meeting.
Enrolment Week
- Monday July 23rd to Friday July 27th
Maths Sessions
- Friday August 17th from 10.00am to 11.00am
- Friday August 31st from 10.00am to 11.00am
Teddy Bears Picnic
- Wednesday September 12th from 11.45am to 1.00pm
Information Night
- Tuesday November 20th
Orientation Day
- Tuesday December 11th from 9.30am to 12.00pm
Anglicare Victoria provides support to 50,000 children, young people and families every year.
Through a range of diverse programs and services, they work towards strengthening families and communities so they can protect and nurture the children within them.
They do this directly through services like foster care, emergency food and crisis accommodation, as well as indirectly through family and community support services such as financial counselling, parent education and group work.
Combined, their range of services alleviates immediate hardship while building skills and resilience to overcome future hurdles.
Their website is located at http://www.anglicarevic.org.au
Below is some information you may find useful.
Dads Matter - What Kids Really Need From Their Dad
Many of you may be unaware that we have an ‘invisible’ student here at Billanook.
We can’t see her, but our school community has made an enormous difference to her life.
Her name is Badria. Here is some information about her...
Who is Badria?
She is Billanook’s new sponsored child.
Where does she live?
She lives in Sudan which is the largest country in Africa. 36 million people live there.
How old is she?
She was born in 2006, but don't know exactly when. This is normal in her culture.
Family
She has a mother, a father, two sisters and two brothers.
What does she do?
Badria goes to nursery school.
She is a muslim.
Arabic is the language she speaks.
Living Conditions
Badria's house is made of adobe with a roof made of tree branches.
The family gets water from a water seller in the dry season.
The family has a hole in the ground for a toilet.
We will be raising money for her sponsorship this term. Any support would be greatly appreciated by Badria and her community.
