Junior School Update
Our Junior School students have settled in well to their new classroom environments. It has been wonderful to see them building positive relationships with their teachers and forming new friendships. We hope you have enjoyed the opportunity to connect with your child’s classroom teacher and begin establishing strong partnerships to support your child’s progress this year.
Parent–teacher interviews provide a valuable opportunity for meaningful communication between families and teachers. These conversations allow us to share insights into your child’s academic development, social growth, strengths and goals for 2026.
Interviews will be held on March 3 and March 5. During this time, parents will have the opportunity to meet with classroom teachers to discuss student progress and future learning targets.
Booking details have been sent via EdSmart. Please refer to the EdSmart notice for instructions on how to secure your preferred interview time.
We encourage all families to participate, as these meetings play an important role in fostering a collaborative approach to each child’s learning journey.
We look forward to meeting with you and working together to support your child’s continued growth.
Melanie Morton – Assistant Principal: Head of Junior School (Maddingley)
Sally Savic – Assistant Principal: Head of Junior School (Woodlea)
Junior School Information Technology – Cyber Safety Focus
In today’s digital world, even our youngest students are spending time online. Developing safe and responsible online habits begins in Junior School, and informed and engaged parents are the most powerful support children can have.
At this age, children are still building their understanding of privacy, respectful communication, and how to respond if something makes them feel uncomfortable online. Open conversations at home are one of the most effective protective factors.
How Parents Can Support Cyber Safety at Home
- Keep communication open
Talk regularly with your child about what they are doing online. Ask what gamesthey’re playing, who they’re chatting with and what they enjoy most. Creating a safe space for discussion makes it more likely they will speak up if something goes wrong. - Set clear expectations and boundaries
Establish family rules around screen time, device use in shared spaces and which apps or platforms areappropriate. Consistency helps children understand that online behaviour is just as important as offline behaviour. - Teach respectful online behaviour
Help children understand that being kind, respectful and responsible applies online too. Discuss what to do if they see unkind behaviour or receive messages that worry them. - Use trusted resources
There are excellent Australian resources available to guide families:
- The eSafety Commissioner – eSafety Parents website provides practical advice, age-specific guidance, reporting information and conversation starters to help families navigate online safety confidently. Click here for more information.
- Inform and Empower offers accessible resources designed to help parents understand emerging apps, online trends and strategies to support safe technology use. Click here for more information
Raising Kids in a Digital World- Parent and Carers Seminar
In the Junior School at the Bacchus Marsh Grammar Maddingley campus, we are committed to supporting student wellbeing through its cyber safety program Inform and Empower. This program builds knowledge, awareness and confidence in navigating online spaces safely. As part of this commitment, an informative Parent Information Session Raising Kids in a Digital World will be offered, providing practical guidance on current digital risks, protective strategies and how we can best stay informed and work together as a community.
This session would be beneficial for Junior School parents and carers.
Raising Kids in a Digital World- Parent and Carers Seminar
When: Thursday 26 February 2026
Time: 7pm-9pm
Where: Bacchus Marsh Public Hall, Main Street, Bacchus Marsh.
These information sessions are suitable for parents and carers only and will support families to stay informed and up to date on how to help children use technology safely.
Click here to register your interest.
Kim Richards – Teacher
Maddingley
Prep and Prep Reception at Maddingley
Prep and Prep Reception have had a wonderful start to their learning journey. Beginning school is an exciting milestone and with just a few butterflies, our students have embraced this new experience in the Bacchus Marsh Grammar way, with confidence and enthusiasm.
From their very first days on campus, our Preps have settled into school life smoothly. Classrooms have been filled with curiosity, thoughtful questions and a genuine eagerness to learn. Through new experiences, early literacy and numeracy activities and opportunities to explore, create and connect, students are already developing a strong foundation and a love of learning.
Our Prep and Prep Reception students have quickly formed friendships, learned new routines and discovered what it means to be part of the Bacchus Marsh Grammar community. With the guidance and care of our dedicated teachers, they are building important skills such as listening, sharing, problem-solving and celebrating achievements, both big and small.
We are very grateful to all our Prep and Prep Reception families for their support during this important stage of schooling and for guiding their children as they develop independence in remembering everyday items such as hats, diaries, lunch and drink bottles.
Prep Reception students are eagerly anticipating their first bus journey to our Staughton Vale campus and are engaging with a range of school community members each Friday. They have already met the school nurse, maintenance staff and our wonderful Deputy Principal – Mrs Morton. We look forward to continuing to build connections with our school captains, wellbeing and canteen staff, thus helping our youngest students feel safe, supported and confident as they learn and grow within our school community.
Our students are already learning the Bacchus Marsh Grammar values and helping us build our class castles.
The students are actively engaged in the new Prep and Prep Reception Enrichment program with opportunities to develop their skills and talents in Japanese, Robotics, Drama, Fine Motor, Creative Arts, Building and Design.
It has been a fantastic start to our Prep and Prep Reception students’ schooling, and we are very proud of how our learners have embraced this important new chapter. We look forward to their continued growth and seeing them thrive throughout the year and beyond.
The 2026 Prep & Prep Reception Staff Team:
Kylie McKerrow – (Head Of Year) Prep A
Claire Dixon – Prep B
Jodie Taniguchi – Prep C
Kelly Connell – Prep D
Joanna Nguyen – Prep E
Karlisa Smy – Prep Reception
Prep and Prep Reception Team
Woodlea
Woodlea Art
It has been a creative and exciting start to the term in the Art Room!
Year 1 students began by drawing detailed self-portraits, focusing on facial features and proportion. They explored colour theory by using an ink wash technique to create secondary colours from primary colours. Students were introduced to Paul Klee, creating imaginative continuous line drawings, and then to James Rizzi, designing colourful buildings using textas and water. Most recently, they have drawn Australian birds, exploring the contrast between warm and cool colours.
Year 2 students also created expressive self-portraits using oil pastels and learning layering and blending techniques. They explored complementary colours through collage, focusing on positive and negative space. Students explored two-dimensional art by drawing human figures and thinking about balance, form and movement.
It has been wonderful to see students building their creativity, confidence and artistic skills. We look forward to sharing more of their artwork throughout the term!
Lucinda Degiorgio – Woodlea Art Teacher
Junior Swimming Carnival
On Friday 13 February, students from Years 3 and 4 proudly represented the Junior School at the inaugural Junior School House Swimming Carnival held at Melton Waves.
Although the weather was slightly cooler than is typical for this time of year, the enthusiasm and competitive spirit of our swimmers more than made up for it. Students competed for their respective Houses in individual events including freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly, demonstrating impressive skill, determination and sportsmanship throughout the day. The carnival concluded with an exciting whole-team relay, where students combined their efforts and showcased outstanding House spirit.
Congratulations to Dale House for being crowned overall champions on the day. We also extend our congratulations to all students who participated and represented their Houses with pride and enthusiasm.
George Delic – Chair of Houses (Woodlea)