Welcome back to Bacchus Marsh Grammar

Welcome back to Bacchus Marsh Grammar in 2025. I hope that everyone has had a safe and restful break. I know that it is going to be a fabulous year with so many opportunities for our students. Returning to school after a long break can be challenging for students and as their teachers and parents, it is important that we provide students with strategies to have them back engaging in positive and successful learning as quickly as possible. I would like to reinforce 4 simple habits that help to produce a successful student. These habits can be implemented from week one and will assist in students having a successful year.

1. Re-establish a routine around bedtime and sleeping patterns

Sleep deprivation is one of the biggest detriments to students of any age doing well at school. Children of all ages from Prep to VCE need adequate sleep to improve their behaviours, mood and academic achievement Adequate amounts of sleep range from:

• School age (6-13 years) – 9 to 12 hours
• School Age teens (14-18 years) – 8-10 hours

And to ensure that your child’s sleep is uninterrupted, keep technological devices out of the bedroom! Turn these devices off and place them in another room.

2. School diary

Encourage your child/ren to go through their school diary and/or school calendar and write down all key events. When are examinations? When are assessment tasks? When are the House Sports days? School holidays? Make sure they fill in their timetable and their diary every day. Most importantly, they should have both the Parents and Tutor teacher sign it each week. This will ensure that they have someone helping them organise their school week.

3. Ask questions

Students are in school to learn and we are here to help, so please encourage them to not be afraid to ASK FOR HELP! – from a teacher, a tutor, intern or their friends – they will obtain feedback and that is a sure-fire way to make sure they truly understand the material.

4. Get involved with the life of the school and have fun

The school community is awesome because more than likely there are other people sharing your child’s passions. Encourage them to go to an afterschool academic club, learn an instrument, join a band or The Explorers Club, audition for the school musical or train with a sports team… It is fun to be involved, they can explore their interests and make new friends. Research shows that busy students are the highest achieving students!

Once again, I would like to take the opportunity to welcome everyone back to Bacchus Marsh Grammar and I look forward to another successful academic year.

Mr Andrew Perks – Deputy Principal Culture and Character Education

Maddingley and Woodlea

We would like to take this opportunity to welcome the Bacchus Marsh Grammar community to the 2025 school year. It has been wonderful to see our students return eager and ready to learn. We are excited to continue supporting them as they strive for excellence and embody the qualities of a Bacchus Marsh Grammar student.

As we embark on this exciting new year, we are thrilled to announce Mr Darren Gibson as the new Head of Junior School at Maddingley Campus. Darren is passionate about working collaboratively with families and staff to create the best possible learning experiences for our students. In his first few weeks, Mr Gibson looks forward to getting to know the parents, students and staff who make up this vibrant school community at Maddingley. Building strong relationships and open lines of communication will be a priority for Mr Gibson, as we work together to ensure every child feels valued and supported in their educational journey.

From Mr Gibson: 2025 promises to be a year full of opportunities, growth and achievements, and I am excited to contribute to the continued success of Bacchus Marsh Grammar. I encourage parents to introduce themselves when you cross paths around the Campus, as I genuinely value your insights and perspectives.

We would like to thank our parents in advance for your ongoing support and partnership in your child’s education. We look forward to working together throughout 2025 to ensure a successful and rewarding year for all.

Mr Darren Gibson  – Head of Junior School: Maddingley and Mrs Sally Savic – Head of Junior School: Woodlea

Welcome Back

The PE, Health and Outdoor Education faculty would like to extend a warm welcome to all students returning or starting their schooling at BMG in 2025. We are all excited to start working with students to promote physical activity, a healthy lifestyle or a sense of adventure in the outdoors. There will be a range of sporting opportunities, outdoor education experiences and lifestyle sessions for students to be involved in to further their skills and knowledge.

Some upcoming events to keep an eye on are as follows:

• Junior & Middle School Swimming trials
• Middle & Senior School House Swimming
• Badminton & Table Tennis Cross Campus trials
• ICCES Swimming, Badminton & Table Tennis
• ACS Swimming Carnival
• Year 11&12 Summer Sport Challenge
• Outdoor and Environmental Studies Coastal Expeditions

Mr Bryce Durham – Head of Faculty: PE & Health

Expedition to Nepal – Explorers Club 2025

After the successful expedition to 3 Capes in Tasmania last year, this year the Explorers Club is offering an exciting opportunity for students from Years 8 to 12 to join an Expedition to Nepal from September 13 to 25.

This expedition will include travelling to Kathmandu, trekking the Helambu trek amongst the snow-capped Langtang peaks and contributing to an initiative that supports the sustainability and management of the natural environment.

The expedition will be hosted by the Explorers Club and World Challenge and will cost approximately $6990-$7250 all inclusive. You do not have to be a current member of the Explorers Club to attend and the opportunity is for both the Maddingley and Woodlea students.

If interested, students can fill out the interest form attached to the daily newsfeed on schoolbox or email Mr Perks directly.

Mr Andrew Perks – Deputy Principal: Culture and Character Education

Roll Call

On 24 January 2025 parents were sent a ‘Welcome’ email from Roll Call inviting them to activate the Roll Call app.  Roll Call is for parents whose children travel on private buses, so they can track the bus in real time and receive notifications of when their child/ren tap on/off the bus.  Roll Call is also for parents whose children do not travel on private buses but when they board a bus for a camp, excursion etc.  It is advised ALL parents activate their Roll Call account.

AM/PM changes: If parents require their child to change their AM or PM stop permanently, please contact the School Bus Services Administrator so this can be updated on Roll Call.  For the safety of students and drivers, it is very important that stops are up to date on Roll Call.  If students are to disembark as a “one off” at a different stop on their designated route, parents are to update this in Roll Call prior to 1.30pm on the day of travel.

Note: If students are not travelling via their private bus in the morning, parents DO NOT need to advise the school or update Roll Call. If your student is absent from school, parents are to call the absentee line at their child’s campus and leave a message.  If students in Prep – Year 6 are not travelling home via bus, a note in the child’s diary is required in advance for the class teacher.

ID Cards

Students will be issued with a Student ID card. Students MUST use their Student ID card to tap on/off the bus.  Student ID cards are compulsory when boarding a private bus or attending all school excursions/camps etc and they must always be carried. Students who board the bus repeatedly without their ID cards will receive a detention or further consequences.

Student Permission Cards

Students in Prep – Year 6 require a green permission tag on their bag if they are to disembark the bus to be picked up by someone other than their parent/guardian.  Students in Year 5 and 6 can disembark the bus on their own if they have a green permission tag on their bag for the driver to check. Student Afternoon Bus Arrangement & Permission Notices are available on Schoolbox under School Letters.  Please return Student Afternoon Bus Arrangement and Permission Notices to bus@bmg.vic.edu.au. 2024 Student Permission tags will be removed from the students’ bags on Friday 14 February 2025.  Any student requiring a permission tag for 2025 must have an updated Student Afternoon Bus Arrangement & Permission Notice completed by this date so a 2025 replacement tag can be attached to their bag.

Mrs Leanne Robertson – School Bus Services Administrator

Canteen

We’re thrilled to share exciting updates to our school canteen services in 2025! We have partnered with Chartwells for Canteen and Catering services and will be using the Flexischools app for student lunch orders. These changes are designed to enhance convenience, accessibility and meal options for our students and families.

About the Flexischools App

The Flexischools App offers an easy way for parents to manage lunch orders and canteen purchases. Key features include:

• Pre-order Meals Online: Parents can order meals in advance for their children.
• Student Card Purchases: Middle and Senior School students can make over-the-counter purchases with their student ID cards linked to their Flexischools account.
• Spending Controls: Set daily spend limits or enable automatic top-ups for peace of mind.
• Transparency: Access itemised transaction history.
• Student Access: Enable your child to use the app for online orders themselves.

How to link a student card	How to place a canteen order	How to register
Click the image for a larger view.

How to Get Started

Setting up is simple! Create your Flexischools account today and explore the new canteen menu. The new system will streamline the lunch ordering process and ensure your child never goes hungry. To enable over-the-counter purchases using a student ID card, please ensure to provide your child’s student number (located on the front of the ID card) when entering their details in the app.

Need Assistance?

For any questions or assistance with Flexischools or registering your student in the app, please contact our ICT service desk at 03 5366 4800 (select option 6).

We look forward to making 2025 an exciting year for our canteen services!

Term Dates

Both the 2025 and 2026 Term Dates are published on the school’s website.

Events Calendar

All upcoming events feature on the Schoolbox Calendar for both students and parents/guardians to view.

Uniform Shop

Uniform information and shop business hours for both the Maddingley Campus Onsite Shop and Rushfords in Werribee are listed on the school’s website.

Please note that uniforms can also be purchased online via https://www.noone.com.au/.

Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) – The Y Ballarat

The Y Ballarat operates the Out of School Hours Care at Bacchus Marsh Grammar.  Enrolments are completed online. For full information please visit the school’s website.

Email: chrissie.ashmore@yballarat.org.au
Phone: 0490 178 638
Website: https://yballarat.org.au/

Regular Contacts

General School Email: school@bmg.vic.edu.au
School Website: www.bmg.vic.edu.au