Programs offered at Don Bosco Primary School

Student Wellbeing

Student wellbeing is an integral part of the Don Bosco School community.  It is embedded in the daily routines through a positive, whole-school approach.  The approach is based on the values of our patron saint – St John Bosco.

  • To be inclusive
  • To be compassionate
  • To be courageous
  • To be safe

These values are embedded throughout the school.  The whole school community, including parents, worked in conjunction to create a framework used in each year level to promote a positive environment.

The school curriculum uses resources such as Bounceback! and Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships to teach the social-emotional skills needed to provide a foundation for safe and positive learning and develop students’ ability to succeed in school and life. Teachers, also, use strategies such as Circle Time and Classroom Meetings to promote student voice to further enhance wellbeing.

Buddy Program

The buddy program pairs Year 5 & 6 students with Foundation students.  Each fortnight the Senior and Foundation students gather to take part in activities that help develop the relationship between the pair.  Activities may include eating lunch together, art activities, drama activities, and games. The older students are encouraged to help their younger counterparts feel comfortable within the school environment and learn who to go to when in need of assistance.

Seasons for Growth

The Seasons program is for students who have experienced significant change or loss in their lives.  It is an evidence-based program that draws on the metaphor of the seasons to understand that change, loss and grief are a normal and valuable part of life.  The program is run in small groups over 8 weeks and facilitated by a trained companion (teacher).

Care Groups

Care Groups are multi-age groupings in which students and teachers gather and develop connections through themed activities once per term.  The older students are encouraged to help out the younger ones as they build on their skills of cooperation and collaboration, and of course, friendship!

Student Leadership Groups

Each year, Year 6 student leaders further develop their leadership skills through their involvement in school leadership tasks.  They meet twice a term and discuss issues that pertain to students within the Don Bosco school community.  As well, each student leader has a particular role in which they work closely with a staff member to fulfill tasks needing to be done.  The school leadership roles at Don Bosco are:

  • School Captain
  • Community Captain
  • Sports Captain
  • Arts Captain

Specialist Learning Areas

Specialist curriculum programs offered to expand the learning opportunities of all students in line with the Victorian Curriculum are:

  • Ethics & Literature - Foundation-2

  • LOTE (French) - Grades 3-6

  • Music

  • Physical Education

  • Visual Art

Classrooms are supported in the areas of Numeracy and Literacy through:

  • EMU (Extending Mathematical Understandings)

  • Levelled Literacy Intervention