School Council Update

Here are some updates from the Altona College school council. We’ve met twice this term. Our next meetings will be held on 18th October and 29th November.

If you would like to hear more about any of these, have any questions, or ideas on how to improve our school, please email sarah.brooker@education.vic.gov.au.

Senior Centre Opening

Four years after the initial announcement of funding, our Senior Centre was officially opened by the Hon. Jill Hennessey (member for Altona) and the Hon. Melissa Horne (member of Williamstown). We were very fortunate to have two such senior members of the Victoria Government available to open our Senior Centre and we thank Jill and Melissa for their valuable time.

We would like to particularly acknowledge the Hon. Jill Hennessey’s significant contribution and advocacy for the development of the Senior Centre and more broadly the College community and thank her as she departs public office following the November state election.

If you would like to pass on your thanks to Jill, or welcome Melissa in, their emails are: jill.hennessy@parliament.vic.gov.au and Melissa.Horne@parliament.vic.gov.au

School Council is looking forward to continuing to work closely with the Hon. Melissa Horne to ensure the College has access to appropriate and leading educational facilities as our school community continues to grow.

We would also like to thank the immediate past and current student leaders (from prep to year 12) who attended the Senior Centre opening and impressed upon us all the importance of the facilities but also left us admiring the polite, articulate, and intelligent leaders who are developing through our school community. The future is very bright!

Kade Dillon, Vice President School Council

Admin in new building: Capital Works update

We are very much excited to be opening the doors to the refurbised administration building.

The work has been done to modernise the building with a new entrance that allows students and parents to access the school through the building rather than going outside. It will be more welcoming and will also provide more parent meeting rooms. The leadership and admin team packed up their things and moved in on Friday.

Thank you to all teachers and admin support staff for being flexible and continuing to provide cheerful, efficient and friendly support to our families from your interim work space.

Sarah Brooker, President School Council

Have your say: Buildings and Grounds update

We would like to invite all staff, students, parents and guardians to participate in a short survey about the appearance of our school and its grounds.

What do you think could be improved? Here are a few ideas that we have listed. Have a look; tell us what’s missing; and what do you think we should do first.

· Roofing for lockers

· New covered bike shed

· A permanent BBQ area

· More playground equipment for primary

· Downball courts

· More planting

· Site signage

Kari Wheeler and Marion Douswma, co-chairs of the B&G crew

Treasurers Update

As we approach the end of term 3, I’d like to give an update on the family contribution aspect of our school finances. To date, we have received 50% payment of parent contributions across the school. Last year we achieved a 90% payment across the school.

School fee contributions are a valuable resource for our school community. Our school grounds, and the programs and resources that our children have access to today are for a large part funded by the voluntary contributions of parents/carers.

We depend on this ongoing support to continue the excellent range of facilities and resources provided to our students. Your support in 2022 has allowed us to:

Fund additional learning resources and equipment beyond the basic necessities that can be financed through regular school budgets
Provide additional lunchtime equipment and activities
Enhance student leadership and engagement programs and events
Support ongoing upgrades, repair and maintenance of non essential (but very important) equipment and resources
Improve the quality of resources, ingredients and materials used within the classroom to better reflect the expectations of our changing community

The school administration have sent out reminder notices last week week to ensure families are aware of their contributions to date.

I sincerely thank families who have contributed already and encourage families to pay the curriculum contribution where possible to allow the school to continue to invest in the programs and resources that make the school the great place it is.

Kelly Archibald, School Council Treasurer

School Policies

School Council has reviewed the College’s child safety policies to ensure alignment with new Victorian Government Child Safe Standards which commenced on 1 July 2022. The following policies were endorsed at the meeting of 19 July:

➢ Child Safety Policy Altona College

➢ Child Safety Responding and Reporting Obligations Policy and Procedure

Altona College

➢ Code of Conduct Policy Altona College

➢ Aboriginal Learning Wellbeing and Safety Policy Altona College

➢ Volunteer Policy

➢ Explanatory Notes – Child Safe Standards

The School Council also reviewed and updated lapsing policies including:

➢ Digital Learning Policy

➢ Teacher Principal Notebook Program Agreement

School policies can be found on our College website.

Kade Dillon and Belle Jackson, Policy subcommittee

VCAL News