Whittlesea Rotary Club - Scholarships

On Monday evening, I was very honoured to attend the Whittlsea Rotary Club award presentation evening, along with Ms Deanne Woodhouse and Ms Rae Gittos.

The Whittlesea Rotary Club continues to support local students through its annual scholarship program, recognising young people who demonstrate exceptional academic achievement and a strong commitment to learning. These scholarships help students access educational resources, easing financial pressure and encouraging them to pursue their goals with confidence. We are grateful for the Rotary Club’s ongoing generosity and partnership, and for the positive impact they continue to make in our community each year. We are very pleased to share that Piper Briggs was the 2025 WPS recipient. This award will also be celebrated at our upcoming Graduation evening, on Thursday, 11th December, at the Uni Hill Conference Centre.

2026 School Council Update

From 2026, parents, carers and community members who wish to join the school council must have a Working with Children (WWC) clearance to nominate. If you are considering nominating for the school council and don’t already have a WWCC, I encourage you to apply for a volunteer WWC check as soon as possible. This will allow for processing times estimated at 3 to 12 weeks.

Please note that if you do not hold a WWC clearance, you will not be able to nominate for the school council, so you must prepare in advance. Obtaining a WWC clearance is free for volunteers, and you can apply online at Service Victoria. When applying for your volunteer WWC check, please nominate the Department of Education as the organisation you are working for. If you already hold an employee WWC clearance, you do not need to obtain a volunteer WWC clearance to nominate for the school council.

Victorian Institute of Teaching-registered teachers and school students who are interested in joining the school council are not required to obtain a WWC clearance.

Current parents and community members of the school council do not need to apply for a WWC check immediately. Current members only need a WWC clearance if their term ends, and they wish to be nominated or co-opted again.

For more information, refer to Ministerial Order 1280 (Constitution of Government School Councils) 2020.

Staffing (Departures & Arrivals)

I am aware that some of our teachers have begun communicating with their classes about their intentions for next year. I want to acknowledge that some of our students will be upset about the change, which is a natural reaction and is a testament to the strong relationships taht have been formed throughout their time at the school. Staff changing schools has become a 'typical' process for many teachers as they seek other teaching experiences/ opportunities, and, in some cases, locations closer to their homes.

Staff Arrivals : (2026)

Kate Carew has accepted a position at Whittlesea Primary School.
Sophie Bell has accepted a position at Whittlesea Primary School.
Kiana Davitt has accepted a position at Whittlesea Primary School.
Christie Gilder has accepted a position at Whittlesea Primary School.
Stephanie Carroll has accepted a position at Whittlesea Primary School.
Amy Hicks has accepted a position at Whittlesea Primary School.
Katie Salter has accepted a position at Whittlesea Primary School.
Mikayla Whitford has accepted a position at Whittlesea Primary School.
Michelle Eames has accepted a position at Whittlesea Primary School.
Collette Dane has accepted a position at Whittlesea Primary School.

Ms Mikayla Colombo will return from family leave, whilst Ms Deanne Woodhouse

will commence family leave (both in Term 1, 2026)

Staff moving to other school positions:

Elise Cowdery has accepted a position at Wirrigirri Primary School (Wollert)
Val Gordon has accepted a position at Wirrigirri Primary School (Wollert)
Kate Storck has accepted a position at Longwarry Primary School (Warragul)
Shannan Harris has accepted a position at Hume Anglican Grammar.
Emma Naval-Thomas has accepted a position at Thomastown East Primary School.
Jacky Chen has accepted a position at Balwyn North Primary School.
Naomi Liersch has accepted a position at Tallangatta Secondary College.
Jai Bowring has accepted a position at Glenroy Central Primary School.
Kristy Bedford will return full-time to Greensbrough Primary School (base school)

Have a great weekend!

Regards

Kaylene

Community Leaders