From the Principal Team

What a wonderful term we have had so far. Our students have been involved in a wide range of programs already this term including the Swimming Carnival, interschool sports, Year 7 camp, Alpine Leadership Camp and a range of excursions, lunchtime activities and more. You will read about many of these throughout the newsletter.

We welcome this week our new Humanities teacher – Sophie Warren.

Mother’s Day Classic – 11th May

It’s time to start training for the Mother’s Day Classic!

Last year the GEC team was the largest school team and the highest fundraising school in Victoria. Let’s see if we can do it again!

You can choose to run (4, 8 or 12 km) or walk (4 or 8 km). The money raised will support research on breast cancer and ovarian cancer.

It’s happening on the 11th of May at the Royal Botanic Gardens (the Tan).

To register follow this link and make sure to join our team. If you can’t participate you can always help achieve our goal by sponsoring us.

School Student Broadband Initiative

The School Student Broadband Initiative offers eligible families with school-aged students free NBN broadband internet at home. The initiative was due to end on 31 December 2025 but has been extended.

The initiative is capped at 30,000 services connected. Once this number is reached, no further applications to participate in the initiative will be accepted.

Households already connected through the initiative, or with a voucher to do so

Families and carers currently connected to the NBN network through the initiative will have their connection automatically extended with their participating internet provider until Friday 30 June 2028.

Eligible families and carers who already have a voucher to take part in the initiative should activate their free service with a participating internet provider as soon as possible. This voucher will become invalid once the cap is reached.

For all other households

Families and carers who haven’t been assessed may be eligible for the initiative should contact the NBN’s National Referral Centre for an assessment. If you are eligible, you will be sent a voucher to access free home internet until Friday 30 June 2028. However, this voucher must be activated before the 30,000 cap is reached.

Find out more

For more information, refer to:

For further enquiries, contact the School Student Broadband Initiative team by email: ssbi@education.vic.gov.au

Capital Works update

The foundations of the new middle school building are being laid and soon work on the structure itself will begin. An alternative pick-up and drop-off zone has been created near our synthetic courts on Neerim Road, opposite Heatherbrae Avenue.

The bus stop on Booran Road just south of Miriam Street will remain in use.

School Council Elections

I am delighted to announce our School Council parent representatives for 2025.

Congratulations to elected parents reps:

1. Nicole Sternbergs

2. Bruce MacDonald

3. Simon Campbell

And congratulations to our staff reps

1. Loveena Narayanen

2. Gabrielle Darvell

The process of forming school council continues and once finalised I will inform our community.

Our Alumni

I am delighted with the continued progress of our Alumni led by our wonderful coordinator, Bridie Skinner (an alumni herself!). The focus this term has been to increase our connections with alumni. The Glen Eira College Alumni Facebook page has been our main source of communication to past students and the wider school community. This page has consistently been updated with alumni bios each Thursday. We have also used this platform to celebrate alternative alumni involvement within the school. You can visit the page at this link: https://www.facebook.com/GlenEiraCollegeAlumni

Finally

Following the retirement of Sheereen Kindler at the end of term 1 (Sheereen is currently on leave), the process for seeking a new Principal to begin at the start of term 2 is well underway. I will notify you as soon as there is an appointment.

If you have any wonderings or feedback (positive or areas for improvement) please do not hesitate to call me at the school to talk or arrange a time to meet.

Nick Hamer-Smith

Principal