College Notices

Check out our facilities improvements around the College!

During the school breaks our Facilities Team make the most of student free time to not only maintain, but also refurbish and upgrade. 

The lower carpark was completely re-asphalted

Other improvements around walking and access throughfares

Currently and during the Easter break, the Theatre is getting a much needed upgrade to all light and sound infrastructure and equipment, with all new digital systems being installed. Check out the next newsletter to see how well this turns out, but for now here are a few photos showing work in progress...

Peter Martin 

Facilities Manager 

Important Reminder – Please action if you wish to use any portion of the $400 School Saving Bonus on any school related activities

Dear Families

If you wish to use any portion of the $400 SSB on any school related activities (including excursions or camps) please note that you must go into the SSB Portal and allocate the money to “Activities”. You are not selecting a specific activity at this stage, rather an amount you wish to have available to use at the school.

We cannot allocate SSB monies to any school activities unless you have reallocated the funds in the SSB Portal beforehand. This is a critical step in the process and must be done by each individual family using their secure SSB Portal login details. The SSB Portal is integrated with the schools administration system (CASES21) and this allocation is required to allow the school to use the funds on your behalf. The SSB Portal works in $50 increments.

Steps:

1. Decide what portion of the original SSB ($400) you wish to use on Textbooks/Uniforms – if any.

2. In the SSB Portal, reallocate the remainder of the $400 to Activities.

3. This will then enable you to use the funds on any school activities, excursions or camps in the future.

4. Email your request to reallocate SSB funds, including the name of the event, your child's name and the amount to allocate, to: koonung.sc@education.vic.gov.au

Please note: Any unspent SSB funds on 1 July 2025 will sit in your Family account indefinitely, the funds rollover for use in future years

Safety and respect for  our neighbours 

Please be mindful of the safety of our students and the wider community when collecting your child from school. It is illegal to park within 10 metres of a corner. 

Similarly, we ask that you be courteous to our neighbours and not park across their driveways while waiting for your child. 

Privacy reminder for our school community

Our school collects and uses student and parent personal information for standard school functions or where permitted by law, as stated in the Schools’ Privacy Policy and the Schools’ Privacy Collection Notice.

Our Photographing, Filming and Recording Students Policy, describes how we collect and use photographs, video and recordings of students. 

The policy also explains when parent consent is required and how it can be provided and withdrawn. We ask parents to also review the guidance we provide on how we use Microsoft 365 safely at the school and what parents can do to further protect their child’s information. If after reviewing the guidance, you have any questions or concerns regarding your child using Microsoft 365, please contact the school. For more information about privacy, refer to: Schools’ Privacy Policy — information for parents. 

This information is also available in ten community languages:

* Amharic

* Arabic

* Dari

* Gujarati

* Mandarin

* Somali

* Sudanese

* Turkish

* Urdu

* Vietnamese

Visitors and WWCC 

Koonung Secondary College values the many volunteers that assist in our classrooms, with sports events, camps/excursions, school concerts, other events and programs. To ensure Koonung Secondary College is a child safe environment, visitors will be required to undertake suitability checks, which in most cases include a Working With Children Check (WWCC).  Volunteers are to produce their valid card to a member of the administration team for verification in the following circumstances: 

• Volunteers who are not parent/family members of any student at the school are required to have a WWCC  if they are engaged in child-related work regardless of  whether they are being supervised

• Parent/family volunteers who are assisting with any classroom or school activities involving direct contact with children in circumstances where the volunteer’s child is not participating, or does not ordinarily participate in, the activity

• Parent/family volunteers who assist with excursions and activities, including productions, camps and similar events, regardless of whether their own child is participating or not

• Parent/community School Council members sitting on School Council with student School Council members, regardless of whether their own child is a student member or not.

Further information is available in our visitors and volunteers' policies, which can be found on our website.

Student accident insurance arrangements

Families are reminded that neither Koonung Secondary College nor the Department of Education provide personal accident insurance for students. Parents and carers are responsible for paying the cost of medical treatment for injured students, including any transport costs. Student accident insurance policies are available from some commercial insurers. These cover a range of medical expenses not covered by Medicare or private health insurance.

It is recommended that families seek assistance in this matter with their insurance broker or find a suitable personal accident insurer.

Occupational Health & Safety at Koonung

The Department of Education has a comprehensive Occupational Health and Safety Management System which has been in place at Koonung for some years. This helps to provide a safe school environment for staff, students, parents and contractors.

Please take note of the following:

Traffic within the College grounds

Student drop-off and pick-up is not permitted within the College grounds unless the student is injured or disabled. All traffic entering the school grounds must observe the speed limit of 10kmh (ie walking pace).

Road crossing safety concern 

Road users have expressed concerns that our students are not crossing at the dedicated school crossing on the corner of Belmore Road and Elgar Road and instead, crossing from an angle further along Belmore Road. The safety of both our students and the general public is of utmost importance. Please take the time to remind your children about road safety and the importance of using assigned level crossings.  

In addition students are not waiting for the crossing supervisor's  whistle or the 'green man'.   This is most concerning given the extensive traffic on Elgar Road. Please help us to instil correct road crossing practices in an effort to prevent any safety issues. 

Smoking and vaping

It is an offence to smoke or vape anywhere within the College grounds and within 4 metres of all school ground entrances. This applies 24/7 regardless of whether or not students are at school.

Stace Kerr 

Business Manager

New uniform items for 2025

We’re excited to introduce two new uniform items for 2025: a soft shell jacket and an updated PE polo top, designed for comfort and durability.

Please find attached the updated 2025 School Uniform Guidelines for your reference and information on the two new items.

Please be aware of the changes to the sports uniform.

SPORTS UNIFORM: worn for PE, Sport Education and Sports Competitions

Sports polo: Light blue with navy and white trim and the Koonung gold logo (microfiber). A new PE polo top will be introduced in 2025 and this item is compulsory for all Year 7 students. Years 8-10 may continue to wear the existing polo top for a 3 year transition period (until the end of 2027)

Spray Jacket/Soft shell Jacket: Koonung sports spray jacket with Koonung logo (for PE/ Sport Ed classes, and all excursions where academic uniform is not worn). Can be worn over blazer to and from school. From Term 2, 2025 a new soft shell jacket will replace the spray jacket. Students will have the option of wearing the spray jacket during a transition period of 3 years (until the end of 2027)

Students may wear the soft-shell jackets in Terms 2 and 3 with their academic uniform

Second hand uniform shop:

Opening hours: Friday from 2pm-3:15pm.

Thank you for your ongoing support in maintaining our school’s high standards.

Allira Howe

Assistant Principal