Welcome back to Term 2 at Western Heights College. It has been an incredibly positive and productive start to the term, with students and staff quickly returning to learning routines and embracing the many opportunities already taking place across the college.

Staffing Changes

At the completion of term, we farewelled Tom Botter who had been working in our school community teaching both Vocational Major and Outdoor Education. Tom and his wife have recently located back to his hometown in Wodonga. Tom has been replaced by Heidi Clark who will be teaching Tom’s allotment for the remainder of 2026. We welcome Heidi to our school.

AEU Half Day Stop Work Action

On Tuesday 26 May, Staff who are AEU members have been encouraged to take stop work action for half a day (AM). This will cause disruption to some classes and programs running. Parents and Carers will be advised of these interruptions as soon as possible.

ANZAC Day Ceremony

To begin the term, our college community came together to commemorate ANZAC Day with a respectful and moving ceremony. Our students demonstrated outstanding maturity and respect as we reflected on the service and sacrifice of Australian and New Zealand servicemen and women, both past and present.

During our ANZAC Day Commemoration Ceremony, I spoke with students and staff about the importance of remembrance, reflection and understanding the sacrifices made by those who served our country. I reflected on the powerful documentary Under a Bamboo Sky, which tells the story of Australian prisoners of war during World War II, and the importance of preserving these stories for future generations. I also spoke about the values that sit at the heart of the ANZAC spirit — courage, mateship, inclusion and standing beside one another — highlighting a moving moment from the recent ANZAC Day AFL match where unity and respect were powerfully demonstrated. I encouraged our students to recognise that the ANZAC spirit is not only about remembering the past, but about the choices we make every day to show kindness, courage and support for others within our community.

A sincere thank you to the staff and students involved in organising and leading the ceremony, including our student leaders who represented the college with pride. These important moments help strengthen our collective understanding of courage, service and community, values that continue to underpin life at Western Heights College.

3-on-3 Basketball Success

Congratulations to our students who recently represented the college in the State Finals for the annual 3-on-3 basketball competition. Our teams displayed exceptional teamwork, sportsmanship and determination throughout the event, achieving some fantastic results and silver and bronze so far against strong opposition schools.

It was wonderful to see students competing with such enthusiasm and pride while representing the college so positively. Thank you to the staff who supported and coached our teams throughout the competition.

Gym Construction Update

We are also excited to share that significant progress continues to be made on our new gymnasium and indoor sporting facilities. The build is advancing well, and it has been exciting for students and staff to see the development taking shape over recent weeks.

Once completed towards the end of May, the new facility will provide outstanding opportunities for physical education, indoor sports, assemblies and broader community use. This major investment will greatly enhance the learning environment and future opportunities available to our students. We look forward to sharing further updates and milestones with our community as construction progresses towards completion.

Student Behaviour Before and After School in Vines Road

Recently, concerns have been raised regarding student behaviour before and after school in Vines Road, particularly in the vicinity of the local Vallis IGA and surrounding shopping precinct. I would like to remind all students, parents and carers that high standards of behaviour are always expected when students are travelling to and from school.

The businesses along Vines Road are valued members of our local community, and it is important that all students demonstrate respect, courtesy and responsible behaviour when accessing these shops and public spaces. We appreciate the ongoing support of families in reinforcing these expectations and encouraging students to represent Western Heights College positively within the wider community.

Flu vaccinations

Stay well this winter Influenza (flu) can be serious, especially for children. Choose to protect yourself and your loved ones with an annual flu vaccine. The earlier you and your family get vaccinated, the better your protection heading into winter.

Flu vaccination is recommended for everyone aged 6 months and older. Some people are more at risk of severe illness from flu, especially babies and toddlers. They can get a free vaccination as part of the National Immunisation Program. You can book a flu vaccine through your GP or pharmacy, or find a flu vaccine near you.

RSV vaccinations for mothers and babies RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) is a common virus that causes colds and ear infections. In babies, it can cause severe illness like bronchiolitis. The RSV vaccine is available for pregnant women as part of the National Immunisation Program. In Victoria, eligible babies can also get the RSV vaccine until Wednesday 30 September 2026. You can speak with your GP or midwife about the vaccine.

For more information about staying well this winter, refer to:

· Your GP, pharmacist or midwife · the Better Health Channel – Don’t risk the flu campaign, including information about flu and other vaccines. This information is available in different languages · the Better Health Channel – RSV vaccine for mothers and infants

· The Raising Children Network – influenza, COVID-19, bronchiolitis and helping your child prepare for vaccination.

Keeping our school community well

We encourage parents and carers and students to:

· Wash or sanitise your hands thoroughly and regularly, particularly before and after touching your face

· Cough or sneeze into your elbow · stay home if unwell and consult your GP or Nurse-on-Call as needed

· Stay up to date with your flu vaccinations.

A Strong Start to the Term

Across the college, classrooms have been focused and productive, with students settling well into their learning programs and teachers continuing to deliver engaging and high-quality learning experiences. It has also been pleasing to see strong attendance and positive student engagement during the opening weeks of the term.

As always, thank you to our families and wider community for your ongoing support of the college. We look forward to another successful and rewarding term ahead.

Fiona Taylor

Principal

Western Heights College

Child Safety at WHC

Western Heights College is a child safe organisation committed to protecting students from all forms of abuse. Our College has stringent protocols in place and endeavours at all times to be fully compliant with the Child Safe Standards set out under Ministerial Order 870.

Our College has the following documents and policies in place to achieve compliance with the Standards. All of these documents are available for downloading on our website.

Commitment to Child Safety
Child Safety Policy
Child Safety Code of Conduct
Child Protection Policy and Procedures

Annual Privacy Policy Reminder for 2025

Our school collects, uses, discloses, and stores student and parent personal information for standard school functions or where permitted by law, as stated in the Schools’ Privacy Policy (found on the college's webpage).

Please take time to remind yourself of our school’s collection notice, found on our website. For more information about privacy, refer to: Schools’ Privacy Policy — information for parents and carers on the webpage. This information is also available in nine community languages:

* Amharic

* Arabic

* Dari

* Gujarati

* Mandarin

* Somali

* Sudanese

* Turkish

* Urdu

* Vietnamese

COMMUNITY