Parent Information Evening

Primary Students Information Evening

The Primary Parent Information Evening will be held on Wednesday 5 February at 6:30pm in the auditorium. The purpose of the evening is to both receive information relevant to your child’s year level and also to foster relationships and a sense of community between parents and teachers.

Secondary Students Information Evening

Parent Information Night for Secondary students will also be on Wednesday 5 February, from 7:00pm to 8:30pm. This evening will commence in the auditorium, with parents then moving into separate briefings for Year 7 parents, for Year 9 parents on the Year of Challenge program and for VCE parents, as well as an opportunity to meet and talk with the teaching staff over supper.

College Improvements over the Holidays

These photos show some of the work that has been completed over the holidays to improve the student facilities in the college.

Landscaping in the Yard

A major stage of our ground’s masterplan has taken place with the extension of the playground with a dry creek bed, extra seating, walking track and tiered grass seating linking the upper and lower playing fields. All of this has been achieved with the continuation of the natural theme established in last year’s landscaping works. There will be a day of plantings next week involving our Grade 4 and 5 students. What a fantastic addition to the grounds of the school!

Grade 5 & 6 Portables

There has been further work, following on from the new carpet and external painting last year, with a full internal repaint, new LED lighting, block out blinds, some pinboards and furniture (with more on the way later in the term – stay tuned!). The rooms look so much better for our students.

Music Tuition Rooms

These are looking a tad brighter than they were last year! Further work is planned to continue to improve the acoustics of the rooms.

VCE Study and Year 12 Locker Room

This has been a student-initiated project, led by our College captains and prefects, in particular Gabi Orr and Nathan Raymond.

A group of Year 12s gave up several days of their holidays to come in and repair, prepare and paint the room. With a new layout and some additional furniture, the room has become a more functional and useable work and study space.

Thanks to the following for their time – Gabi Orr, Nathan Raymond, Kiara Jack, Skyla Karis, Chaya Atkins, Jessica Porteous, Payton Nunes, Matt Austin, Tom Siara and Aaron Mujezinovic.

Also, a special acknowledgment to Andrea Lucerne-Orr (mother of Gabi), for her generosity in both matching and choosing the colours and particularly in supplying the paint for this job – a huge thank you.

Student Toilets

We have begun what will be a more substantial renovation with a fresh coat of paint and change of colour – more to come through the year.

Phil Eastman

Head of Campus

New Chairman of the Board

Introducing the new Chair of Heatherton and Wyndham Christian College Board, Rachael Prince. Rachael has been a part of the College Board for the past two years. Rachael takes over from our long-serving Board Chair, Gary Lisbon, as the Board Chair from the beginning of this year. Rachael is a Senior Policy Officer and Project Manager at Environment Protection Authority. She has a PhD in research, and experience working in the public service, consulting, water utilities, and academia. She is an experienced facilitator, problem solver and presenter (having given papers at international conferences, spoken at high-schools, lectured at university and run stakeholder workshops). Rachael is also a parent of four daughters, who all attend HCC.

Rachael is (on the right) pictured on site at Wyndham Christian College with Head of Campus, Jennifer Trodden, inspecting the progress of the building project. We are very blessed to have a person of such experience and calibre as our Board Chair.

Peter Cliffe

Executive Principal

HCC Uniform Update

A few years ago now we made two adjustments to our uniform policy. The first adjustment was introducing a College logo as a feature on the pocket of the white short sleeve shirt for boys, rather than a simple plain white shirt. Secondly, new Primary and Secondary sports polo shirts in school colours for both boys and girls were introduced.

We have allowed more than sufficient time for families to transition to these adjustments to our uniform policy.

From the beginning of this year, we require all boys to come dressed for school in the updated school white shirt with the College logo on the pocket. Plain white shirts without the College logo are no longer permitted to be worn to school.

We understand that some families have had some difficulty obtaining shirts with the College logo on it due to a lack of stock. Our uniform supplier, Buxwear, has advised us that stock will be replenished with fourteen days. We will provide families with an extra month to be on board with this requirement. From the beginning of Week 5 this term please ensure that your child only wears school shirts with the College logo on it.

From the beginning of 2020, all students must also wear the school coloured (see picture above) polo shirt on sports days.

The old white sports polo is no longer permitted. We have also noticed that some families are purchasing non-logoed uniform items from other suppliers, such as Big W, trying to get a match to our uniform. Please note that this is not an acceptable practice. To keep our school uniform ‘uniform’ we require all families to purchase school uniforms from our uniform supplier. The uniforms purchased from our supplier are of high quality and should be long-lasting. Both shirts are available for purchase from our uniform supplier.

From the beginning of 2021, we will also require all Primary students to be dressed in the new updated College tracksuit on sports days as we phase out the older sports track pants and jumper. Thank you for your cooperation.

Peter Cliffe

Executive Principal

Novel Coronavirus - Information for Parents

Reminder – Return of Year 7 School Immunisation Consent Cards

A friendly reminder that if you are yet to return the Year 7 immunisation card for the Year 7 School Immunisation Program for 2020, please do so ASAP.

The immunisations will take place on Friday 21 February. Please return the completed card to the College office on or before this date.

If you have misplaced your consent card, you can collect a replacement from the College office.

Please note that completed cards are required whether or not consent is given for the immunisations. We ask that you disregard this email if you have already returned your child’s consent card.

Students in Year 7 are offered the following immunisations free of charge at school:

Boostrix (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Whooping cough) -1 dose only
HPV (Human Papillomavirus) Gardasil 9 - 2 dose program

For more information, please go to the following Department of Health Immunisation links:

http://www.health.vic.gov.au/immunisation/factsheets/immunisation-school-aged-children.htm

http://www.health.vic.gov.au/immunisation/resources/adolescent-diphtheria.htm

Alternatively, you can call the Kingston Immunisation Team on 1300 764 807 for more information or if you have any concerns. Thank you.

Heather Harrison

PA to Executive Principal

Year 10 School Immunisation Program 2020 – Meningococcal ACWY Vaccine

All Year 10 HCC students will be offered this vaccination, introduced by the Government, on Friday 21 February. All Year 10 students will be provided with the Consent and Information card in Homeroom this week. Please complete the consent card and return it to the College office by Monday 10 February.

If you misplace your consent card, you can collect a replacement from the College office.

Please note that completed consent cards are required whether or not consent is given for the immunisation.

Meningococcal disease is caused by bacteria and although uncommon, it can become very serious very quickly. There has been a steady increase in the number of people presenting with meningococcal W strain in Victoria over the past few years. Adolescents are at increased risk and are more likely to spread the disease.

Information regarding the Victorian Immunisation Program can be found at the following link:

http://www.health.vic.gov.au/immunisation/factsheets.htm

Or for further information you can call the Kingston City Immunisation Team on 1300 764 807.

If you require any further assistance, please contact the College office on 8551 6650 or via email at office@hcc.vic.edu.au.

Numeracy Support Class

Numeracy/Maths support classes are available for both Primary and Secondary students. It is an opportunity for students to catch up on any outstanding Maths work and receive support from Mrs Van Buskirk and Mrs Gover. Students can bring their lunch to eat during class.

When: Every Tuesday from 1:00pm - 1:30pm

Where: Room 24

Queries: Mrs Vanbuskirk or Mrs Gover

Curriculum Day for Grade 3 to 6

There will be a Curriculum Day on Tuesday 11 February for all Grade 3 to 6 students. Students will, therefore, not be required to attend school on this day.

Our Grade 3 to 6 teachers will be attending a very important professional development session on a new writing program which we will be introducing this year.

Heatherton Christian College PFA

All are welcome to attend PFA meetings, which will be held in the Living Room Café (at the back of the auditorium) at 2:30pm. Please see the below dates:

Wednesday February 5th

Wednesday March 4h

Wednesday May 6th

Wednesday June 3rd

Wednesday August 5th

Wednesday September 2nd

Wednesday October 7th

Wednesday November 4th

Please note that Ad hoc meetings may also be called when there are upcoming events. These meetings will be notified by email.

The meeting agenda will be sent out prior to each meeting. Should you have any questions, please contact HCC PFA President, Renee Carter, at reneecarter@netspace.net.au

PFA Walking/Running Club

We are getting together to walk/run on the Dingley Bypass every Thursday at 8:45am.

This is a great opportunity to meet up with friends, meet new people in our community while getting out in the fresh air and getting fit.

When: Thursdays 8:45am

Where: Meet at the carpark gate near the gym.

If you have any questions, please contact

Renee Carter at reneecarter@netspace.net.au or on 0419358002.

After School Coding and Robotics

Community

Parent Prayer Group

PFA Meetings

PFA Running/Walking Club