Western Heights College Newsletter

PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

Another busy two weeks have passed, filled with outstanding learning and extracurricular achievements. As we move into spring, it’s wonderful to enjoy longer days, a little more sunshine, and the excitement of AFL and other sporting finals! 

 

Geelong Kokoda Youth Program 2025

Tomorrow at 2.30am, Charlee Sutherland (Year 11) will depart for this year’s Geelong Kokoda Youth Program. Charlee is one of two WHC student representatives, with Duncan Coleman set to depart with the second group on 19 September.

 

Both students have worked incredibly hard on their resilience, physical fitness, and confidence, putting themselves in a strong position to succeed on the track. We are very proud of Charlee and Duncan and look forward to hearing about their journey when they return.

 

Gym Construction Update

Our new gym build remains on track for completion in April 2026. Please see the detailed report from the construction company in this newsletter. When we return from the October school holidays, we hope to see the first stage of the steel framework installed -  a very exciting milestone.

 

Polly Farmer Foundation – Follow the Dream Program

In late August, I had the privilege of attending the Polly Farmer Foundation Follow the Dream Program Expo in Perth alongside staff members Georgia Pike, Caitlin Charles, and Macie Hepburn.

 

This opportunity allowed us to visit local schools where the program is deeply embedded to support First Nations students. We gained valuable insights and strategies to strengthen our own program at WHC. A highlight was connecting with Fremantle College and Willetton Senior High School, with whom we will continue to collaborate.

We also attended the Expo at Optus Stadium, where prominent industry and university leaders showcased pathways for First Nations young people. In addition, we visited Curtin University, UWA, and cultural landmarks such as Kings Park. 

 

It was an inspiring experience, and we look forward to supporting WHC students to access similar opportunities in the future.

 

State Champions

Congratulations to our Senior Boys Netball Team, who were crowned School Sport Victoria State Champions on Tuesday. Despite challenging conditions, they played with strength, skill, and teamwork from start to finish, displaying great humility as they accepted the pennant.

 

On Wednesday, our Year 7/8 Boys went one step further, winning the Victorian State Netball Championship across all school sectors—Independent, Catholic, and Government. This is an exceptional achievement, with many of these players also part of our High-Performance Netball Program.

 

A heartfelt thank you to Susan Meaney, Ainsley Corrigan, Stacey Dodds, Seth Tomlinson, and all the teachers and staff who continue to build such a strong program and provide incredible opportunities for our students.

 

 

Wear It Purple Day

Last Friday, our students and staff proudly supported Wear It Purple (WiP) Day. This day promotes supportive, safe, and inclusive environments for rainbow young people.

Founded in 2010 in response to bullying and harassment based on sexuality and gender identity, WiP carries an important message of acceptance and inclusion. At WHC, we value inclusion as a core part of our community, and this event gave us another opportunity to demonstrate and strengthen that commitment.

Find out more here

 

 

Learning Conversations

Our Year 7–12 Learning Conversations will take place on:

  • Thursday 18 September (11am – 7pm)

  • Friday 19 September (9am – 1pm)

     

These will be held on-site and in person, with the option of online or phone interviews if more convenient. Parents/carers who wish to request this option can do so after booking an interview time by emailing the teacher directly via Compass. Teachers will then provide an online link if needed.

 

End of Term Arrangements

  • Last day of Term 3 classes: Wednesday 17 September (3pm finish).
  • Students and parents are encouraged to attend Learning Conversations on Thursday 18 and Friday 19 September.
  • Term 4 begins: Monday 6 October.

 

2025 Parent/Caregiver/Guardian Opinion Survey

A reminder that the Parent/Caregiver/Guardian Opinion Survey closes on Friday 19 September.

 

This annual Department of Education and Training survey helps schools better understand family perceptions around school climate, student behaviour, and engagement. Results will guide future planning and improvement.

 

A random sample of approximately 30% of WHC families has been invited to participate. The survey is online, takes around 20 minutes, and is available in multiple languages. 

 

Thank you to all families who have already completed it.

 

State School Spectacular

Next weekend, our talented students will take to the stage at the State School Spectacular, held at the National Tennis Centre. This is a wonderful showcase of performing arts and music, and we are so proud of our students for their dedication and creativity. A special thank you to Amanda Dickson and Matthew Bolton for their outstanding support of our performers. I look forward to sharing photos and highlights in our final newsletter of the term.

 

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend,

 

Fiona Taylor

Principal

 

 

 

 

 

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.

  1. Commitment to Child Safety

  2. Child Safety Policy

  3. Child Safety Code of Conduct

  4. 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