From the Principal Class

Dear Viewbank College Community,

The past fortnight has been positive and full of great events.

Our Year 7 students had a wonderful time on camp and there were many tired, but happy faces on return from camp last week.

We got through 1470 student photos plus 150 staff yesterday.

Any students who missed photo day will have a catch-up next Tuesday, 5th March between 8.30am -10.00am.

Families can purchase photos through Compass.

Lots of Outdoor Ed activities for our Year 10 students, sporting competition, including and Division swimming and a really positive and productive feel in classrooms.

NAPLAN 2024

Our Year 7 & 9 students will be completing NAPLAN testing soon.

A reminder of the importance of these literacy and numeracy tests.

The tests are one of a few measures we use to ensure that teachers are supporting students to learn at their point of need and that students continue to grow in their learning.

Please encourage your students to give the tests their best effort.

Mobile Phone policy

A reminder that the Department of Education has in place a mobile phone ban that requires students who bring mobiles phones to school to have them switched off and securely put away during school hours.

The department is requiring all schools to ensure this ban is in place and enforced from the start of the 2024 school year.

The ban applies equally to all government schools right across the state.

This helps ensure that school is a learning environment free from unnecessary distractions and disruptions.

By ensuring mobile phones are kept away at recess and lunch times, students can interact with each other face-to-face, without the distractions and social pressures that mobile phones can cause.

I ask for the support of all our families, staff and students in continuing to support the implementation of this policy in our school.

Further information

Exceptions: For a small number of students with particular health needs, an exception to the policy may be granted. Please contact your House Leader if you would like to discuss this.

Emergencies: In the event of an emergency or if you need to immediately contact your child, I ask that families contact the school office who will pass on a message as required.

School mobile phone policy: A copy of our school’s local mobile phone policy, which implements the government’s mobile policy in line with our local context, is available here:

School Documentation | Compass

Parent support: The Mobile phones in schools webpage provides links to resources for families to help them balance their children’s time using mobile phones.

If you have further questions, please contact the administration office.

College Council elections

I would like to congratulate the following newly elected College Council members.

I look forward to working with these parents in ensuring that the College has proper governance and input into strategic decision making, as well as engage in discussions around our educational policies and programs.

Welcome to our new parent representatives:

Nidhi Ashoka Rao
David Munday
Nelson Low

Welcome back for another term:

Belinda Abbott
Sam Ricard
Graham Webb
Swati Joglekar

At the Annual General Meeting on Tuesday, 19th March, we will be farewelling the following Council members who have represented the Viewbank parent community over the past two years or more:

Maria Tickle- very passionate advocate for sport, and particularly opportunities for girls.
Peter Harris – served on Finance and offered expertise and guidance to the committee.
Chris Madden - Treasurer for a number of years and driving member of Friends of STEAM
Veena Nair - Staff representative on College Council
Zoe Bastian - Student representative on College Council

On behalf of the community, thank you for your service on College Council.

STEAM Futures Conference

Friends of STEAM and Viewbank College's STEAM Futures student team seeks your support for the STEAM Futures Conference on May 24, 2024.

The event, featuring workshops, discussions, presentations, teacher, and student panels, aims to foster collaboration in STEAM education between Schools Industry and academic experts. With a broad reach extending to teachers and students across Victoria, the conference will provide a unique platform for networking and knowledge exchange.

This is a flagship project for our school community and provides our students with unique experience in developing and creating this event as well as getting an opportunity to meet STEAM celebrities who are doing exciting work on national and international stage.

Some of the profits from the conference also aid in furthering our own STEAM programs. This year our conference will also have eminent panelist to discuss AI and the future of education.

To aid this event we are seeking fiscal support for student panelists, enhancing their experience and recognizing their contributions.

Keynote speaker Felicity Furey, one of AFR's 100 Women of Influence, will address diversity in STEAM and support young leaders.

Sponsorship, either in-kind or financial, is sought, with acknowledgment through logo placement on the conference website and in official communications to schools and organisations.