Wishing all students heading off to Italy on the 4th of April a safe and wonderful adventure! Thank you to Maria Salvatore, Ruth Glynatsis, Andrew Moller and Shaun Isbister for giving up their term break to accompany the students on this trip of a lifetime.

I'd also like to wish the participants in our second debutante ball on 12th of April a magical and memorable night.

The end of term also saw us wishing farewell to a number of staff. I would like to thank Mrs Lucy Lynch (moving to a school closer to home for a better work/life balance with her young family), Ms Ana Ruuska (also moving closer to home for better work/life balance), Ms Chloe Gianakos (end of contract), Ms Meghan Kostas (moving interstate), Mrs Maddison Cunningham (taking up a promotion position closer to home), and Kalpanee Liyanage (going on family leave to welcome her second child). I wish them all the best in their post-St Helena adventures and thank them for their service.

I will introduce our new staff in the first newsletter next term.

Wishing all our students and families a safe and relaxing Easter and term break.

Cool at School Fundraising

Comedy For A Cause

We're excited to announce a night of laughs for a worthy cause! Join us for Comedy For A Cause, featuring hilarious acts from the Sydney and Melbourne International Comedy Festivals!

This event supports our Cool At School Fundraiser to bring much-needed air conditioning to our classrooms.

Details:

Date: Wednesday 24th April

Doors Open: 6:45 PM (General Admission Seating)Show Time: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Age Limit: 12 years and over (may contain some low-level coarse language)

Tickets - General Admission Seating

Students (12+): $20
Adults: $30

Don't miss your chance to laugh for a great cause! Book your tickets now! https://comedyforacause.net/tc-events/shsc/

** Comedians will be confirmed closer to the event date.

If you have any queries please contact Caitlin Fecondo on cfo@sthelena.vic.edu.au

We got Gold!!!

Last week we were informed we had reached the Gold level of implementation for the Department's School Wide Positive Behaviour program. I would like to congratulate current leaders of the program Shaun Isbister and Josh Marchbank, previous leaders Jenny Heathcote, Shaun Bowes, Sue Goff and all the staff who work tirelessly every day to explicitly uphold our values and teach our young people appropriate behaviours. This was the message I received from the Regional SWPBS Coach:

This is fantastic news! Congratulations on achieving the Gold Award.

You're doing an incredible job supporting the St Helena SC community. Observing your SWPBS implementation has been inspirational not just for me but for numerous other schools around the state as well. Your willingness to share your insights and learnings generously continues to inspire us all. Hardly a week passes without another school mentioning to me, “you know how St Helena SC does…” and then connecting it to their aspirations for their own school.

Congratulations again!

Medical information

Next term all staff will undertake their bi-annual verification in their competency to use an auto-injecting device (Epipen and Anapen). It is timely to remind families to please ensure we have all updated information on record regarding medical conditions, especially anaphylaxis, asthma and epilepsy. Please contact nurse Claire Waites on cws@sthelena.vic.edu.au

Attendance

Increasing student attendance is a major priority in our 2024 Annual Implementation Plan. At the end of term I emailed parents of students whose attendance was below 60% for Term 1. Students who do not attend regularly - 90% attenance or above - are at greater risk of low academic growth, peer disengagement and early school leaving. Some absences are beyond student and parent control - illness, school refusal, bereavement etc and I encourage you to reach out to us if there are ongoing reasons for your child not attending school.

However, holidays outside of term breaks, birthdays, driving lessons, hair appointments, too tired, resting up for the weekend, friend's birthday, too hot, too cold, second last day of term, last day of term etc etc are not legitimate reasons for absence and these days add up, can contribute to a lack of resilience, and create a disconnect from school. Often parents are surprised to see how these ad hoc absences can add up to an attendance percentage that is concerning.

Please reach out via AskLeadership@sthelena.vic.edu.au if you would like to discuss your child's attendance.

Indigenous Mural Opening

I was very proud to attend the official opening of the school's indigenous mural - created by students with the support of an indigenous artist. Ms Jodie Williams sourced financial and in-kind support and brought together a range of community stakeholders to make this project happen. Congratulations to all involved, and a special thank you to our sponsors including the Rotaract Club of Eltham. Koorie Club President Rachel Aden spoke passionately and inspirationally at the mural opening. Her speech is reproduced here:

Good morning everyone, thank you for coming!

I would like to start by acknowledging the traditional custodians on behalf of St Helena today. We respectfully acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which our college is built, the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. We value the significance of the Wurundjeri people's history in Nillumbik and Banyule. The Wurundjeri people have a deep and abiding connection to the land, and their culture is vibrant, with a deep understanding of the land and its resources. We pay our respects and extend that to any and all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people here with us today.

On behalf of the Koorie Club, I'd like to extend a huge thank you to all of you who have helped make this stunning mural a reality. It's a beautiful day to celebrate art, culture, and most importantly, the ongoing journey of reconciliation here at St. Helena.

This mural isn't just painted on a wall, it's a powerful symbol. It's a story told through vibrant colours and intricate designs of our native animals, plants, and relevant waterways. It's a reminder of the rich Indigenous history on this land, the history that deserves to be honoured and celebrated.

For the students of the Koorie Club, our mural is especially meaningful. This project wouldn't have been possible without the dedication of Simone Thompson, our incredible guiding artist, as well as the collaboration between the Koorie Club, Interact, and The Outer Edge. Thank you all for your hard work and vision.

Looking at this mural today, I'm filled with hope for the future. A future where Indigenous culture is not only acknowledged but embraced and celebrated within our school community. This is just one step through the path to reconciliation, but it's a significant one.

So let's celebrate this beautiful artwork, let it spark conversations, and let it inspire us all to learn more about the rich Indigenous tapestry. Thank you.

From the Principal 2024

Term 1 Weeks 8 & 9 · 30 Mar 2024

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