The term is almost over and we can’t believe how quickly it has gone. The students and teachers have all worked very hard this term. The teachers have been carrying the load of the current teaching program and looking forward to next year, planning and preparing for the new school. See below for information provided by the Victorian School Building Authority.

Footscray Learning Precinct Secondary College (this is the interim name)

A new secondary school for Melbourne’s inner west.

As part of the Footscray Learning Precinct, a new secondary school is being created. It will begin operating from 2020 and will eventually have three campuses – two junior (an upgraded Gilmore College (Barkly Street Campus) and a new campus in Seddon) and one senior (an upgraded Footscray City College).

To help explain how the transition to the new school will work, and how the wider precinct will operate, information sessions for current and future secondary school students and families will be held. This will help ensure a seamless and enjoyable transition from the current model to the new precinct.

Secondary Student Information Sessions

Dates:

Tuesday 30 April: 3.45 – 5pm & 6.30 – 7.45pm

Thursday 2 May: 3.45 – 5pm & 6.30 – 7.45pm

Location: Footscray City Campus, 1 Kinnear St, Footscray

Tea, coffee and sandwiches will be provided, and small children are most welcome, with parent/guardian supervision.

Visit the Victorian School Building Authority website to find further information about the Footscray Learning Precinct.

We also invite you to follow the VSBA Facebook page so you can stay up to date on this exciting project.

For any questions regarding the precinct, you can also contact the VSBA on 1800 896 950 or vsba@edumail.vic.gov.au

A Tiny Sustainable Telescope House

Tim Beare with the help of students is building a tiny sustainable telescope house in the Environmental Science Centre. This tiny house has a retractable roof that slides across so that the sky can be viewed through a telescope. The roof went on with the help of a crane on Friday 29 March. I am sure we will have pictures in the newsletter to show the wonderful work done. If you don’t know about the Environmental Science Centre across the road from the school I will be highlighting a different aspect of the program in coming newsletters.

Chef’s Dinner

On Thursday 30th May the Chef’s Dinner will be on again. Early bird tickets go on sale on Monday 1st April at a cost of $65. This is a wonderful evening where students work with chefs from The Plough Hotel to showcase their skills. There are only a total of 96 places in all so book early and get the reduced ticket price. The early bird ticket price finishes on the 10th May and the price is then $80 per ticket. Friends of Footscray operate a bar and the proceeds go towards providing small grants to various areas of the school. Having just discussed the planning I am sure it will be a great night and I look forward to seeing many families at the dinner.

Positive Psychology

On Monday night this week I went to a presentation by the Resilience Project promoting positive mental health. They gave a few ideas about how to promote a positive mindset which I thought I would share with you. These are particularly important for teenagers as they stated that 40% of secondary students have at some time mental health problems.

Three things that have the power to change your emotions. That is, decrease negative emotions and strengthen positive ones. They are:

1. Music takes 7 seconds to change your emotions when you hear a favourite song. Ask your children what music they like and play it often at home together. Share some of your favourite music.

2. Laughter takes 1 second to change your emotions. Find things to laugh about. Watch a funny / comic show together.

3. Exercise takes 30 minutes to change your emotions. Walk together with the dog if you have one.

By using these three things we can change how we and our children feel and develop positive and healthy connected relationships.

Angelique den Brinker - Acting principal

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