Alternate Programs

Thank you everyone for a great term one!

As we prepare for Term 2, we also embrace a change in seasons and recognize that some students may face increased challenges in attending school. If your child is experiencing difficulties in getting to school, please don't hesitate to contact our staff to discuss potential solutions.

ABSENCES

Regarding absences, if your child is unable to attend school for any reason, kindly inform their teacher. This allows us to maintain accurate attendance records and ensure that any missed days do not hinder your child's academic progress.

PARENT/TEACHER INTERVIEWS

A reminder that parent teacher interviews are tomorrow, Thursday 3 April.  There will be NO classes running.  Please reach out to staff to make a booking if you haven’t done so already.

SCHOOL HOLIDAYS

As we move towards the school holidays, we ask that you look after yourself, your children and reach out for any support you need. While schools are closed and the support they offer is unavailable, Horsham has a range of services to assist you through many situations.  Please take the time to reach out to them if needed.

TRANSITIONS

Transition periods are underway for some students as they embark on new educational programs tailored to their individual journeys. Should any concerns or issues arise during this transition, we encourage you to communicate them with the relevant personnel. If you believe a different program would better suit your child's needs, please reach out to us.

Should you encounter any challenges related to your child's education, please don't hesitate to seek support. We are committed to assisting you and your child in any way possible.

RETURNING STAFF

We would like to formally welcome Ronnie Couch back to the team who will be working with our Blue Group in term two.  Ronnie returns after welcoming the wonderful Mia into the world, and has previously worked in the McKenzie Creek program.

During term one we also welcomed Phil Creek to the team.  Phil was an original teacher at McKenzie Creek when it was founded in 1996, and will be supporting the McKenzie Creek program and Blue Group throughout the year.

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

A reminder that our first week back is very short, as there are no classes on Easter Monday (Monday 21 April) and ANZAC Day (Friday 25 April).

Thanks for your ongoing support.

McKenzie Creek & Blue Group

Term 1 - is almost ‘done & dusted’ 

Congratulations to our students at both McKenzie Creek & Blue Group for an excellent term 1 to start off the year! 

We welcomed nine Year 7 students and two new Year 8 students at the beginning of the year and our returning group of students have made them all feel very welcomed and included in our ‘Creek Family’. 

Some highlights of the year thus far have included going to the Wimmera Field Days, having the team from Connected Circus run an incursion for the group as well as participating in their afternoon elective classes. 

NAPLAN

Well done to all students who had sat their NAPLAN testing during week 8 & 9 of term 1. We appreciate your efforts as well as our Year 8 students who were able to be patient and adjust to some mornings that didn’t necessarily run as planned with delayed trips out and some disruptions to our regulation activities. 

Blue Group Swimming Lessons

Well done to the Blue Group students who had participated in the Swimming Program run by the Horsham Aquatic Centre. The students had lots of fun and developed new skills as well as an increase in water safety and confidence. 

We would like to thank Ange Frawley our Swimming Instructor as well as Alicia Drew from the Horsham Rural City Council who was able to fund the costs of the program. All participants were provided with a task/challenge before they return for some follow-up lessons in term 4. 

Thank you to OUR staff! 

A successful term can be largely attributed to our amazing staff at both Alternate Programs and staff from the main campus as well. 

I would personally like to thank Darcy Taberner & Ebony Tate for an excellent first term by taking a lead with the Creek program and curriculum. Pascall Patterson who has continued to be a fantastic support to our students, spending almost EVERY single period with them this term. 

Thank you to our elective teachers who have risen to the challenge and done a stellar job at engaging students in subjects that they have not been traditionally exposed to or had an interest in - well done to Sue Pavlovich, Shaun Queale, Kade Petering & Hugh Kirne. 

It’s been wonderful having Phil Creek returning to Alternate Programs in a permanent role and we look forward to seeing you even more next term. Thanks Phil!

Thanks to Josh ‘Rock’ Beddison who has again requested to work especially with our Creek cohort by assisting in both the Systems & Phys Ed classes. The enthusiasm you bring is fantastic and can lift the group significantly. 

Thank you to Dave Thomas & Sue Lawson for your care & support with the Blue Group students and for getting our students to school each day. Seeing your friendly faces each morning will put our students at ease when they start their day.

Treena Hogan, thank you for ensuring our students all had access to uniform & stationery at the beginning of the term. The ‘behind the scenes’ work that you do with supporting our families & students does not go unnoticed. 

Lastly, thank you to our boss Dan! To say that the term has been a ‘busy one’ is an understatement! You’ve had to endure some tumultuous times whilst hobbling around with a fractured foot. Your leadership and support has been greatly appreciated by not only myself but the rest of the team! 

Key Dates 

• Thursday 3 April - Parent Teacher Interviews (No School) 

• Friday 4 April - Last Day of Term (finish at 2:30 pm)

• Monday 21 April - Easter Monday 

• Tuesday 22 April - First Day for Term 2

• Thursday 25 April - ANZAC Day (Pupil Free Day)

Orange Group

On Monday, Orange group made Easter egg baskets. They learnt some new art skills such as creating the baskets and getting paper to curl. The students had a lot of fun making these baskets and showed off their art skills.