Need to Know 

St Helena students have had a really positive start to the year.  We have had incredibly high attendance (95% +) at Strong Start with students reporting positively about the opportunity to get themselves set for the day, and to have a regular teacher who checks in on them.

Our Year 7s  have hit the ground running and are applying themselves conscientiously to living our values of respect, responsibility and personal best.  

The leadership team have been out and about visiting classes for the past three weeks and we are impressed by the calm working environment and focus of our students.  Well done to teachers and students.  

In the past couple of weeks we have had senior students out on Year 12 Study Camp, Vocational Major Sailing Camp and Student Leaders Sailing Camp - all of which were highly successful.   Our Year 7 students set out on their first ever secondary school camp next week and I hope they have a fabulous time.  

Our Koorie Club President and College Captains, along with Ms Fecondo, organised a smoking ceremony last Friday to ceremonially launch the school year.  Elder Bill Nicholson shared the significance of indigenous cultural practices with our students, fostering respect  and understanding.  What a great way to start the year! 

Feature your child in our Bulletin

If your child has achieved something amazing in pursuits outside of school, I would love to feature them in this newsletter.   Please email me at AskLeadership@sthelena.vic.edu.au with a brief description and a photo, so we can celebrate them "daring to be excellent".  

Traffic hazards

Please note that parents ARE NOT TO ACCESS THE SCHOOL VIA THE FRONT DRIVEWAY (unless accessing the Disabled Parking Bays) until after 9 am, and not after 2 pm.   

The combination of bicycles, cars, buses and pedestrians is potentially lethal.

Last Monday there was a near miss where a car came up the front driveway (at a speed higher than 10 km/h) and very nearly hit a student crossing from the bicycle shed.  

I understand the traffic on Wallowa Road can be a nightmare, and it can be tempting to whizz up the front driveway and avoid the queue at the drop off zone.  However, I can't say it any more strongly:  DON'T DO IT.

I suggest dropping your child a short distance from the school and having them walk the rest of the way if you are short on time.

A thoughtful parent has also sent this reminder:

I am hoping somebody can put a compass reminder out to parents about the Weidlich road crossing as it’s is the only crossing with no crossing lady/man. It has always been dangerous but I think everyone coming back has forgotten to slow down and stop. Luckily I have told my kids in the past to wait until the car stops as yesterday I witnessed my son just miss getting hit as the car drove straight through as they were busy laughing with their child after school pick up.

St Helena Marketplace

A number of our students stop at the Marketplace on their way home, and the majority are respectful students simply getting some afternoon snacks.

However, there is a small number whose behaviours have been drawn to our attention by Centre Security and Woolworths Management.  These students are shoplifting, destroying stock (smearing sushi and donuts in the aisles) and vandalising the Parent Room at the centre.  

We have been sending a member of leadership across to the centre at 3.00 pm but this is not sustainable as we all have duties and commitments here at the College.  

I spoke with Centre Management this week and I have told them to send us any CCTV they have of incidents.  We will happily identify the students and pass the details on to Victoria Police.

If your child frequents the Marketplace, please have a conversation with them about ensuring they keep well away from any students exhibiting these antisocial behaviours.

Emergency Management

We will be holding a Lockdown Drill on the 24th of March at 10.00 am.  

We have emergency drills scheduled once per term.

It is important that our students and staff are prepared in the unlikely event of an emergency that necessitates a lockdown or evacuation.

You can access our Emergency Management Plan on our website:  www.sthelena.vic.edu.au 

Water Bottles

Students will not be permitted out of class to get a drink of water.  Please ensure your child has a water bottle that they can fill and take to class.  

Same-day notification of unexplained student absences 

If your child is sick or absent, you are required to notify their school as soon as possible on the day of absence by logging the absence directly using Compass. 

If your child undertakes a VCE or VM program, they will need to supply medical certification if their attendance is below 90% or they have an assessment scheduled. 

Notifying the school of your child’s absence either prior to, or on the day that they will be away, helps ensure the safety and wellbeing of children and will fulfil your legal responsibility.

Why do I need to notify the school if my child is absent?

Schools need to know when and why a child is absent and you need to know if your child isn’t at school. 

From the end of Term 2 2018, all Victorian government schools are required to contact parents/carers as soon as practicable on the same day of an unexplained student absence. If your child is absent on a particular day and you have not contacted the school to explain why, the absence will be marked as unexplained.

This system also promotes daily school attendance. Going to school every day is the single most important part of your child’s education, they learn new things every day – missing school puts them behind.

What is your responsibility?

You are legally required to ensure your child attends school every day or you must provide an explanation for their absence. You should let the school know in advance of any upcoming absences or let them know in the morning if your child won’t be at school. In order for schools to implement the same day notification requirement, it’s essential that you provide the school with your most up-to-date contact details.

Generally one notification will be sent per family. Should there be circumstances that require both parents and carers to be notified, please contact the school to make the necessary arrangements. 

What is the school’s responsibility?

The school must notify you of an unexplained absence in relation to your child as soon as practicable on the same day. 

Schools will let you know by SMS or phone call or email. If you can’t be reached because the school does not have your correct contact details (i.e. changed phone number, SMS/email failure notification received etc.), the school will attempt to make contact with any emergency contact/s nominated on your child’s file held by the school. Where possible, this contact will be made on the same day of the unexplained absence.

2025 School Council Election: Parent Category

I am calling for nominations of four (4) parent category vacancies on School Council.  

Council meetings occur once a month on a Monday night - 8 times over the year - and last for approximately 2 hours.

Only one nomination form needs to be completed

The attachments below include:

• Fact sheet 1 - Information for parents

• Form 3 - Self Nomination

• Form 4 - Nomination Form

Please forward your completed nomination form via email to

tdb@sthelena.vic.edu.au - Attention: Tracey De Bolfo or in person at the general office by 4.00pm Monday 24/02/2025

Wildlife@StHelena

We are fortunate to have beautiful leafy grounds, abundant with wildlife such as parrots, rosellas, cockatoos, galahs, echidnas and possums.   This week this poor little baby ringtail found itself separated from her mother.  Our PE Intern Holly quickly scooped her up and brought her to the office.   I'm a Wildlife Rescuer and I was more than happy to get her vet checked and conveyed to a wildlife carer.  She was very underweight (55g - should be 100g) and dehydrated but sparked up with some Lactaid and diluted apple juice.  She will stay with the wildlife carer with another baby until she is ready to be released in about 5 months' time.  

We have one resident ringtail who has taken up residence in the gutter outside H18 classroom.  Thinking he must be very hot and potentially dehydrated, I have 'rescued' him twice - only for him to return to his spot so we think he must  like it!

Reminder re DE Privacy Policy 

Our school collects and uses student and parent personal information for standard school functions or where permitted by law, as stated in the Schools’ Privacy Policy and the Schools’ Privacy Collection Notice.  Collection_Statement-secondary school.docx (sharepoint.com)

We ask parents to also review the guidance we provide on how we use technology safely at the school and what parents can do to further protect their child’s information. If after reviewing the guidance, you have any questions or concerns regarding your child using Microsoft Office and other school software platforms  please contact the school. 

Staff Merits

Would  you like to nominate a staff member (teaching or non-teaching) who has gone above and beyond for you or your child?  Nominate here  https://forms.office.com/r/m3D6a06TMN    and your nomination will be put onto a Merit Certificate and given to the staff member.  You will make their day!