IN THIS ISSUEPage 2 of 7
Page 0 Banner Photo
Cover Page
A message from Tracy Banner Photo
A message from Tracy
Current Update Banner Photo
Current Update Industrial Action – Monday 16 November 2026
Address from Renee Bowman - Chair of College Board Banner Photo
Address from Renee Bowman - Chair of College Board Video Address
Other updates Banner Photo
Other updates Other ongoing protected industrial action
Frequently Asked Questions Banner Photo
Frequently Asked Questions Enterprise Bargaining Agreement – FAQs  , When will a new enterprise agreement be finalised?, What is happening with negotiations now?, Who is involved in enterprise agreement negotiations?, What does the bargaining process entail? , Why have negotiations taken so long?, What is the College’s salary offer for staff, and how does it compare with Victorian Government school salaries? , Why has the Victorian Government been able to offer more for their staff? , Why is the College unable to meet the IEU’s current wage requests? , How would Overnewton Teacher salaries compare with Victorian Government schools if the 16 per cent offer was accepted? , The College recorded a $4.2 million surplus in 2025. Why can’t that fund a higher salary increase? , Can the College pay staff more but also improve facilities at the same time? , Why did fees rise in 2026 when staff did not get a salary increase? , What happens from here? , When will the College inform parents of the fees for 2027? , A statement from Independent Schools Victoria
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Contact Us
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A message from Tracy

Updated: Friday 13 November 2026

Dear Families,

 

As I come to the end of my first week as Acting Principal, I wanted to share some encouraging news with you.

 

Firstly, it’s important to let you know that today's protected industrial stop work action went smoothly, and I'm grateful to our staff and families for their patience and understanding.

 

I'm also heartened to share that our staff have recognised the early progress we've been able to make together over these past four days and have voted not to proceed with the work stoppage that was planned for Monday.

 

We have also been able to bring forward and extend our next bargaining meeting to a four-hour session to continue working on the outstanding matters together. Currently, we have advised the IEU that we are available to meet for this extended time on Tuesday morning, and we hope to have confirmation from them this afternoon to lock this in. I'm pleased that we can engage in an extended session to genuinely collaborate together with the IEU and our bargaining team.

 

I sincerely thank our staff for this. I know there remains a great deal of work ahead of us, and I don't take for granted the trust they're placing in me and the Board as we work towards reaching an agreement quickly.

 

I can also share that we have now received confirmation that the Fair Work Commission has scheduled our matter for 11 December. While this provides an important next step if needed, I'm hopeful that the progress we're making will mean that we can reach an agreement well before then. That is certainly my aim, and I'm determined to keep building on the momentum we have started this week.

 

I know in this short period of time as Acting Principal you have already heard me say this a number of times, and I will continue to say this without apology, because I believe it in my heart; our staff are what make Overnewton the special place it is. I know how much our families value them, and my admiration and gratitude for their dedication and care is equally as strong.

 

We are incredibly lucky to have the people we do at Overnewton, and that's something I will never lose sight of. I believe our College values should be reflected in how we treat one another, especially when things are difficult. This is what will guide me through these negotiations and every decision I make as Acting Principal.

 

I also want to acknowledge the many messages families have sent to the Principal's Office over the past several weeks, and that many of your questions remain unanswered. I've committed to being open and transparent with you, and I think it's important that we now make time to come together and have an honest conversation.

 

So I'd like to personally invite you to a Parent Community Forum on Thursday evening.

 

Members of our College Board and I will be there to share more information about the negotiations, including some of the information we've provided to the bargaining team, and importantly, to hear from you and answer your questions.

 

Some questions are more difficult than others and we may not have every answer on the night, but we will try our best to respond to each. There will no doubt be different views in the room, and that's okay. All I ask is that we treat one another with kindness and respect as that's something I know we all value as a community.

 

What we all have in common is that we all care deeply about this College, and I believe we all want the same thing, which is to see Overnewton move forward and be the amazing place we know it can be for our staff, our families and, most importantly, our students.

 

The forum will be held at 7.00 pm on Thursday 19 November in the Sports Hall at our Yirramboi Campus.

 

I hope you can join us and I look forward to seeing you there.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Tracy Fielder

Acting Principal