Contents: Industrial Action Thursday 23rd July, Prep Bag 2027 Design Competition, AusAlert National Test

Industrial Action Thursday 23rd July

My apologies again for the flurry of emails yesterday but to confirm that we have staff taking industrial action tomorrow and the following plans are in place for the day:

students in Grades FE, FA, JB, JR, JW, MB, SC, SH, ST will have a normal program, though there will be modifications. The specialist program will not run as normal.
students in Grades FM, JV, JD, MA, MG, MH, MS, SA, SB are not required to attend school.

If this will cause you difficulties, and you are a critical services worker, please get in touch by 4pm today via email drysdale.ps@education.vic.gov.au.

Prep Bags 2027 Design Competition

The Department of Education is inviting current Prep students at Victorian government schools to enter its Prep bags 2027 design competition.

This is an exciting opportunity for your child to showcase their creativity for a chance to see their design featured on the front of next year’s Prep bags. These will be given to thousands of students starting Prep at a Victorian government school next year.

How to take part

Designs must reflect the theme – My year of Prep.

Submissions can be either hand drawn or digitally designed. It must be your child’s original work.

Drawings must be in black marker on white paper. Digital designs must be in black on a white background.

You can upload your child’s submission as either a JPEG or PNG file.

Entries close at 11:59 pm on Sunday 9 August 2026.

To access the competition guidelines and design template, refer to Prep bags 2027 design competition.

The department will judge all entries, with the winner announced later this year.

Find out more

For more information, refer to Prep bags 2027 design competition.

For further enquiries, contact the department’s Communications Division by email: backtoschool@education.vic.gov.au

AusAlert National Test

We’ve been advised that a national test of AusAlert will happen across Australia on Monday 27 July at 2 pm.

AusAlert is a new, national emergency warning system. It sends warning messages to compatible mobile devices during emergencies, to keep people informed so they can act quickly. The Australian Government plans to launch AusAlert in October 2026.

On Monday 27 July at 2 pm, all compatible mobile devices will receive a Critical Alert. Compatible mobile devices include phones, tablets, smart watches, safety watches and some vehicle devices. These will vibrate and make a loud, siren-like warning sound for about 10 seconds. This will happen even if they are on silent or do not disturb. The message will clearly state that it is a test. No action is required from the test.

To minimise disruption, student phones and smart devices should always be switched off and stored securely in lockers or bags during the school day. Students who use their mobile phone as part of a documented exception can continue to do so. If appropriate, they can turn their phone off during the test.

You may also wish to let your child know that if they see or hear the alert, school staff will support them. You can learn more at AusAlert: children and teens. Information is also available in other languages.

Safe phones

AusAlert may increase risk for people experiencing violence, especially if they live with someone who uses violence. Alerts may expose safety devices.

If you or someone you know has a hidden device, the best way to stay safe during the test is to:

turn off your mobile device or put it in aeroplane mode
keep your device off or in aeroplane mode for 24 hours.

Silent mode and do not disturb will not stop the alert.

For more information, please refer to the Staying safe with AusAlert page.

Important Dates