GECPA News

The end of the first term – already? Your GECPA has been busy and hope to be busier still in 2021. But….who are we?

Your Glen Eira College Parents’ Association (GECPA) is an informal and friendly group of parents and carers of students at Glen Eira College (GEC). We are eager to support the school community and promote genuine parental engagement with GEC.

Each year, we run a small number of events to support the school community, enable families to meet and socialise together, and raise funds for the school.

What do we do?

We act as a link between our parent community and GEC.
We represent an organised, parent perspective.
We provide parents and carers of students at GEC with a voice.
We support the school community by hosting events and sharing information.
We are involved in fundraising for the school.

Mailing list:

Join our email list and don’t miss out on any of the 2021 events click here to subscribe

Second-hand Uniform shop:

If you have any unwanted uniform sitting in the drawer taking up space, why not drop them off at the school office for our next sale. The next second-hand uniform sale is on Friday 23 April at 3.15pm (on Level 1, outside the school library). For any enquiry email Rose at alliswell.rose@gmail.com

Entertainment Books:

Available for purchase now - $14 from every book is donated to the school, so every purchase benefits you and the school. Get your copy here!

Friend-rising/Social Groups:

We have a Walk and Talk social group, which meets on Tuesday evenings (weather permitting) at 7:30pm at the corner of Crosbie and Murrumbeena Roads at Duncan Mackinnon Reserve. Join us!

Committee Meetings:

Thursday, April – 22nd at 8pm. Please email us if you wish to attend.

For more information on the Glen Eira College Parents Association or to contact us:

gecpa@gec.vic.edu.au

Nicole Bishop

Convenor, Glen Eira College Parents’ Association

Another positive environmental story from 2020

Red howler monkey in the Amazon. Photo by Rhett A. Butler for Mongabay.

The world’s awakening to ‘One Health’

The idea that the health of the planet and health of people are inextricably linked is not a new one, but the COVID-19 pandemic, brought about by zoonotic disease, threw that connection into stark view.

Now, as more people began to connect the dots between environmental destruction, agriculture, livestock, wildlife trade and human disease, the “One World, One Health” approach came into vogue, being reported on by news outlets around the world and promoted by the U.S. Centres for Disease Control (CDC).

Paving a sustainable future with old tyres

A busy road in East Bentleigh has been paved using the equivalent of 1,600 old tyres, in an Australian-first trial into how crumbed rubber performs over time.

Australia generates the equivalent of 56 million car tyres every year, and it is estimated a third of these tyres end up in landfill or stockpiles.

Old tyres in new roads

In an Australian-first trial, a busy road in East Bentleigh has been paved using 'crumbed rubber' - or the equivalent of 1,600 old tyres.

Crumbed rubber is a recycled material produced from truck and car tyres. The manufacturing process for crumbed rubber involves sorting and shredding discarded tyres, before the shredded tyres are passed over large magnets to remove steel and separate other synthetic pieces.

The trial will evaluate how crumbed rubber performs over time on busy roads, and positive results could potentially lead to more tyres being incorporated into high-traffic metropolitan roads.

Reusing existing waste materials

Australia generates the equivalent of 56 million car tyres every year, and it is estimated a third of these tyres end up in landfill or stockpiles. Only 10 per cent of discarded tyres are currently domestically recycled.

Crumbed rubber in spray seals is already used to build roads in country Victoria and overseas.

This trial builds upon what is already known about the use of crumbed rubber on country roads, to test its durability on metropolitan roads. It includes four different asphalt mixes that incorporate crumbed rubber on a kilometre and a half of East Boundary Road, between Centre Road and South Road in East Bentleigh.

The Department of Transport has already committed to reuse a million tyres in roadworks on regional roads every year until 2025.

Test and evaluate to see what works

This trial is a collaboration between the Victorian Government, Tyre Stewardship Australia and the Australian Road Research Board (ARRB), who are collectively conducting a $1 million study which aims to incorporate more discarded tyres into the circular economy.

The study aims to boost the opportunity to use crumbed rubber on metropolitan roads, by exposing it to high traffic volumes and testing the surface’s durability over time.

Researchers have begun testing the application of crumbed rubber in East Bentleigh. Laboratory and field tests will continue, to see how the crumbed rubber section of road performs. A final report is due by mid-2022.

This trial is one of several innovative projects/collaborations that are currently in action, to deliver positive environmental outcomes for Victoria.

Breakfast Club Volunteer Opportunity

The GEC Breakfast Club has been up and running since the 19th February and is gaining momentum with junior and senior students making connections while enjoying breakfast!

To help continue the success of our Breakfast Club, we need volunteers from across our school community. If you, or someone you know, can assist, we would be very grateful.

Volunteers will help set up, pack up and engage with the students.

Breakfast Club runs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Sign in and set up is from 7:40am. Pack up is from 8:30am, sign out at 8:45am.

REMINDER: All volunteers must provide a copy of their current Working with Children’s Check (WWCC) Home | Working with Children.

If you are able to assist on one or more days, please indicate your preferred day(s) on the Roster (below) or contact our Breakfast Club Coordinator: Kelli Lawson

Phone: 9571 7838

Email: kla@gec.vic.edu.au

Roster Link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1D1ovEldJvo5wpPBGcumyj6RTdee-sqGjn5khXfBnK5k/edit?usp=sharing

Community Events

Glen Eira Council Autumn Teen School Holiday Program

Open to young people aged 12 to 18 years, who live, work or study in Glen Eira. Activities include bowling, netball, art excursions, Race around Bentleigh, trivia, games and movies.

Teen School Holiday Program | Glen Eira City Council

Glen Eira Youth Climate and Sustainability Action Group: Update

If you’re interested in what YCSAG is getting up to, or are keen to hear some regular sustainability tips - follow us on Instagram @gleneirayouthservices

Youth Climate and Sustainability Action Group | Glen Eira City Council

Foundation for Youth Excellence Awards Open

Young people aged 10 to 25 living in the City of Glen Eira who are currently competing or performing at a state, national or international level, could be eligible for a Foundation for Youth Excellence grant. Grants of up to $1,200 are given out quarterly and are awarded to young people to help them achieve further success in their chosen field.

Contact Youth Services on 9524 3676. Youth Excellence Grant

Neighbour Day — Sunday 28 March

A chance to organise connecting with neighbours with a street barbecue or afternoon tea, a book or plant swap or having a games afternoon for children in the neighbourhood. Know Your Neighbour Kit at www.gleneira.vic.gov.au/neighbour and Oakleigh Fusion Community Centre BBQ 4-6pm 185 Warrigal Road

Oakleigh Neighbour Day Community BBQ (monash.vic.gov.au)

Glen Eira Multicultural Youth Network

Youth Services 9524 3676 youthservices@gleneira.vic.gov.au

GEMYN is for young people aged 16-25 years old from a range of faiths, cultures and backgrounds who live, work or study in the City of Glen Eira.

Glen Eira Multicultural Youth Network

Young people have your say to Glen Eira Council

Calling 18 to 24 year olds! More than 400 residents are already signed up for our online residents' panel, Community Voice – but not enough young people.

Don’t let the oldies make all the decisions affecting your future.

Only six surveys a year, all online – this is your opportunity to influence change in your local community.

Glen Eira Community Voice | Have your say Glen Eira

Cathy McNaughton

Editor, GECPA Newsletter

Rose Robinson

Sub-editor, GECPA Newsletter

Contributors:

Nicole Bishop