Entertainment Book

During the recent school holidays, I used quite a few of my Entertainment Book Membership vouchers. The vouchers are valid all year long so get your copy here!… Purchasing a membership benefits you AND supports GEC with 20% from every book purchased going to the school.

Term 2 – already?

For me a highlight of Term 1 was attending the Andrew Fuller Parent Evening on 23 March 2021. It was inspiring, insightful and best of all there were practical suggestions to support parents and carers ‘get your child’s learning mojo back’. I also thought it was a demonstration of what your GECPA is all about - supporting the school community and promoting genuine parental engagement with GEC. If you would like to see more of these Parent Evenings, please let us know. Suggestions, recommendation, etc. welcome.

Also, we’re planning a small number of events this term to support the school community, enable families to meet and raise funds for the school. Join our email list and don’t miss out on any of the 2021 events coming up click here to subscribe.

GECPA Committee Meeting

Thursday, 20 May 2021, at 7pm, at Grill’d Carnegie. All welcome!!!

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

GEC Garden Working Bee - Sunday 16th May 3-5pm

Held every third Sunday of each month

Sweeping, mulching, litter pick up and weeding for people with indigenous plant knowledge. Please BYO, broom, secateurs, fork and shovel, bucket etc.

Inquiries to gecpa@gec.vic.edu.au

Breakfast Club Volunteers NEEDED

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 with 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

Secondhand Uniform Shop

Next Sale is Thursday 20th May at 3.15pm

Thank you to everyone who generously donated their uniforms that are no longer required and so enabling them to have a second life. The secondhand uniform stall will be held on Thursday 20th May at 3.15pm on Level 1 (outside the school library). If parents and carers are unable to attend, students may purchase the items themselves. Payments are by cash or credit card. Please donate your unwanted uniform items to the office. Kindly ensure that all items are in reasonable condition and have been washed and dried before you bring them in. We thank you for your generosity.

GEC Parents and friends park walk

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. … please let us know if you can join us.

Positive Environmental Stories

Glen Eira Council Climate Emergency Action Plan targets reducing community emissions to net zero by 2030 – ambitious but based on science for a safer climate.

Have your say by 9th May

Have your say on our draft Our Climate Emergency Strategy 2021-2025 | Have your say Glen Eira

Glen Eira Youth Climate and Sustainability Action Group

Formed in late 2020, The Youth Climate and Sustainability Action Group (YCSAG) is made up of young people aged 13 to 25 who live, work or study in the City of Glen Eira.

YCSAG aims to educate the Glen Eira community about climate change and advocate for sustainable choices. Using Instagram, YouTube, Spotify and print media, YCSAG hopes to make climate and sustainability information more accessible for people who are already passionate about these topics, as well as those who are new to the space. In addition to this, YCSAG intends to further contribute to the community by creating and participating in environmental projects.

The tone was set at the first meeting of 2021, where the group planted bee-attracting plants before discussing their many and diverse ideas for the future of the group.

YCSAG is excited for the year ahead and wants to affect real change in the Glen Eira community. Keep your eyes peeled for the insightful and practical content created by YCSAG as we move towards a greener Glen Eira.

Youth Climate and Sustainability Action Group | Glen Eira City Council

National Tree Day Friday July 30th - Guide to Indigenous Plants in Glen Eira

Indigenous plants and birds - Glen Eira City Council | Glen Eira City Council

Glen Eira Council Sustainable Living webinars – free

Prepare your home for Winter, Thursday 27th May 7-8.30pm
Climate Action through Gardening, Wednesday 5th May 7-8.30pm
Creating a resilient and sustainable business in a changing climate Wed 5 May 9- 9.30am
Climate craftivism: Making to make change Tuesday 11 May, 1-2pm
Retrofitting your home for flood resilience Wednesday 19 May, 7-8.30pm,
Balcony biodiversity Saturday 22 May, 10-11.30am
Prepare your home for winter Thursday 27 May, 7- 8.30pm
Solar information session Tuesday 1 June, 6- 7pm

Sustainable living webinar series | Glen Eira City Council

Caulfield South Community Garden – Sunday 16th May open day, permacultures talks and food swap rear of Caulfield South Community House, 450 Kooyong Rd, Caulfield South

Angelo Eliades from Deep Green Permaculture will present on plant propagation from seeds and cuttings. Bring your excess produce such as herbs, vegetables, eggs, seeds, seedlings or plants, and honey, to swap with other gardeners.

Community garden - CAULFIELD SOUTH COMMUNITY HOUSE (csch.org.au)

CSCH Garden Open Day (office.com)

Solar for Small Business Victorian Government new program - rebates for up to 50 per cent of the cost of a small businesses rooftop solar system up to $3,500.

Solar for Business | Solar Victoria

Interest up for renewable energy, down for fossil fuels

Demand for renewable energy technologies such as solar, wind, smart grids, and electric vehicles has surged globally. Wind and solar generation accounted for one-tenth of global energy production in the first half of 2020.

As interest in renewable energy rose, demand for fossil fuels fell. After 92 years, ExxonMobil has lost its place on the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Global fossil fuel companies found it more difficult to get financing for projects as financial institutions came under pressure for their role in driving deforestation, fires and biodiversity loss.

In 2019, 21% of Australia’s total electricity generation was from renewable energy sources, including wind (7%), solar (7%) and hydro (5%). The share of renewables in total electricity generation in 2019 was the highest since levels recorded in the early 1970s.

Read more here…Renewables | energy.gov.au

Study tips from those of us who did it wrong

Ask your parents and carers for tips and tricks on how to study effectively. What did they do that worked, what didn’t work? Over the next few months, those of us who did it wrong will share with you so you can do it right…

Rule 1: PAY ATTENTION in class. But, given that we now have an average attention span less than goldfish maybe a good place to start would be by sharing some tips on how you high school student can pay more attention in class.

I really enjoyed this video. It’s not too long, so…..

12 HACKS to PAY ATTENTION in CLASS | StudyWithKiki - YouTube

What tips and tricks do you have?

Rule 2: Get enough SLEEP.

Why do sleeping patterns change during the teenage years?

Two main reasons:

Social changes and pressures

Teenagers have a lot more going on in their lives (phone, TV, jobs, social activities, school, sports, homework, worry). Sleep is low on the priority list and is often given up for these other things, which can result in teenagers going to bed later.

Circadian (sleep/wake) rhythm factors

During adolescence there is a delay in the time when melatonin (one of our sleep hormones which makes us sleepy) is released from our brains. Therefore, adolescents are not tired until later in the evening. So, they are not ready to fall asleep until later - so they do things to stop being bored (TV, phone). Adolescents may also find it hard to get up in the morning because they fell asleep later and have not had enough sleep.

For more information: Quick Facts and FAQ about sleep for high school students (sleephealthfoundation.org.au)

NAPLAN Controversy

You may have seen the article in News Corp publications a few weeks ago, claiming that “Parents will be kept in the dark about school NAPLAN rankings under a new ban on “league tables. The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) has banned schools and the media from publishing comparisons of performance in national literacy and numeracy tests….” (ACARA) rebuts the claim. They have issued their own release on the article. Read the ACARA article here.

“Parents Victoria have concerns about the ‘league tables’ and believes that the focus on student progress as described in the ACARA media release model is a more useful model.“ Read more about Parents Victoria’s concerns here.

Supporting your child on their career journey webinar Tuesday, May 18, 2021 11:00 am-noon

Join the 1-hour webinar hosted by the Department of Education and Training and Parents Victoria on Tuesday 18 May, 11am. This webinar will cover how parents can support their children to make informed choices on their subjects, courses, and career choices. The webinar will also cover options and support that are available for young school leavers. Register for the webinar.

Domestic violence and respectful relationships

Violence against women and respectful relationships have been in the news a lot lately. The Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria (DVRCV) is a state-wide specialist family violence organisation. For the past 30 years they’ve been working towards a vision of creating a world in which women and their children are thriving, respected and free from violence.

They have a great list of free downloadable resources that encourages respectful relationships.

Here are a few downloads that are available and especially relevant to parents and young people.

How to feel safe at home
Relationships: the good the bad & the ugly - applicable for young people aged 14 – 20 about love, dating, sex and when love hurts.
Sex, Love and Other Stuff - respectful relationships for young men.
Key terms in respectful relationships education - a handy glossary of terms used in primary prevention and respectful relationships work in Victoria.

Download information here.

Autism and ADHD: short courses for parents

YarraMe School is offering free online courses on autism and ADHD for parents.

Find more information click the link here.

Glen Eira Youth Services has moved!

Now located at 169a McKinnon Rd, McKinnon (next to McKinnon Station).

Youth Services is lucky enough to share this pop-up space with the McKinnon Library, giving you a taste of what’s to come in our Bentleigh Library and Youth Hub.

Young people aged 10 to 25 years can continue to have access to programs, information, referrals and one-to-one support from this new location.

Glen Eira Youth Services is available from 1pm-6pm, Monday – Thursday and 1pm-5pm on Fridays.

To make an appointment with a Youth Development Officer, please call or email ahead of time!

2021 Glen Eira Youth Survey is now LIVE!

We need to hear from all young people, 10 - 25 years old with a connection to the City of Glen Eira, and It's also your chance to win one of five $50 Westfield Gift Cards!

Glen Eira City Council's Youth Services provides support to young people who may be struggling with a range of issues - Mental Health, Stress, Loneliness, Relationships, Employment - and this is your chance to tell us what issues are important to you and what services are needed by all young people in Glen Eira.

Help Council provide the best programs, support and events so that all young people in Glen Eira can reach their full potential.

Our survey takes less than 5 minutes and can be completed from your phone’s browser.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2021ys

Cathy McNaughton: Editor, GECPA Newsletter

Rose Robinson: Sub-editor, GECPA Newsletter

Contributors:

Nicole Bishop

Tessa Spanneberg

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