Parents Association
Supporting Student Learning
One of the great things about Wantirna College is the fantastic access our children have to great classroom resources. Our teachers work hard to continually update and develop programs for students so that their learning is relevant and exciting. The existing equipment we have is well maintained and managed, and we are lucky that there is a culture of looking for new opportunities to keep students interested and engaged. This, of course, comes at a cost.
At the Parent's Association we work to raise funds to support each Learning Area to purchase the additional extras that make this such a great school. We run two key fundraisers annually, these are the Presentation Balls and the Secondhand Bookstall. As well as these we also run smaller fundraisers each year, most recently we were selling the mushroom kits that you would have seen advertised in the newsletter.
No doubt you have read the feature article about the new Fitness Centre and excitement that is generating among the PE students and teachers. We are proud to announce that it was the Parent's Association that was able to provide the funds for the two state of the art rowing machines. These extend the capacity of the centre to provide opportunities for students to learn more about the benefits of indoor cardio training in addition to the other aspects of fitness incorporated in the centre.
With modern technology developing at such a rapid rate it is important that we are able to keep the technology our kids access up to date. As a result we have also recently funded Systems Engineering to purchase a 3D Printer. Robotics has also received the funds to buy the most recent Lego Mindstorms kit. In addition the Art/Media area will be purchasing a Drone with a video camera. We can't wait to see what our students are able to design and create with access to this new equipment.
School Uniform Options
We all know it can be a battle getting our children into school uniform, particularly in the winter months when its cold and wet and kids just want to wear something soft. The College has been getting feedback from students and parents for some time now about the school jumper being uncomfortable to wear. As a result, Kevin Murphy has been consulting with students around the issues and potential different options. We all know kids, it's not just about warmth and comfort, its also about what they see as desirable.
Kevin has been in contact with uniform suppliers and other schools to come up with a range of options that have the potential to meet the issues students who aren't wearing the jumper have.
The SRC is looking at and discussing the options this week, and each option will be available for parents to touch, see and feel at our next meeting.
Next Meeting
Our next meeting is on Wednesday August 1 from 7:30-9:00pm in the College Conference Room. At this meeting we will be evaluating the success of this weekend's Presentation Balls; looking at what fundraising opportunities there are in relation to the state election in November; and discussing uniform alternatives to the school jumper.
We welcome new members and are always looking for those with fresh perspectives and new ideas. If you would like to join the Parents Association please attend the next meeting or contact Pam Wade (President) or Catherine Ford (Parents Association Liaison) for more information.
parentsassociation@wantirnacollege.vic.gov.au
Catherine Ford
Parent's Association Liaison