School Council Update

School Council Update Dec 2022

As the year speeds to a close, I cheer on the teachers and leadership who have been back in the classrooms for a full year and have put on as many of the usual activities as they have been able to. As a parent, I have been incredibly grateful to drop my child at school knowing that they will be learning and playing and socialising.

Well done to us all – parents, teachers, and students. It’s been a big year back at it.

Your school council met twice this term. Here is a brief update on what we’ve been discussing and doing. As always, if you would like more details, have any questions, or ideas on how to improve our school, please email me on sarah.brooker@education.vic.gov.au.

Join our Council: The last meeting of this school council will be on 15 February 2023. Nominations for two council positions and two student positions will open in the first week of term one. Any parent can nominate.

If you are curious, interested, or keen to be involved in school council, please get in touch. I’d be happy to talk through what’s involved.

Take care over the break and give yourselves a rest.

Sarah Brooker, President

Buildings and Grounds

Thank you to everyone who sent in your thoughts and ideas on how we can improve the school. We had 98 responses to the survey and we are already working on some of these. This is what we’ve covered in Term 4:

Pedestrian crossing – successfully moved to better line up with the bus stop and road to the train station.
New school entrance – opened a new entrance to the school next to the bus stop with an electric gate, concrete area set back from the path and a concrete path up to the gym. This new entrance is called Jubilee Way in recognition of the Jubilee grant from the Australian government to mark the Jubilee (70 years of service) of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.
Trees – successful planting days with 14 large trees and 160 smaller plants planted around the school and along the new concrete path from the Civic Parade entrance.
Mud – at Grieve Parade entrance. In conversation with the city council about a concrete path which would both rectify the water logging and provide better emergency access
Bike shelter – we are working with students from the Alpine school on options to either roof the existing bike shelter or build a new one at the Civic Parade entrance. These students are required to complete a school project as part of the Alpine school experience and the bike shed is it.
Bins – new bins have been purchased and installed with a metal stopper at 45 degrees that forces the lid to close after use. This has already stopped the mischievous crows from getting in.
Cubby houses – we have purchased 8 cubby houses and are now looking for transport to get them from the construction site in Whittlesea to the school! Anyone got a truck?

Marion Douwsma and Kari Wheeler, Co-chairs of B&G crew

Treasurers Update

The finance committee has reviewed expenses for Term 4, which included camps and excursions.

The voluntary parent payment arrangements were endorsed. By now, you would have received a letter about the school fees and voluntary contributions for next year.

School fee contributions are a valuable resource for our school community. Our school grounds and the programs and resources that our children have access to today are for a large part funded by the voluntary contributions of parents/carers.

We depend on this ongoing support to continue the excellent range of facilities and resources provided to our students including.

Your support in 2022 has allowed us to:

Fund additional learning resources and equipment beyond the basic necessities that can be financed through regular school budgets
Provide additional lunchtime equipment and activities
Enhance student leadership and engagement programs and events
Support ongoing upgrades, repair and maintenance of non-essential (but very important) equipment and resources
Improve the quality of resources, ingredients and materials used within the classroom to better reflect the expectations of our changing community

In 2022, we have received 50% payment of parent contributions across the school. In previous years, we achieved a 90% payment across the school.

Payments plans for parent contributions can easily be set up by contacting Deb Dorgan in the front office. This is an easy way of spreading the cost out in a way that works for you.

I sincerely thank families who have contributed already and encourage families to pay the curriculum contribution where possible to allow the school to continue to invest in the programs and resources that make our school the great place it is.

Kelly Archibald, School Council Treasurer

School Policies

School Council has reviewed and endorsed updates to the College’s Bullying Prevention Policy & Homework Policy along with all Child Safe polices. Updated policies can be found on the school website.

School Council received a proposal to modify the uniform policy to allow secondary students to wear long hair down. The student presented a strong case with all safety concerns addressed. This was endorsed. Primary school aged students are still required to tie up long hair to address health and wellbeing and safety issues.

Kade Dillon and Belle Jackson, Policy subcommittee

Other updates

We congratulate the seniors on their graduation from Year 12. The photos reflect a night of celebration with students dressed smartly and joined by their families and close supporters to recognise this transition.

We are very proud of each and every student who completed their studies. You are such an asset to the school and our community.

We wish you all the best in your next steps. Please come back and visit us!