Wedderburn College Newsletter

Principal's Message

Mr Forrest

 Out & About 

It was great to have a few days on the Year 3/4 camp two weeks ago.  Please see some happy snaps above and others on our facebook page.  Thanks to the staff and parent volunteers for making it a great camp.  It is a big effort for staff to take students away on these adventures and would like to acknowledge how much we appreciate that you give up so much of your personal time to make these awesome experiences possible for our students.  Well done to our students, your behaviour on camp was exceptional even though you were a little over excited on the first night!  It was great to share the experience with four students who have never stepped foot on a beach before, which makes it all the more worthwhile.  I am very proud of the fact that every year level has once again participated in an overnight experience once again this year.   At the same time the Year 11 students had a sensational camp at Torquay and surrounds.  All camps for 2023 have been booked.  

 

It was great to visit Sianna, Ella & Lillian at their Don Valley Leadership Camp with Miss Milne last Friday. Please see pictures below which includes the great adventure our girls have enjoyed over the last 9 weeks.  The girls have had an amazing experience and have made many new friendships and memories that will last a lifetime.   We were visiting on the schools Presentation Day and listened to some amazing Community Projects that will be happening when all students return to their schools.   I will not steal the girls thunder and save their Community Project for the beginning of next year.    

 

During this last week the Admin team & I have once again enjoyed setting up 'Christmas World Land' with some helpful members of staff on December 1st.  It's great to have the two dinosaurs having fun in the foyer and hear the excited junior students counting the animals.   The most excited group was not the Preps this year but the Playgroup children and parents who visited yesterday during their last Playgroup for 2022. 

A reminder to students that the Counting Competition closes tomorrow. 

2022 End of Year Arrangements

Students' final day of formal classes will be this Friday 9th December.  All school reports, books and lockers must be emptied and any other items will be sent home on this day with students. Please ensure your child/ren have extra carry bags on that day.   School reports will be handed out at Awards Night on Tuesday 13th December.  Activities week will run from Monday 12 December - Wednesday 14 December concluding in a pool party. All students will need to bring their bathers on that day.  

Families who still require supervision of students can only do so on Thursday 15 December to Friday 16 December as teachers will be working on a completely different timetable. All staff members will be involved in training activities throughout this time. Please refer to our yearly calendar.  For example; all staff will be involved in Berry Street Wellbeing Professional Development on Thursday 15 December and Friday 16 December then First Aid Training on Monday 19 December.  

Thank You Lorraine

After a long association with Wedderburn College, especially serving on the School Council we say farewell to Lorraine Jackson. Lorraine's daughter Lahni completed Year 12 this year and so Lorraine decided it was time for her 'call it a day' as a School Council representative. Pictured above is our School Council President Carolyn Stephenson presenting Lorraine with with a small gift as a token of thanks and appreciation of Lorraine's service at the conclusion of our meeting on Monday night. 

 

Swimming Lessons this Week

A short but intense swimming program has been experienced by all Prep-Year 8 students this week.  It is great to see our students giving swimming a 'red hot go' and trying their best, swimming is a very important life skill that stays with you forever.   The school provides the funds for our swimming program so that all students and families can participate.  I do hope into the future that we can continue to provide this opportunity for our students, however, it is costing us over $5,000 just for this week.  I also encourage parents, if possible, to enroll their children in a VicSwim Program during the school holidays. 

OHSC 

Thanks to everyone who has supported the first year of Out of Hours School Care.  

It has been a very successful program and will continue next year. 

The last day for OHSC for this year will be Wednesday 14th December.

The first session for 2023 will be Thursday 2nd February.

 

Out of Hours Before & After School Care Staffing 2023

Childcare Coordinator:  Reana Butterworth.

Childcare Assistants: Melinda Springthorpe, Trina Vaughan, Annette Hunt. 

Childcare Administration:  Errin Leach.

Important Information 

Back to School 2023

  • Teaching Staff resume Friday 27th January.
  • Education Support Staff resume Monday 30th January.
  • All Secondary Students resume Monday 30th January.
  • All Primary students resume Thursday  2nd February.
  • All Primary students will be sent an interview time for assessment during the first three days of 2023.  Monday 30th - Wednesday  1st February.
  • Preps do not attend every Wednesday in Term 1. 
  • Year Nine Camp first week back Wednesday 1st - Friday 3rd February.  
  • Year Eleven and Twelve Camp in Week 2. 

Staff Changes in 2023

We are having some difficulty finalising our teaching structure for 2023.  We will endeavour to have the final structure to you as soon as possible. 

 

We wish Lea Humphrey, Jessica Higgins & Laura Trembath all the best for the future. 

We also wish Mrs Annita Steel, Miss Hayley Kirk & Laura Van Boven  all the very best as they remain on Family leave.  

 

PRIMARY STRUCTURE 2023**

P/1 -  Mrs TANYA  CHALMERS  

1/2 -  Mrs DEIRDRE MCKENZIE &  Miss AMANDA CAMPBELL 

3/4  - Miss HANNAH DOUGLAS

5/6  - Mrs CARLIE TURNBULL/Mrs MADDI POSTLE

5/6  -  T.B.A. 

 

*Primary students will receive a letter explaining their new classroom teacher and an interview time for the first three days of school in 2023.

 

**Please note as Principal I reserve the right to make additional changes to this structure should student numbers and staffing changes arise. 

Looking Forward to 2023

We are excited about our plan moving forward in 2023.   We have a lot of exciting projects already planned and ready to go.  We hope parents and students  will be able to tell that we are focusing on:

  • Academic Rigour & Aspiration.
  • Lifting standards and setting high expectations for everybody.
  • 'We attend school daily and we are here to learn'.
  • A focus on basic understandings in Mathematics & Literacy at every year level. 

Other School Changes

'My Nine'  - Year 9 in 2023

All year 9 students in 2023 will participate in a more engaging program.  Students will participate in approximately a day of Duke of Edinburgh training Bronze level each Monday, a day at the Charlton College each Wednesday and a school camp each term.     A huge thanks to everyone for the great turn out for the presentation held at school last night.   Any families who were not able to attend will have all information sent home today. 

The 'Huddle' Each Tuesday 2B (P-12)

'Huddle Time' is a protected period of time that will be used weekly to schedule assemblies, guest speakers, careers education for older students, respectful relationship activities, SWPBS and wellbeing sessions. This will keep interruptions down to a minimum across a whole week as it has been planned in the timetable for all classes across the school.  After the success of the 'Huddle' this year we will be making a small change for the Huddle to take place during 2B instead of 2A each Tuesday  just before lunch.

VCE - Major Changes Senior Secondary Reforms

Senior Secondary Education in Victoria is changing. As from 2023 the new VCE Vocational Major will replace VCAL, so whatever a student’s talent may be, they can now pursue it under one VCE. Moving to an integrated Senior Secondary Certificate will give all students the learning opportunities to develop the skills and capabilities needed to succeed in further education, work and life. From 2023, enrolment options for Year 11 and 12 students will include:

  • the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) Vocational Major
  • the Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC).

For more information on the certificates visit:

At Wedderburn College we have also actively encouraged students in Year 10 to try out VCE subjects in 2023. Our key staff members in this space Carol Woodman, Mark Gretgrix & Ben Pettifer if you have any questions. 

Deeper Strategic Careers Focus/Lessons  for Year 5 - 12

Robyn Vella will be continuing in her role as Careers Education Support Officer at Wedderburn College in 2023.   Carol Woodman (Careers Education/VCE coordinator) and Robyn will operate in a new dedicated space in 2023.  We also welcome back Lauren Barker who has assisted in planning for Careers Education across each year level.