Principal's Message

                                                                     Mrs Josie Crisara

It has a been a busy start to the term.  With the relaxing of some restrictions we have been able to have more parents engage with school and hold some face-to-face events. Research evidence shows that parents who demonstrate an interest in their child’s education and visit their school often demonstrate positive engagement and outcomes.  Their children are more attuned to involvement in co-curricular activities as well as focusing on their academic studies. 

There have been many students involved in the House Athletics Carnivals this term; there are students engaged in SSV sports competitions at district level; a large contingent of students attended the Musical camp in the school holidays in preparation for the upcoming Musical; the Interact Club are busy organising ‘Aitken has Talent’ for next week and it would be great for parent support to their fund raising efforts for Beyond Blue. The Year 8 students hiked through Werribee Gorge as part of their Science studies in geology; Year 9 students are busy working on their school Service Learning projects; Year 4 students went on camp and the Prep students had their Pyjama Day. The STEM Ambassadors are busy preparing Science, Technology and Design activities for STEM week. Galway debating also took place this week.

It was great to see the large number of parents who attended the on-line parent forum to hear David Collins speak on the topic of ‘How to Switch on Young Brains (and How Not to Switch Them Off)’.

The Parents and Friends Association had a successful Mothers Day stall and we wish mothers, grandmothers, aunts and special people in children’s lives a happy Mothers Day on Sunday. 

This term we will be having guests run Chapel sessions. The first was on the theme of  “Jesus Showed Up” and we had Presbytery Minister for Port Phillip West, Rev. Jeanne Beale, conduct chapel. 

Mickleham Road Duplication

In the State budget an announcement was made regarding the long-awaited duplication of Mickleham Road with $213 million included for the project as a project supported by both the State and Federal Governments. 

The funding will enable the duplication of 1.6 kilometres of road between Somerton Road and Dellamore Boulevard in Greenvale. The project will build extra lanes, add new traffic lights at the College intersection, replace the roundabout at Somerton Road and Mickleham Road with a new traffic light intersection, upgrade the Hillview Road and Dellamore Boulevard intersections, and upgrade and build walking and cycling paths. The budget also included funding for the development of a business case stage two of the Mickleham Road upgrade between Dellamore Boulevard and Craigieburn Road.

Thank you to all those families who have been advocating for the duplication and signalisation.  It is hoped that this project will commence in 2023, with investigations and planning already underway. 

Health and Safety Protocols

I thought I would use this sporting phrase to remind parents about student illness. Students should be RAT testing for COVID twice weekly and positive tests must be reported to the school and on the Department of Health website. Positive cases needed to isolate for seven days but siblings of positive students can attend school, conditional on them wearing a mask indoors and testing five times in the seven days.

Thank you to all those families supporting us in keeping our community safe. Additional air purifiers will be added to specialist classrooms in the coming days which will add another layer of safety in the classroom as the weather gets colder. 

As winter approaches, it is imperative that if your child is sick with a cold, cough, flu or flu-like symptoms they remain home until they are well.  Please do not send sick children to school.