School Council News

from the meeting held on 20th June 2017

School Council meetings will be held on Tuesday in Week 3 of each month.

School Council President: Todd Sprague

School Council Vice President: Julie Buick

School Council Treasurer : Anna-Lisa Tewma

School Council Executive Officer Kerrie Heenan

School Council members Fiona Adrichem, Harry Agrios, Michael Benfari, Jessica Heatley, Theodore Kiosses, Fenella Russell, Annette Spence, Derek Whiteside

SUB COMMITTEES FOR 2017/18

Sub Committee meetings will be held in Week 1 of each month.

Education

Convenor: Chris Beare

Members: Fiona Adrichem, Harry Agrios, Michael Benfari, Julie Buick, Maria Parks, Fenella Russell, Todd Sprague, Warren Tofts

Finance

Convenor: Anna-Lisa Tewma

Members: Chris Beare, Kerrie Heenan, Amanda Kent, Theodore Kiosses, Marion Small, Warren Tofts

Buildings & Grounds and OHS

Convenor: Bill Panas – B&G, Fiona Walker - OHS

Members: Theodore Kiosses, David Tewma, Derek Whiteside - together with the members of the OHS subcommittee

Fundraising

Convenor: Annette Spence

Members: Fiona Adrichem, Harry Agrios, Josie Benfari, Liam Brooke, Samantha Egan, Connie Ellul, Jessica Heatly, Chris Kilmartin, Theodore Kiosses (if available), Belinda Pattison, Jodie Reid, Fenella Russell, Natalie Serra, Helen Skendaris, Jessie Stengewis

REPORTS TO SCHOOL COUNCIL

Principal’s Report – Kerrie Heenan

Staffing

John Baratta has been appointed as the new Digital Technology teacher starting next term. Staff on Long Service Leave in Term 3 are: Andy Demetrius for all of term 3; Cindy Chapman is taking four weeks; Kerrie will be on Long Service Leave for five weeks at the beginning of next term, Chris Beare will be Acting Principal, and Maria Parks will be back filling for Chris; Bill Panas will be on Long Service Leave for three weeks at the beginning next term, with Marcus Hastings back filling for Bill. Craig Taylor is retiring at the end of this term. There will be a formal acknowledgement at the end of the year, when all leaving staff are recognised for their service.

Programs

Fast Track Program is very active, with outside presenters coming in to run programs i.e. Melbourne City Soccer.

The Fire Brigade had a successful visit to Early Years, even though the visit was delayed due to attending a local fire.

The program being run by the staff at the local kinder is very successful.

The Song Dance and Drama Night went really well. Due to the cost of using the current venue, Plenty Ranges Arts & Convention Centre are charging $5000 per night, we need to look at other opportunities to reduce the cost to parents.

Year 3, 5, 7 & 9 Naplan testing was completed.

The Attitudes to School Survey was conducted for Year 4 to Year 9 students, and this year was a new version.

City of Whittlesea launched their Middle Years Strategy last week, releasing data showing that there are gaps in services for people aged between 9 - 14 in the area. There were many representatives at the launch, including staff from Dept of Health & Community Services & Youth Services. Marcus Hastings conducted a presentation about Hands on Learning.

Network

Whittlesea Tech School is operating even though buildings have not been built yet, teachers are undertaking professional learning; student voice is involved in programs, and students are designing the logo.

Upcoming

Our students have been invited by Dr David Martin & Dr Mark Troutman from the Centre of Applied Innovation to a School Holiday Seminar ‘Called to a Lifetime of Service as a Leader of Character’.

From Melbourne Polytechnic – Karina Davis (Head of School) has had a discussion about our Preps being involved as a source of research to track the possible differences of Prep testing in an open learning environment.

There has been a proposal of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Melbourne Polytechnic for Early Childhood Education teachers and aides to conduct training, placement and be involved in targeted programs. There is a possibility of setting up an Early Years model for Education at our school, more information is expected on this towards the end of July.

Marketing & Communication

An external company has been consulted to obtain a different perspective of the school regarding branding and marketing. Suggestions have been made such as minor changes to the website, the newsletter and the wording of the logo.

Land Transfer

Letter from Property Unit of the Department of Education following up the source of the incorrect decision made about the ownership of the service road at Early Years. We are being ‘cc’ into correspondence between Whittlesea Council and DET. As yet, transfer of land ownership has not taken place.

Education Sub-Committee Report – Warren Tofts (acting convenor)

Various policies were approved.

The Year 3 camp to Gundiwindi with 55 students from 6th – 8th September, with staff consisting of Amanda Solakidis, Ebony Paulka, Jennie Ryan, Liam Brooke, Josh Beare and a preservice teacher Natalie Neskovska, with one car belonging to a staff member in the event of emergencies; was approved.

The Year 6 camp to Warrnambool with 45 students from 23rd to 26th October, with staff consisting of Naomi Harris, Elise Greaves, Jade Atkins, Kerrie Heenan and one other will be confirmed at a later date.

Finance Sub-Committee Report – Theodore Kiosses (acting convenor)

The financial reports for May and term deposit rollovers were approved.

Building & Grounds and OHS Sub-Committee Report – Bill Panas (convenor)

An upgrade of the phone system is scheduled for the July school holidays. General repairs to broken/ blown lights, leaking ceilings, bubble taps, and a major unblock of the Year 8 toilets have been done. The tram has arrived and been placed on a levelled surface. Quotes are underway for landscaping around the tram area, the new basketball turf area on Middle Years and extra drainage work on Early Years campus. Monthly inspections were completed. The cost of repair and upgrade the drainage on Early Years was approved. The installation of 3 concrete slabs and picnic table with roof seating units at the new basketball court area on Middle Years was approved.

The quotes for landscaping near the tram in the form of a charcoal chessboard with apron to be discussed with Fundraising sub committee and SRC to consider funding the cost of $11,000.

The idea of developing the front of Early Years campus with construction of a scout hall or soccer pitch area is under review.

Fundraising Sub-Committee Report – Annette Spence (convenor)

Items to be purchased to the value of $2000 for the Fathers’ Day stall fundraiser in late August was approved. The donation of items to create baskets for the Christmas Raffle, and donated to food to be given to a charity that distributes locally was approved in principle.

One of the main reasons for having a Fundraising sub committee is to look at the intangible, what can we do together to get the school community involved?

Discussion occurred with lots of ideas being shared. A suggestion that we work towards an event that would occur in the very early weeks of daylight saving time in term 4 such as a festival / car boot sale / celebration. The ideas will be taken back to the Fundraising sub committee.