From the Counsellor

Teen Mental Health First Aid Training: Year Ten

In 2021, Year Ten Health students will participate in teenMHFA training. This comprises three double Health lessons during Term One, commencing Week Two in which students learn how to notice and support their peers who might be struggling. This training offers an approach which helps students to have a discussion with their friend and to link them with an adult, as well as providing them with local and online support agencies and networks.

MHFA is an international organisation driven by current research that offers courses for adults and adolescents with the aims of reducing stigma associated with beliefs about and language around mental health problems, and increasing and normalising help-seeking. In the few years since GSG has been teenMHFA training Years Eight and Ten students, the effectiveness of the course has been proven within our education space as many more young people are seeking help, clarification and support, for others and themselves.

Please refer to https://mhfa.com.au/ and to the links below for further information. You can also email me at sheryl.moncur@gsg.wa.edu.au for further clarification.

Ms Sheryl Moncur | Counsellor

Uniform Shop News

Opening Hours

The Uniform Shop will close at 2.30pm on Monday 8 February, 2021.

Pre-loved Uniforms

Did you know that pre-loved GSG uniforms can be brought, sold or swapped via a GSG Facebook group? Visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/GSGuniformbuysell/

This group is a school community-run asset monitored by the school that enables school families to buy, sell or swap second-hand school uniform items.

The GSG School Uniform Shop continues to accept school blazers, specialised sport uniform items and donations in a re-saleable condition.

Mrs Tristine Smargiassi | Uniform Shop Manager

2021 Immunisations

Year Ten Meningococcal Immunisation

The 2021 WA meningococcal ACWY immunisation programme will be offered at GSG by the local school health immunisation nurses, free to all Year Ten students during Term Two, 2021. Vaccination consent forms will be sent home with students early in Term One. Once you have received a consent form, parents/legal guardians are asked to complete and sign it and return it to the school. Please return the form whether you consent or do not consent to your child receiving the vaccination.

The Meningococcal ACWY immunisation programme has been launched in response to the increase in meningococcal W infection. Some of the highest rates of meningococcal carriage and illness occur among 15 to 19 year-old young people. Once infected, this age group can transmit bacteria to people who are at an increased risk of infection, including young children. It is expected that providing the meningococcal ACWY vaccine to this group will reduce the spread of this potentially life-threatening infection within the WA community.

If you have any queries regarding the programme, please contact Ms Sally Moir, School-Based Immunisation Coordinator, on 9842 7526. Vaccinations will also be available through our community-based immunisation clinic at Warden Avenue. Phone 9892 2499 for an appointment.

Year Seven School Vaccination

These vaccinations are offered free to all Year Seven students:

A two-dose course of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine to be given in Terms One and Four;
One dose of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine (whooping cough) given in Term One.

These vaccines will be offered over two visits. Vaccination consent forms will be sent home with students early in Term One, 2021. Parents/legal guardians are asked to complete and sign the form and return it to the school. Even if you are not consenting to your child receiving the vaccines, please return the form.

If you have any queries regarding the immunisation programme, please contact Mrs Sally Moir, School-Based Immunisation Coordinator on 9842 7526. If your child is not vaccinated at school they can attend the immunisation clinic at the Albany Health Campus at no cost. Phone 9892 2499 for an appointment.

Student Allowances

A number of allowances are available for students undertaking tertiary studies or an apprenticeship, subject to eligibility criteria, as follows. Information is courtesy of the Isolated Childrens' Parents' Association (ICPA) WA, of which GSG is a proud sponsor.

Youth Allowance Dependent & Independent

Visit the Centrelink website http://www.centrelink.gov.au for detailed information.

Youth Allowance changes

The Federal Agriculture Minister announced that young people who choose to work on farms will be provided with faster access to the Youth Allowance. Young people who earn more than $15,000.00 working on a farm will be eligible for the independence certificate they need to qualify for Youth Allowance or Abstudy, rather than having to work for at least 14 -18 months or part-time for two years to prove financial independence.

Student Start-up Loan

Available to Youth Allowance recipients. Two loan payments per calendar year.

Relocation Scholarship

Available to Dependent Youth Allowance recipients who need to live away from home to study.

Living Away from Home Allowance

Available to eligible young people who have to move away from home to take up or continue with an apprenticeship (not available if claiming Youth Allowance). Further information can be found here

Tertiary Access Payment

A one-off payment for school leavers from an outer-regional, remote or very remote area. Visit here for further information

Edstart Payment Partnership

The school has partnered with Edstart, a leading education payment provider, to offer an alternative fee payment option to families.

Edstart helps make school fee management easy by providing flexible payment plans to pay for your child’s education over a timeframe that suits your family budget.

Edstart payment plans can fund tuition fees, boarding and additional charges, such as uniform, extra-curricular activities and camps and trips, as well as levies, textbooks and arrears.

School fees can be spread over weekly, fortnightly or monthly instalments, as well as extending over a longer period. You can apply at any time of the year and complete an application here: https://edstart.com.au/gsg

Please note that, in providing information about Edstart, Great Southern Grammar does not provide any recommendations, brokering or advice services. We do not receive referral fees, commissions or other remuneration from Edstart.

If you have any queries, please contact Edstart on 1300 139 445 or email contact@edstart.com.au

Mr Andrew Orr | Business Manager

Community News

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