Our School Values:
- Respect
- Honesty
- Teamwork
- Confidence
- Excellence
- Endeavour
A number of changes have occurred since the end of 2020 from a staffing point of view. A number of new faces will be joining our staff in 2021 and I would like our wider Nhill College community to join me in welcoming them to our great school.
Ms Shaeleigh McKercher will be teaching secondary Science this year as a replacement for Miss Thomas who has accepted a position in South Australia at Yankalilla. Ms McKercher is based in Goroke and comes to us after completing a placement here last year as a pre-service teacher.
Mr Dehne Charry joins us as a Primary Specialist Teacher. Mr Charry comes to us from Burwood East Primary School, and this year he will be working with students in most primary classes at some stage each week.
As mentioned at the end of last year, Mr McDonald will not be taking his own class in 2021. Instead, he will be taking Mrs Crouch's Year 5-6 class every Wednesday. He will also taking on a new position as a Tutor on Thursdays and Fridays which will see him working with a number of students across the school. We have three new Tutors who will be working with students throughout 2021. As well as Mr McDonald, we would like to welcome Mrs Rebecca McDonald - who has worked with us extensively as a CRT in recent years, as well as Ms Sandra Morris who comes to us with a wealth of experience from Ballarat.
Fire danger ratings and warnings are used in Victoria to provide clear direction on the safest options for preserving life.
Schools and children’s services listed on the DET Bushfire At-Risk Register (BARR) and those at risk of grassfire (Category 4) will be closed when a Code Red fire danger rating day is determined in their Bureau of Meteorology district. Our school has been identified as being one of those at high bushfire or grassfire risk.
Where possible, we will provide parents with up to four days notice of a potential Code Red day closure by letter via Compass. A Code Red day will be determined by the Emergency Management Commissioner no later than 1.00 pm the day before the potential closure. Once we are advised of the confirmation of the Code Red day we will provide you with advice before the end of the school day.
Once confirmed, the decision to close will not change, regardless of improvements in the weather forecast. This is to avoid confusion and help your family plan alternative care arrangements for your child. It is also important to note that:
On these Code Red days families are encouraged to enact their Bushfire Survival Plan – on such days children should never be left at home alone or in the care of older children.
For those of us living in a bushfire prone area, the Country Fire Authority (CFA) advises that when Code Red days are forecast, the safest option is to leave the night before or early on the morning of the Code Red day.
As part of preparing our school for potential hazards such as fire, we have updated and completed our Emergency Management Plan,
What can parents do?
Multiple sources that offer information on emergencies are listed below:
· VicEmergency app – that can be downloaded on your android and iOS mobile devices
· VicEmergency Hotline (1800 226 226)
· Website https://emergency.vic.gov.au
Coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions remain in place from the commencement of the new school year. A number of signs have been posted at the main entrances and in prominent places around the school to remind students, staff, parents and visitors of the current requirements. Some of these posters have been included below. A summary of the current conditions is as follows:
Captains - Jenna Schneider and Thomas Dart
Vice-Captains– Brodie Kennedy and James Loveday
Bond
Captains - Ruby James and Jasper Croot
Vice-Captains – Lexi Farmers and Caleb
MacPherson
Captains - Zara Clark and Ryan Cole
Vice-Captains- Maddison Millington and Tyler Davis
Congratulations to these students on their elected positions, I have no doubt that they will do an outstanding job. It is great to see students strive to take on positions of responsibility and leadership. There are still further leadership positions to be determined in the coming weeks, and they will be announced in the newsletter as they come to hand. I encourage all students to strongly consider these opportunities. It is a great way to make a difference within the college and develop personal skills.
Primary swimming lessons will be occurring daily at the Nhill Aquatic Centre from the 8th until the 11th of February, just in time for the year 3-12 Swimming Carnival on the 12th of February.
We also plan on running our usual 2 week block of lessons in Term 4 of 2021.
More specific details regarding the February Primary Swimming Program will go out in a letter with students on their first day back at school.
As part of the Australian Government Job-ready Graduate Package, the Tertiary Access Payment – (TAP) aims to encourage, assist and support students relocating or are living remotely to access tertiary education despite financial and/or geographic barriers. Students who are eligible for the payment will receive $5000 to help make the transition to tertiary education more comfortable and stress-free. The TAP can be used to cover costs associated with study, such as accommodation, technology upgrades, stationary or textbooks. You are eligible for the TAP if you are:
To express interest in being considered for the Tertiary Access Payment, students are asked to complete Expression of Interest to receive notifications from us when the application process is open. Submit Expression of Interest
The Women's invites secondary schools to encourage and support the participation of girls in STEMM and join our 'Meet a Scientist' event, tailored to female students in years 10 - 12 with an interest in biomedical science.
Students will hear from four Women's research scientists, experience engaging presentations, have the opportunity to learn about career pathways in science and ask questions in our Q&A panel.
Traditionally, we welcome students to visit the Women's and meet our presenters in person. However, due to the uncertain times we find ourselves in, the 2021 event will be live streamed to schools. Live stream access will be provided closer to the date.
Online Events Online Seminars Online School Activities SeminarsDate And TimeThu, 11 February 2021
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM AEDT
LocationOnline Event
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Last year we successfully trialled a Nhill College Facebook page to help us promote school events and activities with the wider community. We will continue to use Compass, our web page and the weekly newsletter to keep families associated with the school up to date with all of the events and activities that occur in and around the school each week. However, our Facebook page has allowed us to broaden exposure to the school and reach a number of people who may not have otherwise had access to our formal communication channels. Our Facebook page will continue to be purely for promotion, publicity and to inform everyone of the upcoming events and happenings within the College. All notes, questions, concerns or communication to staff regarding students still need to be directed to the College via Compass or on (03) 5391 2111. To find our Facebook page, simply follow this link: https://www.facebook.com/nhillcollege/ or type Nhill College in the search function on Facebook. (Please be aware there is also an unofficial Nhill College facebook page that does not show the Nhill College logo).
Please like/follow the page and then you will be kept up-to-date with all of our posts.
If you are reading this, you obviously have access to the school newsletter. However, some families have asked how grandparents or community members can stay in touch with the school when they don't have access to Compass. The answer is that anyone can access the school's newsletter through the College website: www.nhillcollege.vic.edu.au. Please advise any family, friends or interested members of the wider community, that the newsletter is the main source of information from the school and that it is available to anyone who would like to read it. Spread the word!