Nhill College Newsletter

Our School Values:

• Respect
• Honesty
• Teamwork
• Confidence
• Excellence
• Endeavour
  

The School Wide Positive Behaviour Support program is designed to bring together school communities to develop positive, safe and supportive learning cultures by helping to foster an environment that assists schools to improve social, emotional, behavioural and academic outcomes for children.  As part of the SWPBS program, a rewards system has been developed to encourage students to always:

• Be Safe
• Be Respectful
• Be a Learner

Following the increased dependence upon online communication due to remote learning and the community lockdowns resulting from the onset of COVID-19, it has never been more important to understand the benefits and pitfalls of the technologies we are now using every day.  Nhill College is excited to host Australia’s leading cyber safety expert, Susan McLean, at an information session for students, parents and members of the wider Nhill community at 7.00pm on Tuesday 30th March.  The session, which will be held in the College’s Music Centre, will help parents learn how to protect their children from online grooming and cyberbullying, as well as helping to establish clear boundaries and rules for internet use in the home.    

Because of the relevance of this event to all students, parents and members of the wider Nhill community, it is being fully subsidised by Nhill College and is FREE for all who attend.

This session has been registered as a COVID-safe event and the following guidelines will be implemented:

• Parents, students and community members are asked not to attend if they are feeling unwell
• Each person in attendance over the age of 12 must bring a face mask
• A register of attendees will be kept.  A QR Code registration system will be available for use with smart phones (to ensure your phone can scan the code, please download the Service Victoria app or visit go.vic.gov.au/check-in).  A paper register will be available for anyone who does not have a smart phone.
• The number of guests in attendance will be limited to 100
• Hand sanitiser will be provided at the venue
• COVID-19 related signage will be placed throughout the venue 

• If you have been in Brisbane or Moreton Bay since March 12, you need to ensure that you are tested as soon as possible and follow the relevant advice issued by Queensland Health.

Everyone who has already registered to attend this event has been guaranteed a place.  As there are still lots of spaces available, registrations will be accepted up until lunch time on Tuesday 30th March.  Please contact the office on 5391 2111 to reserve your place.  See the flyer later in this newsletter for more information.

In the Welcome Documentation that was sent home to families before the start of the school year in January, it was advertised that we would be holding a student free day on Monday 24th May.  The purpose for this day was to be able to send all staff to a Network Conference in Horsham on that date.  Largely due to Covid-19 restrictions and limits on the number of registrations permitted, we are now unable to send all staff to attend this event.  As a result, it has been decided that we will not be holding a student free day on Monday 24th May, and that classes will run as normal for all Year levels on that day.  An alternative date for a student free day will be set for Term 3 or 4, and notice will be provided to families well in advance so that they have plenty of time to make any necessary arrangements.  Apologies for any inconvenience caused by this change. 

Nhill College will receive funding from 2021 to appoint a suitably qualified person to work as a Mental Health Practitioner at our school.   To be eligible for this position, applicants must hold a Bachelor qualification or specialist/post graduate qualification in one of the following:

• Social Work
• Occupational Therapy
• Nursing with a mental health specialisation
• Psychology

The Mental Health Practitioner will form part of the school's workforce as a member of the wellbeing team.  Roles will include:

• providing direct counselling support and other early intervention services for individual students 
• providing direct counselling support and other early intervention services for small groups
• coordinating supports for students with critical needs
• enhancing mental health promotion and prevention activities in the school by contributing to whole school health and wellbeing plans, building the capability of teaching staff and school leadership to manage student health and wellbeing, and helping to embed mental health promotion and prevention programs and strategies in the school.

Anyone interested in applying for this part-time (0.2), ongoing position should contact Mark Zimmermann at the school on 5391 2111.  A new advertisement will be posted on Recruitment Online soon. 

At both the primary and secondary assemblies this week we presented the last of the Swimming Medallions to students. Congratulations to Rylan for being the equal first Swimming Age Group Champion in the 13 Year Old Males. In the primary section, congratulations to Taite for being the 12 Year Old Male Swimming Champion.

Wednesday – At 7am we gathered at school, excited but sleepy. We left at 7.10am and saw a beautiful sunrise over the Little Desert. At a petrol and toilet stop in picturesque Coleraine, yes Mr Pilgrim chose the tourist route, Amelia and Mr Pilgrim remembered that they both forgot eggs for our breakfasts. After a quick trip to IGA we were on our way again.

We arrived at Sapling Creek for lunch where we met our canoe instructor Ramon. After some helpful hints we launched safely, as in no one fell in, unlike the boys, and enjoyed our upstream paddle on the tranquil Glenelg River. The girls ‘rafted up’, changed positions in their canoes and swapped partners, sometimes Mayah and Nessa did stand up paddling, all without falling overboard!

We set up camp at South Forest Camp only to find the boys had left a few surprises in the tent kits, like missing poles, food wrappers and sand. We enjoyed a bbq tea and toasted marshmallows.  Little fairy wrens and wallabies enjoyed some leftovers and Nyaw Nay was excited to see her first koala sleeping in an old gum tree. BUT we were not happy when grunting koalas and ferocious possums disturbed our sleep at 3.30am.

Thursday – After eggs and bacon, shared with hungry kookaburras, we set off. It was a perfect day, perfect weather and perfect conditions for our elite canoeists.  Well it was perfect until Mr Pilgrim realised he had locked the keys to the camp trailer in the camp trailer!  Luckily we had our packed lunches.

After lunch Nessa and Mayah decided to cool off in the river but quickly scrambled into their canoes when a snake was sighted swimming nearby. We set off for our next destination and arrived in good time to set up camp. While the men shuffled the vehicles to Pritchard’s Landing a few girls had a swim and we relaxed after a tiring day. Now back to the keys locked in the camp trailer that held our food and camping gear. It took five wise men pontificating for some time the best method to retrieve the keys with little damage, and they did, very cleverly removing the hinges off the door, catastrophe averted, we were happy campers. A highlight of the trip for a few of the girls was an evening swim where they met up with a group from another school, Monkey man and his mates. They spent some time swimming and chatting together, the boys were a hot topic of conversation.

Friday – 6AM start, our third sunrise. Luckily we all slept well except for Nessa who had a midnight rendezvous with a hungry, mischievous possum who clawed his way into her tent and chewed open a plastic container, she awoke to find him eating her pancake mix! Thankfully the other group shared their pancakes, the girls worked well as a team during the camp, sharing chores, helping and encouraging each other.

After packing up and eating in the dark, some more vehicle shuffling, we launched for our final leg. We started meandering down the river for a relaxing/torturous 12 kms. We spotted many ducks, Ibis, herons and koalas, but no fish. There was harmonious singing and a takeover game won by North Korea. We had a break at Wild Dog Bend and then all aboard for a final sprint to Mole Side and then onto the bus for takeaway lunch in Hamilton.

We arrived home safely with 8 very tired but happy girls. Our claim to fame is that no one fell in, tipped in or landed in the river, girls rule the river. Their behaviour, positive attitude and team work were exemplary, it was a pleasure to go canoeing with them. Thanks to Damian Crouch for assisting us in many ways, especially by driving the ute and canoe trailer and Mr Pilgrim for driving the bus, cooking and waking us up at 6am!

Year 10 and 11 students and parents are reminded that Work Experience will be running again in 2021.

Our Year 11 students will be participating in Work Experience during the first week of Term 3 this year, which is from the 12th to 16th July. We have a small group who will be attending our annual Year 11 Work Experience Melbourne Trip, which will be departing Nhill on Sunday 11th July. All other Year 11 students not attending this trip will be participating in their work experience placements elsewhere. Please keep active in your planning if you are not already organised.

Our Year 10 students will be involved in their Work Experience program the final week of Term 3, being the 13th to 17th September. I have been chatting with our Year 10s about their ideas, and strongly encourage students to get onto securing a placement as soon as possible. We do not want people missing out on their desired placements because they have left planning too late.

If you have any questions regarding the Work Experience program please do not hesitate to contact me at school for further details, or to chat about your options. If students are having trouble obtaining a placement they should come and see me as soon as possible and I will offer any assistance I can.

Mrs Sampson

Work Experience co-ordinator

The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) helps eligible families to cover the costs of school trips, camps and sporting activities.

If you have a valid means-tested concession card, such as a Veterans Affairs Gold Card, Centrelink Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card, or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible. There is also a special consideration category for asylum seeker and refugee families.

Payment amounts this year are $125 for eligible primary school students and $225 for eligible secondary school students. Payments are made direct to the school to use towards expenses relating to camps, excursions and sporting activities for the benefit of your child.

If you applied for CSEF through our school last year, you do not need to complete an application form this year, unless there has been a change in your family circumstances.

If you would like to apply for the first time, please contact the school office on 5391 2111 and ask for an application form.

You can also download the form, and find out more about the program and eligibility, on the Department of Education and Training’s Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund web page.

Check with the school office if you are unsure, and please return completed forms to the school office as soon as possible.

It is a Department of Education requirement that each enrolled student who has an action plan updates this each year.  Please see below the forms required, those students who currently have an action plan in place will be sent out a form to be completed by your Doctor or specialist.  If your child has recently been diagnosed with an Anaphylaxis, Asthma, Allergy or new medical condition please advise the general office.