Let's Make 2022 Special
Dear Woodleigh families,
I trust you have had a great summer and enjoyed time together with loved ones. I send you my best wishes as we begin 2022 optimistically and positively. As I said to our staff at the beginning of the year, let's aim to make this the best year in Woodleigh's great history.
Omicron Has Us Pivoting Again
When returning to School this year, I prepared my presentations for staff and students. I was hoping to gather together to meet for professional learning and our first assemblies and school meetings. I was hoping for the start I had envisaged back in 2020.
Unfortunately, it seems that the pandemic isn't quite finished with us yet. Again, we pivoted, changed our plans, and headed online for meetings and assemblies. Again, it was not quite the start I was hoping for. Throw in the logistical challenge of Rapid Antigen Test distribution and the challenge of developing new systems and processes for managing positive cases, and it's been a bit of a whirlwind, but we're tracking well! I want to thank our leadership team for their outstanding management of these processes, and hopefully, we'll continue to minimise the impact of Omicron on our community.
Despite the challenges, it's been a fantastic start to the year. Staff and students across our three campuses have settled back into school mode and are enjoying their time back on campus. Our Senior Campus is buzzing with the life and energy of more than 600 students, whilst both Minimbah and Penbank are enjoying a great start to the year. It's one of my great joys at work to welcome students to school in the morning, and I've been thrilled by the positive feedback from our new students and their families.
While the first four weeks of this term will be a time for caution and continued adherence to COVID rules, I am really looking forward to Woodleigh returning to a program that resembles, as closely as possible, a 'normal' year. In particular, I cannot wait to attend camps later this term. These memory-making experiences set Woodleigh apart from other schools; they define our style of education, one where relationships and experiences are pivotal to the development of every student at our school. Within these experiences, students develop as creative, compassionate, skilful and resilient young people – ready to thrive. As I mentioned to our Senior Campus students at the end of last year, these are Woodleigh's superpowers, and it will be great to have them back in 2022.
A Welcome to New Staff
At the start of the year, we welcomed many new staff to teach and support our programs across all three campuses of our school. I'm delighted to have brought together such a talented team of teaching and non-teaching staff. Please join me in welcoming our new staff.
Name | Role | Campus |
Bridie Connell | English Teacher | Senior |
Hannah Watts | English Teacher | Senior |
Marcus Butler | Product Design Teacher | Senior |
Leila Koren | Visual Arts Teacher | Senior |
Emma Craven | Science Teacher | Senior |
Jane Baker | Textiles Teacher | Senior |
Harrison Robertson | Marketing Trainee | Senior |
Aidan Bolch | Sports Trainee | Senior |
Will McKenzie | Casual Sailing Coach | Senior |
Anika McLean | Visual Arts Trainee | Senior |
Samme Mills | Education Support Assistant | Senior |
Angela Loo | Provisional Psychologist | Senior/Penbank |
Emily Osborne | Provisional Psychologist | Senior/Minimbah |
Thomas Hennessy | Land & Animal Management Assistant | Senior |
Sue Hastings | Director of Inclusion | Minimbah |
Zara Love-Davey | Primary Classroom Teacher | Minimbah |
Jonathan Crouch | Primary Classroom Teacher | Minimbah |
Karen Fenton | ECC Trainee | Minimbah |
Jasmine Richards | Education Support Assistant | Minimbah |
Samantha Nutt | Primary Classroom Teacher | Penbank |
Mieja Wood | Primary Classroom Teacher | Penbank |
Sarina Canning | Primary Classroom Teacher | Penbank |
Ryan Johnson | Programmed | |
Harry Shenton | Programmed | |
Meghan Clapton | Programmed | |
Returning staff | ||
Sophie Powell | Educational Support & Teaching | Penbank |
Mel Roper | Educational Support & Teaching | Penbank |
Sarah Fleming | Drama and Dance Teacher | Penbank |
Please have a wonderful 2022. Let's make it the best in Woodleigh's history. I look forward to catching up with you as soon as we can have events running again, at drop off, in the driveway, or at pick up.
Stay safe,
DAVID BAKER
Principal
Woodleigh Wellbeing in 2022
Hello Woodleigh families,
Welcome to the new school year. Even though it may feel like a lifetime ago, I trust that the break was relaxing and rejuvenating for all.
I am pleased to begin the year by sharing news of additional resources and exciting initiatives in the wellbeing space in 2022 to support students, families and staff.
I want to invite you to be informed and curious, promote our individual & collective wellbeing, and engage in what's on offer for us all to flourish.
Introducing SCHOOLTV
"Today, parents face a multitude of modern-day challenges in raising happy, well and resilient young people. Whilst there is a great deal of information available, this can often be confusing and overwhelming for parents looking for guidance.
SchoolTV addresses this as a new online resource designed to empower you as parents with credible and sound information with realistic, practical ongoing support strategies."
– Michael Carr-Greg
https://woodleigh.vic.schooltv.me/
SCHOOLTV Topics
On SCHOOLTV, you'll find various topics, each published monthly with comprehensive videos from leading specialists and organisations.
You'll also find Fact Sheets, suggested books, apps, websites and much more. And because SchoolTV is independent, we've pulled in some great content from organisations such as Beyond Blue, ReachOut, HeadSpace and others.
I trust you get great value from every edition and happy, safe parenting!
To get you started, I have selected a couple of links that may be pertinent to explore.
Starting Year 7
When a child starts high school, they are suddenly becoming one of the youngest and newest kids at school all over again — a small fish in a big pond! The transition between Year 6 and Year 7 is one of the biggest jumps in a child's life and is a significant milestone. This can quickly become a daunting time for students and parents alike.
Starting Year 7 poses many new challenges, but it also offers exciting opportunities. It comes with a number of mixed feelings. Unfortunately for many Year 6 students, 2021 was marred with school closures and remote learning due to the pandemic, and the overall impact is still unknown. Studies have shown that the mental health of this age group already appeared to be deteriorating before Coronavirus hit, and it is expected that cases of anxiety and depression will be on the rise.
For many students, regular orientation activities at the end of 2021 were less than ideal. Therefore, many students may be feeling a little bit more anxious than usual about their expectations of starting Year 7 and finding their place in the "big pond".
As your child grasps new skills and engages in new study practices, parents need to be supportive and realistic in their expectations. Parents and students can easily become overwhelmed during this transition, but You can implement a number of strategies to start things off on the right foot!
https://woodleigh.vic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-starting-year-7
Wellbeing Checklist (Primary & Secondary Age Students)
During this time of Coronavirus, many of us have experienced a variety of emotions ranging from fear to anxiety. All of these are considered to be normal and natural responses to any challenging situation that can often result in our minds telling us all kinds of scary, "what if" kind of stories.
This can be especially true for our young people, for whom uncertainty and disruption are less than ideal. You may have observed increased anxiety & depressive symptoms affecting their mood, thinking, and behaviour. Therefore, it is vitally important for adult carers to remain vigilant for any signs of distress, even though your child may not have any prior history of a mental health disorder. Early intervention, diagnosis and treatment have never been more critical.
If you have any concerns relating to your child's mental health, you may wish to consider using the assessment tool provided by Beyond Blue. The checklist aims to measure a broad range of social, emotional or behavioural difficulties your child may be experiencing.
Click here to access the Beyond Blue Assessment Tool.
If you have further concerns about your child's wellbeing, please get in touch with staff at your campus for additional information or seek medical or professional help.
https://woodleigh.vic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-wellbeing-checklist-secondary
https://woodleigh.vic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-wellbeing-checklist-primary
Introducing P.E.P. Talks
(Parent Engagement Program)
A Conversation on Consent with Chanel Contos
Wednesday 2nd March 2022 @ 7pm (via ZOOM)
In 2021 Chanel Contos instigated an online petition calling for young women to come forward if subjected to sexual assault while still at school. The petition subsequently went viral, with thousands of young women signing or sharing stories that, in many cases, were graphic, disturbing and deeply upsetting.
Chanel's petition calls for sex education, particularly consent education, to be taught at a younger age in schools. The observation is that concepts of consent are being introduced too late, with many young people not understanding the boundaries of consent – resulting in sexual assault or rape. This broad and strong call for change has made many schools reassess their sex and life education curriculum to help protect young people across the nation.
Parents also need to start having conversations around consent sooner rather than later, as some teens experience their first sexual encounter well before the subject matter is delivered. It is not enough for parents or carers to assume that your teenager knows or understands what consent means and the implications surrounding it. They need to understand boundaries to respect both themselves and their partners.
In the lead up to International Women's Day, Chanel will join us to share insights into her call for action and offer parents guidance around normalising the topic of consent to ensure all young people experience healthy and respectful relationships. Book your ticket now.
Yours in promoting & supporting positive student wellbeing,
DONNA NAIRN
Director of Counselling and Wellbeing
Urinetown the Musical? No! Urinetown the Documentary!
Turns out it's almost impossible to stage a school musical during a pandemic...
Try as we might (and believe me, we tried!), the repeat lockdowns of 2021 meant we couldn't get Urinetown on stage.
Despite all the challenges, the cast persevered, and we are excited to bring you Urinetown, The Documentary.
The doco explores the challenges the arts continue to face through the pandemic and features songs from Urinetown and other musicals as well, to showcase the talents of our cast.
Enjoy!
ADAM LIDDIARD
Director of Community Relations
Have you downloaded the Woodleigh App?
The Woodleigh App is available for Apple and Android devices and it's a great way to access the most up-to-date information about what’s going on or what’s coming up at the three campuses of Woodleigh School. With the ability to receive notifications and filter updates, you can be up-to-date with all the latest Campus news.
DOWNLOAD FROM THE APP STORE DOWNLOAD FROM GOOGLE PLAYCONVEYANCE ALLOWANCE TERM 1 2022
Conveyance Allowance only applies to students attending the Woodleigh Campus located at Langwarrin South and students attending the Penbank Campus located at Moorooduc. These families can get help with the cost of transporting their children to their nearest school or campus. The conveyance allowance is a contribution towards transport costs and is not intended to cover the full cost and is available to students travelling by public transport, private car and private bus.
The Victorian Minister for Education has amended the definition of the closest appropriate school/campus (Instrument of Specification). This may impact some of our families who have been unable to make a claim in the past or deemed ineligible.
Both Woodleigh School and Bayside Christian College are registered the same and classified as same type schools. Therefore, previously if you lived closer to Bayside Christian College you would have been deemed ineligible to receive the conveyance allowance. However, parents can now apply for consideration by providing a “signed letter” to the school why the closest school of the same denomination is not appropriate for their child. You must include your child’s name and demonstrate the below points:
- The student does not belong to, or associate with, the school’s particular religion, or engage in religious activity associated with the school’s religious doctrines; and
- The relevant school’s compulsorily requires its students to engage in religious activity associated with that religion or religious doctrines.
The Department of Education and Training will review individual applications on their merits. Please note that you must still meet the main criteria listed below.
Completed conveyance application forms must be signed by the parent or guardian (page 4) must and submitted to the School.
If you have previously submitted a form and there is no change to mode of transport or address details you are not required to complete a new form for 2022.
New forms must be completed for students attending the School for the first time or existing conveyance allowance claimants who have a change of circumstances affecting eligibility. For example:
- Moving residence or changing their mode of transport;
- Changing schools/campuses. Ie Penbank Campus to Senior Campus
The Department of Education and Training’s main criteria for student eligibility is:
- The School attended is the nearest appropriate school. (or attach a supporting letter as per above)
- The student resides more than 4.8kms from the school by the shortest practicable route.
- Students are of school age 5 – 18 years and enrolled at school for 3 or more days per week.
To apply for a conveyance allowance, parents are required to complete the appropriate forms.
- Travel by contract bus: “Conveyance Allowance Application – Private Bus Travel”
- Travel by myki bus: “Conveyance Allowance Application – Public Transport Travel". Must provide prove of purchase ie copy of receipt or ticket.
- Travel by car: “Conveyance Allowance Application – Private Car Travel” will need to be completed for each student, listing all students travelling in the nominated vehicle.
- Combined travel: Each appropriate form will need to be completed as above, e.g. drive further than 4.8km to catch public transport (Private Car/Public Transport).
Please note for Woodleigh Campus families: If you live within 4.8km of public transport (ie one of our myki buses) and choose to travel by private bus or car you will not be eligible to claim the conveyance allowance.
The School will lodge 4 claims a year (1 per Term) with the Department of Education and Training. The Department will reimburse the school and the allowance will be credited to your fee account in instalments. Completed applications need to be received by Friday March 4 2022 to be included in the first claim.
- Contract Bus Reimbursement is determined on the basis of the shortest practicable route from the student’s residence to the school and not the actual distance travelled in the bus.
- Public Transport The cost of fares are fully refundable.
- Private Car Reimbursement is made on the basis of the one-way distance travelled per vehicle and the number of students in that vehicle. Payment is made to the family operating the vehicle.
If you have any queries please contact Robyn Kent on 5971 6100 or email rkent@woodleigh.vic.edu.au.
The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund
Every Victorian child should have access to the world of learning opportunities that exist beyond the classroom. The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund helps ensure that no student will miss out on the opportunity to join their classmates for important, educational and fun activities. It is part of making Victoria the Education State and the Government’s commitment to breaking the link between a student’s background and their outcomes. \
Hello Woodleigh families,
Welcome to the new school year. Even though it may feel like a lifetime ago, I trust that the break was relaxing and rejuvenating for all.
I am pleased to begin the year by sharing news of additional resources and exciting initiatives in the wellbeing space in 2022 to support students, families and staff.
I want to invite you to be informed and curious, promote our individual & collective wellbeing, and engage in what's on offer for us all to flourish.
Introducing SCHOOLTV
"Today, parents face a multitude of modern-day challenges in raising happy, well and resilient young people. Whilst there is a great deal of information available, this can often be confusing and overwhelming for parents looking for guidance.
SchoolTV addresses this as a new online resource designed to empower you as parents with credible and sound information with realistic, practical ongoing support strategies."
– Michael Carr-Greg
https://woodleigh.vic.schooltv.me/
SCHOOLTV Topics
On SCHOOLTV, you'll find various topics, each published monthly with comprehensive videos from leading specialists and organisations.
You'll also find Fact Sheets, suggested books, apps, websites and much more. And because SchoolTV is independent, we've pulled in some great content from organisations such as Beyond Blue, ReachOut, HeadSpace and others.
I trust you get great value from every edition and happy, safe parenting!
To get you started, I have selected a couple of links that may be pertinent to explore.
Starting Year 7
When a child starts high school, they are suddenly becoming one of the youngest and newest kids at school all over again — a small fish in a big pond! The transition between Year 6 and Year 7 is one of the biggest jumps in a child's life and is a significant milestone. This can quickly become a daunting time for students and parents alike.
Starting Year 7 poses many new challenges, but it also offers exciting opportunities. It comes with a number of mixed feelings. Unfortunately for many Year 6 students, 2021 was marred with school closures and remote learning due to the pandemic, and the overall impact is still unknown. Studies have shown that the mental health of this age group already appeared to be deteriorating before Coronavirus hit, and it is expected that cases of anxiety and depression will be on the rise.
For many students, regular orientation activities at the end of 2021 were less than ideal. Therefore, many students may be feeling a little bit more anxious than usual about their expectations of starting Year 7 and finding their place in the "big pond".
As your child grasps new skills and engages in new study practices, parents need to be supportive and realistic in their expectations. Parents and students can easily become overwhelmed during this transition, but You can implement a number of strategies to start things off on the right foot!
https://woodleigh.vic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-starting-year-7
Wellbeing Checklist (Primary & Secondary Age Students)
During this time of Coronavirus, many of us have experienced a variety of emotions ranging from fear to anxiety. All of these are considered to be normal and natural responses to any challenging situation that can often result in our minds telling us all kinds of scary, "what if" kind of stories.
This can be especially true for our young people, for whom uncertainty and disruption are less than ideal. You may have observed increased anxiety & depressive symptoms affecting their mood, thinking, and behaviour. Therefore, it is vitally important for adult carers to remain vigilant for any signs of distress, even though your child may not have any prior history of a mental health disorder. Early intervention, diagnosis and treatment have never been more critical.
If you have any concerns relating to your child's mental health, you may wish to consider using the assessment tool provided by Beyond Blue. The checklist aims to measure a broad range of social, emotional or behavioural difficulties your child may be experiencing.
Click here to access the Beyond Blue Assessment Tool.
If you have further concerns about your child's wellbeing, please get in touch with staff at your campus for additional information or seek medical or professional help.
https://woodleigh.vic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-wellbeing-checklist-secondary
https://woodleigh.vic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-wellbeing-checklist-primary
Introducing P.E.P. Talks
(Parent Engagement Program)
A Conversation on Consent with Chanel Contos
Wednesday 2nd March 2022 @ 7pm (via ZOOM)
In 2021 Chanel Contos instigated an online petition calling for young women to come forward if subjected to sexual assault while still at school. The petition subsequently went viral, with thousands of young women signing or sharing stories that, in many cases, were graphic, disturbing and deeply upsetting.
Chanel's petition calls for sex education, particularly consent education, to be taught at a younger age in schools. The observation is that concepts of consent are being introduced too late, with many young people not understanding the boundaries of consent – resulting in sexual assault or rape. This broad and strong call for change has made many schools reassess their sex and life education curriculum to help protect young people across the nation.
Parents also need to start having conversations around consent sooner rather than later, as some teens experience their first sexual encounter well before the subject matter is delivered. It is not enough for parents or carers to assume that your teenager knows or understands what consent means and the implications surrounding it. They need to understand boundaries to respect both themselves and their partners.
In the lead up to International Women's Day, Chanel will join us to share insights into her call for action and offer parents guidance around normalising the topic of consent to ensure all young people experience healthy and respectful relationships. Book your ticket now.
Yours in promoting & supporting positive student wellbeing,
DONNA NAIRN
Director of Counselling and Wellbeing
Turns out it's almost impossible to stage a school musical during a pandemic...
Try as we might (and believe me, we tried!), the repeat lockdowns of 2021 meant we couldn't get Urinetown on stage.
Despite all the challenges, the cast persevered, and we are excited to bring you Urinetown, The Documentary.
The doco explores the challenges the arts continue to face through the pandemic and features songs from Urinetown and other musicals as well, to showcase the talents of our cast.
Enjoy!
ADAM LIDDIARD
Director of Community Relations
The Woodleigh App is available for Apple and Android devices and it's a great way to access the most up-to-date information about what’s going on or what’s coming up at the three campuses of Woodleigh School. With the ability to receive notifications and filter updates, you can be up-to-date with all the latest Campus news.
DOWNLOAD FROM THE APP STORE DOWNLOAD FROM GOOGLE PLAYConveyance Allowance only applies to students attending the Woodleigh Campus located at Langwarrin South and students attending the Penbank Campus located at Moorooduc. These families can get help with the cost of transporting their children to their nearest school or campus. The conveyance allowance is a contribution towards transport costs and is not intended to cover the full cost and is available to students travelling by public transport, private car and private bus.
The Victorian Minister for Education has amended the definition of the closest appropriate school/campus (Instrument of Specification). This may impact some of our families who have been unable to make a claim in the past or deemed ineligible.
Both Woodleigh School and Bayside Christian College are registered the same and classified as same type schools. Therefore, previously if you lived closer to Bayside Christian College you would have been deemed ineligible to receive the conveyance allowance. However, parents can now apply for consideration by providing a “signed letter” to the school why the closest school of the same denomination is not appropriate for their child. You must include your child’s name and demonstrate the below points:
- The student does not belong to, or associate with, the school’s particular religion, or engage in religious activity associated with the school’s religious doctrines; and
- The relevant school’s compulsorily requires its students to engage in religious activity associated with that religion or religious doctrines.
The Department of Education and Training will review individual applications on their merits. Please note that you must still meet the main criteria listed below.
Completed conveyance application forms must be signed by the parent or guardian (page 4) must and submitted to the School.
If you have previously submitted a form and there is no change to mode of transport or address details you are not required to complete a new form for 2022.
New forms must be completed for students attending the School for the first time or existing conveyance allowance claimants who have a change of circumstances affecting eligibility. For example:
- Moving residence or changing their mode of transport;
- Changing schools/campuses. Ie Penbank Campus to Senior Campus
The Department of Education and Training’s main criteria for student eligibility is:
- The School attended is the nearest appropriate school. (or attach a supporting letter as per above)
- The student resides more than 4.8kms from the school by the shortest practicable route.
- Students are of school age 5 – 18 years and enrolled at school for 3 or more days per week.
To apply for a conveyance allowance, parents are required to complete the appropriate forms.
- Travel by contract bus: “Conveyance Allowance Application – Private Bus Travel”
- Travel by myki bus: “Conveyance Allowance Application – Public Transport Travel". Must provide prove of purchase ie copy of receipt or ticket.
- Travel by car: “Conveyance Allowance Application – Private Car Travel” will need to be completed for each student, listing all students travelling in the nominated vehicle.
- Combined travel: Each appropriate form will need to be completed as above, e.g. drive further than 4.8km to catch public transport (Private Car/Public Transport).
Please note for Woodleigh Campus families: If you live within 4.8km of public transport (ie one of our myki buses) and choose to travel by private bus or car you will not be eligible to claim the conveyance allowance.
The School will lodge 4 claims a year (1 per Term) with the Department of Education and Training. The Department will reimburse the school and the allowance will be credited to your fee account in instalments. Completed applications need to be received by Friday March 4 2022 to be included in the first claim.
- Contract Bus Reimbursement is determined on the basis of the shortest practicable route from the student’s residence to the school and not the actual distance travelled in the bus.
- Public Transport The cost of fares are fully refundable.
- Private Car Reimbursement is made on the basis of the one-way distance travelled per vehicle and the number of students in that vehicle. Payment is made to the family operating the vehicle.
If you have any queries please contact Robyn Kent on 5971 6100 or email rkent@woodleigh.vic.edu.au.
Every Victorian child should have access to the world of learning opportunities that exist beyond the classroom. The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund helps ensure that no student will miss out on the opportunity to join their classmates for important, educational and fun activities. It is part of making Victoria the Education State and the Government’s commitment to breaking the link between a student’s background and their outcomes. \