Woodleigh Messenger
- What's your Woodleigh Story?
- VCE Update – Week 4 Term 1 2023
- Updated Image Permissions at Woodleigh School
- Reflections on Middle Kinglake Broadening Horizons Camp
- We are back and racing!
- Library Lovers Day
- School Transport Conveyance Allowance - Term 1, 2023
- Join us at our Term 1 PEP Talk - Wednesday 1 March
- See you at the Minimbah Fair! Friday 3 March
What's your Woodleigh Story?
Welcome back to Senior Campus for the start of the 2023 school year. In particular, I extend a warm welcome to new Woodleigh families. It has been great to see our students back on campus and ready to learn. Walking around Campus, there is a tangible ‘buzz’ in the air, as staff and students get to know each other across classes, Homestead and Activities programs, and as they prepare for our upcoming camp week in Week 6.
2022 was about reconnecting and establishing our new normal post-COVID. For us, 2023 is about providing opportunities for our community to grow. Our focus at Woodleigh is on the ‘purposeful development of creative, compassionate, skillful and resilient young people who thrive in an ever-changing world’.
At the start of the year, I spoke with staff and students about the importance of the Woodleigh story - the stories we create as a community that define who we are; as individuals, and as a whole. In our last Messenger, David Baker wrote that ‘a Woodleigh education is not only about what we learn academically, but how we develop and grow as human beings during the learning process’.
Woodleigh provides a place where students can learn, build skills, and be encouraged to try new things through a wide range of programs, in and outside the classroom; Activities, Camps, Music, the Arts, community service, sport, academic enhancement and wellbeing . A Woodleigh education enables students to find their passions, shine and learn more about themselves as people. By fostering students’ strengths and challenging them to think more deeply, we generate a respectful culture that celebrates personal growth and acknowledges that every student’s journey is unique.
What does this look like on the ground? The Year 11 Outdoor Education students have kayaked across Westernport to French Island in stunning weather. Our Year 7s have settled quickly and they have been terribly excited taking receipt of their new MacBook Airs. Their learning has been scaffolded by an extensive network of teaching, IT and operational staff who have helped them navigate their laptops, virtual platforms and campus life in general. School photos have been shot and are currently being processed. The Year 12s recently had an engaging session with critically acclaimed Tasmanian author, Robbie Arnott, joining us over the Tasman Sea via ZOOM to speak about the Year 12 text Flames. We were extremely grateful to have him donate his time to speak with our senior students as they dive deep into their English studies.
It was fantastic to be part of the Homestead Swimming Carnival at The Pines Aquatic Centre this week on a beautiful February day. Well done to Ben Davenport, the Junior Homestead Coordinators and staff for the set-up, organisation and supervision of a successful event. Congratulations go to Homestead 3 for taking out the win for the second year in a row.
And finally, Homestead 4 was officially opened by our Federal Member for Dunkley, Peta Murphy, on Friday 24 February.
IB Middle Years Authorisation
This year, Senior Campus will enter the final leg of the authorisation process to be recognised as an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School. Candidate schools embark on a rigorous process which is referred to as ‘Authorisation’. Senior Campus has applied to be recognised as an official provider of the IB Middle Years Program (MYP). The school must show that it has:
- understood and embraced the IB philosophy
- understood the programme requirements
- met the major objectives of its action plan to ensure successful implementation
- concluded that it meets the requirements to become an IB World School.
Woodleigh will submit its application and supporting evidence in preparation for the review. A verification visit from an external IB team will occur in Term 3, 2023. This will involve an assessment of the evidence to assess our readiness to be an IB World School. The IB Team will want to involve the entire community in its review of our application. We will provide with regular updates on our progress.
It has been wonderful to witness the Senior Campus community approach everything with enthusiasm to kick off 2023. We continue to remind students that they will only get out of the program what they choose to put into it. We would encourage all students to continue to think big, and not make their comfort zone their home!
I wish you a safe and successful term ahead.
NATALIE McLENNAN
Head of Senior Campus
VCE Update – Week 4 Term 1 2023
Congratulations to the students for making such a positive start to the year. There has been incredible energy in senior homestead and the students have hit the ground running. It was wonderful to see so many families at our Homestead Night. Our team of dedicated staff is looking forward to supporting your young people throughout their senior years.
Holiday Homework
Over the last week, our VCE teachers have actively followed up with students who have not completed holiday homework. We seek your support in discussing the importance of establishing effective study habits and time management routines with your child. We strongly recommend that students complete 3 hours of homework/subject each week. Should your child need support establishing study habits, they can reach out to the Careers Office or their Tutor for assistance.
This week, I updated all senior students about VCE rules, policies, terminology, etc., and direct them to the Senior Years Handbook (published on SEQTA). We have also completed the official VCE Enrolment forms and related paperwork. This presentation can also be viewed under the Homestead session on SEQTA.
I have summarised several of the most important issues below:
SACS and SATS
As part of their assessment, all studies include SACs (School Assessed Coursework) and/or SATs (School Assessed Tasks – only in studies where models or products are produced). Both SACs and SATs are internally set and marked. In addition, all studies have externally set and marked examination(s). SACs are moderated against examination performance to ensure equality across schools. The ‘Achievement of Outcomes’ is used to determine satisfactory completion in all studies; all studies have 4–6 outcomes that must be ‘achieved’ to a ‘minimum standard’. SACs are completed mainly during class time. This means that it is very important for students to be in class both to satisfy outcomes and to complete scheduled SACs.
A calendar of dates for Term 1, including SACs, SATs and examinations, has been published and distributed to all VCE Unit 3 and 4 students during Week 2, Term 1. It can also be found on SEQTA (under The Senior Years Portal)
Students and parents should be aware of the following policies (in particular) in relation to the VCE.
Attendance Policy
VCE students are expected to attend at least 80% of scheduled classes (the only exception to this will be for legitimate, documented reasons, for example, ongoing illness). Students who do not attend enough classes may not be eligible for an ‘S’ rating in the subject involved. The usual method for notifying the school of an absence, ringing Reception on the morning of the absence, is necessary at all year levels. This is especially important if a student will be absent on the day of a scheduled SAC/SAT (see following).
Special Provision Policy
At Units 3 and 4, school-based Special Provision for missed SACs/SATs will be granted only to students with a Medical Certificate (or similar official documentation) covering the class(es) missed. Students should see me as soon as they return to school to make arrangements to complete the SAC/SAT missed.
At Units 1 and 2, students may apply for an extension of time for an assessment task so long as we have official parent notification that covers the class(es) missed. Teaching staff will ensure that students have written advice on important assessment dates and can satisfy these conditions for Special Provision.
Students should refer to the SAC/SAT Calendar as this calendar will allow all students (and parents) to see when the assessment is scheduled to take place and, if necessary, to obtain the required medical documents to apply for Special Provision (see above). The calendar will be updated periodically (as needed) and placed on SEQTA.
Ongoing Special Provision
*If you believe any medical, physical, emotional or environmental situation has, or will, disadvantage you/your student in completing the VCE, please come and speak to me ASAP. It is essential that I be kept up to date on issues – this way, I can ensure that students receive support and are aware of all options regarding Special Provisions.
VCAA Special Provision: SEA (Special Examination Arrangements)
*SEA (Special Examination Arrangements) may be granted for students with Severe Health Impairments, Physical Disabilities or Language/Learning Disorders that may impact examination performance. Please see me ASAP if you wish to discuss the relevant requirements. Any student who may have ground to apply needs to have the appropriate paperwork returned to Woodleigh no later than March 17th, 2023. An email has been sent to all students who we believed would qualify (at the end of 2022), and I will continue to follow up. Daily reminders are provided to students to assist them with following up on these applications.
VCE subject changes
All VCE subject changes MUST be made through Mr David Benton (located in the library) for 2023. Subject changes do require students to bring a signed note from home before we process the change. Students must continue to attend their allocated class until this paperwork is completed. Late subject changes are not recommended due to the requirement that students catch up on any missed SACs/SATs and all subject material they may have missed etc. If a student is unsure that they have made a wise subject choice, they should speak with myself or Ms Willian ASAP. Note that the VCAA has strict cut-off dates for subject changes – these are listed in the Senior Years Handbook.
All subject changes for Semester 1 must be completed by the end of Week 4 at the very latest. No further subject changes for Semester 1 will be considered beyond this time.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or wish to discuss any VCE matters.
VCE Results 2022
We celebrate the achievements of every one of our 2022 Year 12 students. For some of these students, it was the completion of an unscored VCE; for some, a transition to an Apprenticeship, a TAFE course and for many, a scored VCE (and resulting ATAR) were what they required to undertake the next part of their learning journey.
Student well-being and meeting the personalised needs of each individual is our key focus throughout the entire secondary journey, including Year 12. So we celebrate that so many of our students achieved highly (as was their goal) as part of the VCE success picture.
It is incumbent upon me to acknowledge that VCE success does not happen overnight, and is a result of all the hard work and dedication from all Year 7-10 and VCE teachers who have worked with our students. There were some truly outstanding achievements and not all of these are represented by the top scores. I also wish to recognize the guidance and work extended by all the staff who have worked with our unscored students this year and over their entire secondary journey to ensure they completed their VCE.
I look forward to supporting all students, particularly our Senior students, through the final years of their secondary schooling. 2023 will undoubtedly be a year full of mixed emotions and challenges and I wish you every success ahead.
GINA BOLCH
VCE Coordinator
Updated Image Permissions at Woodleigh School
Woodleigh’s curricular and co-curricular programs offer a wealth of experiences; from classroom activities to incursions and excursions, Camps, Activities, Music, Sports, and Arts programs. And we love to document and share it with you all.
In line with privacy regulations, we need to update our permissions for image capture and use which showcase the learning and community engagement of the school. We have clarified the levels of permission families are able to give to allow the publication of images of their children.
Woodleigh’s image consent levels are as follows*:
- Images for school management and safety purposes – No consent is required
- Annual School Photograph Images – Opt-out available
- General Usage Images – Opt-out available
- Web-Based Publicly Accessible Images – Opt-in
- Images used in External Media – Opt-in
- Images used in Advertising – Individual consent will be sought
*Further explanation of the levels of consent and their associated use follows below.
As with medical and co-curricular consent, image use permissions will be managed by Operoo. Operoo requests will be sent to families in the coming weeks.
Woodleigh has always celebrated the achievements and experiences of our students, and we hope to keep publishing images and videos that highlight the amazing work done by staff and students at Minimbah, Penbank and the Senior Campus.
We hope these changes will better reflect the way we use images while protecting the wishes of individuals and families. If you have any questions about image use at Woodleigh, please shoot me an email: aliddiard@woodleigh.vic.edu.au
ADAM LIDDIARD
Director of Community Engagement
Levels of Image Consent at Woodleigh
Images for school management and safety purposes
Consent is not required for Woodleigh to use student images for safety reasons, such as identification, medical and school management systems, including but not limited to:
- TASS (main school database)
- SEQTA (Learning Management System)
- OPEROO (Medical management)
We require an image of all students for these purposes, which we request at enrolment. We will periodically update this image as the child progresses through the school, using school photographs when available.
Annual School Photograph Images
Woodleigh may use the individual and group annual school photographs for the following purposes:
- For sale to parents/guardians (parents are under no obligation to purchase)
- For school identification purposes, stored on school databases
- To print on school ID cards.
We notify families that photographs are being taken, and parents can opt-out of having their child participate. To opt-out, parents must contact the relevant Campus Reception before photo day to advise that their child will not participate.
General Usage Images
An annual Standard Collection Notice outlines the images we use, including images of students or student’s work as they engage in their learning, activities, camps, excursions, and other events the school offers.
Examples include the following image use:
- In learning and teaching tools and activities (e.g. for assessment, professional development, classroom displays, noticeboards, learning activities)
- In print newsletters and magazines produced by Woodleigh
- On Internal ICT systems and school sites, learning and teaching sites and websites (including SEQTA and Seesaw)
- In supporting the learning needs, wellbeing, and health of a student (i.e. PE skill development)
- For other purposes where the usage is restricted to the school community
- For class, Homestead, and Team photographs: e.g. annual class photograph, sports team or another team photograph.
Where possible, older students are asked by staff for their permission (this may occur informally) to use the image/s.
Parents can opt out of general usage by responding to the annual Standard Collection Notice. Parents can inform the relevant Head of Campus in writing if they wish to change their consent during the year.
Web-Based Publicly Accessible Images
Annual consent will be sought for the school to use images in online, publicly accessible locations such as the Woodleigh Messenger and Website and the school’s social media accounts, including Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Vimeo.
Parents can opt-in by responding to the annual communication. Parents can inform the relevant Head of Campus in writing if they wish to change their consent during the year.
Images used in External Media
Annual consent will be sought for the school to use images in external media such as newspapers and other third-party publications for the purpose of promotion and communication of school activities and programs.
Parents can opt-in by responding to the annual communication. Parents can inform the relevant Head of Campus in writing if they wish to change their consent during the year.
Images used in Advertising
Individual consent will be sought for the use of images for advertising purposes. The school will provide information regarding the image’s intended use in the consent documentation.
Images Taken by Others at School Performances, Sporting Events, and Other Community Events
When possible, Woodleigh permits parents/carers, students and invited guests to photograph, film or record school performances, sporting events and other community activities. (Note: this is not possible for copyrighted performances).
However, the school asks that families, students and guests who photograph, film or record activities do so for personal use and do not publish the images, including on social media, without the prior consent of the persons whose children also appear in the images.
Please note: The school does not own or control any images of students taken by parents/carers, students, or their guests at school events.
Please note:
On occasions where we record or capture whole school or large group events (Assemblies, Productions, Concerts, Sporting events), we will do our best to exclude children whose parents have chosen to opt-out. However, at large-scale events, this may not always be possible.
Reflections on Middle Kinglake Broadening Horizons Camp
At the end of last year during broadening horizons week, myself, Tia, Phoebe, Mahayliah, Beth, Cody, Noah and Imogen along with Ms De Jong and Ms Cooper, camped in the backyard of Middle Kinglake Primary School.
In 2009 Kinglake was destroyed in the tragic Black Saturday fires. There were over 100 deaths, and many homes were lost. For 13 years, Ms Cooper and Ms De Jong have taken a group of around 10 students to Middle Kinglake Primary school to help in the classroom and participate in fun activities. This partnership between Woodleigh and Middle Kinglake Primary School began shortly after this tragedy. Each year, a group of students travels to Kinglake where the big kids - us - help out with the little kids and their teachers in the classrooms.
I chose this camp as teaching was something I have considered as a career pathway. It was so much fun developing little connections with the kids individually. It was so rewarding learning all their names and hearing them say my name once they got to know me. Towards the end of the week, some of the girls were drawing pictures of us and writing thank you letters to us.
KATE SMITH
Year 12
My experience with middle Kinglake primary school was amazing. I really enjoyed creating bonds with the students. During the week we cooked, played games and helped in the classroom. This camp has put me out of my comfort zone and made me grow as a person. I really enjoyed the time we had at the end of the school day. It was nice being able to explore Kinglake and relax. I would highly recommend this camp if you are considering a career in teaching as it gives you an insight into the day-to-day life of being a primary school teacher and all the hard work behind it.
TIA BARNETT
Year 12
This camp was an incredible experience for me because it gave me the chance to go out into the wider community and experience what it was like to be a teacher for a week.
My favourite activity to do with the kids was cooking, even though they made a huge mess, especially the preps!
The most rewarding parts of the day were seeing the kids arrive in the morning, greeting us with huge smiles and saying goodbye to them at the end of the day when they would wave at us from across the car park.
As well as making connections with the kids at the primary school, I got to form deeper connections with my peers that came on the camp as well. We spent afternoons walking around Healesville and Kinglake and eating dinner while sharing our favourite stories of the kids from that day.
One thing that I will never forget about this camp was the last day because our classes gave us so many hugs and begged us to come back again this year.
PHOEBE AZZOPARDI
Year 11
If you think this camp may interest you or your friends you can talk to any of us in Senior Homestead or Ms Cooper in Homestead 6. Again, it is an amazing opportunity and it is a really rewarding and fun week away.
KATE, TIA and PHOEBE
We are back and racing!
The Woodleigh HPV (Human Powered Vehicle) Team is stepping up a gear this year after three years of very little racing. We are looking for new team members, so if you love to ride a bike, want to improve your fitness, or be part of an awesome team, then HPV could be for you!
Everyone is welcome from Years 7 to 12. Our first race is on March 18, so if you are interested, see me, Ms Lockyer, or send me an email hlockyer@woodleigh.vic.edu.au to let me know you're keen, and I will send you some more details.
Heidi Lockyer – HPV Coordinator
Library Lovers Day
You’ve heard of Valentine’s Day – but have you heard of Library Lovers Day?
At Woodleigh, we love libraries so much, we made it into Library Lovers Week!
Students were invited to:
· Go on a Blind Date with a Book.
· Make bookmarks and badges.
· Guess the number of Conversation Hearts in a jar.
· Tell us what they love!
The 'Guess the Lollies' competition was won by Beth, Grace, and Paige. Congratulations!
MRS FARQUHARSON, MS BURNELL, MS NUSPAHIC
Senior Campus Library
School Transport Conveyance Allowance - Term 1, 2023
The Conveyance Allowance only applies to students attending Senior Campus and students attending Penbank Campus. These families are eligible to receive help with the cost of transporting their children to their nearest school or campus. The allowance is a contribution towards transport costs, and is not intended to cover the full cost. It is available to students travelling by public transport, private car or 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 were deemed ineligible.
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 stating 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 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) and be submitted to the School no later than Friday 3 March. 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 2023.
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 Woodleigh Campus
The Department of Education and Training’s main criteria for student eligibility is:
- The School attended is the nearest appropriate school (or attach supporting letter, as above)
- The student resides more than 4.8 km 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 proof 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.
Lodgment of Applications
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 installments. Completed applications need to be received by Friday 3 March, 2023 to be included in the Term 1 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 will be fully refunded.
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.
ROBYN KENT
Bus Co-ordinator
Join us at our Term 1 PEP Talk - Wednesday 1 March
Join Professor Lea Waters, leader in the field of positive psychology, for our Term 1 PEP Talk on the evening of Wednesday 1 March in the Senior Campus Hall from 7pm.
Prof Waters will introduce you to the strength-based approach that informs the teaching and learning at Woodleigh School, and highlight the research underpinning this approach, including:
- higher levels of resilience and well-being;
- more effective stress-appraisal processes
- and higher likelihood of growing through adversity.
The strength-based approach has been shown to help adults be happier at work, children be happier at school and parents be happier at home.
See you at the Minimbah Fair! Friday 3 March
It's FUNORAMA time! Festivale Du Minimbah, Minimbah's County Fair will be full of wonders and fun for all, thrilling attractions and activities!
Games, challenges and stalls will provide the fun, delicious food and drinks will keep tummies happy, and heaps of live music, including the return of our fabulous class performances, will keep everyone entertained!
This PFG-sanctioned event will occur on our Minimbah Oval after school on Friday 3 March.
Your ticket purchase will award you with MINIMBUCKS! To be used on the attractions and activities!
Purchase your family ticket or single today!
Get your Fair tickets hereCongratulations to the students for making such a positive start to the year. There has been incredible energy in senior homestead and the students have hit the ground running. It was wonderful to see so many families at our Homestead Night. Our team of dedicated staff is looking forward to supporting your young people throughout their senior years.
Holiday Homework
Over the last week, our VCE teachers have actively followed up with students who have not completed holiday homework. We seek your support in discussing the importance of establishing effective study habits and time management routines with your child. We strongly recommend that students complete 3 hours of homework/subject each week. Should your child need support establishing study habits, they can reach out to the Careers Office or their Tutor for assistance.
This week, I updated all senior students about VCE rules, policies, terminology, etc., and direct them to the Senior Years Handbook (published on SEQTA). We have also completed the official VCE Enrolment forms and related paperwork. This presentation can also be viewed under the Homestead session on SEQTA.
I have summarised several of the most important issues below:
SACS and SATS
As part of their assessment, all studies include SACs (School Assessed Coursework) and/or SATs (School Assessed Tasks – only in studies where models or products are produced). Both SACs and SATs are internally set and marked. In addition, all studies have externally set and marked examination(s). SACs are moderated against examination performance to ensure equality across schools. The ‘Achievement of Outcomes’ is used to determine satisfactory completion in all studies; all studies have 4–6 outcomes that must be ‘achieved’ to a ‘minimum standard’. SACs are completed mainly during class time. This means that it is very important for students to be in class both to satisfy outcomes and to complete scheduled SACs.
A calendar of dates for Term 1, including SACs, SATs and examinations, has been published and distributed to all VCE Unit 3 and 4 students during Week 2, Term 1. It can also be found on SEQTA (under The Senior Years Portal)
Students and parents should be aware of the following policies (in particular) in relation to the VCE.
Attendance Policy
VCE students are expected to attend at least 80% of scheduled classes (the only exception to this will be for legitimate, documented reasons, for example, ongoing illness). Students who do not attend enough classes may not be eligible for an ‘S’ rating in the subject involved. The usual method for notifying the school of an absence, ringing Reception on the morning of the absence, is necessary at all year levels. This is especially important if a student will be absent on the day of a scheduled SAC/SAT (see following).
Special Provision Policy
At Units 3 and 4, school-based Special Provision for missed SACs/SATs will be granted only to students with a Medical Certificate (or similar official documentation) covering the class(es) missed. Students should see me as soon as they return to school to make arrangements to complete the SAC/SAT missed.
At Units 1 and 2, students may apply for an extension of time for an assessment task so long as we have official parent notification that covers the class(es) missed. Teaching staff will ensure that students have written advice on important assessment dates and can satisfy these conditions for Special Provision.
Students should refer to the SAC/SAT Calendar as this calendar will allow all students (and parents) to see when the assessment is scheduled to take place and, if necessary, to obtain the required medical documents to apply for Special Provision (see above). The calendar will be updated periodically (as needed) and placed on SEQTA.
Ongoing Special Provision
*If you believe any medical, physical, emotional or environmental situation has, or will, disadvantage you/your student in completing the VCE, please come and speak to me ASAP. It is essential that I be kept up to date on issues – this way, I can ensure that students receive support and are aware of all options regarding Special Provisions.
VCAA Special Provision: SEA (Special Examination Arrangements)
*SEA (Special Examination Arrangements) may be granted for students with Severe Health Impairments, Physical Disabilities or Language/Learning Disorders that may impact examination performance. Please see me ASAP if you wish to discuss the relevant requirements. Any student who may have ground to apply needs to have the appropriate paperwork returned to Woodleigh no later than March 17th, 2023. An email has been sent to all students who we believed would qualify (at the end of 2022), and I will continue to follow up. Daily reminders are provided to students to assist them with following up on these applications.
VCE subject changes
All VCE subject changes MUST be made through Mr David Benton (located in the library) for 2023. Subject changes do require students to bring a signed note from home before we process the change. Students must continue to attend their allocated class until this paperwork is completed. Late subject changes are not recommended due to the requirement that students catch up on any missed SACs/SATs and all subject material they may have missed etc. If a student is unsure that they have made a wise subject choice, they should speak with myself or Ms Willian ASAP. Note that the VCAA has strict cut-off dates for subject changes – these are listed in the Senior Years Handbook.
All subject changes for Semester 1 must be completed by the end of Week 4 at the very latest. No further subject changes for Semester 1 will be considered beyond this time.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or wish to discuss any VCE matters.
VCE Results 2022
We celebrate the achievements of every one of our 2022 Year 12 students. For some of these students, it was the completion of an unscored VCE; for some, a transition to an Apprenticeship, a TAFE course and for many, a scored VCE (and resulting ATAR) were what they required to undertake the next part of their learning journey.
Student well-being and meeting the personalised needs of each individual is our key focus throughout the entire secondary journey, including Year 12. So we celebrate that so many of our students achieved highly (as was their goal) as part of the VCE success picture.
It is incumbent upon me to acknowledge that VCE success does not happen overnight, and is a result of all the hard work and dedication from all Year 7-10 and VCE teachers who have worked with our students. There were some truly outstanding achievements and not all of these are represented by the top scores. I also wish to recognize the guidance and work extended by all the staff who have worked with our unscored students this year and over their entire secondary journey to ensure they completed their VCE.
I look forward to supporting all students, particularly our Senior students, through the final years of their secondary schooling. 2023 will undoubtedly be a year full of mixed emotions and challenges and I wish you every success ahead.
GINA BOLCH
VCE Coordinator
Woodleigh’s curricular and co-curricular programs offer a wealth of experiences; from classroom activities to incursions and excursions, Camps, Activities, Music, Sports, and Arts programs. And we love to document and share it with you all.
In line with privacy regulations, we need to update our permissions for image capture and use which showcase the learning and community engagement of the school. We have clarified the levels of permission families are able to give to allow the publication of images of their children.
Woodleigh’s image consent levels are as follows*:
- Images for school management and safety purposes – No consent is required
- Annual School Photograph Images – Opt-out available
- General Usage Images – Opt-out available
- Web-Based Publicly Accessible Images – Opt-in
- Images used in External Media – Opt-in
- Images used in Advertising – Individual consent will be sought
*Further explanation of the levels of consent and their associated use follows below.
As with medical and co-curricular consent, image use permissions will be managed by Operoo. Operoo requests will be sent to families in the coming weeks.
Woodleigh has always celebrated the achievements and experiences of our students, and we hope to keep publishing images and videos that highlight the amazing work done by staff and students at Minimbah, Penbank and the Senior Campus.
We hope these changes will better reflect the way we use images while protecting the wishes of individuals and families. If you have any questions about image use at Woodleigh, please shoot me an email: aliddiard@woodleigh.vic.edu.au
ADAM LIDDIARD
Director of Community Engagement
Levels of Image Consent at Woodleigh
Images for school management and safety purposes
Consent is not required for Woodleigh to use student images for safety reasons, such as identification, medical and school management systems, including but not limited to:
- TASS (main school database)
- SEQTA (Learning Management System)
- OPEROO (Medical management)
We require an image of all students for these purposes, which we request at enrolment. We will periodically update this image as the child progresses through the school, using school photographs when available.
Annual School Photograph Images
Woodleigh may use the individual and group annual school photographs for the following purposes:
- For sale to parents/guardians (parents are under no obligation to purchase)
- For school identification purposes, stored on school databases
- To print on school ID cards.
We notify families that photographs are being taken, and parents can opt-out of having their child participate. To opt-out, parents must contact the relevant Campus Reception before photo day to advise that their child will not participate.
General Usage Images
An annual Standard Collection Notice outlines the images we use, including images of students or student’s work as they engage in their learning, activities, camps, excursions, and other events the school offers.
Examples include the following image use:
- In learning and teaching tools and activities (e.g. for assessment, professional development, classroom displays, noticeboards, learning activities)
- In print newsletters and magazines produced by Woodleigh
- On Internal ICT systems and school sites, learning and teaching sites and websites (including SEQTA and Seesaw)
- In supporting the learning needs, wellbeing, and health of a student (i.e. PE skill development)
- For other purposes where the usage is restricted to the school community
- For class, Homestead, and Team photographs: e.g. annual class photograph, sports team or another team photograph.
Where possible, older students are asked by staff for their permission (this may occur informally) to use the image/s.
Parents can opt out of general usage by responding to the annual Standard Collection Notice. Parents can inform the relevant Head of Campus in writing if they wish to change their consent during the year.
Web-Based Publicly Accessible Images
Annual consent will be sought for the school to use images in online, publicly accessible locations such as the Woodleigh Messenger and Website and the school’s social media accounts, including Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Vimeo.
Parents can opt-in by responding to the annual communication. Parents can inform the relevant Head of Campus in writing if they wish to change their consent during the year.
Images used in External Media
Annual consent will be sought for the school to use images in external media such as newspapers and other third-party publications for the purpose of promotion and communication of school activities and programs.
Parents can opt-in by responding to the annual communication. Parents can inform the relevant Head of Campus in writing if they wish to change their consent during the year.
Images used in Advertising
Individual consent will be sought for the use of images for advertising purposes. The school will provide information regarding the image’s intended use in the consent documentation.
Images Taken by Others at School Performances, Sporting Events, and Other Community Events
When possible, Woodleigh permits parents/carers, students and invited guests to photograph, film or record school performances, sporting events and other community activities. (Note: this is not possible for copyrighted performances).
However, the school asks that families, students and guests who photograph, film or record activities do so for personal use and do not publish the images, including on social media, without the prior consent of the persons whose children also appear in the images.
Please note: The school does not own or control any images of students taken by parents/carers, students, or their guests at school events.
Please note:
On occasions where we record or capture whole school or large group events (Assemblies, Productions, Concerts, Sporting events), we will do our best to exclude children whose parents have chosen to opt-out. However, at large-scale events, this may not always be possible.
At the end of last year during broadening horizons week, myself, Tia, Phoebe, Mahayliah, Beth, Cody, Noah and Imogen along with Ms De Jong and Ms Cooper, camped in the backyard of Middle Kinglake Primary School.
In 2009 Kinglake was destroyed in the tragic Black Saturday fires. There were over 100 deaths, and many homes were lost. For 13 years, Ms Cooper and Ms De Jong have taken a group of around 10 students to Middle Kinglake Primary school to help in the classroom and participate in fun activities. This partnership between Woodleigh and Middle Kinglake Primary School began shortly after this tragedy. Each year, a group of students travels to Kinglake where the big kids - us - help out with the little kids and their teachers in the classrooms.
I chose this camp as teaching was something I have considered as a career pathway. It was so much fun developing little connections with the kids individually. It was so rewarding learning all their names and hearing them say my name once they got to know me. Towards the end of the week, some of the girls were drawing pictures of us and writing thank you letters to us.
KATE SMITH
Year 12
My experience with middle Kinglake primary school was amazing. I really enjoyed creating bonds with the students. During the week we cooked, played games and helped in the classroom. This camp has put me out of my comfort zone and made me grow as a person. I really enjoyed the time we had at the end of the school day. It was nice being able to explore Kinglake and relax. I would highly recommend this camp if you are considering a career in teaching as it gives you an insight into the day-to-day life of being a primary school teacher and all the hard work behind it.
TIA BARNETT
Year 12
This camp was an incredible experience for me because it gave me the chance to go out into the wider community and experience what it was like to be a teacher for a week.
My favourite activity to do with the kids was cooking, even though they made a huge mess, especially the preps!
The most rewarding parts of the day were seeing the kids arrive in the morning, greeting us with huge smiles and saying goodbye to them at the end of the day when they would wave at us from across the car park.
As well as making connections with the kids at the primary school, I got to form deeper connections with my peers that came on the camp as well. We spent afternoons walking around Healesville and Kinglake and eating dinner while sharing our favourite stories of the kids from that day.
One thing that I will never forget about this camp was the last day because our classes gave us so many hugs and begged us to come back again this year.
PHOEBE AZZOPARDI
Year 11
If you think this camp may interest you or your friends you can talk to any of us in Senior Homestead or Ms Cooper in Homestead 6. Again, it is an amazing opportunity and it is a really rewarding and fun week away.
KATE, TIA and PHOEBE
The Woodleigh HPV (Human Powered Vehicle) Team is stepping up a gear this year after three years of very little racing. We are looking for new team members, so if you love to ride a bike, want to improve your fitness, or be part of an awesome team, then HPV could be for you!
Everyone is welcome from Years 7 to 12. Our first race is on March 18, so if you are interested, see me, Ms Lockyer, or send me an email hlockyer@woodleigh.vic.edu.au to let me know you're keen, and I will send you some more details.
Heidi Lockyer – HPV Coordinator
You’ve heard of Valentine’s Day – but have you heard of Library Lovers Day?
At Woodleigh, we love libraries so much, we made it into Library Lovers Week!
Students were invited to:
· Go on a Blind Date with a Book.
· Make bookmarks and badges.
· Guess the number of Conversation Hearts in a jar.
· Tell us what they love!
The 'Guess the Lollies' competition was won by Beth, Grace, and Paige. Congratulations!
MRS FARQUHARSON, MS BURNELL, MS NUSPAHIC
Senior Campus Library
The Conveyance Allowance only applies to students attending Senior Campus and students attending Penbank Campus. These families are eligible to receive help with the cost of transporting their children to their nearest school or campus. The allowance is a contribution towards transport costs, and is not intended to cover the full cost. It is available to students travelling by public transport, private car or 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 were deemed ineligible.
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 stating 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 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) and be submitted to the School no later than Friday 3 March. 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 2023.
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 Woodleigh Campus
The Department of Education and Training’s main criteria for student eligibility is:
- The School attended is the nearest appropriate school (or attach supporting letter, as above)
- The student resides more than 4.8 km 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 proof 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.
Lodgment of Applications
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 installments. Completed applications need to be received by Friday 3 March, 2023 to be included in the Term 1 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 will be fully refunded.
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.
ROBYN KENT
Bus Co-ordinator
Join Professor Lea Waters, leader in the field of positive psychology, for our Term 1 PEP Talk on the evening of Wednesday 1 March in the Senior Campus Hall from 7pm.
Prof Waters will introduce you to the strength-based approach that informs the teaching and learning at Woodleigh School, and highlight the research underpinning this approach, including:
- higher levels of resilience and well-being;
- more effective stress-appraisal processes
- and higher likelihood of growing through adversity.
The strength-based approach has been shown to help adults be happier at work, children be happier at school and parents be happier at home.
It's FUNORAMA time! Festivale Du Minimbah, Minimbah's County Fair will be full of wonders and fun for all, thrilling attractions and activities!
Games, challenges and stalls will provide the fun, delicious food and drinks will keep tummies happy, and heaps of live music, including the return of our fabulous class performances, will keep everyone entertained!
This PFG-sanctioned event will occur on our Minimbah Oval after school on Friday 3 March.
Your ticket purchase will award you with MINIMBUCKS! To be used on the attractions and activities!
Purchase your family ticket or single today!
Get your Fair tickets here