Our School Values:

Respect    Honesty    Teamwork    Confidence    Excellence    Endeavour

Nhill College would like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the Wimmera Mallee area: the Wotjobaluk, Jaadwa, Jadawadjali, Wergaia and Jupagalk people, and pay our respects to Elders past, present and future. 

The first week back after the holidays has proved to be a very busy one indeed.  The Years 3-12 House Athletics was held in perfect conditions on Tuesday.  This proved to be a fantastic day for all students, parents and staff in attendance.  Thanks to Mr Mason, Mr Dahlenburg, Mrs Brown and Mr Hedt for their efforts on the day and over the holidays in ensuring that everything was prepared and ready to go for this event. 

Following the Aths, we held our Parent Teacher Interviews on Wednesday.  Thank you to all of those parents who made the most of this opportunity to come in and speak with staff about the progress of their children.

Over the holidays, more works were completed to continue the gradual development of our school grounds.  New equipment was installed in the Primary Undercover Playground, which has made quite the impression on the junior students already.  Unfortunately, the equipment is not quite ready to be used just yet, but we hope to make it available for students to use very soon.  We also installed another garden bed to the north of the Wimmera Building.  Talks are already underway with the Dimboola Nursery to fill this and another recently developed garden bed with native plants in coming weeks.  Our secondary sports court is also coming along nicely, with multi-purpose basketball and netball rings installed on the new surface.  We are now waiting for this court to be covered and lined before it can be opened up for student use.

And, finally, two new members of staff started with us this week.  Mrs Julienne Welsh is a very experienced Indonesian teacher who will be with us for the next five weeks while Mrs Kube is on leave.  And Dah Lay Htoo Shwe has joined us as a Multicultural Education Aid who will be replacing Mu Si when she goes on Family Leave.

Looking forward to next week, it would appear that the hectic schedule is set to continue.  Next Tuesday sees Nhill College host the Little Desert Athletics carnival.  This is another busy day that sees us welcome students from a number of schools from across the region.  And next Thursday is Anzac Day, a special day on the calendar that all Nhill College students are invited to help commemorate during the community service.  Please see below for more details.

Regular attendance at school is extremely important for the academic and emotional growth and development of all students.  In an effort to highlight the importance of attendance, we have introduced a new Attendance Award to be presented at each of the primary and secondary Assemblies each Monday.  The names of all students who attended every day of the previous week of school will be entered into a draw from which one lucky student's name will be selected for a $5 canteen voucher.  Vouchers were presented on Monday to the following students for their attendance in the first week of Term 2: Hugo D and Asher

This week in Ag, students prepared stone footpaths around their garden beds in preparation for winter months. Gardening projects continued and a new chook feeder installed to minimize food loss to the numerous competing corellas.

In 2023, Bailee, Katani, Lah Si, Violet, Liz and Amaya began creating an Indigenous Native Garden. This involved clearing out an old garden area, researching native flora, planting and maintaining plants. The students also created their own Indigenous artwork under the guidance of local Elder, Uncle Ron Marks. This artwork was mounted this week, and looks fantastic as a backdrop to the growing plants. Well done to all students. 

If you are interested in applying for a work experience placement within the Parliament of Victoria, applications are now open.  If you are interested in finding out more please click on the link to commence your expression of interest and see where that takes you.  Our Year 11 Work Experience dates are from the 15 - 19 July and Year 10 is from 16 - 20 September - or you could apply for holiday dates if they are available.

Students can choose between two programs, Sitting and Services, and placements are open to students in Victorian schools who are residents of Victoria, and are 15 years or over at the time of the placement.  We endeavour to choose students from a mixture of government, independent, and Catholic schools, from metropolitan and regional areas, and of all gender identities.  

Parliamentary Sitting placements provide the opportunity to see the law-making process up close. Students will go behind the scenes with the staff who directly support Parliament sittings, to get a deeper understanding of our democratic processes.

Parliamentary Services placements offer a variety of opportunities that can be matched with a broad range of student interests and career goals, including business operations, facilities management and maintenance, broadcast (Hansard), and hospitality (kitchen).

For Expressions of Interest please click here:

https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/teach-and-learn/work-experience/

Hi There! We're excited to capture new memories for Nhill College on your upcoming photo date(s): Nhill College: Monday, 20 May 2024 Your 2024 school photos are now ready to order through the Compass Portal. To place your order, make sure you have your login details handy! If you're unsure of your login details, please contact the school for assistance. Click here to get started! Once you've logged in, you'll need to follow a few easy steps! Click here for our simple, online ordering guide. Once you have placed your Individual Photo order you can place your Sibling photo order, these MUST be ordered before midnight prior to photo day. Please remind your child that they are having their photos taken. If they are having a sibling photo, all siblings will need to be ready for their photo at the allocated time set by the school. If you have any questions regarding the photography service or packages available for purchase, please contact our friendly team on 08 8724 8411 or by email frank.monger@msp.com.au

The Department of Education has sent through an updated reminder to families about COVID-19, specifically outlining the changes to the availability of RAT kits.  Nhill College does still have a small supply of RAT kits available at the office should families need to test at home.  Further supplies have been ordered, and we will endeavour to make these available to all families once they arrive.  Parents are reminded of the need to inform the school should their child(ren) return a positive COVID-19 test result.  The amended Department COVID-19 reminder is listed below:   

There is at present an increase in community transmission of COVID-19 in Victoria.  You can help us keep our school as safe as possible by taking 2 important steps:

1. Ensure your COVID-19 vaccinations are up to date. Information on how and where to get vaccinated is available on the Get vaccinated webpage.
2. If your child shows symptoms of COVID-19, please ensure they stay home and get tested. The easiest way to test is to use a rapid antigen test (RAT).

You can buy RATs at supermarkets, pharmacies and other retailers.

If your child has symptoms but tests negative, please ensure they stay home until they no longer have symptoms.

If the RAT test result is positive, please ensure they stay home for at least 5 days and until there are no more symptoms.  It is also important to notify the school of this positive test result so that the correct absence coding can be recorded on the system.

Thank you for your support – these steps will help us all stay well.

A reminder that the Department of Education has in place a mobile phone ban that requires students who bring mobiles phones to school to have them switched off and securely put away during school hours.

The department is requiring all schools to ensure this ban is in place and enforced from the start of the 2024 school year.

The ban applies equally to all government schools right across the state.

This helps ensure that school is a learning environment free from unnecessary distractions and disruptions.

By ensuring mobile phones are kept away at recess and lunch times, students can interact with each other face-to-face, without the distractions and social pressures that mobile phones can cause.

I ask for the support of all our families, staff and students in continuing to support the implementation of this policy in our school.

Further information

Exceptions:  For a small number of students with particular health needs, an exception to the policy may be granted. Please contact Mr Zimmermann if you would like to discuss this.

Emergencies:  In the event of an emergency or if you need to immediately contact your child, I ask that families contact the school office who will pass on a message as required.

School mobile phone policy:  A copy of our school’s local mobile phone policy, which implements the government’s mobile policy in line with our local context, is available from the Nhill College website.

Parent support:  The Mobile Phones in Schools webpage provides links to resources for families to help them balance their children’s time using mobile phones.

If you have further questions, please contact the administration office. 

This year Nhill College will continue to support students in their future pathway explorations by including a week of Work Experience in our Year 10 and 11 school calendars.

Year 10 students will participate in work experience the final week of Term 3, being the 16th to 20th September.  I will be chatting with our Year 10 students about this in more detail next week but please make note of these dates in your calendars.

Our Year 11 students will be participating in their work experience the first week of Term 3, being the 15th to 19th July.  They will also have the opportunity to attend our Year 11 Work Experience Melbourne Trip, which departs Nhill the day earlier, running from Sunday 14th to Friday 19th July.  This trip is a wonderful opportunity for students to experience living and working in a large capital city while under the supervision and guidance of Nhill College staff to support them.  They will attend their work experience placements during the day and then enjoy exploring the city as a group through different activities and experiences in the evenings.  Students attending this trip develop a huge amount of independence, self-confidence and problem-solving skills as they learn to navigate their way around Melbourne and meet many different people.

If you would like more information, please contact Mrs Sampson at school at any time.

Victoria’s mosquito season started this month and will extend to late April 2024.

Warm and wet weather can result in greater numbers of mosquitoes and increased risk of illnesses from mosquito bites. While the overall risk is low, some mosquitoes carry diseases that make people sick.

The best protection against mosquito-borne illness is to avoid mosquito bites.

Families can protect against mosquito bites by: 

·         covering up as much as possible with long, loose-fitting, light-coloured clothing  

·         applying insect repellent that contains picaridin or DEET on exposed skin when leaving home 

·         limiting outdoor activity if lots of mosquitoes are active.

To reduce the risk of illness linked to mosquitos, such as Buruli ulcer, promptly wash any new scratches or cuts with soap and clean water and apply a topical antiseptic and dressing.  

Families with any health concerns should see their doctor or phone NURSE-ON-CALL: 1300 606 024 (available 24 hours). Free Japanese encephalitis vaccines

Japanese encephalitis virus is spread to humans through bites from infected mosquitoes and can cause a rare but potentially serious infection of the brain.

Free Japanese encephalitis vaccines are available to protect Victorians at higher risk of the virus. 

The Victorian Department of Health encourages eligible people who live or work in high-risk local government areas to get vaccinated ahead of summer, which brings an increased mosquito presence.

For more information, including what is considered a high risk area and eligibility for a free vaccine, refer to the Department of Health’s Japanese encephalitis webpage.

Find out more

For more information on protecting against mosquito-borne diseases, families can refer to the following Better Health Channel pages:

·         Mosquitoes can carry diseases

·         Protect yourself from mosquito-borne disease, including a handy checklist to help reduce mosquito breeding sites at home and resources translated into other languages

·         Japanese encephalitis

·         Buruli ulcer.

Parents, carers, schools, and community all play an important role in protecting children and young people from, and educating them about, the harmful effects smoking and vaping.

Research from the Royal Children’s Hospital shows many parents and carers are not aware of the harmful effects or how their views about smoking and vaping can impact the likelihood of a young person taking up smoking or vaping.

The Department of Education has developed resources to help you learn more about the health risks of smoking and vaping, and some suggestions about how to talk to children and young people about vaping, and where to get support. To access the resources, go to https://www.vic.gov.au/smoking-and-vaping-advice-parents

You can also view this video on smoking and vaping from experts at the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne for health advice and tips for starting a conversation with young people.

The Australian Government has established the School Student Broadband Initiative to provide free home internet for one year for up to 30,000 eligible families with school-aged students.

The initiative aims to boost education opportunities. NBN Co is leading the rollout of this initiative across the country.

How the School Student Broadband Initiative can help your child

Children who can access online learning at home as part of their education are more likely to engage in classroom activities.

Access to fast internet at home can also support children to build their digital skills, learn how to safely use the internet and take part in a world that is more reliant on digital technology.

Eligibility

To be eligible, families must:

• have a child living at home enrolled in an Australian school in 2023
• not have an active National Broadband Network internet service at their home (having a mobile internet service does not affect eligibility)
• live in a premises that can access the National Broadband Network through a standard connection.  NBN Co will check this for you after you apply
• register interest with your school and complete a consent form to be assessed for eligibility.

How the School Student Broadband Initiative works

If you are eligible, your home internet service will be provided at no cost for one year with a participating internet provider over the National Broadband Network. Each internet provider has its own step-by-step process to get you connected, which may involve you providing identification.

Once you sign up, the internet provider will help you set up your connection. The initiative does not include devices such as a computer or tablet. Other members of your household can use the internet service provided through this initiative.

The one-year period will start from the day your service is activated with your chosen provider. At the end of the one-year period, you will not be placed onto a paid service by your internet provider without your consent. The Australian Government is considering options beyond the one-year free period.

How to apply

• Ask your school for a copy of the School Student Broadband Initiative consent form.
• Complete the consent form and return to the school.
• NBN Co will use student address details on the consent form to confirm eligibility.
• If you are eligible, NBN Co will issue a voucher for your family to use to sign up with a participating internet provider.  This will be provided to you by your school.

Please note: NBN Co will review the home address for eligibility. No personal information other than your main home address will be shared with NBN Co. Please see the consent form for details about how personal information will be used.

Find out more

For more information about the School Student Broadband Initiative, visit https://www.infrastructure.gov.au

With the recent updates to our school website, parents are now able to submit Bus Notes in two ways:

• via Compass under the Star (School Favourites) icon - Bus Notes
• via the Nhill College website (https://www.nhillcollege.vic.edu.au/), under Parent Info - Bus Notes

Both options will direct parents to an online template that will inform the school of any changes to regular bus travel arrangements.  Please ensure that any Bus requests are submitted before 3.00pm.

Computers are being used more frequently in many aspects of our teaching and learning programs, and Nhill College strives to make a 1:1 provision of devices available for student use in the classroom.  However, students using school-owned laptops are not permitted to take them home at night and these devices must be returned to the relevant charging station at the end of each day.  Students wishing to access devices at home to support their learning are encouraged to explore the range of devices available through Edunet as part of our BYOD program.  In addition to gaining access to your own device at discounted prices, purchases through Edunet provide students with school based IT support and manufacturer's warranty, as well as access to the College's network, servers and printers.  Families purchasing a BYOD will also be provided with access to the Department of Education's Microsoft 365 suite, which gives free access to Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc on up to 5 family devices.

To assist those families interested in exploring BYOD options, we have new and updated models for our BYOD program through Edunet.  Please open the link below for details about the devices.  Mr Shrive is happy to take questions from parents or students if they are looking at purchasing a BYOD.  Devices specifically chosen for Nhill College students cover a range of specifications and price levels, and include the following options:

• Lenovo 500w Gen 4
• Lenovo 13w Yoga Gen 2 (AMD Ryzen 5)
• Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Yoga Gen 4
• Apple MacBook Air 13.6"
• Apple MacBook Pro 13.3"

All devices are listed at education prices, which can be viewed along with each device's specifications at Edunet's online ordering portal via http://nhillcollege.technologyportal.com.au . 

Please see the attached flyer for further details - including cut off dates for orders to be delivered prior to Christmas.