Principal: Mark Zimmermann
President: Karen Shurdington Vice President: Sarah White
Parent Reps: Nathan Albrecht, Lynnelle Jefferies,
Student Reps: James Ruse, Bailee White
DET Reps: Kim Magrath, Lauren McCartney, Loretta Simmonds
The School Wide Positive Behaviour Support program is designed to bring together school communities to develop positive, safe and supportive learning cultures by helping to foster an environment that assists schools to improve social, emotional, behavioural and academic outcomes for children. As part of the SWPBS program, a rewards system has been developed to encourage students to always:
The final meeting of the current school council will be held on Tuesday 18th February. A number of our existing council members will be ending their two-year terms following this meeting, so we are calling for nominations from parents, students and staff to create a new school council for this year. I would like to acknowledge and thank parent representative, Nathan Albrecht, for the time he has committed to our school council over the past two years. Thanks also to staff representative Loretta Simmonds and student representative, James Ruse, who will also be ending their terms on school council after Tuesday night's meeting.
School council meets on the second Tuesday of most months throughout the school year and plays an important part in the governance of our school. The recent refurbishment of the primary undercover playground and the secondary basketball court are the direct result of the work of school council and an example of the positive impact school council members can have on our school community. Please feel free to contact the school - or any one of the existing school council members listed at the very top of this newsletter - if you would like to know more about a possible role on school council. This year we have five vacant parent positions that need to be filled, two staff vacancies and one student vacancy.
Nominations for a position on school council are now open and self-nomination forms have been attached to this newsletter. Nominations close at 3.30pm on Wednesday 19th February.
Please see the relevant attachments below for nomination forms and information regarding the role of school council, or feel free to contact Mark Zimmermann or Kim Magrath at the school for further details.
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School Council: Parent self-nomination form |
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School Council: Student self-nomination form |
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School Council: Staff self-nomination form |
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School Council: Information for Parents |
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School Council: Information for Students |
School preparations for the bushfire season
Each year, we undertake a range of activities to ensure the safety of our school and to prepare for bushfires and grassfires.
An important part of this process is communicating to parents what will happen when certain fire danger ratings are issued to help ensure the safety of students and staff.
Our school has been identified as being at risk of bushfire or grassfire and is a Category 4 school.
Our school will close on a day forecasted as Catastrophic fire danger rating in the Wimmera fire district.
Closure of the school due to a Catastrophic fire danger rating will be enacted when the Bureau of Meteorology forecast and related public safety messaging are confirmed. Due to uncertainties in the forecast, the timing of this confirmation may vary. Information regarding potential or confirmed Catastrophic fire danger days will be communicated to you by Compass.
It is also important to be aware that:
As part of preparing our school for the fire season, we have updated and completed our Emergency Management Plan and cleared our facility’s grounds and gutters.
What can families and the school community do to help us prepare?
Families are encouraged to action their Bushfire Survival Plan on Catastrophic fire danger rating days in their district. The safest option is to leave the night before or early on the morning of the Catastrophic day. On such days, children should never be left at home alone or in the care of older children.
You can find more information on emergencies, warnings and preparedness actions here:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the department’s policy?
The Department of Education annually assesses the fire risk of all schools and early childhood services with the support of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). They are allocated a category of risk (categories 0 to 6). Schools and services that are Categories 0-3 are published on the Bushfire At-Risk Register (BARR). Schools at some risk of bushfire and grassfire are published on the Category 4 List.
The department’s Bushfire and Grassfire Preparedness Policy requires all schools and early childhood services on the BARR and the Category 4 List to close when a Catastrophic fire danger rating day is forecast in their fire weather district. All school bus routes which travel in or through a district with Catastrophic fire danger must also be cancelled.
The policy also requires that schools at the highest risk of bushfire (those in Categories 0, 1 and 2 of the Bushfire At-Risk Register) enact pre-emptive action plans based on the fire danger forecast for their Local Government Area (LGA).
Who issues fire danger forecasts?
The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) provides public fire danger rating forecasts each day of the fire danger period using fire weather district areas. In Victoria, there are 9 fire weather districts, which are based on Local Government Area boundaries.
The department uses these forecasts when supporting schools to enact their pre-emptive bushfire actions plans.
The School Student Broadband Initiative is an Australian Government program that offers free home internet until the end of 2025 for up to 30,000 families and carers who look after school age children and do not have an active nbn connection.
To qualify for the School Student Broadband Initiative, families and carers must:
There are two potential ways to join the School Student Broadband Initiative:
The Nhill College SWPBS reward system, ROARWARDS, has continued this term, with numerous students earning rewards daily. Students receive ROARWARDS by demonstrating our core values: Being Respectful, Being a Learner, and Being Safe.
During the Secondary assembly on Monday, all students from Year 7 to Year 12 who received ROARWARDS in the first couple of weeks of Term 1 were entered into a lucky draw to win a prize. Winners were selected using an electronic spinning wheel, adding excitement to the celebration of positive behaviour.
Congratulations to Elizabeth and Nevaeh.
We encourage all students to keep demonstrating these positive behaviours throughout the term. We’re excited to see who will be recognized in both the primary and secondary sections in the upcoming weeks!
Each week, students in the primary section focus on learning and practicing a new value, both in the classroom and out in the yard. These values are designed to:
These values align with our School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) expectations of Being Respectful, Being a Learner, and Being Safe.
Through these weekly values, we aim to nurture well-rounded individuals who contribute positively to our school environment.
Last week, the value was Respect - Respect is all about your attitude towards the people and things around you. It is being kind and polite in all your interactions as well as to yourself. Self-respect is just as important as the respect you give to others.
The weekly winners were -
F/1 - George, 2/3 - Ruby, 4/5 - Logan Mc
Congratulations to everyone.
West Wimmera Health Service’s after school care program will commence Term 1 2025.
After school care will operate on Mondays and Wednesdays, after school until 5:15pm at the new Outside School Hours Care building at 35 Queen Street, Nhill.
The school bus service transports children from Nhill schools to after school care.
Fruit and light snacks are provided.
To enrol your children in after school care, please complete the online enrolment form found at https://www.wwhs.net.au/oshc and select the after school care days you would like to book.
The daily fee for after school care is $36. Child Care Subsidy is available for eligible families.
If you have any queries, please email: oshc@wwhs.net.au
Research shows that the academic and social development of students is affected each day they are absent, and that going to school every day is the single most important part of your child's education. Following the potential disruptions to the social and academic progress of students caused due to COVID-19, it is more important than ever for children to be at school.
If your child is unwell or absolutely cannot attend school for some reason, it is important to let the school know of their absence and the reason why prior to the day if planned or at the start of the day if the absence is not planned. The easiest way to do this is via Compass. Alternatively, you can contact the office at school on 5391 2111.
If your child is absent and we have not been notified, you will receive a text message asking you to contact the school with an explanation. If we do not receive a reply to our text message, we will be following up with a phone call.
Students are reminded of the requirement for them to wear a broad brimmed hat in the yard during recess and lunch times on days when the UV rating reaches 3 or above. Nhill College parents are now able to use the school's website to find out when it is predicted that UV index levels will reach 3 or more, which generally occurs between mid-August and April. The Sunsmart App - which can also be downloaded onto your mobile devices - tells parents the maximum UV index levels predicted for the day as well as the hours when sunscreen measures are recommended. This link has been attached to the front page of our website (https://www.nhillcollege.vic.edu.au/), so please visit often and keep your children safe.
Now that we are entering into that time of year when UV levels are likely to reach 3 or above, it is an appropriate time to remind everyone to ensure that students have remembered to bring their broad brimmed hats to school. Very affordable options are available in the Uniform Store if required.
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Ad-Hoc Permission to travelDownload |
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Canteen Menu Term 1 2025 |
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February 2025 Wimmera Healthy Schools Newsletter |
Monday 17 February - Horsham
Wimmera Wellbeing Centre, 28 Urquhart Street, Horsham @ 7pm
Can’t Face School Information Evening with Richard Crawshaw
Does your child have regular negative feelings about attending school? Do you have negative conversations with your child about attending school? Does the school really understand your child's needs during this difficult time?
If any of the above sounds familiar please join Richard Crawshaw from 'Can't Face School' for a 'free' information session where you can receive some simple and effective resources to help your child.
This will be a relaxed information session, you are encouraged to consider any questions you may have relating to school avoidance / challenges you face / how you feel you can be supported for discussion on the night
RSVP is essential (along with any dietary requirements) - Supper will be provided.
Please email kate.janetzki@vt.uniting.org
Nhill College now has a Facebook page to help us promote school events and activities with the wider community. We will continue to use Compass, our web page and the weekly newsletter to keep families associated with the school up to date with all of the events and activities that occur in and around the school each week. However, our Facebook page has allowed us to broaden exposure to the school and reach a number of people who may not have otherwise had access to our formal communication channels. Our Facebook page will continue to be purely for promotion, publicity and to inform everyone of the upcoming events and happenings within the College. All notes, questions, concerns or communication to staff regarding students still need to be directed to the College via Compass or on (03) 5391 2111. To find our Facebook page, simply follow this link: https://www.facebook.com/nhillcollege/ or type Nhill College in the search function on Facebook. (Please be aware there is also an unofficial Nhill College facebook page that does not show the Nhill College logo).
Please like/follow the page and then you will be kept up-to-date with all of our posts.
If you are reading this, you obviously have access to the school newsletter. However, some families have asked how grandparents or community members can stay in touch with the school when they don't have access to Compass. The answer is that anyone can access the school's newsletter through the College website: www.nhillcollege.vic.edu.au. Please advise any family, friends or interested members of the wider community, that the newsletter is the main source of information from the school and that it is available to anyone who would like to read it. Spread the word!
| Compass Parent Fact Sheet and FAQsDownload |