Issue 2 06 Mar 2026

Welcome to the College’s second newsletter for the 2026 school year!

We are now over halfway through the term, and I would like to congratulate our students on such a positive and successful start to the year. Transitioning into a new school year can be daunting. Students must navigate new subjects, different teachers, increased responsibilities, and greater independence.

Regardless of the year level and whether moving from Year 6 to Year 7 or from Year 10 into Years 11 and 12, these transitions bring unfamiliar routines and expectations. While this change is often exciting, it also presents unique challenges as students adjust to new academic demands, social dynamics, and personal growth.

It has been wonderful to see the resilience, adaptability, and maturity our students have demonstrated as they embrace these opportunities.

Buses

I would like to acknowledge the challenges many of our students and families have faced in navigating bus travel to and from school. While we have seen some improvements in recent weeks, we recognise that there is still work to be done.

We will continue our discussions with the bus companies to advocate for further improvements. Our ultimate goal is for every student and parent to have confidence that there will be a place on the bus each day and that students will travel to and from school safely and reliably.

Uniform Concerns

Earlier this term, I became aware of misinformation being shared regarding the NGSC PE track pants and shorts. I would like to thank the parents who brought their concerns forward. As a College, we are always striving to improve, and we genuinely value feedback when something appears unclear or inconsistent.

While we are unsure where the breakdown in communication occurred, the uniform shop has acknowledged that they were aware of the College’s request and have been extremely supportive in rectifying the issues that arose from this misunderstanding.

Last year, the College decided to remove the logo and keep the ribbed detailing on the PE track pants and shorts. This decision was communicated to the uniform supplier and complies with departmental guidelines. In making this decision, the College carefully considered the potential implications of allowing plain black track pants and shorts.

Dot point three of our College Uniform Policy states that we aim to “reduce student competition based on clothing.” Based on previous experience, allowing “plain black shorts” as the only requirement often results in significant variation from inexpensive generic shorts to high-end branded labels, including varying lengths and styles, such as three-quarter pants or bike shorts. Unfortunately, this can lead to visible differences in what students wear.

While a “plain” approach may work effectively in a primary school setting, adolescence can be a time when peer perception, whether accurate or not, strongly influences decision-making. We were concerned that allowing plain black shorts may unintentionally increase pressure on families to purchase more fashionable and expensive items, potentially creating a divide between the “haves” and “have-nots.”

The College also supports families experiencing financial hardship by providing uniforms when needed. In a non-standardised model, this may inadvertently draw attention to students wearing lower-cost alternatives, which could cause unnecessary embarrassment or anxiety.

In hindsight, we acknowledge that we should have better communicated the rationale for this decision more clearly at the beginning of the year. Please be assured that this decision was made with the best interests of all students at heart. Our priority is to minimise anxiety related to appearance and ensure students can focus on their learning.

We welcome respectful feedback from parents and guardians. While there may be times when decisions must be made in the broader interest of the College community, we remain open to constructive dialogue and thoughtful consideration. If you would like to discuss this matter further, please feel free to contact me one of the Assistant Principals at the College.

International Women’s Day Celebration, 8th of March

The 2026 theme is “Give to Gain,” and it aims to generate gender equality through abundant giving. The campaign is designed to generate a mindset of generosity and collaboration.

Give To Gain emphasises the power of reciprocity and collective support. When individuals, organisations, and communities give generously and intentionally, opportunities for women expand. Giving is not a subtraction it is an intentional multiplication. When women thrive, we all rise.

Whether through donations, shared knowledge, resources, infrastructure, visibility, advocacy, education, training, mentoring, or simply time, contributing to the advancement of women strengthens not only individuals but entire communities. It fosters connection, builds capacity, and creates a more equitable and interconnected world for everyone.

According to data from the World Economic Forum, achieving full gender parity will take until 2158—roughly five generations from now.

Accelerating progress toward gender equality is a responsibility shared by all genders. It is crucial that gender bias does not influence decisions, ensuring fairness and equal opportunities for everyone.

Men are vital in bridging the gender gap and must actively contribute to creating a more inclusive and equitable society.

Parent Teacher Conferences

We encourage all families and students to attend the parent-teacher conferences on Wednesday, April 1st, to discuss student progress. This is a valuable opportunity to connect with staff, review achievements, and set goals for the remainder of the year.

These conferences provide a meaningful chance for parents to meet their children’s teachers and explore strategies for supporting their academic growth.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your child’s progress, please contact their teacher or a member of the Student Management Team.

Progress Reports

The Assistant Principal has shared important information about the Progress Reports. We encourage all parents and guardians to review these reports with their children, as they offer a valuable opportunity to celebrate achievements, learning, and growth.

Progress Reports also help identify areas for improvement and allow for meaningful discussions on strategies to enhance learning. Regular feedback like this is essential in supporting students continued academic development.

School Council Elections

School councils play a key role in Victorian government schools. Effective councils have a wide range of skills, expertise, and knowledge to support good governance and provide students the best possible educational outcomes.

The annual school council election process provides an opportunity to attract members keen to add value and bring their expertise and skills to assist the school's governance.

All government schools with students enrolled in Year 7 and above must have a student member category on council. The school election process for the student member category must co-occur with Parent and DET employee member elections.

Where a council has Community member positions, the council can co-opt members following the election process and add to the council’s skills and expertise.

School council membership

Each school council’s constituting order makes provision for its structure and membership:

• Parent members – parents of students at the school must comprise more than one-third of the school council’s total membership. ‘Parent’ includes a guardian or person responsible for maintenance or custody of a student at the school. Department employees are eligible for membership in this category as long as they have children attending the school and the Department employees do not work at the school (except for the principal, who is a member of the Department employee member category) of that school council.

• Department employee members – must not be more than one-third of the school council’s total membership. The principal is automatically included in this membership category and has full voting rights. Other staff (teaching and non-teaching) are elected or co-opted to this category. To be eligible for election to this category, a person must be a member of the school's Department of Education and Training (DET) employee electorate.

• Student members– ‘student’ describes a student enrolled at and attends the school and is in Year 7 or above. Students are elected to this membership category or co-opted if a casual vacancy occurs. To be eligible for election, a student must be a member of the school's student body. The number of student members is recorded in the Ministerial Order for the school council.

• Community members– is an optional membership category. The council’s membership schedule may include this category. If a council has the option of community members, the committee decides who to approach and co-opt into this position. People are co-opted by the school council to a community member position to bring additional skills and perspectives. Community members hold the same rights, responsibilities, and terms of office as elected members. Parents are eligible to be co-opted to a community member position, but Department employees are not. Students may also be co-opted to a community member position.

The North Geelong SC, school council composition includes:

(9 x parents, 1 x community member, 2 x students and 5 x DET employees including the Principal - voting members)

• 9 x parents (no DE&T employees)
• 1 x community member
• 1 x co-opted member
• 5 x DE&T employees – teaching and non-teaching staff, including the Principal
• 2 x elected students

Total number of voting members 17.

The College Principal is the Executive Officer of the school council.

This year we have:

• 4 x parent members vacancies for a 2-year appointment (2026 and 2027)
• 3 x DE employee member vacancies for a 2-year appointment (2026 and 2027)
• 1 student member vacancy for a 2-year appointment (2026 and 2027).

I call for parent nominations for three vacancies. Any parent or community member that would like to discuss the role of the Council or the role of the parent member on the council please call the school and speak to Ms Leanne Scarlett or the Principal.

Nomination forms can be obtained from Ms Leanne Scarlett at the General Office. The closing day for nominations is Tuesday 10th of March by 4.00pm.

I take this opportunity to thank all school council members, particularly the parent body, for their outstanding contributions to the life of the college.

School Zone Speed Limits

With the new school year started, it is an opportune time for school communities to be reminded of the importance of road safety around schools.

School Speed Zones are enforced from the commencement of the school year and parents/carers are reminded to adhere to all VicRoads School Speed Zones rules.

Also, parents/guardians are reminded to take care and obey these parking signs and observe the road rules when picking up or dropping off students around schools. The City of Greater Geelong Parking and Information Officers monitor all supervised school crossings on a regular roster and issue infringements to drivers who stop in unsafe areas, such as “No Stopping” zones, within 20 metres of a school crossing, parallel to a yellow edge line, or if double parked, even for a moment to drop off or collect a student.

Queuing to enter a pickup/drop off zone can often lead to traffic congestion with vehicles being stationary in prohibited areas. Should the pickup/drop off zone be occupied with vehicles, to avoid the possibility of receiving an infringement it is advised to drive around the block and return when legal parking is available.

Statistics show that illegal parking around schools is greatly reduced due to an Officer’s presence and Council prefers to achieve these results though education and awareness.

Designated school speed zones: Specified times (8.00 - 9.30 am and 2.30 - 4.00 pm).

Further information in regard to VicRoads speed limits around schools can be found at: VicRoads School Speed Zones

Also, please note that the school car park is out of bounds for all parents/guardians. The car park is only for staff. It is imperative that parents DO NOT enter the carpark during pick up/drop off as they are placing students and staff at grave risk.

I wish to thank all parents/guardians who always adhere to all traffic rules re: school zones and also the school carpark rules. The safety of all children, staff and parents is paramount.