ELTHAM College Family News 21 February 2025

Monday 10 March

LABOUR DAY Public Holiday

Wednesday 12 – 14 March

NAPLAN

Monday 17 March

Junior School Assembly 

Thursday 20 March

Regional Swimming @ Watermarc

Friday 21 March

Harmony Day

Monday 24 March

Junior School Assembly 

House Music Rehearsals 

House Music Performance 

Friday 28 March

Junior School House Cross Country & Picnic

Friday 4 April

Term 1 Concludes

Friday 18 April 

Good Friday 

Monday 21 April 

Easter Monday 

For a complete list of College activities take a look at the calendar on mE.

Events and dates may be subject to change.

Thursday 20 February – Monday 24 March 

House Music Rehearsals 7 – 12

Tuesday 25 February 

House Athletics

Thursday 27 February 

RYDA – Year 11 & 12 Rotary Young Drivers Awareness program

Year 9 – 12 College Musical Production Dance Auditions

Friday 28 February 

Open Day & Twilight Market

Thursday 6 March

Year 9 – 12 College Musical Production Read Through/Rehearsal

Year 5 – 12 Assembly

Friday 7 March

Year 12 Physics Excursion – Luna Park

Monday 10 March 

LABOUR DAY Public Holiday

Tuesday 11 March – Thursday 13 March

NAPLAN

Friday 14 March

Year 11 Geography Field Trip

Monday 17 March – Tuesday 18 March

NAPLAN make up

Tuesday 18 March 

Year 10 Morrisby Careers Testing 

Friday 21 March 

Year 7 Immunisation Session 2025

Tuesday 25 March 

Whole Year 9 Cohort in the City

Wednesday 26 March – Friday 28 March

Year 10 Retreat

Wednesday 26 March

ELTHAM In Action school tours

Thursday 27 March

Year 5 – 12 Assembly (House Music Announcement)

Thursday 3 April 

Year 12 Dinner #1 Social/Pizza Night

Friday 4 April 

Last Day of Term 1 

Friday 4 April – Sunday 6 April 

Year 9 –12 College Musical Production – Retreat Rehearsal

Tuesday 8 April – Thursday 17 April 

Overland Hike 

Friday 18 April

Good Friday 

Monday 21 April 

Easter Monday 

For a complete list of College activities take a look at the calendar on mE.

Events and dates may be subject to change.

The Year 7 Camp in Anglesea was an unforgettable experience, introducing new Year 7 students to the Outdoor Education program, which is tailored towards fostering the College values.

Students stepped out of their comfort zones, embracing curiosity and courage as they tackled activities such as catching waves while surfing, enduring an 8km hike while learning about Anglesea’s unique environment, taking on a bike ride featuring hills and jumps, and paddling through the inlet in canoes.

They embraced challenges with courage, supported one another as a team, and were reminded to show respect for both the environment and their peers as they navigated each activity.

A visit to the Surf Museum in Torquay sparked curiosity about Australia’s surfing history. Through perseverance and teamwork, students took ownership of their experiences, formed connections with their peers, and created lasting memories—setting the foundation for future Outdoor Education adventures.

Nathan Auld and Belinda Harding
Ross and Bell Mentors

Book your theme park tickets link below, pack your bathers, and come along to enjoy the rides, take part in fun competitions, and learn about the life-changing work Big Group Hug does to support children and families in need. Got pre-loved kids’ items like clothing, toys, or baby essentials? Bring them along and donate to make a real difference!

Big Group Hug is dedicated to supporting vulnerable children and families by providing essential items like cots, prams, clothing, nappies, toys, and more. Every year, they respond to thousands of requests, ensuring over 7,000 children have the basics they need to feel safe, warm, and cared for. They have a long history of partnering with ELTHAM College, and together, we can give pre-loved items a second life while offering vital support to families doing it tough.

Georgie Cortesao
Humanities Teacher

ELTHAM College at Open Day & Twilight Market!

If you know someone considering an ELTHAM education, this is a fantastic opportunity for them to explore our vibrant community, meet our passionate educators, and discover the unique opportunities we offer. Open Day is just one week away, on Friday 28 February, 4.00pm to 6.30pm. 

In true ELTHAM spirit, guests can design their own adventure:

• Meeting Principal, Richard Lisle, at his scheduled presentations
• Roaming the campus and visiting interactive classrooms
• Engaging in teacher and student-led activities

Following Open Day, the excitement continues with our Twilight Market, 5.00pm to 8.30pm. A family-friendly event open to all! Bring a picnic rug, relax on the lawn, and enjoy entertainment on the main stage.

 Here are a few selections running on the day:

• Blue Sky Pony Rides
• Jodie McGraths Animal Demonstrations and petting zoo 
• Giant games, roving entertainment, and kids' activities including Scouts and Cricket
• Food stalls, local market vendors Big Shot Van, Galaxy Taste, Island home, swipers
• Live music and performances to cap off a wonderful evening

 For more information visit our website below, and get a taste of the food stalls and local market vendors on offer.

The start of a new school year is always an exciting time, filled with fresh opportunities. Although we’ve only been back for a few weeks, it’s already been a busy and productive start to the term.

For our Year 6 students, the focus has been on building strong connections, establishing consistent, predictable routines, and understanding their academic strengths. Through team challenges and class discussions, our students have formed positive relationships while developing confidence and stability in their learning environment.

Beyond the classroom, students have been developing essential kitchen safety skills in Food Technology with Caitlin Gardiner and preparing wraps. Next week, they’ll continue building their confidence in the kitchen by making carrot cake.

In Science, Zoe Manallack has been teaching our students how to research different biomes and species adaptations in preparation for their upcoming Biology assessment. Their investigations have included hands-on experiences both in the lab and outdoors.

We look forward to an exciting year ahead, supported by our strong home-school partnership.

Laura Lasco
4-6 Team Leader

From a student perspective, it’s been a great start to the year at ELTHAM College. Both this week and last, our Year 7 students had the privilege of going away on camp together down at Anglesea to explore its beautiful maritime environment. Through bike riding, surfing, and other camp activities, it was a great chance for all the Year 7 students to bond and grow together as a group as they begin their journey here at ELTHAM.

Beyond that, on the other end of the College, the Year 12 cohort started off the year with the annual Year 12 formal. It was a fantastic opportunity for us all to get together and socialise as we head into our final year of school.

Meanwhile, across all year levels, students have been settling into their routines, reconnecting with friends, and embracing new challenges. From co-curricular activities to academic pursuits, there’s already a great sense of energy and enthusiasm on campus. With so many exciting events and opportunities ahead, it’s shaping up to be a memorable and rewarding year for everyone at ELTHAM College.

Joseph
College Vice-Captain

Our staff team displayed incredible teamwork and camaraderie, even with our Principal, Richard Lisle, taking the floor. However, the students' energy was unmatched, with athletic drives to the hoop and impressive three-pointers. In a closely contested game, the students narrowly secured the win.

On behalf of the Sports Leadership team, I would like to congratulate all who participated on the day and extend a massive thank you to everyone who came down to the Stadium, creating the energy that made the event so special.

Nick
Sport Captain 

The LifeWork Career Tools website is a rich resource offered to ELTHAM College students and families. 

Our aim is to provide you with all the latest information that will help you make decisions about your future career and your life beyond school.

You can use this site to locate University, TAFE and any other type of course across Australia, get information about the VCE, and much more. 

The Calendar resource is regularly updated with careers and pathways events, take a look! There is also a weekly Careers newsletter which is regularly updated.

Feel free to drop into the LifeWork Centre if you have any questions.

Margie Jordan​​​​
Lifework Centre Coordinator

Recent data from eSafety indicates a significant 450% increase in cyberbullying reports over the last five years. Notably, children transitioning to secondary school represent over one-third of all reported cases. As students navigate the complexities of new friendships and social groups at school, these interactions often extend into the digital realm. Social media platforms, gaming environments, and messaging applications have increasingly become venues for exclusion, harassment, and public shaming. It is crucial for young people to develop emotional self-regulation skills, both in-person and online, as they learn to manage these social dynamics.

Advice to families is to have a conversation about appropriate online behaviour now. Do not wait for an incident to present or wait and see if issues fix themselves. The e-safety commission hosts free webinars to offer families information and strategies for healthy tech use, to help us manage one of the greatest parenting challenges of our time. More information and registration can be accessed below.

Stacey Morris and Alicia Lands
Student Services

Five simple actions to help traffic flow and improve safety at pick-up time:

• Avoid arriving early – the traffic simply can’t flow until students are dismissed from class.
• Reduce your speed, drive predictably, and use the marked zones. Please avoid phone distractions.
• Move forward in the pick-up zones so that cars behind you can get off the main roads. Be mindful of others.
• Exercise patience and respect your community – poor driver behaviour is not tolerated.
• Remember the traffic returns to regular flow shortly after dismissal.

Designated drop-off and pick-up zones for 2025

Junior School: For drop-off, all Junior School students may be dropped off at the Junior School gate from 8.20am. For pick-up, all Junior School students are to be picked up at the Junior School gate or carpark. Please write your child’s name clearly in thick black marker on an A4 sheet displayed in the windscreen to drive through the pickup area.

Senior School: The drop-off/pick-up zone you will use is determined by the year level of your youngest child who attends the Senior School.

• Year 7 – 9 students: Great Southern Road zone – please enter the College site via the entrance on Bells Hill Road, just past the ELC.
• Year 10 – 12 students: Sports Centre car park zone – please enter via the main College entrance gate.

The Pavilion Carpark (next to the bus bay and oval) is NOT a pick-up zone. Using the Pavilion Carpark as a pick-up point poses a significant safety risk to students who must cross the bus bay driveway to reach their parents’ vehicles. During peak periods, buses travel in both directions and must negotiate a sharp turn off a major road while yielding to parents’ cars and young pedestrians. Please do not arrange to pick your child up from the Pavilion.  

Kaz Docking​​​​
Risk and Compliance Manager

One of our Year 11 students, Solveig, has combined her interest in History with her talent for acting and has the lead role of Anne in the play. Families who may wish to see this piece of history come to life can find ticketing information in the link below.

Georgie Cortesao
Humanities Teacher

A Novel Bunch gathered at our first book club for 2025 to discuss Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan.

The short novella was elegantly written with meaning and purpose, and unveiled the horrors and atrocities of the Magdalene Laundries. The story intentionally focuses on the 'small things' in life and routine, it is often the small things that make the biggest difference.

Our next book club is Monday 31 March 7.30pm in the Senior School Library, we are we are reading Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr. New members are always welcome.
A Novel Bunch is the ELTHAM community book club open to parents, carers and staff from every year level. Please get in touch and RSVP to ecca@elthamcollege.vic.edu.au.

Don't forget to visit the A Novel Bunch Book Tree at Swipers Gully. Leave a book, take a book or sit, relax and read a book – there are many great selections to choose from.

• Monday 31 March
• Monday 12 May
• Monday 28 July
• Monday 1 September
• Monday 20 October
• Monday 1 December

Felicia and Jacqui 
A Novel Bunch Coordinators