Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony
On Wednesday 27 February we held our celebration for opening our school with a Welcome to Country and our Smoking Ceremony led by Bunurong Elder Uncle Mark Brown. Uncle Mark spoke about the importance of our connection to the land and walking lightly on the land. He described the vegetation that is collected for the Smoking Ceremony: cherry ballart, manna gum and silver or black wattle. The smoke cleanses the area so people can live in harmony. Students and staff were invited to walk through the smoke to cleanse and celebrate the opening of the school on this land.

Meet The Teachers Twilight Session
It was lovely to see so many parents and carers come into the school on the afternoon of 27 February to meet our teachers. It was a wonderful experience for us to meet the parents of our fabulous students! We all work together in partnership to support our students: the school, the teachers and parents to gain the best learning outcomes for students.

School Council
Our School Council membership has been finalised with parents starting their role at the 20 March Annual General Meeting which will then be followed by the School Council Meeting. Thank you to these parents for offering their time and input into this important part of the school process. Parent members are: Christina Smith, Deeraj Shadananan, Dodawaththa Rupasinghe, Gayathri Dissanayake, Himani Panda, Katherine Blight, Kylie Coverdale, Manpreet Singh.

Thank you to parents and our community member for their membership of the 2024  Interim School Council to help with the essential decisions to prepare to open our school. Christina Smith, Kylie Coverdale, Katherine Blight, Kawal Gill and Noel Hawthorn (Community Member).

Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Committee
A second meeting of this committee has been held last Friday. Members of Casey Council teams were out observing the traffic at pick up time on 6 March. A number of strategies have been suggested and are still being investigated.

NAPLAN
Next week we complete our NAPLAN testing.

We have a number of opportunities for students, such as lunch time Clubs for Choir and Auslan. Our students have been out to compete in tennis and swimming and next week in Cricket. Thank you to the teachers supporting these programs.

Our Open Night session will be held on Wednesday 26 March at 4.30pm until 6.30pm. This is for prospective students currently in Grade 6. We will hold other school tours for parents of students in lower grades later in the year. Please be aware that the school zone may change. Zone information will be available by the end of this term.

Students reading at home helps them to continue the good habit of reading regularly. It helps them develop in every single subject they study. Have a lovely long weekend.

Leanne Winfield

                                                 

Attendance Matters
The overall attendance of our students has been excellent. However, I encourage you to discuss the benefits of attending school regularly if they begin to missing the occasional day of school as it all adds up:

1. Consistent Learning: Regular attendance ensures that students stay up to date with lessons and coursework. Missing classes can lead to gaps in knowledge, making it harder to catch up later.
2. Improved Academic Performance: Active participation in class increases the chances of improved academic outcomes. Engaging with the material, asking questions, and receiving immediate feedback helps deepen understanding and retention.
3. Development of Social Skills: School is not just about academics; it's also an opportunity to develop important social skills like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving, which are best learned through interactions with peers and teachers.
4. Time Management and Responsibility: Attending class regularly teaches students valuable life skills, such as punctuality, time management, and responsibility. These habits help build discipline, which is essential for success in both school and future endeavours.

 
      



Kris Johnson
Assistant Principal

               

Junior School Report

It's hard to believe how quickly the first six weeks of secondary school have passed! Both students and staff have worked hard to build strong relationships, creating a supportive and positive atmosphere. It’s been an absolute pleasure chatting with students during lunch and in the corridors, hearing their stories and seeing their enthusiasm.

Students have shared their excitement about making new friends and a sense of belonging at Wulerrp Secondary College. We're proud to witness students embracing the GROWTH values in their everyday lives, demonstrating kindness, respect and resilience in everything they do. This commitment was beautifully demonstrated during our Smoking Ceremony, where Uncle Mark led the ritual. The ceremony was a powerful reminder of the importance of respect, community, and connection—values that align deeply with our GROWTH principles.

  

Most students have had the opportunity to experience test conditions and undertake assessments across different subjects. This has been a valuable learning experience as they get accustomed to academic expectations in a secondary school setting.

Miss Ebony Dobslaw and I are incredibly impressed by the way students have confidently navigated the transition to secondary school. It’s clear that they are settling in well and thriving in their new school environment.

We are currently in the midst of an exciting leadership process, where students are selecting their captains for the year ahead. We want to extend our thanks to every applicant who put themselves forward. Leadership opportunities will continue to be available and we encourage all students to get involved in shaping the future of Wulerrp Secondary College.

It was also wonderful to meet so many families at our recent Twilight Meet and Greet. We look forward to continuing to strengthen our partnerships with the Wulerrp community as we move forward in the year.

 

Here’s to a great start and many more milestones ahead!

                        

Harveen Khera                                Ebony Dobslaw
Junior School Leader                    Year 7 Co-ordinator

To ensure that all students records are complete and up to date, we are currently reviewing the student enrolment forms and information provided to us last year.

During this review, you may receive contact from our office requesting missing information.

If any of your circumstances have changed or your contact details have been updated, we ask that you let our office know as soon as possible.

At the end of last year, we sent the following forms and agreement to our enrolled families. Whilst we are working through these documents, if you have not returned them please see attached and return to our office at your earliest convenience.

Thank you to the families who have returned the forms.

1. CSEF Application Form
• please ensure you send a copy of your eligible Concession card (cannot be in the child’s name only) with the attached form
• you need to apply each year to receive this benefit
• the CSEF is an annual payment to the school to be used towards camps, sports and/or excursion expenses for the benit of the eligible student. The CSEF is paid directly to the school and will be allocated by the school towards camps ,sports and/or excursion costs for your child
2. ICT Acceptable Use Agreement
3. Photography, Filming and Recording Students Consent Form

Please contact our office if you have any questions on 03 5929 2979 or by email wulerrp.sc@education.vic.gov.au

Evelyn Dodgson
Business Manager

Forms & Agreement

Year 7 Tennis Report

On Monday, our Year 7s took to the courts for a thrilling day of tennis. Both our Boys and Girls teams showcased incredible determination and sportsmanship throughout the competition.

The Boys Team, represented by Cooper, Rhys, Fyfe, Radin, and Amar, fought hard all day, displaying excellent teamwork and skill. Their perseverance paid off, and they came away with a well-earned win in their round two match.

On the Girls Team side, Alyssa, Isabelle, Tanishka, and Eshal were undefeated going into their final match, a showdown against Kambrya, who were also unbeaten at that point. Despite their best efforts, our girls unfortunately lost in the final round, securing second place overall.

Division Swimming Report

On Tuesday, our swimmers competed in the Division Swimming competition, showcasing their incredible talents and determination in the pool.

The Girls Team, consisting of Pulasi, Aishmeen, Japji, and Anureet, put in a strong performance throughout the day. In their Freestyle Relay, they finished an impressive 3rd place, demonstrating great teamwork and skill.

The Boys Team, made up of Max, Mingkun, Cooper, and Radin, also gave outstanding performances. Max represented Wulerrp with pride, competing in 5 events and finishing 3rd in the Backstroke, a fantastic achievement. Additionally, the Boys Freestyle Relay team swam their hearts out and earned a well-deserved 2nd place finish.

Overall, it was a day filled with strong performances and determination from all our swimmers. Well done to everyone for their dedication and for representing the school so proudly! We look forward to seeing even more success in future competitions.

 






Brodie McConnell
Health and Physical Education
Sports Coordinator