Our first issue for 2025 we have dedicated to giving you an overview of what is planned for this term... - Campus Principal Reports - Term 1 Calendar - School Fees & Contributions - Welcome BBQ Details & Map - Privacy Policy at The Lakes - Reminders for 2025
The Lakes South Morang College Newsletter
Term 1, Week 1
ISSUE 01 2025
Our first issue for 2025 we have dedicated to giving you an overview of what is planned for this term... Campus Principal Reports Term 1 Calendar School Fees & Contributions Welcome BBQ Details & Map Privacy Policy at The Lakes Reminders for 2025
Our College stands on the Country of the Wurundjeri - willam people of the Kulin Nations. This Country always was, and always will be, a place of learning and connection. To set our intentions for caring for Country, people and places within our College community for the 2025 school year, we are honoured to invite you to a special event. On February 3rd , we will gather at our Primary Campus for a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony . The event will begin with a Welcome to Country by Aunty Zeta Thomson , a respected Elder and descendant of the Yarra Yarra Clan of the Wurundjeri people, and the Ulupna and Moira Clans of the Yorta Yorta people. Aunty Zeta's words will guide us as we acknowledge and respect the Traditional Custodians of Country.
Following this, Simone and Nicole Thomson , proud Woi - Wurrung Wurundjeri and Yorta - Yorta women, will conduct the Smoking Ceremony . Simone, an artist whose works are featured across both our Primary and Secondary campuses, will guide us through this sacred ceremony, which is a vital part of the cultural tradition to cleanse and protect the space, and set intentions for the year ahead.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
02 Principal Report
06 School Council
08 What ’ s on @ The Lakes
10 Curriculum
Event Details:
Date: February 3rd, 2025 Location: Primary Campus Time: 9:30am
11 Policy Spotlight
12 School Fees & Contributions
We warmly welcome all members of the College community to join us in this meaningful and respectful ceremony to start the year with cultural understanding, connection, and unity. We look forward to sharing this important occasion with you.
15 Social Scene
16 Community Noticeboard
The Lakes South Morang College respectfully acknowledges that beneath the significant River Red Gums that feature across our school's landscape lay the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri - Willam people of the Kulin Nation.
The Lakes South Morang College Newsletter PRINCIPAL REPORT
PRIMARY CAMPUS MARCUS ABNEY - HASTINGS PRIMARY CAMPUS PRINCIPAL
ASSEMBLY 2025
Dear Parents and Carers,
Welcome back! I hope that each of you had a restful and enjoyable break and are ready to get back into the school year. As we begin the new year, I am excited to re - engage with our students, staff, and families. Together, we are entering another chapter of learning, growth, and achievement, and we are thrilled to have your continued partnership in making this a successful school year. 2024 was a fantastic year, with some incredible student growth, making The Lakes South Morang College one of the top performing schools in the region. Something you all know does not happen without the support and care of our families, students and staff here at The Lakes. As we move forward into 2025, we remain committed to providing a safe, nurturing, and inspiring environment for all students. The energy in our school is palpable, and it is a privilege to be part of such a vibrant learning community. Our teachers and staff are ready to support your children, encouraging them to strive for excellence in both their academic and personal development. We officially welcome Claire McMullin who will join the Year 3 team, job sharing with Alyssa Kelly. Marc Heenan will also be returning after taking 12 months leave and will join the Performing Arts team. Both teachers join a very talented and dedicated team who are all very excited about the year ahead. An amazing staff linked with a high level of parent/carer involvement and participation is the core strength of our school. Our focus this year is to use this strength to ensure that our school continues to evolve. Please be mindful that all decisions are made for the betterment of our students. You may not agree with every decision that is made but abuse and intimidation will NOT be tolerated in any form. Please be mindful that as an adult, you need to model adult behaviours to our children especially in school grounds. 2025 STARTING DATES We look forward to seeing all students on Thursday 30th January 2025 for Meet and Greet interviews between 10.30am - 6.30pm. Interview bookings are open for parents/carers, and will stay open until Thursday. Students in Years P - 6 will officially start on Friday 31st January with 2025 Preps having a staggered start on the day.
There will be a change to our assembly structure in 2025 with assemblies now happening on Monday mornings, starting at 9.15am in the gym. These will continue to be fortnightly (even weeks). We are hoping this change, will allow us to set the intension of the week for students and ensure a calm start to the week. SOFT STARTS IN 2025 With positive feedback from students, parents and staff regarding our “ soft starts ”, we will continue this in 2025. Please note that classrooms will open their doors at 8.55am on the first bell of the day. Students instead of lining up to enter the classroom in the morning, will be allowed to walk in and start their day when the first bell rings. Thank you for your ongoing support and commitment to our school. We look forward to an exciting and successful year ahead!
View the Primary Handbook
PRIMARY TEAM FOR 2025
Introducing our team for 2025. Please refer to the Term 1 Curriculum Overviews for your child ’ s year level for further details.
YEAR 4 TEAM
PREP TEAM
Alyssa Kelly (3 ½ days), Claire McMullin (1 ½ days)
OA
Claire Hallahan
4A
Jess Mackenzie (3 days), Meagan Mansfield (2 days)
0B
4B
Laura Adams
4C
Jaz Hayton
YEAR 5 TEAM
YEAR 1 TEAM
5A
Nicole Nicolazzo
1A
Jodie Portelli
5B
Liv Spence
Andrea Thorneycroft (4 days), Meagan Mansfield (1 day)
1B
Naomi Harris (3 days), Gemma Sweeney (2 days)
5C
YEAR 2 TEAM
YEAR 6 TEAM
Nancy Sultan (4 days), Liam Brooke (1 day) Bek Sutton (3 days), Robert Zull (2 days)
2A
Leah Georgiadis
6A
2B
Keara McIntyre
6B
2C
Michelle Tee
SPECIALIST TEAM
YEAR 3 TEAM
Alex Price
Physical Education
Duong Ho
Visual Arts
3A
Katie Giles
Marc Heenan
Performing Arts
3B
Alisha Cugnetto
Scott McLean
STEM
Liam Brooke
Digital Technology
The Lakes South Morang College Newsletter PRINCIPAL REPORT
SECONDARY CAMPUS BONNIE LEE SECONDARY CAMPUS PRINCIPAL
Dear Families,
Review meetings. As students return to school, at home it ’ s essential to establish strong routines that promote a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Ensuring students are well - rested, well - fed, and hydrated will set them up for success and help their brains function at their best. A healthy routine supports not just academic achievement, but also emotional and social well - being. We understand that the new year may come with challenges, but we encourage everyone to view these moments as opportunities for growth and learning. With optimism and a positive mindset, we know that our students will thrive in the year ahead. We look forward to working with you in partnership to ensure every student has a successful and fulfilling year. Thank you for your continued support and commitment to making this a year of achievement and growth.
We are excited to welcome back all of our returning Secondary Campus students and families, and we offer an extra special welcome to new students and families, particularly those in Year 7, joining us this year. We hope everyone has had a restful break and is ready for an exciting and productive year ahead full of learning and growth. As we begin this school year, we are pleased to share some of the steps we ’ ve taken to provide a supportive, engaging, and dynamic learning environment. Stability in staffing continues to be a key focus, and we are thrilled to introduce two new members to our team: Ms. Young, who will be serving as our College Nurse, and Mr. Lamb, who joins our Humanities and VCE VM team. We are confident they will make wonderful contributions to our school community. This year, we continue to prioritise the conditions for optimal teaching and learning. A strong partnership between school and home is essential to this success, and we encourage all families to actively engage with their child's education. At school, we ’ ve been working hard to enhance our facilities and school structures. You ’ ll notice the installation of air conditioning in classrooms, ensuring a comfortable environment for learning throughout the year. Additionally, we are excited to extend our Learner Coach program to include students in Years 7 - 9 and 10 - 12, further supporting their academic and personal growth. We were incredibly proud of our 2024 Senior School results, and this year we intend to continue with focus, drive and rigour to continue taking Senior School from strength to strength. In order to achieve this, we are committed to providing a strong foundation for our younger learners, through embedding study skills into Years 7 - 9, aiming to foster the development of independent and successful learners from the beginning of their Secondary schooling. While we focus on creating the best environment possible at school, we also rely on families to play an active role in supporting their children ’ s learning journey. This includes ensuring students have the correct learning equipment and uniform, establishing a dedicated time and space for study at home, and fostering a keen interest in their academic progress. We encourage you to regularly monitor your child ’ s progress through; active discussions with them and their teachers; tracking attendance and participation via Compass; and, through family involvement in Learner
View the Secondary Handbook
Join us on a unique tour at The Lakes South Morang College where education meets inspiration. Experience cutting - edge facilities, dedicated educators, and a vibrant community that nurtures growth. Your child ’ s future begins here. Book a tour to witness the pathway in Secondary Schooling firsthand.
Scan the code or call 9404 9000 to book an individual tour of our Secondary
The Lakes South Morang College Newsletter SCHOOL COUNCIL
Mini Golf Course Wristband Required
Food & Drink Sales
Wristband Sales
Inflatable Ninja Warrior Course Wristband Required
Children ’ s Entertainment & Face paint
The Lakes South Morang College Newsletter WHAT ’ S ON @ THE LAKES
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
WEEK 1
Jan 27
Jan 28
Jan 29
Jan 30
Jan 31
10.30am - 6.30pm Meet & Greet Day
All Day Term 2 Begins
4.30pm— 5.30 pm VCE Information
VCE Elevate Education Incursion
WEEK 2
Feb 03
Feb 04
Feb 05
Feb 06
Feb 07
9.30am Welcome to Country on Primary Campus
8.15am - 8.45am Primary Breaky Club
9 - 11am Year 5/6 Interschool Sports
3.15pm - 5pm Welcome BBQ Primary Campus
WEEK 3
Feb 10
Feb 11
Feb 12
Feb 13
Feb 14
8.15am - 8.45am Primary Breaky Club
9 - 11am Year 5/6 Interschool Sports
WEEK 4
Feb 17
Feb 18
Feb 19
Feb 20
Feb 20
8.15am - 8.45am Primary Breaky Club
9 - 11am Year 5/6 Interschool Sports
Year 9 Morrisby Profile Testing
9.15am Primary Assembly
WEEK 5
Feb 24
Feb 25
Feb 26
Feb 27
Feb 28
8.15am - 8.45am Primary Breaky Club
9 - 11am Year 5/6 Interschool Sports
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
WEEK 6
Mar 03
Mar 04
Mar 05
Mar 06
Mar 07
9.15am Primary Assembly
8.15am - 8.45am Primary Breaky Club
All Day Student Leadership Podcasting Excursion
9 - 11am Year 5/6 Interschool Sports
WEEK 7
Mar 10
Mar 11
Mar 12
Mar 13
Mar 14
King ’ s Birthday
Secondary Learner Review Day
NAPLAN Testing
9 - 11am Year 5/6 Interschool Sports
8.15am - 8.45am Primary Breaky Club
10.30am - 6.30pm
WEEK 8
Mar 17
Mar 18
Mar 19
Mar 20
Mar 21
NAPLAN Testing
9.15am Primary Assembly
8.15am - 8.45am Primary Breaky Club
9 - 11am Year 5/6 Interschool Sports
WEEK 9
Mar 24
Mar 25
Mar 26
Mar 27
Mar 28
NAPLAN Testing
8.15am - 8.45am Primary Breaky Club
9 - 11am Year 5/6 Interschool Sports
All Day School Photos
WEEK 10
Mar 31
Apr 01
Apr 02
Apr 03
Apr 04
Year 9 Morrisby Interviews
9.15am Primary Assembly
Primary Learner Review Day
8.15am - 8.45am Primary Breaky Club
Whole School House Athletics Carnival
9am - 1.15pm Final Day of Term 1
10.30am - 6.30pm
1.15pm Dismissal
Meadowglen Athletic Track, South Morang
Please check each issue of our College Newsletter, Social Media and the Compass Calendar for updates or changes to dates shown here.
The Lakes South Morang College Newsletter CURRICULUM ARE YOU READY FOR 2025? Please use the following checklist to ensure that your young person is set for success at the start of 2025.
ALL YEAR LEVELS:
UNIFORM
APlus Schoolwear is located at 3/30 Heaths Court, Mill Park. Alternatively orders can be placed online via https://www.aplusschoolwear.com.au
CURRICULUM CONTRIBUTIONS
2025 Fee Schedules have been emailed to families, or alternatively can be found at http://www.thelakes.edu.au/ curriculum - charges -- payments.html Please note, for students undertaking elective subjects in Years 9 - 12, curriculum contributions may apply. The final date for payments for these subjects is Friday 7 th February 2025. Payments not received by this date may result in students being switched to other elective classes.
MEET & GREET IN 2025
The Lakes South Morang College Meet and Greet Day will be held on Thursday 30 January 2025 from 10:30 am to 6:30 pm . Parents/Carers have an opportunity to meet with Learner Coaches from Prep to Year 12 to share information regarding your child and program information for 2025. Appointments are 15 minutes each and bookings can be made via Compass (Prep families are not required to complete this step as individual bookings have been made). Log onto your Parent Portal on Compass – https:// schools.compass.education/ to book a time with your child ’ s Learner Coach.
ON PRIMARY:
IPAD
VCE INFORMATION SESSION
Edunet and JBHiFi are the College ’ s preferred providers. More information regarding iPad ’ s can be accessed via www.thelakes.edu.au/byod - program.html
VCE students and families (including Early Entry VCE) also have a scheduled information session between 4.30 - 5.30pm in the Secondary Campus PD room, so we ask families to book appointments with Learner Coaches around these times.
YEAR 7 TO VCE:
LAPTOP
BOOKLISTS
Edunet and JBHiFi are the College ’ s preferred providers. More information regarding laptops can be accessed via www.thelakes.edu.au/byod - program.html
Prep - 12 Booklists have been emailed to families, or alternatively can be found at https://www.thelakes.edu.au/ curriculum - charges -- payments.html
POLICY SPOTLIGHT
PRIVACY POLICY
https://www.education.vic.gov.au/Pages/schoolsprivacypolicy.aspx
This information is also available in ten community languages:
Our College collects and uses student and parent/carer personal information for standard school functions or where permitted by law, as stated in the Schools ’ Privacy Policy and the Schools ’ Privacy Collection Notice. Our Photographing, Filming and Recording Students Policy https:// www.thelakes.edu.au/uploads/8/3/9/0/83901006/ photographing_filming___recording_of_students_policy_2024.pdf describes how we collect and use photographs, video and recordings of students. The policy also explains when parent/carer consent is required and how it can be provided and withdrawn. We ask parents/carers to also review the Digital Learning Policy http:// https://www.thelakes.edu.au/uploads/8/3/9/0/83901006/ digital_learning_policy on how we use digital technologies safely at the school and what parents/carers can do to further protect their child ’ s information. If after reviewing the guidance, you have any questions or concerns , please contact the College. For more information about privacy, refer to: Schools ’ Privacy Policy — information for parents.
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Amharic
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Arabic
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Dari
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Gujarati
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Mandarin
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Somali
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Sudanese
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Turkish
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Urdu
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Vietnamese
Policies are available to all families via via our website http://www.thelakes.edu.au/policies -- reports.html
VISITORS POLICY https://www.thelakes.edu.au/uploads/8/3/9/0/83901006/visitors_policy_2024.pdf
The Lakes strives to create an open and inclusive College community, and encourages parents and carers to be actively involved in their child ’ s development and education. We also strive to foster strong partnerships with local community services, schools and other organisations. From time to time, different members of the public may visit our College. Visitors may include, but are not limited to:
uniform suppliers, booksellers, official College photographers, commercial salespeople
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Tradespeople
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Children ’ s services agencies
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Department of Families, Fairness and Housing workers
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Victoria Police
PRIMARY CAMPUS
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Persons authorised to enter College premises (e.g. Worksafe inspectors, health officers etc) Other Department of Education and Training staff (including allied health staff) or contractors
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Parents/carers
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Volunteers – see our College ’ s Volunteers Policy for more information
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Prospective parents/carers, students and employees
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NDIS therapists or other allied health or health practitioners
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Invited speakers, sessional instructors and others addressing learning and development
All visitors to The Lakes are required to report to the Campus Administration office on arrival where the College ’ s Child Safety Code of Conduct is available and visible to visitors when they sign in.
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Public officials (e.g. Members of Parliament, local councillors)
SECONDARY CAMPUS
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Persons conducting business e.g.:
The Lakes South Morang College Newsletter SCHOOL FEES & CONTRIBUTIONS
Your contributions enable us to maintain high - quality teaching and learning programs, enhance extracurricular offerings, and ensure the upkeep of our buildings and grounds. These resources significantly enrich the educational experience for all our students. Your support has allowed us to make upgrades to our facilities during this holiday period including the installation of smart displays in classrooms on the Primary Campus and air - conditioning on the Secondary Campus. School Council, along with its Finance Committee, collaborates closely with our Leadership Teams to establish recommended student fees that align with the College's budgetary needs.
The Lakes South Morang College ’ s voluntary financial contributions for 2025.
While Government schools provide free instruction to meet standard curriculum
requirements, assuring that all contributions are voluntary, the ongoing financial support from our families is crucial. Curriculum contributions range from $85 - $200 per student, depending on the needs of the year level for the school year. Additional contributions for the ongoing cost of Compass, student wellbeing programs, first aid equipment, facilities maintenance/improvements and library are $75 per student for the school year.
Families can pay these contributions via the Contributions tab in their Compass portal.
The Lakes South Morang College Newsletter COMPASS UPDATES
SOCIAL SCENE
The Lakes South Morang College Newsletter COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD
OFFICE HOURS AT THE LAKES Parents/carers are welcome in our office areas when they are making payments, bringing a child in late or picking up a sick child from sick bay.
BELONGINGS, AMBULANCE & INSURANCE
Private property brought to school by students, staff or visitors is not insured and the Department of Education does not accept any responsibility for any loss or damage. Parents and carers are reminded that the Department of Education does not provide personal accident insurance or ambulance cover for students. Parents and carers of students who do not have student accident insurance/ ambulance cover are responsible for paying the cost of medical treatment for injured students, including the cost of ambulance attendance/transport and any other transport costs.
Students are not to use these areas before school or after school.
The Lakes South Morang College ’ s grounds are supervised by College staff from 8:45am until 3:15 (Secondary Campus), or 3:30pm (Primary Campus). Outside of these hours, College staff will not be available to supervise students. If a student is not collected before supervision finishes at the end of the day, the Principal or nominee staff member will consider whether it is appropriate to:
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attempt to contact the parents/carers
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attempt to contact the emergency contacts
CSEF (CAMPS, SPORTS & EXCURSIONS FUND)
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place the student in an out of school hours care program (Primary Campus only)
The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund helps eligible families to cover the costs of school trips, camps, and sporting activities. If you have a valid means - tested concession card, such as a Veterans Affairs Gold Card, Centrelink Health Care Card, or Pensioner Concession Card, or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible. There is also a special consideration category for asylum seeker and refugee families. Payment amounts this year are $150.00 for eligible primary school students and $250.00 for eligible secondary school students. Payments are made direct to the school to use towards expenses relating to camps, excursions, and sporting activities for the benefit of your child. Foundation and Year 7 government school students who are CSEF recipients are also eligible for a uniform voucher. Schools are required to make applications on behalf of parents, so please register your interest at the school. It is important that funding made available in 2025 supports students to participate in school trips, camps, and sporting activities this year rather than being held for future years. This funding can also be used in conjunction with any funding accrued from previous years. If you applied for CSEF through our school last year, you do not need to complete an application form this year, unless there has been a change in your family circumstances. If you would like to apply for the first time, please contact the College on 9404 9000 and ask for an application form. You can also download the form, and find out more about the program and eligibility, on the Department of Education and Training ’ s Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund web page. Check with the school office if you are unsure, and please return completed forms to the school office as soon as possible.
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contact Victoria Police and/or Child Protection to arrange for the supervision, care and protection of the student.
Please also be aware that both the Primary and Secondary Campus offices will close at 4:00 pm each day.
Please support us in making sure all students are safe.
ATTENDANCE - EVERY DAY COUNTS If you are aware that your child will not be attending school due to illness or other circumstances, please contact either office to ensure our attendance records are accurate.
Ways of communicating absences include:
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Placing a future Absence Request through the Compass Education Portal;
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Calling the office;
As required by the Department of Education, all schools must notify parents/carers informing that their child is absent. Please inform the office of absences before 10am each morning.
NO HAT - NO PLAY We will be enforcing our ‘ No Hat, No Play ’ policy in Term 1 on the Primary Campus. Wide - brimmed hats (with the school logo), are available at the uniform shop.
Please call 9404 9000 if you have a service or upcoming event you would like to promote through our Newsletter.
PHOTOGRAPHING, RECORDING AND FILMING CONSENT
thelakes.edu.au/uploads/8/3/9/0/83901006/photographing_filming___recording_of_students_policy_2024.pdf
The Photographing, Filming and Recording Students Consent Form is provided by The Lakes South Morang College at enrolment. Recent Departmental changes to this policy mean that this now only has to be completed once during your child ’ s educational journey at The Lakes. As a component of our transition to Compass, all families across the College will be sent a message on Compass or contacted by a member of staff in regards to Permission to Publish for your child provided at enrolment. If at any time parents/carers wish to give or withdraw their consent, they can by contacting the College or completing the form below.
To update or make changes to your Photographing, Filming and Recording consent, please download and complete this form before returning to the front office.
SCHOOL SAVINGS BONUS (SSB)
Department of Education will email you twice:
In Term 4, 2024 families with a child enrolled in Government schools from Prep to Year 12 in 2025 will have receive the one - off $400 School Saving Bonus. The $400 School Saving Bonus provides families with support for education - related costs, such as school activities and/or school uniforms and textbooks. The School Saving Bonus is not available for full fee international students, home schooled students, TAFE students and students attending kindergarten in 2025.
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October to verify you email address
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November, providing details on how you can access the $400 bonus.
Please check your junk email regularly to make sure you do not miss an important email. To learn more about the SSB please see attached sheet for government school parents and carers or visit https://www.vic.gov.au/school - saving - bonus
Actions for parents and carers
Parents and carers of children who meet the School Saving Bonus eligibility above are required to do the following by Friday 18 October 2024:
Click here for more information.
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Complete enrolment If your child, or children are changing government school for Term 1 2025, or starting Prep or Year 7 in 2025, please complete enrolment. For more information, read about Enrolling in School. Check your contact information Ensure your contact information is up to date with your school. You can check this information by contacting your school directly.
Your feedback is valued. Please use the following link to provide our College Council and Leadership Team with feedback to help make The Lakes a positive learning community for all.
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THE LAKES COMMUNITY FEEDBACK
The Lakes South Morang College Newsletter COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD
CANTEEN ORDERS
Scan the code to setup an account and select The Lakes South Morang College. Orders need to be in by 9am on the day.
This year the school canteen is offering lunch orders through the Flexischools app.
Follow the steps below to setup an account and select The Lakes South Morang College.
Please call Karen on 9404 9000 to discuss further, if you have a service or upcoming event you would like to promote through our Newsletter. EP Website
CAMP AUSTRALIA
Nominations close 5pm Friday 15 November 2024
To thrive, children need a safe and supportive environment at school, at home and in the broader community; no exceptions. At The Lakes South Morang College, we believe meeting the physical and emotional needs of our students is paramount in laying the foundations for a fulfilling future. We pledge to provide an environment that has zero tolerance to child abuse and will strive to work in partnership with our parents/carers and community members to keep our students safe every day, in every way.
The Lakes South Morang College Child Safety Statement
PRIMARY CAMPUS: Telephone: 9404 9000 275 Gordons Road South Morang 3752 SECONDARY CAMPUS: Telephone: 9404 9000 80 Jardier Terrace South Morang 3752 ABN 52 938 171 499 PO Box 207 South Morang 3752 lakes.south.morang.co@education.vic.gov.au
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