UPDATE 7TH DECEMBER 2015

 

This week’s update is all about the visit to our school by the Minister of Education and Deputy Premier, James Merlino, who revealed exciting news to add further impetus in our move towards our new school, Robinvale College.  

 

In addition to speaking about our new vision for the school as being very exciting, the Minister announced additional funding of $450 000 towards the Administration and Early Learning Centre facilities.  We have been working towards this for some time, including a visit to Parliament in Melbourne earlier in February this year to speak to the Minister.  

 

The boost in funding now takes the overall funding for the Administration and ELC project to $2.5 million.  We 

will now be able to make rapid progress in developing the design and planning for construction in the first half of 2016.  

The Minister was given a guided tour of the Robinvale College by four of the students of the College, Elizabeth Zaffina and Logos Tongatua the 2015 College Captains and Michael Giofrelle and Paige Hewett. These students did an 

outstanding job of welcoming the Minister and speaking knowledgeable about  their school.  As a thanks you we took them out for lunch on Thursday (see the photo below).

It was wonderful to have present at the Minister’s visit a group of community leaders; their presence demonstrated the strong support our College has from our community.  

They included:

Mara Richards CEO Robinvale District Health services 

Fiona Harley Executive Director of Mallee Family Care

Swan Hill Rural City Council Deputy Mayor John Katis and

Director of Community Engagement Bruce Myers

Ben Rogers and Mark Pisasale of the Robinvale Euston

Business Association 

CEO of the Northern Mallee LLEN Ron Broadhead

Managing Director of Australia’s second largest Almond

Grower, Paul Thompson of Select Harvests.

 

We were all excited by the Minister’s message of support

and his endorsement of our new vision for learning.  

The Minister explained how our College has benefitted from

the government’s new funding model to support Education 

State Priorities.

 

From 2016 we will have additional Equity funding which we plan to invest, in particular, on two priorities: Building Practice Excellence, by developing consistency and quality of teaching practice across the school, guaranteeing all our students from Foundation to Year 12 an excellent education. Secondly, on Professional Leadership to establish a shared vision and goals that reflect the aspirations and expectations of the whole community and to support a culture focused on improvement.  We will also allocate resources to support building and strengthening relationships with the 

broader community by partnering to increase the services delivered within the community hub that will support enhanced student outcomes. 

 

I would like to express my great appreciation to the staff for making the Minister’s visit such an outstanding success.  A special mention must go to Mick Nunns, Robert Morgan and Khaliq Dad for making sure that our grounds 

were looking so picturesque, and to Kerri Lovegrove and her team for having the Community Garden looking perfect.

 

UPDATE - NOVEMBER 2015

 

It is with increasing excitement that I report to you on the ongoing development of our progression from Robinvale P-12 College into a new School that will provide ‘Great Learning for a Thriving Community’.

 

College Name

 

In the interim we will assume the name Robinvale College with the College Council undertaking an extensive consultation process involving all stakeholders that will result in a new name and possibly new logo late in 2016.

Accordingly, signs referring to Robinvale P-12 College have been altered to reflect the interim name of Robinvale College and we have added new wording and photographs demonstrating the direction the new College is heading.

Again we welcome feedback from members of the community in relation to the wording and style of signs.  Your comments will assist us in determining what the final name and logo of the new School/College will be.

 

College Uniform

 

As with the naming of the new College, College Council will be looking at updating the College uniform so that it reflects the vision and the values of the new College.

Discussions have commenced with our current suppliers and possible new suppliers and the exciting possibility of one or more of our local clothing stores stocking and selling the uniform items.

College Council will undertake this investigation and hopefully have it concluded by mid-2016 in readiness for a new uniform to be worn in 2017.

 

Thanks

 

Special and ongoing thanks to all staff, parents/guardians, students and community members who continue to enthusiastically and positively reflect on all that’s good at Robinvale P-12 College.  Your work and involvement is appreciated.