School Returns

After a long summer break and a few weeks of staff-only preparation, it was fantastic to finally welcome students and families back onsite across the three campuses of Wimmera Lutheran College. School’s are very different places without students and having them return brings the energy and enthusiasm that our communities thrive on. Opening Services, Special Breakfasts and Information Evenings were all ways in which the return of students was celebrated across the campuses. I would like to extend a warm welcome to all families of Wimmera Lutheran College and wish you all a fulfilling and rewarding 2025.

WLC Launch

There was something definitely different about the return of school this year, and it started with the change of name. Holy Trinity Lutheran College, St Peters Lutheran School and Nhill Lutheran School no longer were in existence, they have been replaced by Wimmera Lutheran College. To celebrate the amalgamation of the three schools, a special Launch Day was held on Wednesday 22 January. The day started with an inspiring worship service led by Holy Trinity Lutheran Church Pastor Hans Peethala where he preached on the special opportunity that exists because of the amalgamation.

After morning tea, a number of guest speakers addressed the staff, including:

• LEVNT Executive Director – Mr Colin Minke
• WLC Board Chair – Mr Mark Hughes
• The Executive Leadership team from the three campuses

An ‘Amazing Race’ themed activity helped to encourage interaction between staff before a shared lunch. The afternoon session was led by LEVNT Learning Leader for Innovation – Mrs Kim Powell, who introduced LEVNT’s Learning Framework – Free to Flourish, WLC’s Philosophy of Learning and Learner Profile. These key documents will form the basis for curriculum planning moving forward. The day concluded with social drinks before staff returned home. There was an amazing vibe throughout the launch day and has set the scene for an exciting year ahead.

Welcome and Information Evening

A Welcome and Information Evening was held at WLC Horsham Campus on Thursday 6 February. The night was well attended by parents and carers who took the opportunity to hear an update on WLC developments, plans for the year ahead, an introduction to new staff and then sit through an Information Session led by classroom teachers and Year Level Coordinators. Thank you to the staff for presenting valuable information, parents and carers for attending and the PTFA for providing drinks and nibbles. There was a great buzz around the campus and some positive energy for the year ahead.

WLC Website

I am pleased to report that the Wimmera Lutheran College Landing Page has launched and is now active. Families are encouraged to visit the page at: https://wlc.vic.edu.au/

This page will be developed and updated as the year progresses and will be a great way to keep up to date with key WLC happenings.

Fire Impact

Whilst there has been some great energy to start the new school year, it has also been quite a scary and threatening start for some of our families and communities. With fire ravaging the Grampians and Little Desert National Parks, evacuations and disruptions to normal life have been an ongoing and very real threat. I wish to extend my heartfelt thoughts and prayers to those who have been impacted by the fires, the firefighters who are so bravely trying to save property and life, and anyone who has been impacted by the events of the last few weeks. May you find the peace that comes with knowing Jesus at this time.

Philippians 4:7

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Mr Jason Przibilla, Executive Principal

by Pastor Glenn Crouch

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness (Matthew 6:33a).

This is a passage I need to hear continually. Jesus has no problem with us having sensible concerns or making good contingency plans. The problem is when those concerns turn into worry and anxiety that then seem to take us over. Added to this, many of us have health issues (both physical and mental) that make us anxious. You may find this passage challenging if you are already in a dark place. Please bear with me if you can.

Jesus asks us, as his followers, to put our trust in him and to rely on our Heavenly Father even when everything is falling down around us. Do this first – don’t try fixing things first, don’t try complaining about it first; instead, trust in Jesus.

In this passage, the first thing we are told to do is to seek his kingdom and his righteousness (verse 33). Hold onto Jesus as best you can, knowing he is far better at holding onto you. Rather than focusing on tomorrow, hold onto Jesus now. Give him your concerns and worries. Let him know what is freaking you out.

I frequently come back to the dad whose son is possessed, and the disciples have been unable to help. The dad says to Jesus, ‘I believe! Help my unbelief’ (Mark 9:24). Based on this, I often pray, ‘I trust you, Jesus; help my lack of trust – calm my anxious heart …’.

Loving Father, I hand to you all that I am anxious about. However, I have trouble letting go of my worries. Please help me. Keep my eyes focused on Jesus. Father, I also lift before you those I know who are struggling with depression, anxiety and the weight of this fallen world – grant them your comfort and peace. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Parent Teacher Sharing – Week 3

Parent Teacher Sharing Sessions will be held after school on Tuesday 11 and Thursday 13 February. Please make a booking on the link that has been posted on The Hub. This is a time of sharing for you as parents to fill in your new co-educator (teacher) about your child. It is also a time for teachers to share ‘who they are’ and their hopes for the year.

Teachers have been asked to pursue a conversation with all of our families, for each child. If it is not a ‘face to face’ on the night or in Week 3, it should be a phone conversation to touch base, just to say 'hello’ – thank you as we build this co-educator team together!

Over 36 Degrees – Hot Weather

A minor change in process in the Junior School this year is that when the forecast temperature is over 36 degrees, students will have an inside lunchtime within their classrooms. Ancillary staff will also open a restricted play area outside for students that need to burn off some energy, and the library will be open for selected students if their 'home teacher' feels this space better suits their needs. Once a student is in a designated area, they stay in that area for that play period. This change caters for both staff and students knowing plans for the day as it begins, as we all work better when we know the plans for the day.

Lunch Orders This Week - Thanks Fig Tree

While Tarn and Craig Baker are on holidays (our lunch order supplier from Superfeast), we have co-opted Holly and Bronson Durack to provide lunch orders for students (one of our WLC families). Holly and Bronson bought ‘The Fig Tree’ café earlier this year, and we thank them and their staff for providing this service for our families in the short term.

Recess and Lunch Routine

Our Recess and Lunch times have undergone some change, as we gather together in the quadrangle for eating time. During this time, students have an opportunity to share some jokes, while at the end of lunch we will be 'returning thanks' together. Students then raise their hand to show they are finished eating, and are released to play in an orderly fashion.

Please ask your classroom teacher for any clarification on this process!

Week 4 Assembly - Awards and Badge Presentations

UR Strong Awards

The Cub and Tiger awards this year will possibly be awarded for students displaying good friendship skills at Recess and Lunch times, as much as the character strengths that the Cub and Tiger awards have traditionally been awarded for. As the whole school learns friendship and negotiation skills in the UR Strong program, we look forward to awarding the Cubs and Tigers for these strengths also. Equally, a stand-out award has been created to award throughout the school for great displays of UR Strong knowledge.

SRC, House Captains and Tech Team

If your child has been selected as a house leader today (selected Year 5/6 students), has been elected to the SRC, or is in the Tech team, we will be awarding them at the Week 4 assembly.

Car Parking and Pick-Up

There is a disabled car park and also a yellow lined area alongside in the carpark. Please don't park there unless you have a blue parking permit. We have multiple families that require the use of this space at regular intervals so please leave these spaces free for these families to use.

In the 'kiss and drop' area and associated roundabout, please do not stop for your child until the line has reached a standstill. The only car stopping to a standstill is the one with a car immediately in front of it! This way, the queue moves well, 10-12 cars at a time.

If staff direct you in either situation, please do not be offended, it is just to keep the traffic flowing at the busy time of day. Staff have been directed to monitor parking and pick-up to make it as calm an experience as possible!

The Weeks Ahead

Week 3

• Tuesday 11 February: Parent/Teacher sharing sessions – sign up for each child/each class
• Wednesday 12 February: Foundation ‘home’ day and individual student testing
• Thursday 13 February: Parent/Teacher sharing sessions – sign up for each child/each class
• Friday 14 February: 5K Chapel 9.00am MPC (please join us)

Week 4

• Monday 18 February: Assembly awards and badge presentations 9.00am MPC
• Wednesday 19 February: Foundation ‘home’ day and individual student testing
• Thursday 20 February: Yr 4-6 Swimming Carnival 9.00am YMCA town pool
• Friday 21 February: 3D Chapel 9.00am MPC (please join us)

Upcoming

• Tuesday 4 March: Shrove Tuesday (Recess) gold coin donation

Mr Adam Borgas, Head of Junior School - Horsham Campus

In 2024, Victorian Education Minister Ben Carroll, mandated that all Victorian public schools implement explicit instruction of systematic synthetic phonics from 2025. This means there is a structured approach to reading that explicitly teaches the relationship between sounds and letters to read words.

We are really proud to say that we've been doing this for many years in Horsham. The program used to facilitate this is Sound Waves. It contains teaching resources that follow a specific scope and sequence in delivering the best quality phonics education. Whilst the program uses systematic synthetic phonics as its base, it also covers phonemic awareness in the early years and shifts to building students’ morphological awareness and etymological knowledge as students move through the upper years.

Through the program, spelling tests are facilitated by the classroom teacher at regular intervals in the classroom, with words that are aligned to the explicit teaching. This is a more targeted approach to developing phoneme/grapheme recognition and means that teachers can adapt learning paths for each child providing intervention or extension where required.

Homework tasks may consist of word segmenting, matching phoneme-grapheme relationships or even letter blending games, all to consolidate student understanding in the lower years of primary school. In the upper years, word lists may be sent home consisting of both spelling patterns and/or definitions to assist with comprehension.

Further information is available through this fact sheet.

Our Junior School staff have participated in a variety of professional development sessions over the last 12 months to facilitate a whole-school approach providing a more cohesive strategy in phonics education and to share in best practices for learning.

Mrs Jacqui North, WLC Assistant Principal of School(s): Curriculum & Pedagogy

Welcome Back to Middle and Senior School

It has been wonderful to welcome students back to the Middle and Senior School over the past two weeks. I hope everyone had a restful holiday break and is looking forward to the year ahead. With classes now well underway, it’s been great to see the energy and enthusiasm in the air.

One of the best things about a new school year is the opportunity for a fresh start. I encourage all students to begin this year with renewed enthusiasm—setting goals, staying organised, and making the most of every opportunity.

Year 7 and 12 Orientation Day

On Tuesday 28 January, before the rest of the Secondary School returned, our Year 7 and Year 12 students participated in an orientation day. This provided both cohorts with the chance to get organised, hear key information, and ensure a smooth start to the year. The day concluded with a buddy session, where Year 12 students led small group activities to help everyone get to know one another. The highlight of the day was an Amazing Race, which took students all over the school. It was a fantastic way for these year levels to kick off the term.

Opening Service

We began the year with our Opening Service on Wednesday 29 January, where Executive Principal Jason Przibilla spoke about the excitement surrounding the launch of Wimmera Lutheran College. Our 2025 College Captains and Middle School Captains were officially installed, and we congratulate them on their appointment. We wish them all the best as they represent the student body throughout the year.

2024 VCE Results

In 2024, we had a Year 12 cohort of 28 students, all of whom successfully obtained their VCE Certificate. Of these, 24 completed the VCE, while four achieved the VCE Vocational Major Certificate, both of which require dedication, resilience, and strong time management skills. Among students eligible for an ATAR, 25% scored above 80.0, placing them in the top 20% nationwide.

We congratulate our VCE Dux, Rebekah Wundke (ATAR 99.00), and our VCE Proxime Accessit, Cameron Brito-Mutanayagam (ATAR 98.85), on their outstanding results. Additionally, we recognise our VCE Vocational Major Dux, Zachary Jorgensen, for his commitment to balancing work placements and trade school alongside his studies. 75% of university applicants received their first preference.

As our graduates embark on their next chapter, they are pursuing a wide range of pathways, including university, apprenticeships, TAFE, full-time work, and international academic scholarships. At Wimmera Lutheran College, we celebrate the achievements of the whole student, not just ATAR results, and we are incredibly proud of the perseverance, support for each other, and determination shown by the Class of 2024.

VET Programs

Our VET students commence their first day of classes on February 12, 2025. Further information has been provided to families. If you have any questions, please contact our Applied Learning Coordinator, Alicia Schneider (alicia.schneider@wlc.vic.edu.au).

Year Level Coordinators

Our 2025 Year Level Coordinators are as follows:

• Year 7 – Samantha Engert (samantha.engert@wlc.vic.edu.au)
• Year 8 – Amanda Przibilla (amanda.przibilla@wlc.vic.edu.au)
• Year 9 – Alicia Schneider (alicia.schneider@wlc.vic.edu.au)
• Year 10 – Jed Prouse (jed.prouse@wlc.vic.edu.au)
• Year 11 – Meg Cashin (meg.cashin@wlc.vic.edu.au)
• Year 12 – Kate Carter (kate.carter@wlc.vic.edu.au)

Please contact these staff should you have any questions regarding your child’s learning or pastoral needs.

Important Dates

• Swimming Carnival – 21st of February
• Athletics Carnival – 31st of March
• Parent-Teacher Interviews – Term 2, 22nd and 24th April

Mrs Kate Carter, Deputy Principal - Head of Secondary

Year 4-6 Swimming Carnival (Thursday 20 February)

Competitors may swim in either 25m or 50m events. Students nominating for 50m events are requested to provide times. This will help with the smooth running of our carnival and allow us to stay within schedule.

Year 3-6 Athletics Carnival (Thursday 27 March)

Year 3-6 Athletics Carnival will be conducted at Dudley Cornell Park. We are aiming to utilise the best athletics facility in Horsham to provide students with the best opportunity to compete to the best of their ability. Moving to Cornell Park will also allow us to use all results from the carnival to determine students progressing to district level whilst maximising participation for all students.

Year F-2 Athletics Carnival (Friday 28 March)

This carnival will remain at Wimmera Lutheran College - Horsham Campus. The F-2 carnival will continue to provide a fun inclusive sports experience for all students.

Junior School Cross Country (Friday 4 April)

Please note the date for Junior School Cross Country has been moved from the start of term 2 to the end of term 1. This change was made to allow more preparation time for students progressing to district cross country.

Mr Gary Davidson, Sports Coordinator (F-6)

Black Ranges Intermediate & Senior Tennis

Yesterday, 4 students from Year 9 and 10 kicked off our year of representative sport as they travelled to Stawell to compete in the Black Ranges Division Intermediate Tennis. The teams played well despite the hot conditions. The boys team lost their first rubber to Horsham College A, but bounced back to win their next two and finish second in their pool. The girls started strong, winning both their pool games to book a place in the grand final. Facing off against Horsham College A, the girls lost both of the doubles matches and had to fight hard to get themselves back in the contest. They managed to win three of the singles matches to tie the score at three sets all, winning the competition on games.

Congratulations to Victoria B, Eliza B, Serena J and Mia L, who will go on to represent WLC at the Greater Western Region Finals on March 5. Congratulations also to Sam B, Jesse J, Jack K, Frazer S and Toby U for finishing runner up in their pool. Thanks to Ms Reid for taking the students to the event and supervising them throughout the day.

Secondary Sport Nominations

Over the course of Week 1, students from Year 7 to Year 12 had the opportunity to express interest in what representative sports they would like to try out for in 2025. Students would have received a copy of their responses via email.

Additionally, students had the opportunity to nominate themselves to compete in a variety of events across the Swimming, Cross Country and Athletics carnivals. This will hopefully enable us to get information to students and families in a timely manner.

If students need to make any changes to their responses, they should email me directly.

Black Ranges Intermediate & Senior Cricket

Good luck to the students representing WLC at the Black Ranges Cricket next week. Information regarding the event has been sent to families through Consent2Go.

The Senior (Year 11 and 12) cricket will go ahead as scheduled. However, the Intermediate (Year 9 and 10) cricket has been postponed to a future date. More information about this will be published when it becomes available.

WLC Horsham Secondary Swimming Carnival

The WLC Horsham Secondary Swimming Carnival will be held on Friday, 21 February. The ‘biggest party of the summer’ is the first opportunity for students to show off their costumes, House pride and determination. Last year, Wimmera won the shield for all three major sporting events in the secondary school. The red house is riding high and aiming for a fourth consecutive Swimming Carnival victory.

WLC Horsham Secondary Cross Country Change of Date

Please note, the date of the WLC Horsham Secondary Cross Country has been changed. It will now be held on Monday, 28 April at the WLC Horsham Campus.

COMING EVENTS

February

• 11 - Black Ranges Senior Cricket (Horsham)
• 21 - WLC Horsham Year 7-12 Swimming Carnival
• HTR Trials 2025

March

• 6 - Black Ranges Secondary Swimming (Horsham)
• 17 - Black Ranges Intermediate & Senior Volleyball (Horsham)
• 26 - Greater Western Region Primary & Secondary Swimming (Horsham)
• 29 - AHPVSS Round 1 (Mount Gambier)
• 31 - WLC Horsham Year 7-12 Athletics Carnival (Dudley Cornell Park)

April

• 1 - Greater Western Region Intermediate & Senior Volleyball (Horsham)
• 28 - WLC Horsham Secondary Cross Country
• 29 - Black Ranges Intermediate & Senior Girls AFL (Horsham)

Mr Matthew McLoughlin, Sports Coordinator (7-12)

URSTRONG is a school-wide relationship strategy that is used at Wimmera Lutheran College - Horsham Campus to complement existing wellbeing and pastoral care programs. This year, the program has been rolled out to our entire Junior School, with classroom teachers leading the program!

What’s unique about URSTRONG is that everything is done through the lens of friendship skills. Research shows that relationships are the heart of wellbeing and learning. When we get friendships right in schools, children flourish! Additionally, research shows that healthy friendships in childhood and adolescence promote positive mental health, improving resilience, self-concept, a sense of purpose, academic performance, and attitudes towards learning (Vitaro F., Boivin M., & Bukowski W.M., 2009). We also know that when children experience unhealthy friendships, conflict in friendships, or social isolation, they often display symptoms of anxiety, depression, and have difficulty learning. In addition, children who are struggling socially are more likely to disengage and avoid school. Ultimately, when we get friendships right in schools, students flourish.

The URSTRONG program provides teachers with a friendship skills curriculum that helps kids to build and maintain healthy relationships, manage conflict, and increase their overall resilience. The program consists of an 8-session program called Friendology 101, as well as a scope and sequence to cover a year's worth of learning activities. The program is designed specifically for Foundation to Year 6 students, building on their knowledge each year.

So as parents and carers, if you find yourself at a loss for advice when your children come to you with their friendship issues, the URSTRONG program is here to help you at home by providing simple but meaningful language and skills to open up a dialogue with your kids. We encourage you to become involved to ensure your child is receiving consistent language and messaging from both home and school in regards to their social relationships. You can find more information by following this link: https://urstrong.com/parents/

If you would like to chat about this, please talk to your child's classroom teacher, Kelli Both (Wellbeing Officer), or Kate Polack (College Chaplain).

Monday 17 February - Horsham

Wimmera Wellbeing Centre, 28 Urquhart Street, Horsham @ 7pm

Can’t Face School Information Evening with Richard Crawshaw

Does your child have regular negative feelings about attending school?

Do you have negative conversations with your child about attending school?

Does the school really understand your child's needs during this difficult time?

If any of the above sounds familiar, please join Richard Crawshaw from 'Can't Face School' for a free information session where you can receive some simple and effective resources to help your child.

This will be a relaxed information session. You are encouraged to consider any questions you may have relating to school avoidance, challenges you face, or how you feel you can be supported for discussion on the night.

RSVP is essential (along with any dietary requirements) - Supper will be provided.

Please email kate.janetzki@vt.uniting.org

Scholastic Bookclub brochures have gone home this week. Parents should feel under no obligation to purchase from the brochures but may like to take the opportunity to develop or extend their child’s interest in reading. Our school receives Reading Reward points from each purchase. These points enable us to choose new books at no cost to the school.

All cash orders for this edition of the Bookclub must be returned to school via the office trays, by Tuesday, 11th February. Cheques should be made payable to ‘Scholastic Australia’. Credit card payments may also be made using the online system, the LOOP (if you are having trouble finding our school when registering, please use the postcode 3402). By indicating ‘gift’ on your online order, the books will be kept at school for you to pick up if you don’t want your child to see your purchase.

For more information, contact Jaci Gabbé by emailing jaci.gabbe@wlc.vic.edu.au

Please be advised that the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund is now open for applications. The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund helps ensure that no student misses out on the opportunity to join their classmates for important, educational and fun activities. It is part of making Victoria the Education State and the Government's commitment to breaking the link between a student's background and their achievements.

Families must hold a valid means-tested concession card to apply. Eligible students will receive $250 per year to go towards Camps, Excursions and Activities.

If you received CSEF funding last year at Wimmera Lutheran College - Horsham Campus and your circumstances have not changed, we will apply for the 2025 CSEF Funding on your behalf. However, it is highly recommended that you contact the Administration Office to confirm that you received the funds in 2024 to ensure you do not miss out.

Parents/Guardians will only need to complete new Application forms if you have:

• New student enrolments
• Changed family circumstances: such as a change of custody, change of name, concession card number, or new siblings commencing at the College

How to Apply

Contact the Wimmera Lutheran College - Horsham Campus Administration office to obtain a CSEF application form. Applications close at the end of Term 2, 2025.

School Prayer Walk – Saturday 15th February

On Saturday 15 February at 9am, parents are welcome to join us as we walk around school grounds and buildings and pray for the school. We will meet outside the Agora at the Senior School in the quadrangle.

It’ll be for half an hour to an hour, whatever parents can give of their time.

Join the Parent Prayer Group

If you would like to join the parent prayer group to pray for the school on a weekly basis or as you are available, please contact Imogen at 0428 363 822. We generally have a teleconference on the phone around 5:15-6pm for 15 minutes on a Thursday evening.

We also meet to pray on-site outside the Cornerstone Café at 8:30-9am on Thursday or Friday. If you see us there, you’re more than welcome to just turn up on the day and join in as you can. Also, please feel free to come if you’d like us to pray for you.

DID YOU KNOW?
There is a new Facebook Page which is the go-to place for all users of the Horsham School country bus network to stay informed about important updates, schedule changes, service disruptions and general school bus information. Search Horsham School Country Bus Network on Facebook.

Please note: This is not intended for general communications or a messaging service.

A reminder that all country bus travellers need to apply and accept offers on the School Bus Management System :
https://studenttravelassistanc...
If your term 1 offer has lapsed on the system, you can renew your application.
Please email the Horsham College Bus Coordinator if you have any questions: buses@horsham-college.vic.edu.au

Students wishing to travel on country buses on an ad hoc basis e.g. for football or netball training, need to complete an ad hoc bus application each year.
Applications may be approved if there is room on the bus involved. Please collect an application from your school office and complete. They can be returned to your school office or: buses@horsham-college.vic.edu.au
Please include your email on the form so you can be contacted regarding outcome.