ELTHAM College Family News February 27

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

Events and dates may be subject to change.

Whole School 

Monday 9 March - Labour Day Public Holiday 
No School 

Friday 13 March - 2026 Open Day & Twilight Market 
4.30pm – 8.30pm 

Further details available via the Open Day website https://elthamcollegeopenday.vic.edu.au/ 

Junior School  

Please review the following important Junior School dates for the coming fortnight. 

Monday 2 March - House Music at Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne 
Year 5/6 students (all families welcome to attend) 

Refer to Junior School communications and myELTHAM (mE) for full arrangements. 

Wednesday 4 March - Division Swimming 
See the Junior School Newsletter for event details. 

Wednesday 11 March – Friday 20 March - NAPLAN (Years 3 & 5) 
Testing period. 

Please review the following important Senior School dates for the coming fortnight. 

Monday 2 March - House Music at Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne 
Refer to Senior School communications and myELTHAM (mE) for full arrangements.  

Wednesday 4 March - Year 7 Welcome to House (Evelyn & Nillumbik) 
Event information has been communicated. A reminder email will be issued prior to the event. 

Wednesday 11 March – Friday 20 March - NAPLAN (Years 7 & 9) 
Testing period. 

This year the College Captain team was excited to hit the ground running with the leadership training day in late January, where we worked alongside the incoming captains and leaders to map out our goals and intentions for the year ahead. The day also included a presentation from Success Integrated CEO Darren Pereria, where we gained valuable insights and practical skills that will help us grow into our roles and work effectively as a team. 

In 2026, our goal is to broaden the range of opportunities available to students across the College so that everyone has the chance to explore their interests and get involved in something meaningful. Whether that’s through academic activities, sport, the arts, or new initiatives led by students themselves, we hope to support an environment where people feel encouraged to try new things and step outside their comfort zone. At the same time, we want to maintain an approachable and student-focused leadership style so that students feel comfortable sharing their ideas and concerns with us. 

Leadership at ELTHAM College, to us, is about representing our peers, listening carefully, and helping create a positive and inclusive culture. It isn’t just about organising events or speaking at assemblies; it’s about being present in the community and supporting others to have their voices heard. We hope to foster a strong sense of connection within our cohort and across the broader College community in 2026, where students feel supported, proud of their school, and excited about what they can achieve together. We can’t wait for the year ahead.

Mietta Franzmann and Tristan Wood 

House Music takes place next week at Hamer Hall on Monday 2 March, with rehearsal day at the Research campus on Sunday 1 March for Instrumental and Dance items. 

Families are encouraged to carefully review the final operational details for both days, including updated rehearsal times, transport arrangements, supervision during the dinner break, return times to Hamer Hall and end-of-evening collection points. 

Key Reminders 

Sunday 1 March – Rehearsals (Instrumental & Dance only) at Research Campus. Morning session 10.00am–12.00pm, lunch break 12.00pm–12.30pm, afternoon session 12.30pm–2.30pm. Many students attend either the morning or afternoon session only. Please refer to the House-specific rehearsal schedule here: https://me.eltham.edu.au/news/31813 

Monday 2 March – Students wear sports uniform for travel to and from Hamer Hall. 

Chamber musicians travel on an earlier bus at 7.30am (please ensure arrival at the bus bay by 7.15am). 

No staff supervision during the dinner break – families must make arrangements to meet students. 

Performances begin at 7.30pm (audience seated by then). 

Expected conclusion: approximately 10.25pm. Please note designated collection points by year level. 

Families should refer to the full myELTHAM (mE) notification for detailed rehearsal schedules, transport times and pickup arrangements: https://me.eltham.edu.au/news/31799 

For any questions, please contact the Arts Administration Team at: music @elthamcollege.vic.edu.au. 

A very warm welcome to 2026 from all of us at Jaycees Food Co. We’re delighted to once again serve the ELTHAM College community and look forward to another year of providing fresh, nutritious and delicious meals for students across the College. 

To help us best support your family, here’s what you need to know: 

Ordering Lunch 

All year levels are welcome to use our convenient online ordering platform via Flexischools. Families can set up an account using this flyer and enjoy a simple, cashless way to order fresh, house-made meals prepared onsite each day. 

Cut-Off Times 

Standard lunch orders close at 9:00am. 

If you miss this window, a Late Lunch Menu remains available via Flexischools until 11:30am. 

If a student does not have lunch at lunchtime for any reason, a $6 Forgot Lunch charge will apply. Parents/carers will be contacted and payment must be made promptly via the Flexischools IOU service. Please note that lunch cannot be provided without payment. 

Senior Students – Three Leaves Café 

Senior students may purchase lunch and snacks at Three Leaves Café. 

Please note: 

Mobile phones are not permitted for payment 

EFTPOS is accepted (a 1.8% bank processing fee applies) 

Cash is welcome 

Prepaid reloadable gift cards are available 

This term, our fresh baked pizzas and high-protein pasta bakes have been especially popular, along with homemade bubble teas and iced lattes. 

We truly enjoy serving the ELTHAM College community and thank you for your continued support. We look forward to welcoming students throughout the year. 

The Jaycees team 

Observatory construction, October 1983

Esmae Boutros
Archivist 

Our Open Day and Twilight Market is just around the corner, and we look forward to welcoming families and the wider community on Friday 13 March for an afternoon and evening celebrating the spirit, creativity and connection that define life at ELTHAM College. 

Following Open Day activities, the campus will come alive with our Twilight Market, featuring a vibrant mix of food, handmade goods and locally produced wares. It’s a wonderful opportunity to gather as a community, support local makers and enjoy a relaxed evening on campus. 

Volunteers Welcome 

We are currently seeking parent and College community volunteers to assist on the day. If you are able to lend a hand - even for a short shift - we would greatly appreciate your support. 

Register your interest to volunteer here: 

https://elthamcollege.wufoo.com/forms/z1lqiu6s1bk3j22/ 

LAST MINUTE CALL OUT - Stallholder applications are still open! 

Community members interested in hosting a stall at the ELTHAM College Twilight Market are warmly invited to register their interest. 

Apply to become a stallholder: 

https://elthamcollege.wufoo.com/forms/zoc73zn0793l29/ 

Further information about the Open Day program and Twilight Market, including timings and event details, can be found here: https://elthamcollegeopenday.vic.edu.au/ 

We look forward to welcoming you on Friday 13 March for what promises to be a lively and engaging community event. 

We are delighted to introduce our 2026 Junior School student leaders, who will help shape the spirit, connection and culture of Junior School throughout the year.

Junior School Captains 

Reeva Kallamkote and James Harper 

House Captains 

Nillumbik: Sophia Guyett & Noah Morgan 

Ross: Max Koopman & Kevin Zhang 

Evelyn: Jonty Buys & Harry Powell 

Bell: Jack Sawyer & Eadie Baxter 

Arts Captains 

Ella Cortesao 

Jack Phillips 

Jayden Chen 

Vibodh Yenigalla 

Mia Vandaele 

Evie Spence-Elias 

Wellbeing Captains 

Estere Zubeckis 

Nina Morrison 

Justin Yan 

Grace Murphy 

We congratulate these students for stepping forward into leadership and look forward to the enthusiasm, care and positive energy they will bring to our Junior School community in 2026. 

Students across Years 7 - 12 marked Chinese New Year in their Chinese classes, taking part in traditional activities including paper cutting and red pocket making. 

Jiǎnzhǐ, or paper cutting, was a favourite among both younger and older students. This traditional folk art involves folding and cutting coloured paper, then unfolding it to reveal intricate patterns. It is an important part of Chinese New Year celebrations and symbolises good fortune and happiness. Red is often used, representing protection and believed to ward off bad luck. 

The classroom celebrations were thoroughly enjoyed and promoted cultural diversity within our learning community, helping students deepen their understanding of the rich history and traditions of Chinese culture. 

新年快乐(xīn nián kuài lè)！Wishing you a happy and healthy Year of the Fire Horse! 

Natalie Addis 
LOTE Captain 

Applications for the ELTHAM College Elite & Emerging Athlete Program (EEAP) 2026 are now open. 

Students wishing to apply must complete the online form: 

Elite and Emerging Athlete Program 2026 (EEAP) – Fill in form 

Video Submission Required 

In addition to the form, students must submit a short video addressing the following: 

Name and year level 

Sport applying for, and other sports played 

Team(s) played for and level of competition 

What you know about the program 

What you hope to gain from involvement 

EISM teams/carnivals participated in (or Year 6 equivalent) 

Any other relevant information 

The video must be saved in the student’s OneDrive folder and shared with Brent Wallace and Sean van Oosterwijck. 

Key Deadline 

All forms and video submissions must be completed by 9.00am Monday 16 March. 

Students are encouraged to begin preparations early to ensure submissions are completed on time.

Brent Wallace 
Head of Sport, Senior School 

Applications are now open for the Elevate Pathways Program for students entering Year 7 and Year 10 in 2027. 

The Elevate Pathways Program recognises and supports students with strengths and interests across academic, arts and sporting pathways. Rather than a traditional scholarship model, the program takes a holistic approach, focusing on each student’s individual pathway and potential. 

Who can apply? 

Applications are open to both current ELTHAM students and students new to the College. 

Key dates 

Applications close: Friday 13 March 

Families interested in learning more, including eligibility requirements and application timelines, can find full details on the College website: 

https://www.elthamcollege.vic.edu.au/admissions/elevate-pathways-program 

Saturday 21 March | 9.30am – 4.00pm | University of Melbourne 

The Girls’ Programming Network (GPN) is hosting its next workshop on Saturday 21 March, focusing on Markov chains - an engaging introduction to artificial intelligence. 

Students will build a program capable of generating new sentences based on books, song lyrics and other text sources. This hands-on project mirrors the predictive text functions used in smartphones and provides a creative and practical exploration of programming. 

The workshop includes pizza lunch and snacks. 

Who is it for? 

GPN is developed and run by female university IT students and is designed for high school girls interested in technology and programming, whether they are beginners or looking to further develop their coding skills. 

Registrations 

Registrations are now open: 

👉 https://bookings.events.unimelb.edu.au/dmP8k3 

Places are limited and workshops typically fill quickly. 

ALCOHOL DECODED: Empowering parents & community leaders in the youth drinking conversation 

Monday 16 March | 6.00pm–7.00pm | Online 

Delivered by Blurred Minds, this webinar equips parents with up-to-date knowledge about alcohol trends and influences on youth drinking. 

Parents will learn: 

How to support their young person if they have started drinking 

Practical strategies for navigating conversations about alcohol 

How to approach tricky discussions with confidence and clarity 

Registrations are required via: 

Webinar Registration – Zoom [https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Q4jWV7y-SfOFElHyhlVD-Q#/registration] 

For all information regarding the Sport program including Carnivals, EISM Fixtures, Team Lists, Training Sessions and Seasonal Sporting events please visit the ELTHAM College Sports page on mE link below.

2025 sees us move to our new improved newsletter, which is now available fortnightly.

Key Dates and more timely information will be shared via the mE app. If you have not already installed the mE app on your phone and enabled notifications, we ask our families to do so.

Parents can access this information from the Information for Families page on mE and by clicking on the mE App tile. 

Parents can access their Year Level Group pages, with information about events and year level chat, on mE.

ELTHAM College is pleased to share a special opportunity for families and friends to purchase high-quality sleeping bags at a discounted rate through a bulk College order. 

One Planet, a Melbourne-owned manufacturer of premium outdoor gear, is offering our community access to the Camp Lite Sleeping Bag:  a lightweight, durable and high-performing option well suited to Outdoor Education programs. 

Child Safety at ELTHAM College

All staff at ELTHAM College are responsible for providing a safe environment and the protection of children and young people within our care, including promoting physical, emotional and cultural safety. All staff are responsible for reporting information about suspected child abuse. All staff share in the responsibility for the prevention and detection of child abuse and promptly raise any issues or concerns about a child’s safety. All staff are required to follow the School’s Child Safe policies and Child Safety Code of Conduct.

ELTHAM College takes a zero-tolerance approach to child abuse and is fully committed to ensuring that its strategies, policies, procedures, and practices meet all Child Safe Standards as specified in Ministerial Order No. 1359 (2022).  All applicants should refer to our Child Safety Policy and Code of Conduct found at Policies - Eltham College.