Campaigning for schools - Labor candidate launches education petition

Woodend Primary School principal, Andy Kozak, and Labor candidate for Bendigo, Lisa Chesters with her petition. Photo: Chris Fleming

Labor candidate for Bendigo, Lisa Chesters visited Woodend Primary School last week to launch her 'Macedon Ranges supports Fairer Funding for our Schools' campaign.

Ms Chesters said the Federal Labor government has put on the table millions of dollars for Macedon Ranges schools that deserve and need this funding to help ensure our kids get the best education for the best start in life. 

"Right now, the Liberal State Government and Federal Opposition are refusing to back the plan," Ms Chesters said. 

"Under Labor's National Plan for School Improvement, Victorian schools would benefit from an extra $4 billion, or about $1.8 million per school on average, over the next six years. 

"With one in 12 students not reaching minimum education standards, this is money that Macedon Ranges schools like Woodend Primary School need, and need right now."

Ms Chesters said that under Labor's plan all schools would be funded through a fairer system which is based on the needs of individual students and provides extra, targeted support for schools and students who need it most.

"Liberal State Premier Denis Napthine's decision not to invest in education is devastating for central Victorian schools, parents and children.

"Instead of putting Victorian schools first, Denis Napthine has turned his back on our students and resorted to slashing vital education funding.

"That's why we're launching this campaign. 

We are calling on Premier Napthine to follow the example of his NSW colleague, Premier Barry O'Farrell, and sign up to our plan to deliver a better deal for Victorian schools.

"The Federal Government has put a fair deal on the table for Mr Napthine - offering to invest two dollars for every extra one dollar they put in. This would ensure all schools get the funding they need to deliver the best education.

"Now it is up to everyone in the Macedon Ranges to get behind this campaign and demonstrate to the State and Federal Liberals that we support the National Plan for School Improvement and that Bendigo wants the funding that is on the table for our achools."

An online petition supporting the plan can be signed by visiting Ms Chesters' Facebook page facebook.com/lisachestersbendigo and clicking the link.

Rare sky event

Gisborne Secondary College students take in the rare sight of a partial solar eclipse. Photo: Chris Fleming

Gisborne Secondary College students rose early last Friday in order to take in the rare sight of a partial solar eclipse.

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and Earth, and the moon fully or partially blocks the sun.

Most of the country saw a partial eclipse, while those in the northern parts of Australia saw the annular eclipse, which is also called a 'ring of fire eclipse'.

Gisborne Secondary College has been loaned a computerised research-grade telescope from Melbourne University for three years, as part of the Telescopes in Schools program.

"Part of the deal is that we run astronomy nights and days for the community, the school and anyone interested in the field," said science coordinator, Dale Barry.

"(The program) promotes science within the school and certainly gets more students thinking about studying science at uni and following that career path."

The students' photos and comments will appear on the Melbourne University School of Physics/Astrophysics' Telescopes in Schools website.

GSC is one of 10 schools involved in the program.

Budget fails our schools

Kylie Kitchen

High priority education projects have been overlooked in the Victorian budget, to the detriment of schooling in the Macedon Ranges. 

The budget, released on Tuesday night, has failed to fund the K-12 Kyneton Education Plan, failed to commit to the Federal Government's National Plan for School Improvement (Gonski reform), and failed to reinstate TAFE funding. 

Australian Education Union Victorian Branch president, Meredith Peace, said this government has cut public education funding in real terms by at least $155 million over the next 12 months.

"The AEU has repeatedly called on the State Government to invest in public education, which is critical to the state's economic and social future," Ms Peace said.

Local Labor members of parliament have criticised the budget and its impacts on education in the Macedon Ranges. 

Labor State MP for Ballarat East, Geoff Howard said the budget is a huge letdown for the region.

"I am very disappointed that the K-12 Kyneton Education Plan did not receive any funding. For the third year in a row no school in the entire Ballarat East electorate has been listed to receive any major upgrade funding," he said.

"Our education system deserves better."

Mr Howard raised concern about the overall $69 million cut to education which is declared as 'savings' or 'reprioritisation and adjustments'.

Federal Labor Member for McEwen, Rob Mitchell, said the state's reduction in education spending proves the urgent need to reform school funding.

That is the aim under the National Plan for School Improvement. It is the Federal Government's response to the Gonski Review of Funding for Schooling.

The plan is a partnership project in which the Federal Government is awaiting state governments across the country to sign up to. So far only NSW has signed up. 

This budget was Victoria's opportunity to be part of the Gonski plan, with the agreement time closing on June 30.

Under the plan, schools across the country (in states that are signed up) would benefit from an extra $14.5 billion in public investment over the next six years along with better funding indexation. The NPSI would provide $9,271 per primary school student and $12,193 for high school students.

"If Premier Napthine will only act and sign up to our plan for better schools then there will be $4 billion more flowing to Victoria schools over the next six years, and the targeted funding available under national partnerships will be permanently locked in," Mr Mitchell said.

"But if we don't change the current school funding system, then our schools will miss out on $1.2 billion over the coming years due to expiring national partnerships and lower indexation rates."

Federal Labor candidate for Bendigo, Lisa Chesters said the state's decision not to invest in education is devastating for central Victorian schools, parents and children.

"(On Wednesday), I was in Kyneton meeting with school principals, teachers and students about the urgent needs of their schools. To be frank, their urgent needs list is just too long."

"This is on top of the $555 million the State Government has already ripped from our schools since coming to power."

Ms Chesters said if Mr Napthine refuses to sign up to the Labor Government's National Plan School Improvement, Victorian schools and students will be hit twice as hard.

"The Federal Government has put a fair deal on the table for Mr Napthine - offering to invest two dollars for every extra one dollar they put in."

State Liberal Member for the Northern Victoria, Donna Petrovich is yet to comment on the issues with education funding, but said the government is committed to improving Victorian lifestyle by investing in education, infrastructure, health, transport, environment and the economy.

"The Victorian Coalition Government's 2013-14 Victorian State Budget invests in major infrastructure and high-quality services for all Victorians, while ensuring Victoria's finances remain the strongest in the nation," Ms Petrovich said.

Overcoming disadvantage

Sacred Heart principal Craig Holmes, student Mitchell Cole, Parliamentary Secretary for School Education, Senator Jacinta Collins, Federal Labor candidate for Bendigo, Lisa Chesters, school captain John-Joe Wilson, student Rhys Morton, and school captain Rauri Barker met this week as part of Ms Collin's Kyneton visit.

Kylie Kitchen

Better disability assistance was promised by the Parliamentary Secretary for School Education when she visited Kyneton schools on Wednesday.

Senator Jacinta Collins and Federal Labor candidate for Bendigo, Lisa Chesters, met with teachers and students at Sacred Heart College, Kyneton Secondary College and Kyneton Primary School.

Ms Collins discussed how the schools will benefit from a nationwide share in $100 million extra into the More Support for Students with Disabilities initiative in 2014. 

"You'll see some good examples here - better support for students with disabilities to make transitions into employment and further education, and assisted technology," she said.

"The new funding means teachers at Sacred Heart will be able to continue providing additional support for students with disabilities to transition effectively between stages of school and from school into further education, training or employment. 

"While school principals and school leaders at Kyneton Primary and Kyneton Secondary will receive more professional development to build on the excellent work they have already been doing in supporting students with autism."

Sacred Heart students, Mitchell Cole (year 11) and Rhys Morton (year 9), shared their personal experiences with Ms Collins and Ms Chesters. They asked how the Government will improve disability access and services to students at school and in employment and further education prospects. 

Sacred Heart principal, Craig Holmes, welcomed the extra support for students with physical, mental and learning disabilities. 

"Certainly we want to have more disability access for those with mobility issues and also for students with auditory processing issues to be catered for," he said.

"That means providing the technologies they require to assist them in their learning so they are not disadvantaged from their peers.

"And certainly as a school we want to see students' ability rather than their disability."

Mr Holmes said disability funding will affect not only physically disabled students but those with social/emotional issues, autism spectrum disorder, and hearing impairment.

"We hope that with funding we can identify more resources that will overcome disadvantage," he said. 

"Their future prospects for employment and on going study are important.

"In the end, we want students to have full access to the education opportunities we offer."

Positive messages passed on

The enthusiastic Live4Life crew, made up of 35 year nines and 10s from five local colleges, launched Live4Life 2013 for their year eight peers this week.

Kylie Kitchen

Macedon Ranges year eight students were given a captivating introduction to youth mental health initiative, Live4Life, on Tuesday.

The students are set to follow in the footsteps of past Live4Life groups in transforming internal awareness, social attitudes and schoolyard dynamics through the year-long program.

Since its beginnings in late 2009, students, teachers and parents have sung high praise for the locally-born Live4Life.

Teens are educated to identify, talk about and manage their mental health and that of their peers.

At the 2013 launch this week, mental health messages were delivered via mediums ranging from poetry slam and song, to videos and talks.

"The students get some really great, simple messages," council youth development unit coordinator, Pauline Neil said.

"One is that we all have mental health issues and there are some key support people in their life and if they're worried at all about what is going on for them that they can tell an adult and get the support they need.

"The other key message is that talking about mental health is very fun. We've worked very hard at making sure the association with the Live4Life brand as one of fun and trying to address the stigma.

"As Sam Hasell (a participant in Live4Life's first year) said in his opening, 'Live4Life is not just a community, it felt like I was part of a family'. To be involved in a mental health program and to get that sense from it as a young person is quite extraordinary."

An energetic year nine and 10 crew hosted the event, drawing on their experience as Live4Life participants in the past two years.

Ms Neil commended the crew for successfully holding the attention of 600 young teens. 

"It was certainly the best launch we've had to date," she said.

"The way in which the Live4Life crew worked toward the launch and really took control on the day was fantastic.

"It was high energy, the students said it was a lot of fun."

The interactive event included a DVD on sexting, a game busting mental health myths, a short play depicting issues around mental health, and a session addressing the question, 'Why is it important to destigmatise mental illness?'. 

"They really enjoyed it and they though the DVD was really powerful," Ms Neil said.

"The message was really that each person sitting there has the ability to make good choices and can predict the impact of making a poor choice on themselves and those around them."

Live4Life is an initiative by Cobaw Community Health, Macedon Ranges Council, Victoria Police and local schools, Sacred Heart College, Kyneton Secondary College, Braemar College, Gisborne Secondary College and Macedon Grammar.

In terms two and three, the year eights will cover topics, 'What's up', 'In Your Head', 'Body Talk' and 'Helping Hand'. Parents will have the opportunity to participate in Youth Mental Health First Aid training as part of the program.