Healthy School News
Faith Field
Secondary School Nurse
Krizza Salugsugan
Student Wellbeing
Tina Doyle
Student Wellbeing
National Lunchbox Week is here!
National Lunchbox Week celebrates the uniqueness of every lunchbox. A lunchbox can reflect love, care, and nourishment from simple sandwiches to creative meals. North Geelong Secondary College is proud to support National Lunch Box Week to help make lunchboxes enjoyable, nourishing and pressure free.
Every lunchbox tells a story shaped by family traditions, available resources, and unique preferences, reminding us there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. During National Lunchbox Week, we embrace the diversity of lunchboxes and promote supportive, judgment-free conversations around food.
We know that packing a lunchbox can sometimes feel daunting. Nutrition Australia’s tips and simple options can make busy mornings much more manageable. More importantly lunchbox packing isn’t about perfection but finding what works for you and your family. Affordability matters, too, and with some practical ideas, nutritious lunches can be both satisfying and budget-friendly.
Lunchtimes can also help children and young people build lifelong positive relationships with food, turning every lunch break into an opportunity for enjoyment and connection. The heart of National Lunchbox Week is collaboration. Families, schools, and health advocates share a common goal: for children and young people to have nourishing, enjoyable meals that support their growth and learning.
Through National Lunchbox Week we can inspire meaningful change that benefits the next generation by working together, sharing ideas, and creating inclusive spaces. Be sure to explore the National Lunchbox Week website for helpful resources: www.lunchboxweek.org.
Vape Prevention Project
North Geelong Secondary College is partnering with the City of Greater Geelong and Catholic Care to co-design a Vape Prevention Project to address the growing issue of vaping among young people.
This project is part of a broader effort funded by VicHealth, uniting local governments and health services across the Barwon South-West region. Together, we aim to listen, learn, and co-design strategies to combat vaping among young people aged 12-25.
The project's key objectives include:
- Increasing awareness of the harms of vaping and empowering young people to reject it,
- Reducing exposure to vaping and vaping products, and
- Strengthening community capacity to address vaping among young people.
12 senior students from NGSC have been selected to participate in this project. They will meet once a week throughout Term 1 to:
- Learn about the harms of vaping,
- Collaborate on designing a project, resource, or campaign addressing vape prevention, and
- Bring their ideas to life with support and allocated project funding.
The resources developed by the students will have the opportunity to reach a wider audience, with plans to share these initiatives across other schools in Geelong and the Barwon South-West region. Projects will be formally launched in May 2025, coinciding with World No Tobacco Day.
We will provide updates regarding the vape prevention project throughout the term.
Active Schools
Our school recently received funding through the Active Schools initiative! Active Schools aims to ensure all Victorian students have the skills, confidence and motivation to be active in life. This grant will help us get students at North Geelong Secondary College moving more.
The priorities of an active school are:
- quality physical education
- quality school sport
- active classrooms
- active travel
- active recreation
To learn more about Active Schools, visit www.vic.gov.au/active-schools
Focus on Active Travel:
Active travel is using physical activity to get around. It can be walking or cycling to a destination, or it might even be skating or scooting – anything that gets your body moving! You can use the North / Central Geelong and Lara Active Travel Map to start planning new ways of getting to the places you go regularly, such as your local shops, activities, school or workplace. The map includes information on shared pathways, bike lanes, bus routes and railways stations and local destinations such as schools, shopping centres and libraries.
JOIN Geelong Youth’s MONTHLY ACTION GROUP
Are you aged 12–25 and passionate about creating positive change in your community? Geelong Youth are looking for young leaders to join an action group focused on vaping prevention in the Barwon South West region. As a member of this group, you’ll gain training from YACVic in advocacy, receive support from the City's Youth Development Officers in project management and prizes and meals will be available!
For more information, contact Geelong Youth at youthcommunitydevelopment@geelongcity.vic.gov.au, or click below to register your Expression of Interest (EOI). Expression of Interest: VicHealth Vaping Prevention Program
Seeds of Strength Community Dinner
Join Geelong Sustainability for an evening of meaningful connection, thought-provoking discussion, and delicious food at the Seeds of Strength Community Dinner. This event is an opportunity to explore how you can build resilience in our communities and food systems, as we navigate the complexities of a changing climate.
When: 25 February 6:00pm to 8:30pm
Where: Common Ground Project, 675 Anglesea Road, Freshwater Creek
Book tickets here
Parenting Programs in the Geelong Region - Term 1, 2025
You can view all the Parenting Programs offered in the Geelong Region for Term 1, 2025 via this link Microsoft Word - 2025 Term 1 Regional Parenting Calendar.docx.
Geelong Regional Libraries' Youth Updates
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Geelong Regional Libraries' youth programs are all about creative exploration, with programs such as clay art, sewing and digital art to socially connect together.
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The Nest Youth Hub opens its doors
On 23 January 2025 The Nest Youth Hub launched, a welcoming, safe and inclusive space for young people across the region. First proposed by the 2020 Youth Council, the Youth Hub is a place for our 12-25-year-old community members to hang out, enjoy meals, access programs and connect with support services. It is located on the corner of Gheringhap St and Transit Pl., in the Busport complex.
Preventing Vaping
Did you know that In Victoria, a person must not smoke or vape on school premises or within 4 metres of any pedestrian access point to school premises? The ban aims to protect children and young people from second-hand smoke and the aerosol from vapes. North Geelong Secondary College have “No Smoking or Vaping” signs at all pedestrian access points to the school grounds, as a reminder for students, families, staff and visitors. The smoking and vaping ban applies during and outside of school hours. The Department of Education also bans smoking and vaping at school events and excursions held off school premises. For more information about the smoking and vaping ban visit Smoking and Vaping Ban: Policy | education.vic.gov.au
Support Numbers for Young People and Families
Emergency - 000
Barwon Health Mental Health Services - 1300 094 187
Orange Door - 1800 312 820
Lifeline - 13 11 14
Kids Helpline - 1800 551 800
Suicide Line 24/7 - 1300 651 251
The Sexual Assault and Family Violence Centre -03 5222 4318
Headspace - 03 5222 6690
eHeadspace - Emergency assistance | headspace
Youth Beyond Blue - 1300 224 636
Get support - Beyond Blue - Beyond Blue
