2024 Alpine School Campus
- Information for Families, Students & Schools

To access all of our latest information for 2024 Programs and beyond, please visit our new website at the new online address:
https://tas.schoolforstudentleadership.vic.edu.au/

ALPINE SCHOOL CAMPUS HANDBOOK 2024 →

Welcome Parents

Congratulations on having your child be chosen to represent your school and community at the School for Student Leadership, Alpine School Campus.

The following is a brief overview of the Alpine School Campus experience from a Parents/Guardians perspective, however more detail can be found in the following booklet available to download:

Parent Information Booklet - Alpine Program

ALPINE SCHOOL CAMPUS - PARENT BOOKLET
SCHOOL & PROGRAM INFORMATION 2023
DOWNLOAD PDF →

[Current as of FEB 2023]

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The Alpine School Experience

During their nine week stay, students will live and work in a very close environment with up to 44 of their peers. There are challenges and lessons on human relationships that will arise from this lifestyle. Great friendships are made, tolerance is learned and teamwork and leadership is created. It will be rare to find a student who will not be proud of his or her involvement or to find an ex-student who does not readily identify with the Alpine School Campus.

Personal Accident Insurance for Students

Parent should be aware that the Department of Education Victoria nor the Alpine School (School for Student Leadership) and its campuses DO NOT provide personal accident insurance for students. Parents and guardians are responsible for paying the cost of medical treatment for injured students, including any transport costs.

Student accident insurance policies are available from some commercial insurers. These cover a range of medical expenses not covered by Medicare or private health insurance.

Neither the Department nor the School can advise parents/guardians on whether to purchase a student accident policy or which policy to purchase. It is recommended that parents seek assistance in this matter with their insurance broker or find a suitable personal accident insurer in the Yellow Pages or online.

Communication With Your Child

Students develop greatly at the Alpine School by managing the various challenges in a relatively independent manner. As such, regular contact via email and hand written letters from Parents/Guardians is crucially important in providing support and encouragement during the Alpine School experience.

All students are encouraged to write to or email their families on a regular basis. Family members may send faxes to students at the Alpine School Campus although students are not able to send faxes in return. Postpacks may be sent.

Arrival at The Alpine School Campus

On or prior to the scheduled arrival day, please check the weather forecast. The weather in the Victorian Alps can be very unpredictable. Please check local conditions with the Alpine School Campus prior to your departure. Chains must be carried in during the declared ski season and fitted as directed by the appropriate authorities.

If you wish to stop within the boundaries of the Mt Hotham Ski Resort, during the ski season, then you must pre-purchase a car pass online at: Passes | Hotham Alpine Resorts (mthotham.com.au) or run the risk of receiving a hefty fine. You do not need to purchase a car pass if you intend to drive straight through the resort and not stop. CCTV Camera’s at Resort Entry point’s time your car entering and exiting the resort in a set time.

Families may need to plan ahead and perhaps consider car pooling to deliver students to the Alpine School Campus on the starting date. Parents/Guardians should plan to arrive between 10 am and 12pm.

On arrival students will meet and be briefed by the student’s Alpine School Campus liaison teacher. At 12pm there will be a short welcome for all families, which will be followed by lunch. If parents wish to stay overnight, there are various forms of accommodation available at Dinner Plain, Hotham, Bright and Omeo. Schools may wish to coordinate or support a coordinated travel arrangement to assist parents and students.

Parents Visiting Weekend

WHAT: The visiting weekend is a vital component of the Alpine School Campus experience as it draws the family into the experience of the student. The weekend takes place midway through the term. Specific dates will be circulated at Information Evenings.

WHY: Separation anxiety is often revisited for both students and parents. We feel it is worth the effort, as it achieves a shared understanding of aspects of the SSL experience for immediate family that needs to be shared face-to-face. This is a vital insight into your child’s experience which will assist you with the reintegration process upon their return home. We ask you give this weekend the highest priority in your family's planning!

WHEN: On Saturday, families are asked to pick-up their child between 9am & 10.00am. On Sunday, families are asked to return with their child between 1.00pm and 4.00pm. Our program will resume at 4.00pm sharp. Tea and Coffee are provided. Please inform staff if you need to drop your child off before 12.00 pm midday.

WHERE: It is suggested, families stay nearby, and accommodation should be booked well in advance. Accommodation options and information can be found at the front office on Arrival Day. The internet will also provide a wealth of options for accommodation and activities in the district.

WHO: The visiting weekend is for immediate family members only. The School for Student Leadership experience is about an intense learning experience for the students. As such, parents, and siblings, as the usual primary support for students, are really the most appropriate invited guests. Grandparents are welcome and we often see the bridging of significant generational gaps on this visit.

WHAT IF... If any families are unable to attend the weekend, please advise SSL staff as soon as possible. Special arrangements will be made. In the past, some families have shared lifts or even accepted responsibility for a student if their family is unable to attend. We do, however, ask and strongly recommend, for your child’s wellbeing, that every effort is taken to attend the visiting weekend.

ADDITIONAL VISITS/DEPARTURES: On a rare occasion, a student may need to leave the SSL during other times in the program. In these circumstances, we invite families and stakeholders to consult with SSL staff prior to making a final decision. Unannounced visits are prohibited.