The Rutherglen High School Community follows an ethos based on our Code of Co-operation. These values are supported by a Wellbeing Team dedicated to providing assistance to our students.
Students and their families have access to a range of Wellbeing staff at Rutherglen High School, including:
- Principal and Assistant Principal
- Wellbeing Coordinator
- Senior and Junior School Leaders
- Year Level Co-ordinators
- School Nurse
- School Counsellor
- Social Worker
- The Doctors-in-Schools clinic
Wellbeing Staff are available to:
- Discuss personal or family problems, particularly those affecting a student’s academic or social development
- Assist students or families who have financial difficulties
- Organise and implement Personal Development and Life Skills Programs – anger management, grief counselling, organisation, self-esteem, body image, anti-bullying/cyber bullying
- Organise mediation to resolve minor disputes
- Hold ‘Restorative Conferences’ to provide a safe and supportive environment
- Support students at risk
Wellbeing Staff
Support and wellbeing of our students is a priority at Rutherglen High School. A number of counsellors are available for students to speak to by referral. Please contact the Wellbeing Coordinator, Miranda Schroder to: organise appointments for students to see the school counsellors; provide referrals to external agencies that can assist students and families; organise Student Support Group meetings.
The availability of counsellors is as follows:
Miranda Schroeder, Mental Health Practitioner: Mondays-Thursdays
Monique Butt, Social Worker: Mondays – Fridays (Finishing at 4pm on Thursdays and Fridays)
School Nurse Shannon Treacy is available on Mondays and Tuesdays to speak to students for:
- Informal counselling
- Health issues
- Group Programs – Girls Group, Boys Group, Meditation and Stress Relief
- Training Staff for appropriate responses to Anaphylaxis and Diabetes issues
- Parent support
Joanne Green, Koorie Engagement Support Officer:
Koorie Engagement Support Officer (KESO) in the Ovens Murray Area for the Department of Education and Training (DET).
This role includes:
• Supporting educational services to make their curriculum culturally inclusive
• Supporting greater cultural understanding of early years and school staff
• Supporting parents and carers to engage in their child’s learning and development
• Supporting children in Out of Home Care
• Supporting students with Individual Education Plans (IEPs)
• Linking families to resources and programs to increase year 12 completion and further educational opportunities
For more information on this role, please read the below documents.
2026 OM KESO Brochure (002)iep-factsheet-for-koorie-families-pdf-1933 (003)
iep-factsheet-for-koorie-families-pdf-1933 (003)
Expenditure and Financial Assistance
Books and School Requisites
Booklists will be distributed to students late October/early November. A supplier will be organised each year that parents will deal with directly via a website in order to purchase supplies.
Curriculum and Material Services
In order to reduce the cost of books to parents, in many subjects, class sets of texts are purchased by the School for the pupils use. Photocopied and duplicated materials are also provided for student use in most subjects. A levy will appear on the booklist to cover these costs.
School Camps
School Camps operate at Years 7, 8, 9, 10 and 12. Adequate notice is provided to allow families to budget for the camps and to make an initial deposit as well as periodic payments. Parents are also able to utilise EMA payments to cover the cost of camps. Students can also participate in fundraising activities to reduce the costs of the more expensive camps.
Other Financial Assistance
Where parents find the cost of keeping pupils at school a hardship, an application can be made for the prevision of assistance for books and/or maintenance. Four forms of government assistance are available:
- Newstart Allowance – An allowance is available for students over 16 years of age, on a needs basis. Details are available from Centrelink.
- Conveyance Allowance – When pupils reside more than 4.8 kilometres from the School bus route, an application can be made for a Conveyance Allowance towards the cost of transport by car. Application forms should be obtained from the School office during the first week of the school year.
- State Schools Relief – This can assist with the purchase of uniforms, shoes and or specialised calculators for Senior levels.
- Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) : A set amount of money to assist parents/guardians with sport and excursions throughout the year. A total of $250.00 per child is given if you are a health care or sole parent pension card holder.