Friends of Plenty Campus
At Ivanhoe Grammar School we have 16 parent groups that sit under the umbrella of Ivanhoe Parents and Friends. The parents who volunteer their time, energy and expertise to different areas of the School are a vital part of life at Ivanhoe.
Friends of Plenty Campus Group brings together Convenors of the Plenty Parent Groups and Parent Year Level Representatives from each secondary year level, as well as representatives from the primary section of the campus. The group aims to facilitate good communication between the School and parents and to encourage cooperation between the different parent support groups. It also plays a role in the organisation of information nights for parents and general campus social events.
There are many opportunities to get involved as Friends of Plenty Campus organise many social and fundraising events such as an annual spring lunch and trivia night, helping the Friends of Plenty Primary with some of their events and manage the Plenty Exchange, which is the second-hand uniform shop.
2019 Activities
Year Parent Representative Program
Friends of Plenty Campus was delighted to implement a Year Parent Representative structure in 2019, as a way of providing greater support to our families, enhancing communications between families and the school, and strengthening connections between families in our community. Supported by Mentors and Friends of Plenty Campus the Year Level Representatives organised social dinners, informal and formal catch-ups as well as support and friendship to new families joining Plenty Campus.
Spring Luncheon
An annual fixture, Friends of Plenty Campus refreshed and revamped the Spring Luncheon this year, which was held at The Gallery, Rivers of Yarrambat on Friday 6 September, with a Tuscan themed buffet. Over 60 parents from the Plenty Campus community joined year level tables to celebrate spring, connect and reconnect with friends in the beautiful setting and celebrate community. A highlight of the lunch was the lively Auction of our Head of Campus, Dan Brown, as a slave for three hours!
Plenty Campus Clothing Exchange
This year Friends of Plenty Campus was thrilled to invest in and expand the Plenty Exchange, a high-quality second-hand uniform shop run by volunteers to support the Plenty Campus community. The renovation and expansion has doubled the size of the Exchange, and the comfort, change rooms and customer experience have vastly improved. Supported by generous donations by many families we now stock a much larger range of uniform items and have introduced an increased range of opening hours and availability for appointments with a larger pool of parent volunteers. The volunteer pool of parents operating the Plenty Exchange, for instance, has added an additional five volunteers to the Roster this year. With extra volunteers on board, we now aim to increase our opening hours and days in 2020.
Plenty Campus celebrates its 30th Anniversary in 2020
In 2020, Friends of Plenty Campus is excited to collaborate with the school in celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Plenty Campus. This is a momentous occasion and wonderful opportunity to celebrate past and present families, new and old friendships and connections in the Plenty Campus community. The first celebratory event for Friends of Plenty Campus is the 30th Anniversary Twilight Picnic and Concert for Cambodia on Sunday 15 March from 4pm – 7pm. This is an inclusive event where our community can attend with their whole family, including extended family members (parents, children, grandparents, cousins, etc) and friends to join together in a relaxed setting on the lawns at Plenty Campus. Families can bring their own picnic but a BBQ, Little Bean Coffee Cart, drinks, icy poles and a range of bake stalls will also be on offer. Some family games, a roving photographer and DJ will also add to the atmosphere of the picnic. The Concert for Cambodia, following the picnic, will then feature outstanding performances by Alumni with featured guests and is an unmissable evening on the annual Plenty Campus calendar.
Want to be more involved?
If parents would like to get involved with any of these activities, Friends of Plenty Campus would greatly benefit from as little as 1 hour of volunteer time per term. All skill sets can be put to great use, but the most important trait in our volunteers is a friendly, positive and inclusive nature. If you would like to join or volunteer for any Friends of Plenty Campus activities please email: community@ivanhoe.com.au or plenty.exchange@ivanhoe.com.au. For any questions about Friends of Plenty Campus or a general discussion about volunteering, you can also telephone our current Friends of Plenty Campus Convenor, Suzanne, on 0451 457 368.
