Wellbeing 

Dear Parents and Guardians,

I am very happy to report that students have made a positive start to Term 2, returning from their three weeks of holidays appearing rested, refreshed and ready to engage in their learning.   It has been encouraging to see high levels of enthusiasm across all year levels, with students re-settling quickly into routines and demonstrating a strong focus in the classroom.  Co-curricular activities have also resumed with energy, and overall, the school community is off to a confident and optimistic beginning. 

Attendance and Late Process

No doubt we are all aware of the importance of school attendance and timely arrival at school each day.  Whilst most students are generally very good with regards to meeting attendance and timely arrival requirements, there is always room for improvement.   As such, there was a Compass notification with an attachment at the beginning of Term 2, outlining the Academy ‘Attendance and Late Process’ Policy. 

The document published has been a work in progress since last year with the Student Wellbeing Team.  It was referred to at the beginning of the year in the documentation sent home and the Wellbeing Leaders have discussed it with Mentor Group teachers.  It was also tabled at the February meeting of the Parents’ Association and has been discussed with a random sample of students from Year 8 - 12 during Term 1.   Minor changes have been made based on the feedback received from all of these groups and we will trial it for the remainder of the year.  Further feedback will then be sought and a final document will be produced for 2026. 

I ask parents to refer to the document if they haven’t already done so, but also to note that the process is not designed to cause any angst or anxiety amongst the student body.   We totally understand that on occasions students may need to be absent and will occasionally arrive late in the morning.

I would like to take the opportunity to thank all involved in the production of this document and also thank all students and parents for their support.

If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to be in touch with your daughter’s Mentor Group Teacher.

Anxiety

Unfortunately, anxiety among young people today has reached unprecedented levels. There are many driving factors for this rise including academic pressure, peer pressure, social media influence, cost of living and global uncertainties.  

In schools, there is no doubt that the constant comparison facilitated by social media platforms contribute significantly to feelings of inadequacy and stress.  This has led to an increased need for mental health resources, as more young people in society seek ways to manage their anxiety and find balance in their lives. 

At Academy, we have a range of both preventative and responsive strategies to assist our students in this area.   Dr Jodi Richardson has also written an article which addresses a common concern among parents and carers entitled ‘How do I know if the anxiety my child or teen is experiencing is a cause for concern?’   It can be found attached to the current College News via the button below.  I invite all parents and guardians to spend some time reading it. 

Also, please remember to never hesitate to reach out to your daughter’s Mentor Group Teacher, the College Counsellor or Wellbeing Leader if you feel your daughter needs some assistance with anxiety and stress.

Student-Parent-Teacher Conferences

I would like to acknowledge and thank all staff for their hard work on Wednesday, 23 April and Thursday, 24 April with Student-Parent-Teacher Conferences.  Similarly, a thank you to all parents for the response to booking in Conference times with teachers.  Over the course of the two sessions, we had over 2000 Conferences booked. 

The Conferences for Semester 2 are scheduled to take place on the 28 August and             1 September.

House Athletics Carnival

A very big congratulations and well done to all students for their attendance and participation at the House Athletics Carnival on Wednesday, 7 May.  We had record numbers of students participating, especially at Year 7, 8 and 12 and it really was fantastic to see so many students represent their Houses, not only in track and field events. but also with their House Spirit.  Days such as this, amongst many other things, provide that important sense of belonging to students and also play an integral role in the positive wellbeing of all members of the Academy community. 

Good luck to the students representing the Academy at the CGSAV Athletics Carnival on Thursday, 22 May.  I have no doubt that they will represent our College in an exemplary manner.  Thank you to Ms. Jessica New and all staff for all their hard work in the lead up to the day and also on the day itself.

Please do not hesitate to contact me should you need any assistance or to raise any points of concern.

Mr Sam Di Camillo

Deputy Principal Wellbeing & Operations