Secondary School

Welcome back to school for Term Three! This week began with our Whole School Assembly and as I said to the students, the school feels whole again. It is a very different place during the holidays without the students, that’s for sure. It has been great this week to see the school alive with smiles and energy. As one of our Council members said at our recent planning day, an “esprit de corps," and this was certainly on show at our welcome back assembly on Tuesday. Our School Captains addressed the assembly and both spoke incredibly well. I have attached links to Amy Medway’s speech here and Colin Ferreira’s speech here, both of which are well worth reading if you have a couple of minutes.

NAIDOC Week

This week, throughout the school, it is NAIDOC Week, where we take the time to celebrate our Indigenous Heritage and this year’s theme is The Next Generation: Strength, Vision and Legacy.  

A huge thank you must go to our Indigenous Student Support Officers, Ms Madi van der List and Mr Lewis Ward, as well as our Indigenous students, for organising and facilitating the activities to allow our whole school to celebrate NAIDOC Week.

Parent Teacher Interviews

I hope that parents and guardians took the opportunity to speak to their child’s teachers at our recent Parent Teacher Interviews on Monday. It was an opportunity to review Semester One report data and also a chance to build relationships, so that parents and staff feel comfortable working in partnership. If you ever have any questions about your child’s educational pathway, please always feel free to get in touch. Your child’s classroom teacher is an excellent first point of contact, but if there are emerging patterns across a range of subjects, or if it involves cocurricular or friendship dynamics, then your child’s homeroom teacher is a great point of contact. Your child’s Head of House is the next step, and then, if necessary, myself as Head of Secondary School.

Camfield Day/ Book Week

In Week Two, on Wednesday, we celebrate Camfield Day! This day includes Free Dress and fundraising. The free dress theme is 'socks and kicks', so please help your child pick their most fun socks and shoes for the day.  

We are raising money for our sponsor child through our 'Walk for Kosal'. There is an activity during periods five and six where the whole school will be out doing a walk/ orienteering experience, so please ensure that appropriate shoes are worn (ie no crocs, birks or uggs; shoes need to be enclosed and ready for walking off-road). Students are asked to bring a gold coin donation for fundraising and also some change in their pocket for a cake stall at recess.

On the topic of dressing up, I also wanted to alert parents in good time to our upcoming Book Week in Week Five. On Tuesday 19 August, there will be a dress-up day for Book Week. It might be something that you want to start talking about around the dinner table now, rather than finding out your child wants a costume sewn or a trip to the shops the night before!

Athletics Carnival Results - Correction Notice

Please see below a correction made to the Year Twelve Boys Individual Champion results from our recent Whole School Athletics Carnival. The previously published standings contained an error; we are now pleased to share the corrected results.  

🥇 1st Place – Colin Ferreira and Connor Newman (tied) with 146 points

🥈 2nd Place – Hayden Leo with 140 points 

🥉 3rd Place – Archie Simmonds with 138 points

I wish all families a wonderful week ahead.

Mr Jordan Owenell | Deputy Principal - Head of Secondary

Canberra Tour

At the end of Term Two, a group of 19 students from Year Nine enjoyed a full itinerary of fun and insightful activities in our nation's capital - Canberra! We visited all the classic destinations, such as Parliament House, the War Memorial, the AIS, and Questacon, as well as some hidden gems, including the Canberra Glassworks and the National Archives.

Highlights of the week included spotting quolls and echidnas on a nighttime tour of the Mulligan's Flat Wildlife Sanctuary; an organised meet-up with GSG alumni now living in Canberra; playing the grand piano at the Governor-General's residence; a private screening of Runt at the Film and Sound Archive; and roasting marshmallows around a roaring bonfire. Core memories!

The students on tour were exceptional all week. They battled tiredness, long days and smelly dorms, and still started each day with energy and smiles. On behalf of the staff who attended, I would like to thank and congratulate the students for the way in which they represented themselves, their families and the school.

The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the national capital as part of their Civics and Citizenship education. To assist families in meeting the cost of the trip the Australian Government has contributed funding to our school in the amount of $1250 per student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program.

Mr Tone Ritchie | Head of Humanities

Students Shine at State Hockey Carnivals

We are proud to share that the Lower Great Southern Hockey Association (LGSHA) Years Nine to Ten girls hockey team recently achieved outstanding success, taking home grand final victories at both the South West Junior Carnival in Bunbury (June) and the Fuel to Go & Play Club Championships in Perth during the school holidays.

The Perth final was particularly thrilling, with the match locked at 0–0 until Albany scored a dramatic winning goal in the final seconds, securing a memorable victory.

We are especially proud that six of the talented players in the team are students from Great Southern Grammar: Sophie Sounness, Scarlett Leo, Evita Rumble, Olivia Riggall, Lily Vesey and Poppy Ford. 

Congratulations to all involved!

Year Eleven 2026 Course Selections

Our current Year Ten students are busy making course selections for their Years Eleven and Twelve journey.  Please keep an eye out for an email that will ask you to indicate your course preferences for 2026.  This is an exciting time for students as they create their education pathway for the next two years.  Remember that class teacher, Heads of House, VET and Careers Coordinator and Deputy Principals are here to help, every step of the way.

Defence Work Experience Program

The Defence Work Experience Program (DWEP) has a range of exciting upcoming opportunities for students to apply for in Semester Two, 2025. DWEP is a national Youth Program that provides young Australians with an interest in a Defence career, the opportunity to gain exposure to a range of job roles. The activities are designed to be hands on and interactive so that young people can make informed career decisions.

For dates and location information, please refer to the attached PDF document.