Principal's Update

I would like to begin this final message of 2024 by thanking our community, families, students, and staff for your continued support of the College during a year that has seen changes in the leadership team at the principal level. With Adam Hogan taking up the opportunity to work in The Academy at the halfway point of the year, Trevor Cox stepped up to lead the college during Term 3 prior to my arrival as Acting Principal at the commencement of Term 4. I am extremely excited about continuing the journey with Lowanna College in 2025 and collaborating with all stakeholders to drive improvements in student learning and wellbeing outcomes.

I would also like to thank two members of our Executive Team, Lisa Knowles and Darren Mitchell, for their leadership as Acting Assistant Principals in 2024. With the return of Michael Lakeman from his period of leave this year, Darren will be spending more time in the technology classroom in 2025 and Lisa Knowles will be returning to Kurnai College where she will be the Assistant Principal of the Churchill Campus. We wish Lisa all the best for this next step in her career and thank Darren for stepping up into leadership this year.

In 2025, Trevor Cox (AP) will be overseeing and supporting the work of Kristy Bannister (LT) in Junior School, Michael Lakeman (AP) will be overseeing and supporting the work of Sarah Longden (LT) in Middle School and Daniel King (AP) will be overseeing and supporting the work of Nicole Taylor (LT) in Senior School.  

Throughout Term 4 I have had a focus on finding out what is working well at Lowanna College and areas where our community feels that we can improve. I have run focus groups with all staff, students, and on the 25th of November I invited families to attend the college to provide their feedback. Thank you to those parents/guardians who attended on the evening to share your valuable insights and feedback. Throughout these forums and focus groups it is evident that there is much to celebrate at Lowanna College which we will certainly be building on in 2025. Early in 2025, I will be inviting interested families, students, and staff to form a working party to begin looking at ways that we can continue to improve the opportunities and learning experiences for every student at Lowanna College.

On the 18th of November, members of the Regional Executive Team, including the Regional Director of SEVR Ian Burrage, came to visit Lowanna College to see firsthand the programs and initiatives that we offer students. The visitors were highly engaged during the staff and student presentations and were impressed with the Re-engagement Program, Koorie Engagement, the Sports Academy as well as the Automative Program. This visit highlights that Lowanna College is attracting attention at the Regional level for the way that the college engages students across a wide range of learning and extra-curricular activities tailored to student need, interests, talents, and passions.

There have been many successes throughout the year and much to celebrate. However, of note is our 2024 VCE results which has seen a significant increase across all areas. The overall VCE Study Score Mean in 2024 was 26.2, up from 24.4 in 2023 and the English Study Score Mean was 26.5, up from 24.5 in 2023. There were 5 students who achieved Study Scores above 40 which places them in the top 9% in the state. These significant improvements are testament to not only the dedication of the student cohort to their studies, but to the team of teachers who have been focused on improving teaching and learning in their classrooms and the team of the ES staff who have supported the students through tutoring or by wrapping around the students, providing both formal and informal wellbeing check ins, to ensure that they were well supported throughout their entire school journey, but particularly in their final year. I would like to thank Nicole Taylor and her Senior School Team for supporting staff, students, and their families in the Senior School. 

We would also like to congratulate our College Dux, Brooke Hunter, who achieved an ATAR of 91.55 and Runner Up Dux, Ben Hall, with an ATAR of 90.1. We are very proud of Brooke and Ben, as we are of our entire Class of 2024. We look forward to welcoming all students back to Lowanna College in the future to share their endeavours and their contributions to the community and world! 

We would like to thank the contributions that all staff have made at Lowanna in 2024 and throughout the years. We wish those staff who are moving onto other opportunities in 2025 all the very best. We will be welcoming a number of new members of staff to the college next year who bring with them new perspectives and skills, and we trust that they will be embraced and supported by the Lowanna College community as they settle in.

I would like to wish everyone a safe and joyful Christmas and New Year. I look forward to welcoming our staff, students, and families back in 2025 after a well-deserved summer break!

Julia Niamh  

Acting College Principal