Principal's Update

Good afternoon all, 

College Council Elections 2026

All government schools in Victoria have a College Council. College Councils are comprised of parents, the principal, staff, students and occasionally community members. College Council elections are held in February or March each year. 

All parents or guardians of students enrolled at the school are eligible to vote for parent members, and staff vote for staff members. Community members are co-opted by the school council. I encourage parents to consider taking up an interest on being a part of the College Council by nominating for a position on College Council.  The successful nominee will have a role in setting a broad direction for the Bayside P-12 College and its community.

Nomination forms are attached. These need to be emailed to meggyn.wright@education.vic.gov.au or submitted to your campus office by Monday 2nd March, 2026.

College Swimming Carnival 2026

Since I can remember school swimming carnivals have been a cherished tradition in Australia, bringing students together to celebrate fitness, competition, and water safety. However, this once-iconic event is fading, which is unfortunate with many schools now abandoning participation in these carnivals. According to research by Royal Life Saving Australia, one in four schools has completely dropped the annual swimming carnival.  

Fortunately for Bayside P-12 College we held our annual swimming carnival and the level of participation from students who attended was very good and better than last year on overall numbers.  It was particularly good to see more year 7’s participating this year. 

This week too, our primary groups have been involved in the primary swimming program conducted by Lifesaving Victoria.  This is important in upskilling our young people to keep them safer in the water. 

All year 7 students and competitors from Year’s 8 to 12 attended the Swimming Carnival at Oak Park on Friday 20th February 2026.

It was a successful day with year 7 students enjoying their first secondary school swimming carnival.

It was a most enjoyable day for students and staff and most importantly the weather was great… with an expected warm day of 32 degrees.

Once the competitive side of the Carnival was completed students finished off the day with a free swim in the pool and the water slide activity which was most enjoyable for all involved.

RESULTS:

It was a very close finish this year between Nelson and Gellibrand with Nelson taking the honours. Congratulations to Nelson on becoming the 2026 Bayside College Swimming Carnival trophy winners.

2026 Swimming Carnival Results

Most outstanding individual performances on the day goes to the following students.

2026 Outstanding Student Performances

All swimmers winning their event will progress through to the Hobsons Bay Division Swimming Championships on Monday 16th March 2026 at Werribee Aquatic Centre.

Retiring College Council President

After 14 years as a parent at Bayside P-12 College with two daughters and one son and six years as College Council member and Five years as President of College Council, Heiko Koenig is not seeking re-election.  His last child had graduated in 2025.

Heiko has been a tremendous stalwart and support of and for the college and the work that the teachers and support staff do here.  He is a strong advocate for parents being proactive and also an important part of school culture and direction.  

Over the years Heiko has built a reputation as a no-nonsense person who is interested in getting the job done, while at the same time a strong advocate of community. He is also well renowned for his story-telling approach to acknowledgement of country and the message that he brings with that. 

Anjo-Higashi Sister School Visit – Homestay Expression of Interest

Our sister school, Anjo-Higashi High School, will visit Melbourne from Monday 27 July to Thursday 30 July 2026.

We are seeking Bayside families to host one of the 15 visiting students as part of their homestay experience. Hosting is a rewarding opportunity to share everyday Australian life and strengthen our sister school partnership. Families will receive a $200 contribution to assist with expenses.

Please note that all household members aged 18 and over must hold a valid Volunteer Working With Children Check (WWCC). If you do not yet have one, we recommend applying as soon as possible: https://www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/

If you are interested, please complete the Expression of Interest form by Friday 13 March. Families will be notified once placements are finalised.

A safe start for our new families

Congratulations to our new Prep & Year 7 families on completing the first month of secondary school! We know this is a big transition, and we’re so proud of how our students (and parents and carers) are settling into Bayside P-12 College. As you and your child continue to establish your daily routines, it’s a great time to revisit the safe travel tips and resources available through the TAC’s Safe Migration Project. These practical tools are designed to help students travel safely to and from school, whether they’re walking, cycling, using public transport, or being driven.

Here’s what you can do: 

• Watch the short, engaging video that shows the many ways secondary students get to school and highlights the importance of making each journey safe.  
• Read the fact sheet (available in multiple languages) for practical, easy-to-follow safe travel tips for parents and carers, available here.

At Bayside P-12 College, we’re committed to supporting the safety of every student in our school community.