Ulverstone Campus Principal 

Dear Parents and Carers 

It is a joy and a privilege to welcome you all, both our returning families and those joining our community for the first time in 2026. We are grateful that you have entrusted us with your children, and we look forward to partnering with you as together we nurture their learning, character, and faith. 

This year is particularly special as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of our school. For five decades, God has been faithful in guiding, shaping, and sustaining this community. We warmly invite you to join us for our celebration events as we honour our history, give thanks for those who have served before us, and look with hope toward the future God is preparing.  

Our Open Day will be held on Saturday 21 February from 10.00am-2.00pm on the Ulverstone campus. Parents, grandparents, extended families and alumni are welcome to join us. There will be classroom displays, performances, activities, BBQ lunch and more. Further details will be released in the coming days.  

The 50th Anniversary Gala will be held at 6.00pm on Saturday 21 February at the Burnie Arts Centre. 

Our 50th Anniversary Thanksgiving Service is at 10.00am on Sunday 22 February in the MPH on the Ulverstone campus. It will be a time to celebrate and reflect on God’s goodness and look to the future with hope. 

Following the service, our Alumni Lunch will be held on Sunday 22 February in the Ulverstone campus staffroom at 12.30pm. 

Executive Principal 

I am pleased to introduce our new Executive Principal, Mr Alwyn Terpstra, who joins us with a wealth of experience and a heart for Christian education. We look forward to the positive impact he will have across both campuses and invite you to extend a warm welcome when you see him in our community. 

New Staff 

In addition, we are blessed to welcome several new staff members to the Ulverstone Campus this year, as well as staff who have moved into different roles: 

• Mrs Joanne Hall – Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Leader – Cross Campus  

• Mrs Renee West – Neurodiversity Coach – Cross Campus 

• Mrs Melissa Braddock – Head of Student Engagement and Support (Monday – Friday)  

• Mr Jonathan Brown - Secondary Teacher 

• Mrs Anne Dutch – Secondary Teacher 

• Mrs Rebecca Jongbloed - Primary Teacher 

• Mrs Kelsey Lowe – Primary Teacher 

• Mr Joseph Robertson – Primary and Secondary Teacher 

• Mr Nicholas Houseman – Learning Support Aide 

• Mrs Claire Piennar - Careers Counsellor 

We are very thankful for God’s provision of these staff who will serve, lead and support your children in the coming school year. 

We love welcoming new families into the school and seeing their children connecting with our students, forming friendships and bonds that grow throughout the year. We trust that you will feel warmly welcome here and embraced into our school community over the coming months. 

As a school, we provide chaplaincy and counselling services to those in the school. Our Chaplain, Mrs Cathrin Boerma, works on Mondays and Fridays, and our Secondary Counsellor, Mr Rupert Penrith, works on Mondays and Tuesdays. Our Primary Counsellor, Sheree Bryan, works on Thursdays. If you would like to speak with the counsellor/s or make an appointment for your child, you are welcome to contact the school office. Primary students require parent permission to see the counsellor. The office staff can assist with completing parent permission forms and in making appointments. 

The main form of communication between school and home is via EdSmart. There may also be occasional text messages from the school. If you hear that others have received a communication that you have not, please let our office staff know as soon as possible to ensure we maintain clear communication with all our families. 

If you have a comment, concern, or positive feedback concerning your child, please speak to the classroom teacher in the first instance. If the matter requires further follow-up, please contact one of our Co-Heads of Primary, Mrs Cassie Miles or Mrs Erin Beer, or your child’s Year Level Leader in Secondary.  

Leadership 

As we step into 2026, our hope and prayer is that every student will grow not only in knowledge, but also in character, confidence, and faith. May this be a year marked by kindness, curiosity, diligence, and a deepening sense of belonging for every child and family. 

Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership. I look forward to a wonderful year together. 

Blessings,

Katrina McNab 

Campus Principal – Ulverstone