Principal's Report

What a term it has been! Our students have thrown themselves into an extraordinary range of experiences, and I couldn't be prouder of the energy, courage, and community spirit they have shown along the way.

We kicked off with the Grampians Walk Camp at the end of Term 1, a wonderful challenge that pushed students beyond their comfort zones in the most rewarding way. This term, our ANZAC commemorations were deeply moving — students represented our school with great dignity at ceremonies across various locations, and a group also cooked breakfast and assisted at Legacy House, embodying the spirit of service that ANZAC Day calls us to reflect on. We were also fortunate to again have veterans on site as visitors for our in-school ANZAC Day ceremony with extremely positive feedback.

On the sporting front, our students have been outstanding. The whole school turned out for Cross Country at the local level running around looking for Bandicoots, with many then going on to represent us at the Glenelg District Cross Country. We also celebrated some truly remarkable performances at State Swimming — our swimmers should be enormously proud of what they achieved on that stage.

In the classroom and beyond, learning has taken some exciting new directions. Ms Wu led our very first Chinese excursion to Ararat's Gum San, a fantastic cultural experience for all involved. Science students headed out for the Bio Lab excursion, while our Year 9 cohort explored the Tyrendarra Indigenous Protected Area which is a must see for all locals to take a walk back in time to perhaps to imagine what life may have been like for Aboriginal people thousands of years ago. 

Year 10 students gained invaluable real-world insights at the Careers Camp across Geelong and Melbourne which has now become an annual event that spikes the interest of our students to contemplate careers and further learning outside of our district. Our Advanced Outdoor Education students meanwhile took on a challenging bike riding camp and hiking trip with some tired but awe inspired minds and bodies on return. 

We also came together as a community for Do It for Dolly Day, with students and staff wearing blue to stand against bullying — a simple but powerful reminder of the kind of school we strive to be.

Looking ahead, students will benefit from Future Me career sessions and a Health Discovery Day — two more fantastic opportunities on the horizon.

There is so much to celebrate. Thank you to every staff member, student, and family who made these experiences possible.

Mr Warwick Price

Principal