Week 8 Roundup: News, Updates & More

Dear Parents and Carers,

There’s a sense of excitement across the school as we make strong progress on some long-awaited improvements. Thanks to the recent stretch of good weather, the resurfacing of our basketball court is well underway and nearing completion. We are now planning for the fencing—up for the past 18 months—to finally come down.

The new building is almost ready, with furniture in place and phones being installed next week. We are thrilled to be moving in and fully operational by the beginning of Term 3. We sincerely thank our staff and students for their patience and flexibility over the past year and a half as we've navigated construction and temporary changes. These new facilities and grounds will significantly enrich our learning environment. We’ve already seen the benefits with the opening of our new play area earlier this term.

Our senior students recently completed the Moving On and Up program, facilitated by the Salvation Army. This valuable initiative supports our graduating students as they prepare for independent living and life beyond school.

Mid-year Student Support Group (SSG) meetings are currently underway, and it's been wonderful to welcome so many parents and carers back onsite. If you haven’t yet scheduled a meeting time, please don’t hesitate to contact your child’s homeroom teacher.

We are proud this year to be supporting the Off Your Back Winter Coat Drive, a grassroots initiative that has been warming hearts—and bodies—for over 20 years. Started by a small group of like-minded and enthusiastic parents, the drive was built on a simple but powerful idea: no money, no red tape—just people helping people. A single viral email encouraged donations of pre-loved coats, with all items going directly to the Salvation Army for distribution to those in need.

What makes Off Your Back so special is its purity of purpose. There are no lengthy committee meetings, no sponsor-driven agendas—just volunteers rolling up their sleeves and getting the job done.  Donors love knowing that their much-loved coats are given a second life, providing comfort and warmth to someone who truly needs it. We are grateful to be part of this incredible effort, and we thank our community for your continued generosity and support. Please kindly donate your coats to the front office. Ms Leiva will arrange for all coats to be dropped off at a local drop-off point. Collection will start next week until August 31st. 

As we settle into winter, now is a good time to check that students have the appropriate warm school uniform. Please remember that support is available through State Schools’ Relief. For any assistance or questions about this program, feel free to contact Brooke in the office.

Shaun Bacon