From the Principal's Desk

Welcome back to Term 2! I begin this newsletter in the absence of our Principal, Ms Tracey Mackin, stepping into the role of Acting Principal — an honour that is, I will admit, a daunting prospect. I am deeply grateful to our dedicated staff and our wonderful Executive team for the support they have wrapped around me during this time. It has been a busy and rewarding fortnight, and I am equally grateful for the energy and commitment that our students, staff, and families have brought to the start of the term. Together, we have hit the ground running, and I look forward to continuing to work alongside this incredible community in the weeks ahead.

Parent / Student / Teacher Conferences

Thank you to all those who organised and participated in the Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences in the first week of term. The atmosphere across both sessions was wonderfully positive, and we hope the conversations provided a meaningful opportunity for goal setting and reflection before students resumed their formal learning.

Our teachers valued the chance to reflect with both students and families on the previous term's progress and challenges. A sincere thank you to our families for their willingness to engage — it is a clear marker of the support our students receive at home.

ANZAC Day Assembly

On Monday 20 April 2026, Nossal High School came together for a special whole-school assembly to commemorate ANZAC Day. 

The service offered a meaningful opportunity for our community to reflect on the bravery, sacrifice, and selflessness of those who have served our country in times of war and conflict.

The ceremony featured a beautiful performance by our Wind Symphony, followed by a staff and student rendition of The Last Post, marking a moment of silence and remembrance. 

We were grateful to be joined by parents who are servicing members of the ADF, it was wonderful to have them participate in our assembly. Our Cadets also played an important role, performing a slow march and forming catafalque parties to guard the memorial.

Uniform Review — We Want Your Voice

Nossal High School Council is currently reviewing our student dress code, and we would love to hear from you. Our dress code sets the expectations of how students present themselves to each other and the community. School uniforms can promote belonging, support student safety, and help students look and feel their best.

School council is seeking input from parents/carers, teachers, students, and other members of the school community to ensure our policy is affordable, inclusive, practical, and reflective of who we are as a school.

Japan Tour — Welcome Home!

We are thrilled to welcome back our seventeen students and three teachers from the Japan Tour. During their time away, students reconnected with Chosei High School our sister school, spent time in classrooms immersing themselves in the language and culture, and enjoyed many wonderful adventures along the way — more of which will be featured in upcoming sections of this newsletter.

A heartfelt thank you to Ms Kamimura, Ms Vanstan, and Mr Pegram for their incredible dedication in supporting students throughout this tour. Excursions of this nature require enormous time and effort to plan and deliver, and we are deeply grateful for their commitment.

Important Information & Staying Connected

At Nossal High School, we are committed to keeping our families informed and engaged every step of the way. We know that navigating school communications can sometimes feel overwhelming, and we want to make sure every family in our community feels confident and supported in doing so.

Our Business Manager, Lydia Sayer, together with a team of dedicated staff, will shortly be reaching out to families to offer support in navigating Compass — including how to manage messages, monitor attendance, and provide consent for events. We warmly encourage families to take up this offer. During these conversations, if any family requires documents to be translated or would benefit from the support of an interpreter, please let the team know and we will do our very best to assist.

We also ask that all families make a regular effort to engage with the information shared through Compass and our newsletter, where you will find:

• Important dates for the rest of this term and the year, so you can plan ahead
• Advice and news about how we are working together to keep students safe on campus and during excursions
• Updated administrative information you may need from day to day

Staying informed helps us work together as a community to give every student the very best experience at Nossal. 

Upcoming Events

There is a great deal happening across our community in the coming weeks — we hope to see you involved!

SRC Assembly — Monday 4 May 2026 

Our Student Representative Council will take centre stage at a whole-school assembly on Monday 5 May. The SRC will present the exciting work they have been doing to make Nossal Week a memorable success for everyone. They have also organised a raffle with several valuable prizes, with all proceeds going directly to support students within our school community. We encourage students to bring along some cash so they can participate — every ticket makes a difference!

Morrisby Interviews — Week 3 

Morrisby Interviews will be taking place in Week 3. These conversations are a valuable opportunity for students to interpret their aptitude, interest, and personality findings, and to make informed decisions about subject selection, senior school pathways, and future career directions. We encourage all students to approach these interviews with an open mind and a willingness to reflect.

School Production & Theatre Studies Performances 

Our talented students are currently hard at work preparing two exciting theatrical productions. Our School Production this year is Shakespeare's beloved comedy Twelfth Night, while our Theatre Studies students will be performing the compelling Twelve Angry Jurors. We warmly encourage everyone in our community — students, families, and staff — to come along and show their support. View dates and book your tickets today.

We look forward to seeing our community come together to celebrate the remarkable talents and achievements of our students!

Important Notice — AEU Stop Work Action

As many of you may be aware, members of the Australian Education Union (AEU) will be undertaking rolling half-day regional stop work actions beginning in the third week of Term 2. 

At Nossal High School, this will take place on Thursday 7 May 2026.

Families should be aware that school programs on this day are likely to be disrupted as a result of this action. We understand this may cause inconvenience and we appreciate your patience and understanding.

More specific information regarding the impact on the school day will be communicated to families through Compass as it becomes available. We encourage all families to keep an eye on Compass for updates.