Mini School Updates 

Junior School 

Welcome Back to 2026!

We would like to welcome back all of our Junior School families! It has been an exciting start to 2026! Our Year 7 students have truly settled in and are positively contributing to the Lowanna community. Our Year 8 students have also begun the year well and are setting themselves up for a year of success both in and out of the classroom.

On the 10th of February we hosted our Year 7 Welcome BBQ. Despite the warm weather we had a great turnout that saw our families able to meet staff, ask questions and eat some delicious food.

In other exiting news, our Year 7's are currently at Waratah Beach Camp and all of us in the Junior School are looking forward to an amazing time getting to know our new students.

We are looking forward to an exciting year ahead for our Junior School students and would like to congratulate them on the positive start they have already made to 2026! 

Alexandra Doolan

Junior School Leader

Middle School

New Year, New Middle School!

Welcome back to all of our Year 10 students and a warm welcome to our Year 9s. The school year has started well, with many students enjoying new classes and making new friends.  We have seen so many green chronicles already – well done. 

If students need to leave during the day, they must come and attend the Middle School to sign out. Ideally a parent or guardian has put a note on Compass, sent a note or left a phone message – otherwise we will call home to check. This is about duty of care.

All mobile phones are to be locked in student lockers during the day. As per the Lowanna College Mobile Phone Policy, each confiscation escalates the consequences and students are aware of this. 

Being in class and staying in class is the purpose and goal for everyone – so we are happy to put in place supports if and when necessary on an individual student basis. 

I would like to take this opportunity to remind the Year 9 students about the upcoming NAPLAN tests and the Year 10 students about beginning to complete their OHS Modules. 

We had our first assemblies this week for Year 9 and 10. We were able to go through procedures and processes. To highlight a few things in particular:

If students are late, they must come and sign in at the Middle School Office. However, we will not write a late pass for a student being late to a class during the day. If they get 3 lates in a week, that will incur a consequence. 

The Middle School Team

From left to right: Sarah Longden (Middle School Leader), Andrea Coad (Middle School Administration), Andrew Berquez (Student Support Officer), Grace Coard (Coordinator), Thomas Axford (Coordinator). 

At the recent assemblies, we were able to introduce the new coordinators to the Middle School Team - Mr. Axford and Miss Coard – who both introduced themselves, with some interesting facts too! We are looking forward to a fantastic year in the Middle School and have some great plans already in motion. 

Sarah Longden

Middle School Leader

Senior School

I would like to begin by welcoming the Year 11 students to the Senior School. It has been great to see you engaging with your classes and demonstrating the maturity and dedication required to succeed in VCE programs. It is important to maintain these behaviours and to build on the knowledge and skills developed in the junior and middle years to ensure you have the broadest range of options for your future. Developing strong study skills and the ability to work more independently now will set you up for success. 

It has been great to see our VCE students wearing their uniform with pride and acting as positive role models to other students. This reflects the commitment and leadership expected of our senior students. 

VCE programs are both challenging and rewarding. How much you get out of the programs depends on the effort you put in. Be sure to have a clear goal of what you are aiming for, whether that is a specific ATAR, an apprenticeship or to achieve the best you can, and to use the resources available to you when needed. As we discussed in the year level assemblies at the beginning of term, there are many resources and supports available to you if you need them, including your teachers, the Senior School Team, Kara in the Study Centre, Careers, Wellbeing, after school study sessions and the resources in the Study Centre. To further support your learning, we encourage Year 11 and Year 12 students to take advantage of the after-school study sessions held in A4 on Mondays and Wednesdays (3.00pm – 4.15pm). These sessions provide a great opportunity to form study groups, catch up on work and seek assistance from staff in a supportive environment. 

Be proactive in your approach to classes. Don’t wait for someone to tell you what to do. Part of being a senior student is developing the independence to identify what you need. 

Stay Organised: Use a planner or digital calendar to track due dates and commitments. Regularly review your schedule to ensure you are managing your time effectively.

Be an active learner: Active participation in lessons helps reinforce learning and ensures you fully understand the content being covered.

Study consistently throughout the year: Although your exams are months away, you should be developing your ability to complete exams now. Year 12 is a marathon rather than a sprint and pacing yourself is important.

Ask for Help When Needed: If you are struggling with a concept, reach out to your teachers or classmates for clarification. 

Maintain a Healthy Balance: Ensure you give yourself time away from studying: get enough rest, exercise and relaxation to maintain your ability to stay focused.

Parents and guardians are encouraged to reach out to staff or the Senior School Team if they have any questions or require support. The Senior School Team includes Ashlee Flahavin (Year 11 Coordinator), Bianca Treverton (Year 12 Coordinator), Angela Hanley (Senior School Leader), Kara Murfett (Student Support Officer) and Julie Jeffrey (Administration). 

We also request that all absences are communicated with the College either via the Compass app or by contacting Julie Jeffrey on 03 5127 9243.

Angela Hanley

Senior School Leader