Principal's Report

 2025 - What a Year!

2025 has arguably been the most successful in the College's history. After recording impressive results and, in some instances, record high results in NAPLAN, Department of Education administered surveys, last week we received outstanding outcomes for our VCE and VCE-VM students. In addition, our school has had more student involvement in Performing Arts events and a record number of 8 sporting state titles.

 Further to this, we have had a record number of enrolment applications this year, resulting in an incredibly tight application of our enrolment zone. 

As well as our finishing Year 12 students, we have a small number of staff finishing up at the College this week including Danny Van Vliet who is retiring after 14 years here at our school and many more at other schools across his wonderful career. We also farewell Tony Pecur, Stacey Dannock and Matthew Clayton who are moving to schools closer to home and I wish them all well for the future.  

The VCE results were the strongest for over for over 5 years and included the following highlights:

• DUX 94.5
• 6 x 90+ ATARs 
• 14 x 80+ ATARs 
• 36 x 37+ Study Scores 

• 37+ Study Scores in 17 different Unit 3/4 Subjects. 

   

In addition to the above results, the College also experienced a lift in our Mean Study Score once again (27.7). While this places us above statistically similar schools, we choose not focus too much on this number as many schools make decisions on student's pathway choices in order to artificially raise this number, whereas we unapologetically encourage all students to finish Year 12 and choose the subject pathway of their choosing. In addition to this, we strongly encourage all students completing the VCE course to complete a scored VCE and obtain an ATAR in order to provide them with more options post their secondary schooling. 

90+ ATARs

37+ Study Scores

Presentation Night

Last week we held our end of year Presentation Night, celebrating a range of exceptional student achievement from 2025. Following is a list of the major award winners. 

Year 7 Dux

Andrew H

Year 8 Dux 

Alice V

Year 9 Dux 

Linkin T

Year 10 Dux 

Navya A

Year 11 VCE Dux 

Ike P, Hannah W and Franklin W

Year 11 VCE-VM Dux

Kobi T

Year 12 VCE Dux

Belle H

VCE-VM Dux

Lily P

Principal's Commendation Awards

Each year, a small number of students from each year level are selected to receive a Principal's Commendation Award. To be eligible for a Principal's Commendation Award, students need to have received at least one College Value's Award for each of our Values (Persistence, Excellence, Community and Respect). Students also need to have maintained exemplary behaviour and attendance throughout the year.   

Unform Changes for 2026

Following feedback and subsequent consultation with students and our uniform supplier, our school council recently agreed to make the following changes to the uniform for 2026:

• Additional white shirt with heavier fabric and a cut better suited to females.

• Additional Girls' PE Short option with a wider cut and inbuilt mesh brief. These are Puma shorts (our supplier is an official Puma manufacturer), however will not have either school logo or Puma logo and will retail instore for $39. 

   

In 2026, students will no longer be required to wear pants or shorts with a school logo, following a policy change by the Department of Education. School pants and shorts will still need to be grey and tailored. PE shorts will need to be navy blue. Yoga style / tight fitting pants and shorts remain as unacceptable items. 

In 2026 we will be closely monitoring and enforcing uniform adherence, supported by school supplies that students can borrow to cover short term issues and families in need. Having high expectations for uniform, equipment and behaviour is directly linked to strong outcomes and setting students up for the workplace. We appreciate the support of our parent community with these expectations.

2026 CSEF (Camps, Sports, Excursions Fund) 

The Camps, Sports & Excursions Fund (CSEF) is a $400 payment provided by the Victorian Government to assist eligible families to cover the costs of school trips, camps and sporting activities. 

If you received CSEF at Patterson River Secondary College in 2025, you do not need to complete a 2026 application form unless there has been a change in your family circumstances. 

You only need to complete a 2026 CSEF Application Form if any of the following changes have occurred: 

• New student enrolments: your child commenced at Patterson River Secondary College after July 1, 2025. 

• Changed family circumstances: such as a change of custody, change of name, concession card number, or new siblings commencing this year. 

To be eligible* for the fund, a mature minor of sixteen years of age or over, a parent or legal guardian of a student attending a registered Government or non-government Victorian primary or secondary school must: 

• on the first day of Term One; or 

• on the first day of Term Two 

1. Be an eligible beneficiary within the meaning of the State Concessions Act 2004, that is, be a holder of Veterans Affairs Gold Card or be an eligible Centrelink Health Care Card (HCC) or Pensioner Concession Card (PCC) holder; or 
2. Be a temporary foster parent 
3. Submit an application to the school by email to patterson.river.sc@education.vic.gov.au  or a hard copy to the General Office 

* A special consideration eligibility category also exists. For more information, see: Camps, Sports  and Excursions Fund (CSEF): Eligibility | education.vic.gov.au  

2026 College Captains

The school recently undertook an election process for our 2026 College Captains.  I was highly impressed with the depth of talent and experience of the candidates and would have been more than happy with any of the candidates to fill the role of College Captain. 

The process involved:  an application, interview, student vote and staff vote, with the following students being elected; Donovan B, Olivia D, Annie M and Keira L.

2026 Year Level Teams 

Year 7 

Kristy Ackland (Level Leader)

 D'arcy Garton

Amy Crilley 

Year 8 

Chris Kloas (Level Leader)

Sylvia Scales 

Liam Wilkinson

Year 9 

Kate Adams (Level Leader)

Chelsea O'Brien 

Steven McLaughlin

Year 10 

Leigh O'Brien (Level Leader)

Matthew Hayes 

Anya McKenzie

Year 11 and 12 

Lyndal Ford (VCE Leader)

Jay Cashmore (VCE-VM Leader)

Mollie Riddle (11 VCE Coordinator)

Rachel Crowe (12 VCE Coordinator) 

Melissa Stokes (VM Coordinator)

Leading Teachers

Hazelman Norhafis (Curriculum Leader)

Maree Foster (Student Goal Setting Leader)

Chris Cafiso (Staff Development Leader)*

Catherine Blackburne (Student Voice & Empowerment Leader)

Year Level Leaders (see above)

Rhys Martin (Learning Intervention Leader)

Allira Lang (Inclusion Leader)

Kelly Maxwell (Wellbeing Leader)

Staff Instructional Practice Leader** (Sue Gamble)

*Chris Cafiso has been appointed to the substantive position following Sean Leith moving to an Assistant Principal position at Beaumaris Secondary College. 

**The Instructional Practice Leader position is a new role designed to support the implementation of the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model 2.0 and our Professional Learning Communities approach. 

Assistant Principals 

Adam Slater (Student Operations)*

Lisa Cavey (School Operations)

Samantha Jeacle (Curriculum Operations)

*Adam Slater is currently filling the role of Acting Principal at Mornington Secondary College and we are waiting confirmation from the Department of Education about whether this will continue into Term 1 2026. 

I would like to thank our College community for working together so well to achieve excellence together. Wishing all families a relaxing holiday period and I look forward to catching up with everyone in the new year. 

Mr Daniel Dew 

College Principal