Principal's Report

Term 3 is well underway and for our Year 12 students the finish line is fast approaching. This term marks a pivotal period as we work closely with many students and families to shape the opportunities available in 2026 and beyond. We are excited to welcome families into the College throughout the term for a number of events, including our 2026 Information Evenings and Parent Teacher Conferences. Please continue to check our school calendar for opportunities to visit, gain valuable information, and support your child’s educational journey and career planning.

Year 11 2026 Information Evening & Course Counselling

Last week we invited our current Year 10 students and their families to explore the wide range of subject offerings, programs and career pathways available to them as they enter Year 11 in 2026. The Information Evening was a valuable opportunity for students to speak with staff across subject areas and discuss their future pathways in VCE and beyond. We thank our families for their attendance and engagement, and we hope you found the evening helpful in shaping the years ahead.

 

Course Counselling took place on Friday 8th August and was a very successful day. Students and families engaged in meaningful one-on-one conversations with staff to finalise their subject selections and explore how their choices support future aspirations. Course counselling is a vital part of the senior secondary journey, providing clarity and direction as students begin to map out their careers or vocational pathways. We are proud of the focus and maturity shown by our students and thank our families for supporting this important milestone.

Parent Teacher Conferences

Parent Teacher Conferences will be held on Thursday 4th September from 11.30am until 7.30pm. These conferences provide a valuable opportunity for students and families to receive timely feedback as we head into the final part of the academic year. They play a crucial role in helping students stay on track, set clear goals, and finish the year strong.

All of these events are outlined in our Compass system. If parents are yet to login, we encourage you to begin accessing Compass to stay up to date with notices, attendance, permission forms, and staff communication. If you need assistance logging in, please contact the school on 9749 0246 or visit our front office for support.

Excellence Awards

On Tuesday 5th August, we held our Excellence Awards ceremonies for each year level — Years 10, 11, and 12. These events celebrated a wide range of student achievements across academic excellence, engagement, attendance, and significant growth and improvement in each of these areas. It was incredibly heartening to see the support students showed for their peers, with each ceremony marked by applause, encouragement, and shared pride.

Among the many outstanding achievements, several students were recognised for receiving Honours — achieving an average of 80% or above across all assessments in five or six of their subjects for the entire semester. This level of consistency and commitment to learning is truly commendable.

 

 

As part of the ceremony, I shared a quote from Simone Biles that resonated with our message for the day: "I'd rather regret the risks that didn’t work out than the chances I didn’t take at all."

 

I concluded the assemblies by challenging all of our students to identify their own "learning risk" — something they are going to challenge themselves with in Semester 2 in order to grow, persevere, and find their own success. This message is grounded in our core values at Tarneit Senior College:

  • Innovation: try a new strategy or skill,
  • Focus: commit to a goal with direction,
  • Integrity: pursue your growth with honesty and dedication.

What will your learning risk be? How will you demonstrate Focus, Innovation and Integrity in your journey this semester?

 

Year 12 – The Final Push

With just six weeks remaining in Term 3 and only three weeks in Term 4 before final exams begin, our Year 12 students are entering the final, most intense stage of their secondary schooling journey. This is a critical time to stay focused, lean into study habits, and use every available support to prepare for the culmination of 13 years of learning.

We are reminded of the importance of courage and resilience by Australian Olympian Jess Fox, who once said: "Success isn’t just the podium — it’s knowing you gave everything you had, when it mattered most."

 

We urge all of our Year 12s to give everything they have — to show Focus in their preparation, Integrity in their efforts, and Innovation in how they face challenges. Let’s make these final weeks count.

 

-Shane Cole-Hayhow 

Principal