From the Principal's Desk

It is already Week 6 of Term 1, and I find myself asking the same question I ask every year at this time: where has the term gone? It feels like only yesterday we were welcoming students back to school, and yet here we are, more than halfway through the term with so much already accomplished.

School Council Student Representative Elections 2026 

Elections for our School Council Student Representatives took place on Monday 23 February, during an extended tutorial. Students who were unable to vote on Monday were given several opportunities throughout the week to have their say on who will represent them on School Council. Having a student voice on School Council is an important and valued role — our student representatives contribute to school governance, advocate for student interests, and ensure that student perspectives are heard and considered in decision-making at the highest level. The votes will be counted this week, and we will make an announcement to let our school community know who our 2026 School Council Student Representatives will be. We thank all students who nominated for this important leadership position, and we encourage all students to stay engaged with School Council matters throughout the year. Congratulations in advance to our elected representatives. 

2026 Swimming Carnival — A Fantastic Success

Our House Swimming Carnival was a fantastic event filled with outstanding performances both in the pool and on the sidelines from students and staff alike. This year, we moved to a new venue at Harold Holt Swimming Pool, High Street, Glen Iris, and we were pleased to offer students the option to travel independently to the venue—an opportunity many students took up with enthusiasm. As always, the day was filled with house colours, chants, and outstanding competition in the pool. The carnival provided many opportunities for our students to shine through impressive individual and team performances. There were also several novelty events, which meant that there was something for everybody at this event.

A huge thank you to Mr. Haverfield and the Health and Physical Education team for once again putting on a fabulous event. The smooth organisation, enthusiasm, and dedication they bring to this day year after year is truly appreciated. Thank you also to all the staff who helped coordinate and run the various events throughout the day — their support and energy made the carnival a wonderful success.

A special thank you also goes to the Student Representative Council and the Nest, who ran stalls selling baked goods and drinks throughout the day. This was a huge success and added to the wonderful community atmosphere of the event.

Harmony Week — Everyone Belongs

Harmony Week coincided with the Swimming Carnival last week, and from Monday through to Friday, there were several events and activities designed to celebrate the diversity within our Nossal community. Our School Captains worked collaboratively with teachers to develop the curriculum for Nossal Time sessions, which included three engaging aspects: questions about diversity, "Tell us more about your name," and Nossaltopia activities. The vibrant murals displayed around the school highlighted the various countries, cultures and languages represented within our community, and they served as a beautiful reminder that everyone belongs at Nossal. Thank you to all students and staff who participated in and contributed to making Harmony Week such a meaningful celebration.

Nossal Time: Building Connections and Respectful Relationships. 

Our Nossal Time programs are an important part of the learning experience at Nossal High School. While these sessions are designed to build connections, develop study skills, and support exam preparation, we are also deeply committed to delivering the Respectful Relationships program as a core component of our tutorial curriculum.

The Respectful Relationships program focuses on building connections, promoting gender equality, and preventing family violence. 

The rationale behind teaching Respectful Relationships in Victorian schools is to serve as a primary prevention initiative against family violence by fostering gender equality, building emotional resilience, and promoting positive, respectful attitudes and behaviours among students from all year levels.

Key Objectives of Respectful Relationships:

• Building Skills: It helps students develop resilience, empathy, and critical social and emotional skills, such as problem-solving and conflict resolution.
• Preventing Violence: As a recommendation from the Royal Commission into Family Violence, the program aims to change the story of family violence for future generations.
• Promoting Equality: It tackles the drivers of gender inequality by teaching students to treat each other with respect, dignity, and equality.
• Whole-School Approach: It moves beyond the classroom to influence school culture, policies, and behaviour, creating safe and inclusive learning environments for all.

Our teachers are currently reviewing the Respectful Relationships curriculum with a 

view to updating it with evidence-based information and best-practice strategies that will support meaningful learning in our classrooms. A whole-school approach supports schools to embed a culture of respect and equality, create inclusive and safe environments, involve families and communities, and support both staff and student wellbeing.

We are proud to prioritise this important work at Nossal and remain committed to creating a school community where every student feels safe, valued, and empowered to build respectful, healthy relationships both now and in the future.

Camps and Pathways Week: Future Ready

Nossal High School is committed to supporting all students in learning and developing as young adults toward their own professional pathways, ensuring they are Future-Ready by the time they leave high school. Throughout their four-year experience at Nossal, students shape their identity within our learning community and develop a culture where progress is valued and skills are consolidated.

During Camps and Pathways Week (Week 8 of Term 1), Year 10 and Year 11 students are asked to select from various career exploration options and Vocational Education and Training (VET) programs. These experiences are designed to give students exposure to and immersion into careers and industries, and we encourage students to select areas that allow them to discover careers and vocations they may be unfamiliar with.

View some examples of the events that occurred last year in our 2025 Special Edition Newsletter.

Students were asked to select carefully from the list below - This program is for our Year 10 students and will be on Wednesday 18 March 2026.

Please Note:

All costs must be paid before the student can participate (this cost will appear in a Compass event as soon as possible). Families are asked to encourage their students to talk about the various options before they select them.  

VET Programs: A gentle reminder that VET programs allow students in Year 10 to complete industry and nationally accredited qualifications that will be valuable well beyond the school gate. Successful completion of VET provides students with nationally recognised qualifications that deliver the skills and knowledge required for specific industries and occupations.

We encourage all parents to support this vital program by completing the Compass approvals and paying for events promptly. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to the relevant coordinators. 

Professional Learning: Building Social Capital and Collaboration 

Professional learning is an important part of teacher development at Nossal High School. 

We dedicate two hours every Wednesday to professional learning that ranges from exploring the Nossal Learning Model and Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) to engaging with ICT and AI innovations in education. 

On Wednesday, 21 February, our staff had the privilege of working with the Codesign team from Swinburne University on a workshop focused on Building Social Capital and Collaboration in Professional Teams. The purpose of the session was to foster social capital and professional responsibility, encourage staff to identify and understand their engagement and agency in team settings, and begin developing strategies for more effective collaboration and teamwork. The session included a range of engaging activities, including the Polak Game — a visual activity designed to explore perceptions of personal agency, differing perspectives, and barriers and enablers for change — and a creative Mini LEGO Activity, where staff built simple models representing "their role in the team" to encourage reflection on team dynamics. 

Staff also participated in goal modelling activities in small groups and engaged in peer discussions to consolidate their learning. The session was interactive, thought-provoking, and reinforced the importance of individual responsibility for wellbeing and team contribution. We are grateful to the Swinburne Codesign team for facilitating such a valuable and engaging professional learning experience for our staff.

Proactive Wellbeing Programs: Year 12 Financial Literacy

One of the most popular proactive programs we run at Nossal High School is our Year 12 Financial Literacy program, which is designed to equip students with essential knowledge as they prepare for life beyond school. We recognize that our Year 12 students are on the cusp of significant financial decisions — whether that's managing a gap year budget, navigating university expenses, securing their first job, moving out of home, or understanding student loans and credit. 

To make this program as relevant and practical as possible, we invite students to submit questions in advance about any financial topics that interest or concern them. 

Some of the most common questions we receive include: 

• How do taxes work? 
• What is the difference between a debit card and a credit card? 
• How do I invest and save money? How do I budget? 
• How does HECS work? 
• How can I financially prepare to move out of home? 
• What do I need to consider when purchasing a house or taking out a mortgage? 

This year, we had a panel of knowledgeable staff members who offered general advice and guidance to students on these various topics in an open, accessible forum. The session was highly engaging, and students left feeling more confident and informed about managing their finances as they transition into adulthood. We are proud to offer programs like this that prepare our students not just academically, but for the practical realities of life beyond school.

Proactive Wellbeing Programs: Year 11 Sleep Lecture

This week, our Year 11 students attended a lecture on Friday 27 February which focused on the role of sleep in maximizing academic performance. Sleep is essential for teenagers as it plays a crucial role in their physical and mental development. Most adolescents should get between 8 and 10 hours of sleep per night; however, research indicates that many teens get far less sleep than they need.

Teenagers face numerous challenges to getting consistent, restorative sleep, and recognising those challenges helps students and their families make a plan to prioritise rest and recovery. We hope this lecture provided our Year 11 students with practical strategies to improve their sleep habits and, in turn, their wellbeing and academic performance. More information about this program will be provided in future newsletters.

NAPLAN Testing 2026

NAPLAN testing is about to commence, with the official testing period beginning on Tuesday 11 March. 

In preparation, Nossal students were required to complete practice tests on Wednesday 26 February. This practice session allowed students to familiarise themselves with the technology and work out any technical issues before the actual test. Mr LaBrooy, Director of Years 9 and 10, will oversee the logistics of the testing process, and students were provided with information about NAPLAN at a meeting last week. 

More information will be provided to students in the coming weeks, including specific testing schedules and expectations. If parents or students have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact Mr LaBrooy or Ms Bowles for further information. 

We encourage all students to approach NAPLAN with a calm and positive mindset — this is simply an opportunity to demonstrate the learning and progress they have made.

International Women's Day Assembly — Monday 2 March 2026

On Monday, we will come together as a school community to celebrate International Women's Day with a whole-school assembly organised by our Formation students in collaboration with Dr Schroor and Ms Denman. 

This year's theme is Give To Gain, which encourages a mindset of generosity and collaboration. Give To Gain emphasizes the power of reciprocity and support — when people, organisations, and communities give generously, opportunities and support for women increase. Giving is not a subtraction, it's intentional multiplication. When women thrive, we all rise. Whether through donations, knowledge, resources, visibility, advocacy, education, mentoring, or time, contributing to women's advancement helps create a more supportive and interconnected world. We can all challenge gender stereotypes, call out discrimination, draw attention to bias, and seek out positive action. Collective activism is what drives change, and forging gender parity isn't limited to women solely fighting the good fight — allies are incredibly important for the social, economic, cultural, and political advancement of women. 

We look forward to seeing all students and staff at the assembly on Monday during Period 5.