Dear families and friends,

We have had a very busy term and looking forward to going on camp to Cave Hill Creek near Beaufort during the last week of term.

This month, the Lions Club visited our school to provide vision screenings for some of our students. We are very grateful for this opportunity and thank our local Lions Club for their ongoing support. This free, voluntary program helps detect vision issues early, ensuring students can see clearly and fully engage in their learning.

Also, we had a stall at the Merino Easter Market were we had an Easter raffle with lots of prizes. There was items for sale that the students have made, cakes and slices, free mask making and much more. More details and resulkts will be published later next term.

Friday ‘Make, Grow and Create’ Program

Fridays at our school continue to be a highlight of the week, with students enthusiastically engaging in our ‘Make, Grow and Create’ program.

Our cooking sessions have been a fantastic success! Students work in rotation groups to create delicious meals contributing to each step of the process. Along the way, many students taste new condiments and garnishes, showing great curiosity and willingness to try something different. We have had Mak’s Mum, Steph, into our school to share her culture and some delicious Sicilian dishes with us. The food was absolutely delicious. A big thank you to Steph for generously giving her time to share her culture, knowledge and passion with us.

In the garden, students rolled up their sleeves and got to work revitalising our vegetable and herb beds. They carefully laid recycled paper as a natural weed barrier before adding fresh soil and learning about sustainable gardening practices in the process. A highlight of the day was learning how to create “compost lasagna” with Mrs. McDonald. Students explored how to layer green and brown materials to build healthy compost, ensuring that kitchen scraps and recycling are put to good use rather than going to waste.

Our Friday program continues to combine cooking, gardening and sustainability giving students meaningful, hands-on experiences that build confidence, independence and a sense of responsibility. We look forward to many more exciting sessions ahead!

School Council

Following our Annual General Meeting on the 19th March 2026, we are pleased to announce the School Council members for 2026:

Damien Henty-Anderson – President

Tanya Henty-Anderson – Vice President

James Mutch – Treasurer

Lisa Ferrier – Minutes Secretary

Britt Parry – Parent Representative

We thank all nominees for their willingness to support the governance of our school. We look forward to working together to support our students, staff and wider school community throughout the year.

School Review

In Term 3, our school will be participating in a Department of Education school review. This is a regular process that all Victorian government schools undertake every four years as part of ongoing school improvement.

Our reviewer, Jenny Cowburn, is a highly experienced former principal who will work alongside us to reflect on our current practices and help guide our future direction.

A school review focuses on:

how well we are supporting student learning and wellbeing
what we are doing well as a school
areas where we can continue to improve

As part of the review process, there may be opportunities for input from staff, students and parents through discussions or surveys. The reviewer will also visit classrooms and look at a range of school data and programs.

The outcome of the review will help shape our next four year School Strategic Plan, ensuring we continue to provide the best possible learning opportunities for all students.

We look forward to this valuable opportunity to reflect, celebrate our achievements and plan for the future.

Wannon Cluster

Merino Consolidated School is part of a network of small schools known as the 'Wannon Cluster', which includes Coleraine PS, Casterton PS and Cavendish PS. Through this partnership, we work together to share professional learning, teaching ideas and resources to support the best outcomes for our students.

On Monday 20th April, Mrs. McDonald, Miss Bailey and I will be attending a collaborative planning day at Coleraine PS. (Mr. Ray Penny will be teaching our students that day).This session will focus on sharing and strengthening our English teaching resources and planning approaches across the cluster.

This important work is supported by the Country Education Project, which helps rural and regional schools collaborate and build strong teaching practices.

Kind regards,

Lisa Ferrier

Cavendish Red Gum Festival