Growth, Grit and Greatness

As Term 2 draws to a close and we have completed our first semester of 2025, we would like to take a moment to reflect on the energy, effort, and achievements that have defined the past eleven weeks for our Year 7 and 8 students. This has been a term full of challenge, learning, and community spirit, and we couldn’t be prouder of how our young people have risen to meet it.

Growth

It has been fantastic to witness the academic and personal growth of our students this term. Across every learning area, students have made strides in their skills, knowledge and confidence. Whether it’s through strong NAPLAN results, improved learning habits, or increased attendance and engagement in the classroom, our students are showing a growing commitment to their own progress. Just as importantly, we’ve seen increasing maturity in how they approach learning, setting goals, seeking feedback, and developing the routines that help them get the most out of each day. Our Year 8 students also had the opportunity to explore their Year 9 subject options as part of our ongoing focus on pathways and informed decision-making. A reminder to families that subject selections should be submitted before we return from the holidays. It has been a privilege to support them on this journey, and we look forward to another semester of continued growth.

Grit

Term 2 is the longest stretch in the school calendar, and it’s been a credit to our Year 7 and 8 students that they’ve continued to demonstrate persistence, focus and care throughout. This term has come with its share of challenges. Many students have managed the demands of multiple assessed learning tasks while also navigating friendship dynamics, teacher absences, and widespread illness, with the flu affecting both staff and students across the campus. Despite these hurdles, our students have demonstrated resilience, adaptability, and a strong sense of responsibility by attending classes, doing their best, and supporting one another throughout the final week.

Greatness

Well… where to begin! 

This term has been packed with achievement and celebration. From the energy and spirit of our College Athletics Carnival, to incredible sporting results at both team and individual levels, our students have shone brightly. We were especially proud to be recognised as the top-performing government school in Australia at the National Kids’ Lit Quiz Finals, finishing 8th out of 300 schools across the country. This outstanding result reflects both intellect and teamwork. Read more about this result further in the newsletter. 

We also took the time to recognise the achievements of individual athletes, including Ryutaro Ito, now a two-time Oceanic Karate Champion, and Ethan Lisle, who is currently representing Australia in the U13 Futsal competition in Italy. These are remarkable accomplishments, serving as great inspiration for us all.

We ended the semester with a special assembly to recognise students who have consistently demonstrated our school values and achieved greatness this term. Congratulations to all of our academic, SWPB, and attendance award winners, and a special mention to our Sandringham Star Award recipients, students who truly went above and beyond this semester.

Our Year 7 award winners for Semester 1 were Zali Goulding and Lucas Bolanos-Bulla and for Year 8 Eli Andrews and Rose Smith were awarded for their outstanding work this semester. 

Term 2 has been a big one, and a great one. However, there is still plenty of work to be done.

As we head into the holidays, we’d like to remind families of a few important expectations for Term 3. While we extended the winter uniform transition period through Term 2, all students are expected to return in full winter uniform next term. This is a college expectation.  We also ask that students continue to care for our school environment by placing rubbish in the bins provided around the campus to help maintain a clean and respectful space for all. Lastly, a reminder from our dedicated crossing team to always use the designated school crossings when travelling to and from school. Bluff Road is a bustling road, and using the crossing points is essential for everyone’s safety.

We’re proud of all that has been achieved, and we’re excited about what’s ahead. Believe it or not, we only have about 16 school weeks to go before Headstart. 

Thank you to our students, staff and families for your ongoing support and partnership.

Wishing everyone a safe and well-deserved break.