Our School in Our Community 

Jonkers Officially Call Australia Home 

A huge congratulations to the Jonker family, who officially became Australian citizens at a Moira Shire citizenship ceremony last night. 

After moving to Australia from South Africa several years ago, the Jonkers have fully immersed themselves in our school community and we are absolutely delighted for them that they can officially call Australia home. 

Karen is a valued member of our Senior School teaching team, while Adrian, Jean-Marie and Anton are all students at our school. It was also wonderful to see a number of our staff in attendance to share in this special occasion with the family. 

Peter Attends Third RYA Forum

I recently participated in Rural Youth Ambassador Forum 3, which was a busy but rewarding few days. We had the opportunity to visit important places like Government House and Parliament House, giving us a unique insight into how these institutions operate. We also took part in sessions with the Organising Students and VicSRC, where we discussed key issues and shared ideas.

My priority group focused on teacher recruitment and retention, which is a crucial topic for rural schools. Before the forum, I conducted a survey about schooling experiences for rural students and another survey regarding rural teachers, and I want to thank everyone who took the time to complete it. The feedback was very valuable and helped guide our discussions.

The survey results showed that rural students face a variety of challenges. While distance from school can affect access to transport, activities, and social opportunities, living on a farm adds extra pressures such as farm work, harvest periods, travel, and family responsibilities. Interestingly, the data indicated that distance alone was not a significant predictor of transport problems or social isolation. Instead, it is a combination of factors—including distance, transport reliability, and specific rural or farm circumstances — that impacts students’ experiences.

The forum also included some more relaxed activities, such as visiting the Night Market, playing laser tag, and sharing a dumpling dinner in Chinatown. The Question Time experience at the Parliament of Victoria was particularly engaging and led to some interesting conversations.

Thank you again to everyone who participated in the survey and contributed to the forum. The insights we gained will help us work towards better support for rural students and improve teacher recruitment and retention in these communities.

Peter Everingham - Year 11 Rural Youth Ambassador 

Young Picasso Art Winners Revealed 

We were thrilled to learn that several of our Junior School students were recognised as winners in the Rotary Club’s Young Picasso Art Competition in Shepparton.

From left to right:

Nate Hemingway: first place for his clay owl model. 

Uday Singh: encouragement award for his Ken Done style 'Uluru'. 

Arleen Gill: second place for her 'Chameleon' artwork with watercolor effects. 

Jackson Aquino: encouragement award for his white owl model. 

Laney Eddy: encouragement award for her 'Jellyfish' painting and Abigail Gemmill for her Naidoc artwork.

Well done to our talented young artists!