Principal's News

As hard as it is to believe, we are past the halfway point of the first term. Indeed, the cooler weather and darker mornings remind us that we are finished with another summer.

Student Agency

This week, Paul and I had the absolute pleasure of working with four of our Yr 6 students at a Diocesan-wide Student Agency Forum. The idea is to ask students what is great about our schools and what we can work on to make them even better. We have a project to work on over the coming weeks, and we will keep you posted on its progress. Thanks to Thomas, Connor, Matisse and Kiara for their enthusiasm and wisdom.

P/T Interviews

The interviews provided a valuable opportunity to strengthen the partnership between home and school by focusing on your hopes and aspirations for your child this year. Conversations centered on what you would like your child to thrive in or achieve, the interests and activities they enjoy outside of school, where you see their strengths — socially, academically or in sport — and whether there are any circumstances currently impacting their mood or learning.

We sincerely thank the parents and guardians who attended and engaged so openly in these discussions. Your insights are incredibly important. We also extend our appreciation to our teachers for their thoughtful preparation and professionalism in facilitating these conversations.

Further meetings are scheduled for tonight to continue building this shared understanding in support of each child’s growth.

Start of Year Mass

We look forward to celebrating our Beginning of Year Mass as a school community on Thursday, 5th March at 12.00 pm at St Mary’s Church. This Mass is a special opportunity for us to come together in prayer, give thanks for the year ahead and ask for God’s blessing on our students, staff and families. Students will travel to and from St Mary’s Church by bus, in line with the permission previously provided by parents for local excursions.

All parents and friends are warmly welcome to attend. We would love you to join us as we begin the year united in faith and community.

65th Colac Kana Procession

On Saturday, 21st March, students from Foundation to Year 6 are invited to participate in the 2026 Colac Kana Procession. The theme for this year is “Once Upon a Time.” Students are welcome to dress in any costume inspired by the theme (for example, fairy tale characters, storybook heroes, princes and princesses, dragons, wizards, and more). As this is a walking entry, all students must wear suitable footwear. A hat is essential for sun protection, and we ask that sunscreen be applied before arrival. Please also ensure your child brings a drink bottle. 

This is an optional activity. However, we require participants to complete the survey on PAM of your child’s attendance by Wednesday, 18th March. Students will meet at 12:45 pm at the eastern end of the showgrounds (under the trees). Parents/guardians will be required to collect their children from the same location at the conclusion of the parade. If there are any creative parents willing to assist with organising our Kana entry, including helping to create a school banner, please contact the office or Nicole Lynch.

NAPLAN 

Students in Years 3 and 5 will participate in the National Assessment Program - Literacy And Numeracy from March 11th to March 23rd. (n.b. This time frame allows time for some “catch-up” tests when students might be sick or away from school.)

NAPLAN assesses the literacy and numeracy skills that students are learning through the school curriculum and allows parents/carers to see how their child is progressing against national standards. Online NAPLAN tests provide more precise results and are engaging for students. The tests are tailored (or adaptive), meaning each test presents questions that may be more or less difficult depending on a student’s responses. If you get a question right, the test will become slightly more complicated; if you get one wrong, it becomes somewhat easier.

NAPLAN is just one aspect of a school’s assessment and reporting process. It does not replace ongoing assessments teachers make of students' performance, but it can provide teachers with additional information about students’ educational progress. Students are not expected to study for NAPLAN. You can support your child by reassuring them that NAPLAN is a part of their school program and reminding them to simply do their best. An NAPLAN individual student report will be provided to parents of students in Year 3 or 5 later in the year.

Public Holiday

The School will be closed on Monday, March 9th, for the Labour Day holiday.

Kind regards,

Karl Dwyer

Principal