Principal's Report

It was wonderful to see so many of our students embrace the challenge of last week’s Cross Country, despite the wild Surf Coast weather! While the rain certainly made for a soggy run, it also created a memorable event where students demonstrated resilience, determination and plenty of school spirit. Many of our students have been preparing for the event during PE with Mr McLoughlan, with their class teachers and for the 50 passionate runners through their participation in Run Club. We would like to acknowledge the incredible effort they have been putting in across the term and for those who took up the additional challenge each Friday lunchtime. A huge thank you to Mrs Knuckey, Mrs McIntyre, Griff and Jemma for supporting Run Club and encouraging students to build their stamina and confidence. The commitment shown by our runners has been fantastic to see, and it was clear that the training paid off on the day. We are looking forward to seeing our top 8 runners for each age group represent Torquay College at the next round.

Congratulations to the students who represented Torquay College at the Regional Swimming on Tuesday. Our swimmers demonstrated outstanding effort, determination and sportsmanship as they competed against strong competition from across the region. We are incredibly proud of the way they represented the College, giving their best in every event and supporting one another throughout the day. Well done to all students involved on a fantastic achievement and thank you to Mrs Harris and Mrs Swan who supported them at the event along with family members who were able to attend.

This week Amy and I attended the Principal Forum at GMHBA Stadium, joining school leaders from across the region. The agenda included a state-wide update from the Regional Director as well as several important professional learning sessions aligned with Department of Education priorities. These included a session on conflict resolution led by the Independent Office for School Disputes, and Leading and Managing Diverse Teams with Genos International. The afternoon session focused on the continued implementation of the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model (VTLM 2.0), particularly strengthening planning practices to better support the needs of all learners. Opportunities such as this ensure we continue to refine our practices and align our work with the latest evidence-based approaches to teaching, learning and wellbeing that underpin the work at Torquay College.

The Department of Education has recently introduced a new Behaviour Statement titled Respectful, Safe and Engaged, which reinforces the shared expectations for student behaviour across all Victorian schools. The statement highlights that creating positive school environments is a shared responsibility between students, families and schools. Students are encouraged to demonstrate respect towards others, make safe choices and remain engaged in their learning so that everyone can feel supported and ready to succeed. These expectations align closely with the values we promote each day at Torquay College through our School Wide Positive Behaviour Support approach and our commitment to supporting every student to do their personal best. It also highlights the important role families play in supporting positive behaviour at school. Parents and carers can support their child by reinforcing respectful behaviour, encouraging regular attendance, and working in partnership with the school when concerns arise. By modelling respectful relationships and maintaining open communication with teachers, families help create consistent expectations for students both at home and at school. When schools and families work together, students are better supported to feel safe, engaged and ready to learn.

Finally, we would like to wish our group of ten students all the very best as they embark on their Somers Camp experience. The nine-day program is an incredible opportunity for our students to challenge themselves, build independence and form new friendships with students from across Victoria. We also extend our sincere thanks to Mr Mcloughlan and Mrs Noble for committing their time to support this experience and for being away from their own families during the program.

As always, thank you to our Torquay College community for your ongoing support as we continue Living and Learning by the Sea.