Foundation

Mrs Tanya, Classroom Teacher

Year 1 & 2A

Wow, it’s already the last week of Term 3, and what a fun and busy term it has been!

Over the last two weeks, we have had plenty happening. We enjoyed Pyjama Day and raised money for children in foster care, participated in the Wimera Games, and had lots of fun celebrating R U OK? Day with our colour run!

Congratulations to our Grade 1/2A students who were rewarded for their awesome reading efforts this year in the Reading Olympics ceremony!

Amongst all the excitement, we have also been doing plenty of learning. In Maths, we have been exploring division and time, while in Literacy we have been busy planning and writing our own narratives.

For our final week, Connected Circus is returning! The primary students have been working hard all term practising their circus skills and this Friday they will finally be ready to perform. All families and staff are invited to come along and watch the performance from 1:40pm–2:20pm. We would love to see you there!

A reminder that this Friday is also Footy Colours Day, so come dressed in your favourite team colours! We will also have an early finish at 2:30pm.

Thank you to everyone for another wonderful term. I hope all of our 1/2A students and families have a safe and enjoyable school holidays!

Miss Lockhart, Classroom Teacher

Year 1 & 2B

Mrs Torney, Classroom Teacher

Year 3 & 4

Mr Campbell , Classroom Teachers

Year 5/6 A & B

Term 3 has been amazing term for us grade 5 & 6 and some cheeky years 4. We have done some fun things and still have lots of excellent things to look forward to in term 4.

The colour run was one of the class favourites put on by the SLC representatives, it was a very colourful event. It began with a breakfast cooked by the wonderful SLC leaders. This event was held for RUOK day to remind us to check in with our mates and to remember it’s ok not to be ok.

Students of 5/6 A & B

Music

Tears of joy!! Wow, our primary students thrived on stage at the last assembly. How incredible it was to see the students translate all of their hard work this term into a beautiful and heartfelt performance. The entire stadium was smiling. Thank you for the families who were able to come along to watch the performance. For those who weren’t able to make, we are planning on performing it again at awards night so you don’t miss out on the dance spectacular!

Mrs Postle, Music Teacher

Year 9

Ms Piccoli and Miss Van De Wetering, Homeroom and Duke of Ed Teachers

Media Podcast Report

Ms Piccoli

Community Learning Project

Cooper, Nada and Violet all attended Don Valley in 2025 and are now taking part in a wonderful volunteering opportunity at the local Inglewood Native Garden throughout Term 4.

During their time at the nursery, the students have had the opportunity to learn some great tips and tricks from Katie, who runs and owns the nursery. Katie has shared her knowledge of native plants with the students, as well as giving them an insight into how she markets and sells her plants to help fund and run her nursery.

Our hope is that the students will continue volunteering over the coming weeks, building valuable skills and experience that will support our plans to establish our own native garden here at school.

We are really looking forward to building a strong connection with Katie and continuing to work with her and the nursery in the future.

If anyone in our school community is interested in seeing the wonderful selection of plants Katie has on offer, the nursery is open to the public on Fridays.

Miss Van De Wetering, Schools Student Leadership Liason Teacher

Year 11

The Final Week of Term 3!

And just like that, we’ve made it to the final week of Term 3! What an amazing term it has been, and the last couple of weeks have certainly been a busy way to finish.

From PJ Day and the Wirima Games, to R U OK? Day & the Colour Run, and finishing off with the Careers Expo on Friday, there has certainly been no shortage of opportunities for students to get involved.

A huge thank you to all of the students who have helped make these events possible. Whether you’ve helped run activities, cooked, cleaned, set up, packed away, encouraged others to get involved, or even taken great delight in throwing coloured dye at Mr G, your help has been greatly appreciated. These events don’t happen without people being willing to lend a hand, so well done!

A massive thank you to Mrs Woodman and Robyn for the enormous amount of work they put into organising the Careers Expo. It was such a fantastic opportunity for our students to meet and speak with a wide range of employers, organisations and training providers right here in our own backyard. Opportunities like this are incredibly valuable for our young people as they begin thinking about where life might take them after school. Thank you both for making such a great event possible!

As we finish Term 3, take some time to enjoy the break, recharge the batteries and reflect on everything you’ve achieved. Have a fantastic and safe holiday, and we’ll see everyone back refreshed and ready to tackle the fourth and final term of the year!

Mr G’s Study Tip – Get Up and Move!

Studying doesn’t mean sitting at a desk for hours on end. Regular physical activity is a great way to break up your study, reset your concentration and come back feeling refreshed.

Try studying for 30–40 minutes, then get up and move for 5–10 minutes. Go for a walk, shoot some hoops, stretch, kick the footy, go for a run or simply get outside for some fresh air.

And over the holidays, make sure you stay active too. Looking after your body helps you look after your brain. A good balance between study, exercise, sleep and downtime will have you ready to tackle Term 4.

Enjoy the break, stay active, recharge the batteries and come back ready for one final push!

Mr Gretgrix , Homeroom Teacher

Vocational Major

Our excursion to Melvilles Caves was a booming success- we love seeing the students thrive in the outdoors and working as a team. ‘Mateship’ was the big takeaway from the excursion, a real privilege to see the students working together, having a laugh and just enjoying each others company. We farewell our Year 12 students soon, so it was a really important opportunity to get out and enjoy some time ‘switching oﬀ’ before they start their next chapter.One of the most rewarding parts of teaching vocational major is when you see the students finishing up their schooling, stepping into full time work opportunities as valued employees. We wish all of our Year 12s starting employment the very best, they should be incredibly proud of the skills they have developed and their willingness to work.

Mrs Postle, Vocational Teacher

Year 12 Update

Final Weeks of Classes

As we reach the final week of Term 3, our Year 12 students are approaching an important milestone in their secondary schooling. When students return for Term 4, they will have just two weeks of scheduled classes remaining before beginning SWOTVAC.

SWOTVAC is a dedicated period for students to revise, consolidate their learning and prepare for their upcoming examinations. Teachers will continue to be available to meet with students during their regular class times throughout SWOTVAC, up until each examination takes place. We strongly encourage students to make the most of this valuable support.

As students approach the end of Term, we encourage them to finish strongly by completing all work to the best of their ability, seeking support when needed and establishing regular revision routines. While this is an important and busy time, looking after wellbeing is just as important as academic preparation. Students should aim to maintain healthy sleep habits, eat well, stay active and make time to rest and recharge. Small, consistent efforts - both in study and self-care - will help students feel more confident and prepared as they enter their final weeks of classes and the examination period. We are very proud of how far our Year 12 students have come and encourage them to continue supporting one another throughout this final stretch.

School Holiday Classes

A number of Year 12 holiday classes will take place during the term break. These classes provide an excellent opportunity for students to finalise outstanding work, strengthen their understanding and prepare for their final weeks of classes and examinations. Many students will also participate in subject-specific revision lectures during this time.

Students are reminded to communicate directly with their teachers if they are unable to attend a scheduled holiday class. We sincerely thank our dedicated staff for generously giving up time during their holidays to support our Year 12 students.

2026 VCAA Examination Timetable

Our Year 12 examination period is fast approaching, with our students’ first official VCAA examination taking place on Tuesday 27 October. We encourage students and families to note the relevant dates and times below and begin planning ahead. Careful preparation, regular revision and making use of the support offered by teachers will help students approach their examinations with confidence. Please remember that all official VCAA written examinations listed below will take place at Donaldson Park.

Date	Examination	Time
Tuesday 27 October	English	9.00 am–12.15 pm
Wednesday 28 October	Art Making and Exhibiting	11.45 am–1.30 pm
Friday 30 October	Psychology	9.00 am–11.45 am
Friday 30 October	General Mathematics Examination 1	2.00 pm–3.45 pm
Monday 2 November	Biology	9.00 am–11.45 am
Monday 2 November	General Mathematics Examination 2	2.00 pm–3.45 pm
Wednesday 4 November	VET Allied Health	9.00 am–10.45 am
Thursday 5 November	Health and Human Development	3.00 pm–5.15 pm
Monday 9 November	Physical Education	11.45 am–2.00 pm
Wednesday 11 November	Outdoor and Environmental Studies	11.45 am–2.00 pm
Thursday 12 November	Sociology	9.00 am–11.15 am
Thursday 12 November	Ancient History	2.00 pm–4.15 pm
Thursday 12 November	Geography	2.00 pm–4.15 pm
Friday 13 November	VET Sport and Recreation	11.45 am–2.00 pm
Friday 13 November	Philosophy	3.00 pm–5.15 pm
Monday 16 November	VET Hospitality – Cookery	11.45 am–1.30 pm

Students should carefully check their individual examination arrangements and ensure they arrive with plenty of time to prepare before each examination.

Year 12 Graduation Dinner

We are excited to formally celebrate the achievements of our graduating Year 12 cohort with their families and teachers at the 2026 Graduation Dinner. This special evening will be held at Steel Stadium on Thursday 15 October, with guests arriving at 5.30 pm for a 6.00 pm start.

Tickets are $50 per person, and the dress code is semi-formal. Please note that this is an alcohol-free event. All RSVPs, including attendance numbers and dietary requirements, must be provided by 9 October to Mrs Woodman and Mrs Barker’s office. We look forward to sharing this important celebration with our students and their families.

Mrs Woodman, Mrs Barker and Mrs Postle

Year 12 Homeroom Teachers

VCE Psychology

Over this term, our Year 12 students have worked incredibly hard to plan, draft, conduct and review a scientific research investigation of their choice.

This is a scored assessment task, which means I have been able to guide, overview and support students throughout the process, but I cannot interfere with or direct their investigation. The girls should be really proud of the questions they have asked, as well as the planning, preparation and effort that has gone into their investigations.

By the end of this task, students will have just 600 words to explain and analyse their entire investigation, which is arguably the hardest part of the task! They have also been working hard to finish their remaining content so that, when they return in Term 4, we can focus on revision and preparing for their final exam.

Well done, girls! You should all be incredibly proud of the work you have put into this task.

Miss Van De Wetering, VCE Psychology Teacher

Working Towards Gold

Chanelle has been working incredibly hard towards her Gold Duke of Ed Award. I was lucky enough to spot her volunteering for Foodshare at a local market in Bendigo, and all of the staff couldn’t fault Chanelle’s drive, enthusiasm and dedication to volunteering.

If you’re ever around Bendigo on the first Saturday of the month, you might be lucky enough to spot her out there lending a hand!

Keep up the good work, Chanelle. We can’t wait to see you achieve your goals and earn your Gold Award!

Miss Van De Wetering

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