Dear family and friends of Merino CS,

We may be headed towards the end of Term 2, but the learning and opportunities to grow never stop at Merino! There has been plenty happening both in and out of the classroom, and we are incredibly proud of our students for their enthusiasm, effort and achievements. We also welcomed April Henty-Anderson from Casterton SC for a week of work experience of learning about what it is to be a teacher.

School Reports

We will be providing student achievement reports for Semester One this year as usual.

The reports will be distributed at the end of the term. The reports will continue to provide important details about student learning attainment but full descriptive comments may not be included as a result of industrial action taken earlier this term by the Australian Education Union.

We will of course be pleased to discuss with you your child’s progress at our next parent-teacher interviews scheduled for next term.

Cross Country

A huge congratulations to Thomas for his outstanding efforts in Cross Country recently. After a brilliant performance at the CDSSA Cross Country event, where he won the 12-Year Boys race, Thomas went on to represent our school at the Zone Cross Country in Warrnambool. He completed the challenging 3km course in an impressive time of 15 minutes and 33 seconds. Well done, Thomas - we are so proud of your determination and sportsmanship!

Soccer Clinic

Students also enjoyed taking part in a Soccer Clinic with Melissa from Sport4All. The clinic gave students the opportunity to build their skills, stay active and most importantly, have fun while working together as a team.

Circus Challenge

Excitement and creativity were on full display during our Circus Challenge incursion. Students loved participating in the performances and activities, showing confidence, teamwork and plenty of enthusiasm along the way.

Dream City

Our students also had the opportunity to attend the Dream City excursions hosted by Coleraine Primary and Casterton Primary, alongside students from Coleraine, Casterton and Cavendish Primary Schools.

Lions Speeches

We are also incredibly proud of Thomas, Xavier and Kou for their exceptional efforts in the Lions Youth of the Year speeches. The boys presented confidently to Mr John Donegan and fellow Lion Helen, who had nothing but glowing praise and positive feedback to share. Mr Donegan commented that the format of the speeches was “perfect” and that the organisation and preparation were “as good as we’ve ever seen.” Congratulations to Mrs McDonald as well for her wonderful support and guidance of the students throughout the process. A special congratulations to Xavier and Thomas, who are both old enough to progress through to the finals at Casterton Primary School on Wednesday, 3rd June. Unforntuately, Thomas was ill and was unable to give his speech on the night. Xavier presented his speech beautifully and we were very proud of him.

School Council Update

Our last meeting was held on the 22nd of May. Items discussed were fundraising (see below), finance, the annual report was presented to the school council (which will be available on our webiste soon), building and grounds - we are still awaiting on Sheds Galore to give us a date when the bus shed will be built, we recieved a $2000 donation from the Bates Family Foundation - this has helped us buy six new laptops for the students.

Fundraising-

$250.00 from the Volunteer Fire Brigade catering and cleanup at their AGM.

$663.00 from the Easter Saturday Market Raffle

$440.20 from the school stall at the Easter Market

$763.00 from the CDSSA Cross Country Day.

After costs (food and supplies) have been taken out of $218.70 the balance of $544.30 will be donated to the 'Do It for Dolly Day' charity.

Upcoming School Review in Term Three

All Victorian government schools participate in a Department of Education School Review approximately every four years. The review is an important process that helps schools reflect on their achievements, identify areas for improvement and plan for future success.

During the review, an independent reviewer works with school staff, students and families to examine a range of evidence, including student learning data, wellbeing information and school programs.

The review celebrates what the school is doing well while also identifying opportunities to further enhance student learning and outcomes.

The findings from the review help shape the school's next four-year Strategic Plan, ensuring that our goals and priorities continue to meet the needs of our students and community.

Thank you again to our families and community for your ongoing support. We look forward to another busy and exciting month ahead before school holidays begin on the 26th of June.

Ms Ferrier

Merino Consolidated School Newsletter

BE SAFE, BE RESPECTFUL, BE A LEARNER

Issue 5 · 04 Jun 2026

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