Principal's Report

Dear Families,

What a wonderful term it has been at Truganina College. As I reflect on the past ten weeks, I am incredibly proud of our students, staff and families who continue to make our College such a vibrant and connected learning community. 

Throughout Term 2, we have celebrated learning, leadership, culture, achievement and belonging, with many opportunities bringing our community together.

Our students have participated in a remarkable range of experiences. Most recently all of our students showcased their learning for their families at our Learning Expo. This was a wonderful opportunity for parents and carers to come in again to our College to see the amazing activities and learning that takes place- everyday! 

This term our senior secondary students have completed training as Stand Up Champions, developing the skills and confidence to challenge racism, bullying and discrimination. 

Our Mother's Day Stall was another great success, raising funds that will contribute to additional seating for students in our playgrounds whilst acknowledging the special care givers in our lives.

Our Year 5 students enjoyed a fantastic camp experience, developing their resilience, independence and friendships, while our Foundation students celebrated all things phonics through the much-anticipated Milo's Birthday celebrations.

This term also saw the development of our new ie faitaga and ie lava lava, which will officially launch in Term 3. This initiative, developed through our student-led "Say NO! To Racism" Working Party, reflects our commitment to belonging, inclusion and celebrating the many cultures that make up our College community.

Students and staff also participated in the Little Long Walk for Reconciliation, raising awareness and support for reconciliation and strengthening our commitment to truth-telling, respect and partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Our sporting teams represented the College with pride throughout numerous competitions and gala days, with our Under 14 Girls Rugby team achieving the outstanding accomplishment of reaching State level. 

Secondary students also explored future pathways through Careers Expos and visits to Wyndham Tech School, helping them connect their learning to future career and study opportunities.

Beyond our own students, Truganina College has continued to build its reputation as a high-performing school. Throughout the term, we have hosted numerous visitors from network schools and leadership programs. These visits recognised the outstanding work of our staff and students and highlighted the strong learning culture that exists across our College.

As families receive Semester One reports, I would like to acknowledge the enormous effort of our teaching staff. Despite a term that included industrial action, our teachers remained committed to ensuring every family received meaningful information about their child's progress and learning.

Every child has something to be proud of.

I encourage families to spend some time discussing reports with their child. Some questions you may wish to ask your child/ren include:

• What are you most proud of in your learning?
• What are your strengths? How do you know?
• What have you found challenging?
• What are your learning goals for next term?

• How will you know when you have achieved them?

   

We were delighted to conclude our term with our annual Learning Expo. It was wonderful to see so many families engaging with learning across the College, from primary classrooms to science displays and the gymnasium transformed into a vibrant secondary showcase. A special thank you to TeamKids, our Outside School Hours Care provider, for keeping everyone warm with hot drinks and snacks throughout the afternoon.

We will conclude the term with one of our favourite student-led events, Cultural Dress-Up Day. Students will participate in a range of activities including henna painting, cultural storytelling, fashion parades and learning experiences designed to build intercultural understanding, respect and appreciation of diversity. This day is a wonderful reflection of who we are as a College and the richness of the many cultures represented within our community.

While there have certainly been challenges this term, including industrial action and recent public discussion regarding P–9 schools (More Information Here), our focus remains unchanged. At Truganina College, we are here to live our motto:

"Inspiring Excellence in Learning to Believe, Achieve, Succeed."

Our 2024–2028 Strategic Plan continues to unite us through a shared purpose:

To develop the capacity of all students to be active learners, leaders and citizens.

I would also like to acknowledge staff members who will be leaving us at the end of this term, whether relocating interstate, returning home overseas or pursuing new opportunities. We thank each of them for their contribution to our College community and wish them every success in the future.

In particular, I would like to congratulate Lucy Francis, who has led our Secondary School with great passion, dedication and, of course, a deep love of literature. Lucy has made a significant contribution to our students, staff and families, and we thank her for her leadership and commitment. We wish Lucy every success as she commences the next chapter of her career at an International school in India as a leader of their senior secondary school.

I am pleased to advise that Christina Arnold will lead as Director of Middle Years (Years 5–9) and College Wellbeing, while Rhiannon Porter will lead as Director of Early Years (Foundation–Year 4) and College Learning.

Finally, I would like to thank our students, families and staff for another successful term. I wish every family a safe, restful and enjoyable holiday break.

We look forward to welcoming everyone back for Term 3. School begins at 8:45am or even better, arrive 10 minutes early to enjoy the excitement and energy of our morning "Feel Good and Ready to Learn" music that helps start each day on a positive note.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support.

Amanda Williams

College Principal