Principal's message

Term 1 - 2026

 A warm welcome to our new Year 7 students and to families joining our college from other schools. We recognise that transitioning into a new school - particularly at Year 7 -can be an exciting time, but also a challenging one for some students and families. To support this important step, our Grade 6 Transition Day and mentor interview days are designed to help students become familiar with the college environment, meet key staff, and begin building positive relationships before they commence.

This year marks an exciting chapter for our college with the introduction of our new sub-school model, designed to ensure every child feels known, supported and connected. By creating smaller learning communities, the model helps students form positive friendships, build strong relationships with their teachers, and settle confidently into college life.

This approach strengthens student wellbeing, supports the development of positive social connections, and provides families with confidence that their child is part of a caring, supportive and connected school environment.

Our college values of Aspiration, Respect, and Empathy reflect our commitment to building strong partnerships with students, families, and our local community. Positive relationships remain at the heart of our work, supporting every student to feel connected, supported, and ready to learn.

We maintain high expectations for both students and staff, including expectations around learning behaviours, effort, relationships, uniform, and policies such as our mobile phone policy. These expectations help create calm, focused, and respectful learning environments and are always communicated with kindness, consistency, and respect through the BSEM framework.

Successes of 2025

We congratulate all students who graduated in 2025 and celebrate the diverse achievements of our graduating cohort. At our college, we recognise that success extends well beyond ATAR results, and we are proud to support students in pursuing a wide range of pathways that reflect their individual strengths, interests and goals. These include academic, vocational, training and employment pathways, all of which are valued and celebrated.

Our VCE students once again achieved excellent outcomes in 2025, reflecting their hard work, perseverance and commitment throughout the year. We also extend special congratulations to our highest-performing students who achieved outstanding Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) results. These achievements are a testament not only to students’ dedication, but also to the strong support provided by families and staff across the college.

Congratulations to the following VCE students, who achieved some amazing results.

• Aleka Adam - 97.4 (DUX)
• Torsten Van Andel - 95.35 (DUX Proximus)
• Raph Forbes - 93.05
• Thea Sutherland - 92.55
• Monty Schier - 86.90
• Cooper Lanson - 84.15
• Kyah Callaghan - 81.65
• Hugh Vongvixay - 81.30

High-Quality Teaching, Behaviour and Wellbeing

High-quality teaching is a priority at our college. Our School-Wide Instructional Model (SWIM) provides a consistent approach to teaching in every classroom, helping students know what to expect and feel confident in their learning. This consistency supports student engagement and ensures all students experience clear, well-structured lessons.

Our approach to teaching is supported by strong behaviour and wellbeing frameworks. School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) and the Behaviour Support and Engagement Model (BSEM) work together to create calm, respectful and supportive learning environments. Students are explicitly taught clear behaviour expectations that align with our college values, helping them feel safe, supported and ready to learn.

We also continue to recognise and celebrate positive behaviour through our acknowledgement system, reinforcing positive choices and contributions across the college. Together, these approaches support student learning, wellbeing and positive relationships.

Communication – Compass

Compass is the college’s main communication platform. Families are asked to download the Compass Parent Portal app and ensure notifications are switched on. Compass allows families to monitor attendance, access reports, and stay informed about learning, events and important college updates.

The college also publishes a newsletter at the beginning of each term, which is emailed directly to families.

We encourage families and students to check Compass regularly to stay up to date with attendance information, announcements and upcoming events.

2026 Leadership Team

Justin Hird - Principal

• School strategic planning and accountability
• School staffing and employment
• Financial management & legal matters
• Educational leadership through working with the Leadership Team 
• Occupational Health and Safety
• College Council Executive Officer

Nick Cowan - Teaching & Learning Assistant Principal

• Strategic leading of College Teacher & Learning priorities
• Daily Organisation
• Student enrolments

• Course Selection process

   

Chris Hewitt - Wellbeing & Engagement Assistant Principal

• Strategic leading of College Wellbeing & Engagement priorities
• Occupational Health and Safety

• Wellbeing Team Leadership 

   

Judith McLean - Berry Street Education Model (BSEM) Leader

• BSEM implementation across the college
• Upper and Senior School Leader

• Extended Mentor Program - Respectful Relationships 

   

Sophie Tanner - Student Engagement Leader

• School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support 
• SWPBS expectations and achievement points implementation

• Middle School Leader

   

Alex Burgess-Norris - Student Achievement Leader

• Achievement data analysis and action planning
• Promoting positive school culture through achievement
• Junior Sub-School Leader

Caitlin O'Halloran - Student Support Leader

Supporting students, families and teachers with inclusion across the college

• Disability Inclusion Profiles & case management of students with DI Tier 3 funding
• Student Support Group & Individual Education Plan practices across the College

• Working with teachers to support the needs of diverse learners with the classroom

   

Sharon Rossiter - Teaching and Learning Specialist - Numeracy

• Supporting teacher professional learning with a focus on numeracy.
• School-Wide Instructional Model (SWIM)

• High-Impact Teaching Strategies (HITS)

   

Kristelle Sherwood - Teaching and Learning Specialist - Literacy

Supporting staff development of learning and teaching practices:

• Supporting teacher professional learning with a focus on literacy.
• School-Wide Instructional Model (SWIM)
• High-Impact Teaching Strategies (HITS)
• Junior school writing program

Anna Treasure - Leading Teacher - Curriculum and Assessment 

Supporting teacher professional learning with a focus on literacy.

• Curriculum consistency and quality
• Support for effective teaching
• Assessment and reporting:

Mentor Program

Our Mentor Program ensures every student has a trusted adult they connect with daily. Mentors create a calm, predictable start to the day, support student organisation and goal setting, and help students feel safe, supported and ready to learn. Through positive behaviour support and wellbeing routines, mentors build strong relationships, reinforce college expectations, and are the first point of contact for families, strengthening the connection between home and school.

College Council

The College Council elections take place each year and must be completed by the end of March. This year we have two parent vacancies. Further details will be shared through Compass News in the first few weeks of the school year. Joining the College Council is a fantastic way to actively engage with the school community, gain valuable insights into the workings of secondary schools, and contribute meaningfully to supporting and shaping the future of our college.

Justin Hird

Principal