Principal’s Report

Matilda Jr – A Magical Production

What an extraordinary celebration of talent, dedication and teamwork we witnessed in this year’s school production of Matilda Jr. From start to finish, it was a brilliant showcase of what makes Belmont High so special.

Jed Mills brought the unforgettable Miss Trunchbull to life with perfect theatrical flair, while Ella Williams was the ideal casting for Miss Honey, performing with grace and poise—both delivering truly exceptional performances. In my humble opinion the standout performance of the night goes to Piper Nuredini, whose amazing portrayal of Matilda was nothing short of extraordinary. The casting across the entire production was spot-on, and our students shone brightly in every scene.

What stood out just as much as the performances on stage was the enormous effort behind the scenes. From set design and costumes to lighting, choreography, and sound, the production was a polished and professional display of months of hard work.

To Ms Krista Mann and Ms Amy Jacka—words like "thank you" don’t quite do justice to the impact you've had. Your guidance, and commitment have given our students a truly special experience they will never forget. To Ms Rose Humphrey and the music team—thank you for giving our student band the rare and rewarding opportunity to accompany a live stage show. The music added incredible depth and energy to the performance.

This production exemplified the opportunity we strive to offer at Belmont High School—where students are supported by staff who believe in them and bring out their very best. Thank you to everyone involved.

Term 2 Key Dates:

Monday 9 June – King’s Birthday Public Holiday
Tuesday 17 June – GAT (General Achievement Test – all students enrolled in a Unit 3&4 subject)
Friday 27 June – Whole school Assessment and report writing Day (No classes)
Monday 30 June – Wednesday 2 July – Year 9 Camp
Friday 4 July – Last Day of Term 2 (Early dismissal – 2:30pm)

$11.2 Million Science & Health Centre Funded in State Budget

As communicated last week and announced in the State Budget, the Government’s election commitment to Belmont High School has been fully funded. This means our $11.2 million Science and Health Centre is officially happening!

On Tuesday 20th May we welcomed Gayle Tierney, Member for Western Victoria, to the school as she made the official funding announcement. It was a great moment to reflect on the work that has happened and the exciting path ahead.

While there are still a few hurdles to clear, we now have a tentative roadmap for the project:

Mid-2025: Builder appointed through the tender process
Term 4, 2025: Early works begin, including demolition of S-Wing and relocation of library classrooms
Early 2026: Full construction begins (estimated 12-month build)
Beginning 2027: C-Wing upgrades, scale subject to funding
End of project: N-Wing demolition followed by major landscaping works (again subject to funding)

This is a massive step forward for our school community. The development will deliver modern, fit-for-purpose learning spaces that our staff and students can be proud of.

Thanks to everyone who has helped advocate for this much-needed upgrade with a special acknowledgement to our School Council President, Dr Christopher McAvaney for his unwavering support. I’ll continue to share updates as planning progresses.

Below are some of the concept design drawings from the project.

Geelong Region Cross Country

Congratulations to all the students who represented Belmont High School at Monday’s Geelong Region Cross Country Championships held at Eastern Gardens. It was a fantastic day of competition, and our students did us proud with their determination, sportsmanship, and effort.

A special mention goes to Lilly Creasey, who earned a silver medal in the 14 Girls event, and to Poppy Nivarovich, who claimed gold in the 17–20 Girl’s event—an outstanding achievement!

Well done to all those who competed and represented the school with pride.

Students of the Month

At Belmont High School we continue celebrating our students who display excellent learning behaviours with the regular “Student of the Month” award. Student reports will be used to create a shortlist for teachers to consider against the below criteria:

Student shows exceptional application in class and overall effort towards their studies.
Student has a positive attitude towards learning, their classes and the school.
Student is always ready to learn by being in correct uniform, having all required materials and rarely needs to leave class.
Student may show some leadership qualities in the classroom.
Student’s academic performance is very good OR they have shown great growth in this area over time.

I’m pleased to announce the students of the month for May are:

Year 7 – Claire Speare – 7R

Year 8 – Dhyan Patel – 8S

Year 9 – Fern Knight – 9N

Year 10 – Lily Stewart – 10A

Year 11 – Prahlad Anand – 11A

Year 12 – Will Colquhoun – 12M

Multicultural Day Celebration

On Tuesday, our school came alive with colour, culture, and community as we celebrated this year’s Multicultural Day. The event featured incredible music performances and delicious tastes from around the world, thanks to the many student-run food stalls showcasing a range of cultural traditions. The atmosphere was filled with pride and celebration, highlighting the diversity that makes Belmont High such a special place. It was a fantastic reminder of the power of inclusion and the strength we gain from embracing our differences.

Thanks to the Ms Simone Buchanan-Huhn for all her work in making this event happen.

Joshua Baker

Principal

Belmont High School Newsletter

No.8

Issue 8 · 30 May 2025

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