From the Principal's Desk

Dear School Community,

As we come to the end of the 2025 school year, I want to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who has contributed to making this year such a positive and successful one. It has truly been a great year, filled with achievement, dedication, and strong community spirit. I am proud to say we have achieved our 2025 goals where we aim to maximise the learning, wellbeing and engagement of every student. Our learning data, survey data and our NAPLAN and ATAR scores are all above our expected targets and the school is recognised by the Department of Education within the high category. This is a direct result of our students’ embracing challenges, demonstrating resilience, and achieving remarkable milestones in their academic, personal, and social development as they strived for excellence. 

One of our proudest moments is that we have recently been recognised as an AVID National Demonstration School. 

There are over 7500 AVID registered schools internationally and only the top 1% reach the status of Demonstration School. We are able to share with our community that Wyndham Central College has been recognised by AVID USA and Australia to be in the top 1% of AVID schools. 

An AVID National Demonstration School is a school recognised for successfully implementing the AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) College Readiness System, showcasing best practices in both the AVID elective program and school-wide strategies in all of our classes to foster rigorous academics, high expectations, and a university-going culture for all students. This honour will ensure that our college will serve as a learning centre for other educators of schools nationally. As an AVID Demonstration school, we will be accepting visitors and supporting other schools to observe, plan for, and implement a similar school system dedicated to implementing the AVID Essentials.  One area that supported the achievement of this award was our outstanding student achievement where our Naplan improvement in writing, reading and numeracy over the last 10 years is now above all similar schools (national comparisons) and our local network schools. 

This significant achievement reflects the hard work and dedication of both our staff and students. Our teachers have continued to model high expectations, innovative teaching, and genuine care for every learner. Their commitment to professional growth and to creating engaging, supportive classrooms has been nothing short of inspiring. I sincerely thank each member of staff for the passion and professionalism they bring to our school every day. Our college will continue to ensure that all of our students will continue to have their binders, complete their Cornell notes and critical reading strategies in all classes and will learn the study techniques that ensure they all reach their full potential. 

Our students who have demonstrated remarkable growth have shown curiosity and determination. Whether their focus has been academic challenges, leadership opportunities, citizenship initiatives, or sporting and creative achievements, they have shown what is possible when effort meets opportunity. We are incredibly proud of the way they represent our school and uphold our shared values.

Our collective efforts in creating a nurturing environment have allowed our students to flourish and reach new heights in 2025 were celebrated at our Awards Afternoon on Friday 12th December, praised at our year level transition assemblies, enjoyed at our annual graduation dinner and shared at many other milestones events this December. This newsletter outlines some of these in more detail and I ask that you celebrate with us as you read the reports prepared by our leaders, staff and students.  

Year 6 into 7 Transitions

On Tuesday 9th December our new 2026 year 7 students came to visit us for the day. It was fabulous to be able to welcome them in person and to meet so many of their parents/carers during our partnership presentation the week prior.  I thank and applaud Mr. Rowe, Ms Webster and Ms. Fracalossi and the Year 7 team for their tremendous efforts to welcome our students. 

I thank the Tutor teachers who really worked very hard to help the students feel supported and not be overwhelmed and worked closely with our new parents/carers at our goal setting interviews this Monday and Tuesday – 15th/16th December. If any of our new parents/carers haven’t had an opportunity to meet with their child’s tutor teacher, please contact the College to make time for this important meeting during February 2026. 

Stepping up into 2026 classes

Many of our students have applied themselves during the step-up classes as they moved into their 2026 tutor groups, subjects, programs, and elective timetable. Feedback from staff and students has been very positive about how the learning has been focused and they have engaged and are building new relationships with teachers and making friends.  It was also pleasing to see many of our parents/carers attending the goal setting meetings with their child’s new 2026 year 8-12 tutor teacher. These meetings are crucial as we form strong partnerships to ensure we can prepare all children for their learning and support their wellbeing. I thank parents for the payments made for the financial contributions towards their children’s education and the purchases of their textbooks and continuing either the managed laptops program or extending into the BYOD laptop program.  

Your contribution means that we can continue to offer the full school programs, both curricula and co-curricular in 2026. A reminder to families that our student services team and our business managers are available if support is required to start the new school year fully prepared. 

School Captains

The selection of the School Captains for 2026 has been completed and I am pleased to announce that we have two School Captains - Pam Vichittavong and Raquel Grey, and three Vice Captains – Manning Bricknell, Tobias Hoy and Alex Ochi. This newly established leadership team did a wonderful job leading the school community in their first events as the Masters of Ceremony at our Parents as Partners evening and our Awards ceremony on Friday afternoon. Student voice and leadership is an important aspect of our school culture, and our year 8-11 class captain, house leaders and student representative council member processes are underway, and we look forward to announcing and presenting our student leaders to the whole school community at our first assemblies in 2026. Leadership roles for our 2026-year 7 cohort will begin in term one. 

Awards afternoon

On Friday 12th December, we were able to acknowledge the outstanding achievements of our students at the Annual Awards event.  Students were awarded Year level DUX, academic and general excellence, AVID, music, sport and various other individual prestigious awards.  We also celebrated our student achievements with our faculty awards, STEM academy and Spanish Immersion awards, English as a second language award and awarded our student with the highest ATAR score in year 12.   We congratulate each well deserving award recipient. You will find in this newsletter the names of our students who have been celebrated at the Awards afternoon and at our year 12 Valedictory dinner.  The college would also like to thank our guest Alumni speaker Ms. Beaulah Vergara (class of 2020) who is currently studying a Bachelor of Architecture, for her inspiring speech about her time at the school and the message to take every opportunity and to strive for excellence. 

I would also like to congratulate our Year 12 students on the excellent results they achieved in 2025. Our student results are very high, and the school has continued to build on the median study score due to many students achieving significant ATAR scores and study scores above 37 for individual subjects.  This year we celebrated a top ATAR score of 98.45 with other students in the 90’s, 80’s and high 70’s. This was despite this cohort completing their senior years education after starting secondary school during the pandemic. We could not be prouder of them, and their achievements, and we wish them the best of luck as they await their University and TAFE placement offers, or for others who have already started apprenticeships and moved into full time employment.  A reminder to families that our Transitions and Pathways leader Ms. Pina Siragusano is available via phone and email for all students to support their pathways planning. 

Retirement news

On the 19th of November we held a retirement function to farewell long standing school members Assistant Principal Bryan Woollard and Learning Specialist Susanne Butcher. 

Bryan Woollard began his time at the school in February  1989 as a technical assistant and then trade teacher in 1991. He bought practical skills and real-world experience into our workshops and classrooms. He started his leadership journey as a year‐level leader role in 1997. Bryan has held many positions over his 37 years, as a member of our student counsellors, as our union president and a school council and management team member, and as our college OHS rep who was recognised by the State of Victoria for his achievements. He became our Senior Years Assistant Principal in 2014 where he led VCE, VCAL/VM programs, looked after our facilities, and oversaw our transitions and pathways for students and digital technology. Bryan’s service to Department of Education spans the full spectrum of student experience, staff support, infrastructure and culture building and he will be leaving a legacy that will be hard to fill. We wish him the very best in retirement and thank him for his commitment and care of this community. 

Sue Butcher began her teaching career as a music teacher in 1991 nurturing our young musicians and fostering a love of performance. Over the 35 years at both Galvin Park and Wyndham Central college Sue has taken on many roles as an experienced teacher and leader, where she broadened her influence across both the performing and visual arts. Sue was named our Learning Specialist for the Arts in 2020, where she revamped our college Enrichment program, guided our VHAP (Victorian High Ability Program) students and continued to expand our music and performance bands and programs and has shaped the creative culture of our whole school. We also wish Sue a wonderful retirement and thank her for her guidance and passion for the school and the Arts. 

I take this final opportunity in 2025 to thank all members of the school community for the kindness and care that has been shown.  Thank you to our parents/carers/families and students for sharing how deeply grateful you were for our sustained commitment. On behalf of our school community I would like to make a special mention of our School Council and we thank our representatives for community, staff, parent, and students that ensure that the Wyndham Central College community has a voice that is heard and for holding each student at the heart of all policy development and decision making.

As we head into the holiday season, I wish every student, staff member, and family a safe, restful, and joyful break. May this time be filled with peace, connection, and opportunities to recharge. We look forward to welcoming you back in 2026 for another exciting year of learning and growth.

Thank you once again for your ongoing support and for contributing to a school community we are all proud to be part of.

Warmest regards,

Leanne Gagatsis - Principal

Creating a Community of High Expectations 

Respect, Cooperation and Excellence