Message from the Principal
AFL Academy
This year has seen the start of our inaugural Glenroy College AFL Academy.
Working with The Academy Movement, classes are running as full year electives in year 9 and 10.. Students will undertake excursions to elite facilities, study umpiring and coaching certifications, undertake strength and conditioning coaching, and participate in regular training and competitions.
Our students have responded incredibly positively with a real sense of pride in being part of something that carries collective high expectations, teamwork and commitment. Already we have seen growth in attendance and achievement data, reflecting the strong engagement the program has generated. Academy students understand that being part of the Academy is earned and maintained, and this has created a powerful incentive to grow in their effort, focus and personal standards.
In more good news, later this year we are aiming to launch our Year 7&8 Pre-academy, so keep your eyes out for info on this when it comes out!
Swimming Carnival
A major highlight for so many of our students and staff is our Annual House Swimming Carnival, and I continue to be incredibly proud of the way these major events unfold at Glenroy. The day is always full of colour, energy and spirit, and it brings our whole school community together in a powerful way.
Our House Carnival is about much more than winning races. While competition is part of the fun, what matters most is the way the day builds connection and belonging. Students cheer each other on, join in with their House, and feel proud to be part of our school community.
Student participation was fantastic, behaviour was exemplary, and the feedback from the pool staff spoke volumes. They commented on how smoothly the day ran and how positively our students conducted themselves — noting that the level of engagement and sportsmanship stood out compared to other recent school carnivals they have hosted.
Events like this don’t happen without a huge team effort. My sincere thanks to Steph Radojevic, Atila Turda, and Jo Pampanella for leading the charge, supported by so many across the school. Thank you to our administration team for their tireless behind-the-scenes work, and to our incredible staff who gave their energy all day to make it such a success.
Now, we turn our attention to the House Athletics Carnival — and I’m sure Gold House is already preparing its campaign to return to the top!
Student Agency and Voice
In 2026, we are making Student Agency and Voice a clear priority across our school.
Student voice is when students share their views and ideas about their learning and school, and student agency is when they have the power and responsibility to act on those ideas and help shape real change.
We started the push with our first student-led whole school assembly. Members of the student leadership and SRC student planned, lead and speak to the community about the issues and ideas that matter to them. This is about giving students real responsibility and a stronger voice in shaping our school culture.
We also ran joint leadership sessions where staff and students sit together to look at our student opinion data. Instead of adults making all the decisions, we are working side by side to understand what students are saying and decide what actions we should take next.
There are big plans for what's next, including hosting an SRC Congress and many more opportunities for students to be genuinely involved in the decisions that matter to them. In 2026, we are not just asking for student voice — we are creating real opportunities for students to lead change.
Together
I wanted to end this newsletter report with something I wrote this past week about togetherness. As a college we come from far and wide, though we all have the common belief that we are stronger together.
Communication
That’s all for this newsletter, but don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and keep your eyes open for COMPASS and email notifications.
Have a great week!
Andrew