Relieving Principal's Message

As we  are getting closer to the end of term 2, I would like to share some of the wonderful achievements, opportunities, and experiences that have taken place across our school community over the past few weeks.

Our dance team was successful in gaining a place in Gimbawali 2026. Gimbawali is a spectacular performance featuring hundreds of students from across Western Sydney and will be held at the Sydney Opera House. This achievement is a testament to the dedication and commitment of our dancers and Ms Leigh, who have generously given up many lunch breaks to rehearse their performance. Their hard work has certainly paid off, and we are incredibly proud of them.

The name Gimbawali translates to "many stars" in the Dharug language, reflecting the festival's aim of providing every student with the opportunity to shine.

Our Student Representative Council (SRC) also recently hosted a Biggest Morning Tea to raise funds for cancer research, prevention, and support services. Thank you to all the families who generously donated items for us to sell, and to the students who supported the event by making purchases. Fundraisers such as these are important because they help us make a meaningful contribution to causes that impact many members of our wider community, while also teaching our students the value of empathy, service, and giving back to others.

We were also fortunate to host George and Lisa Otero from New Mexico, founders of Relational Learning, an organisation focused on building strong relationships, meaningful connections, and authentic community engagement. During their visit, staff, students, families, and leaders participated in Learning Walks, Community Conversations, and Listening Circles. These experiences provided valuable opportunities to reflect on how we can continue strengthening the sense of belonging and connection within our school community. We thank George and Lisa for sharing their expertise and inspiring us to continue placing relationships at the heart of all we do.

Next Thursday is one of my favourite days of the year… we get to wear our pyjamas to school! It’s Pyjama and Hot Chocolate Day, and our wonderful P&C are raising funds to support programs and resources that enhance student learning, wellbeing, and engagement. We encourage everyone to join in the fun while supporting a great cause. Please see the flyer above for all the details.

Finally, over the last few weeks, we have welcomed a number of community groups to join us for a cuppa and a conversation about ways that Fran, our Wellbeing Officer, can support students and families within our school. The Cultural Cuppas held so far have been incredibly positive, providing a welcoming space for families to connect, share their experiences, ask questions, and strengthen relationships with the school. These conversations have helped us better understand the needs of our community and ensure that families feel supported and valued. Next Monday, we look forward to meeting with our Arabic community, and the following Monday we are excited to bring all members of our school community together for our final Cultural Cuppa. We hope to see many familiar and new faces there.