Wellbeing 

Welcome to Term 3 – an exciting stage in the school year as a number of milestones are reached in the journey of our young people here at the College.

Obviously, this is the last full term for our Year 12s as they complete Unit 4 work and head towards the end of their time at the College. We encourage them to make the most of every opportunity in their endeavours, whether they be on a further education or employment pathway. This time of year can be critical to shared success and the realisation of long-set goals. At this time, there are often increases in stress levels, and our Wellbeing team would like to offer our families and our Senior Students support should this time become overwhelming or unusually difficult. Please do not hesitate to reach out to a Wellbeing team member for this support.

Whilst talking pathways, our Year 9–11 students have chosen subjects and begun their journey on a pathway that will hopefully see them achieve their excellence and reach their goals post-formal education. We also wish them every success as they navigate their futures.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our community for the support and love shown to the Lappin and Lee families and friends following the devastating loss of Ms Marian Lappin. Maz is a shining light of what is good and kind in our world. The number of people who attended her funeral service and showered the school with messages of kindness is a testament to her life’s work.

Marian strove every day to make a difference for our young people, helping them to feel a sense of belonging and connectedness. We will miss Maz every day but will honour her and her legacy by holding open a place in our world for everyone’s authentic vocation—allowing them to be who they are and loving them equally. Rest in peace, Marian.

The school term has started with a number of initiatives and activities continuing or newly introduced. Please see below for a snapshot of our community over the last few weeks in the Wellbeing space.

SchoolTV

A reminder that the College has partnered with SchoolTV – a trusted resource that prioritises student mental health and wellbeing. SchoolTV is now accessible through our school to help you navigate some of the more complex issues young people face. It provides practical strategies and trusted guidance to support your child. SchoolTV covers a vast range of topics, each featuring interviews with leading global experts and a carefully curated selection of resources from key organisations. We encourage you to explore and utilise this platform, as it serves as a valuable tool in building relationships, fostering connections, and deepening understanding. We also recommend signing up for ‘Get Alerts’. This feature ensures you receive updates as new content becomes available, and you can easily register through the link provided within each topic. Parents and caregivers play a crucial role in shaping a young person’s life, and SchoolTV is here to support you in nurturing confident and informed parenting. Explore SchoolTV today!

Child Safeguarding

The Child Safeguarding Committee meets regularly to review our current policies and procedures and to discuss any child safety issues. The Child Safeguarding Officers listed below are available to assist members of the College community in addressing any concerns they may have regarding the safety of our young people. Students are aware of the role of these officers in conjunction with all staff. Policies and procedures help shape the actions of our community. The College values the input of our community and encourages feedback on all policies. We welcome your contributions to help shape and strengthen our practices through the ongoing review process.

Student Leadership

As the Year 12 cohort nears the end of their time here at the College, they will look to hand over their leadership roles to the 2026 senior year level. The process for the selection of next year’s College Captains, House Captains, and Student Voice Cabinet Members has begun, and applicants are preparing for speeches, interviews, and the opportunity to present themselves to the College community. This is a wonderful opportunity for students to extend themselves and realise their leadership potential.

Bullying – A Day of Action 

Bully Zero’s Day of Action – Taking a Stand Against Bullying

Our school was proud to be part of Bully Zero’s Day of Action as part of National Bullying Prevention Week. On Wednesday 13 August, students and staff discussed the impacts of bullying, the importance of intervening where possible, how to report incidents of bullying behaviour anonymously, and checking in with others if they have witnessed a bullying incident. Bully Zero implements their life-changing bullying prevention programs across Australia. We encourage all members of our community to have a conversation about what bullying is and how we can strive to stamp it out.

Learn more about Bully Zero here: 

Driving to School

Students who are currently driving to school must complete a Driving to School form, which can be accessed via Student Services in the Allman building. This allows the College to address any issues that may breach the safe use of vehicles whilst students are in attendance or driving to and from school.

• Students are not permitted to use their vehicles during school hours unless they have permission from parents and clearance from relevant leadership members or House leaders.
• Students are also not permitted to carry passengers outside of immediate family members without the express permission of all parents/carers involved.

As we near the end of the school year, more students are eligible to drive to school. This, coupled with the excitement of the end of the school year, emphasises the need for safety and adherence to road and school rules to maintain the safety of all in our community.

Uniform Expectations

Finally, thank you for your ongoing support of the College’s civic behaviours and uniform policies. The response to our action around the wearing of blazers to school was very positive and demonstrated that a united community is important in maintaining standards, as well as understanding the impact these standards have on our academic and personal growth. Pride and respect in oneself and our community have a positive effect on our attitudes, which flows through to all our endeavours.

Please see below for excerpts from our policies in this area, and we thank you again for your ongoing support.

The winter uniform expectations continue for Term 3. Specific reminders are outlined below:

Girls’ Skirts:

• It has been noted that some students are wearing shortened skirts by either rolling them up or altering them. Students will be asked to ensure their skirts are worn at the appropriate length. If a skirt has been permanently altered, a new one must be purchased or appropriate alterations made to restore it to the correct length. Skirts must be on or below the knee. A guide is that when kneeling, the skirt should touch the ground.
• We are also working with our uniform supplier to introduce a newly designed pant option for girls, which will be available as an alternative to the skirt later this year.

Girls’ Pants:

• Only the girls’ blue pants are to be worn. We are currently investigating the implementation of grey pants for girls. Until the uniform policy changes, girls are not to purchase or wear grey pants to school.

Blazers and Ties:

• Students must wear their blazers to and from school daily. Ties must be worn throughout the school day.

Jewellery:

• Students are reminded of the expectations for jewellery.
• Two studs or hoop earrings may be worn in one or each ear. Sleepers are to be no larger than 10mm in diameter and studs no larger than 3mm. Apart from ear piercing, a small, discrete nose piercing (nostril or nose ring) is also permitted. Students are not to have other visible forms of body piercing.
• Spacers are not permitted under any circumstances. When wearing the College uniform, students may wear a necklace of religious significance. Permanent body art (tattoos) is not permitted by law for minors under 18 years of age in Victoria.
• Obvious use of cosmetics (including nail polish) is not permitted.
• Jewellery in excess of the guidelines will be confiscated and returned at the end of the term.

Civic Behaviours

As part of our Whole School Approach to Positive Behaviour Support, we would like to remind all College community members of our School-Wide Expectations of Respect and Responsibility.

The following points are particularly important:

• Shirts must be tucked in.
• Hair must be neatly tied back.
• Ties must be properly fastened.
• Boys are expected to be clean-shaven.

This link provides more in-depth information Student Handbook

As communicated previously, our College’s strong reputation, which benefits all members of our community, is built on the pride and self-respect demonstrated through these everyday actions.

I wish you all the very best for the remainder of the term and, particularly, encourage keeping our Year 12 cohort in our thoughts and prayers.

Anthony Robbins 

Deputy Principal Learning and Wellbeing