School of Leadership

News from the School of Leadership     

A Note from the School of Leadership Head of School

As we move through Week 3 of Term 4, there is a sense that the end of the year is approaching quickly (only eight weeks until Christmas - really!?), but there is still plenty of learning to be done!

This term is a valuable time for students to reflect on how far they have come this year, recognise their growth and refine the goals they have set for themselves. While there is understandable excitement about the fresh starts, new classes and changes that next year will bring, we want to encourage students to stay the course and make the most of the learning opportunities still ahead of them.

We are also conscious that, at this point in the year, students, families and staff may be feeling the effects of a long and busy year. Staying the course doesn't mean ignoring that fatigue. It means recognising when we need support, being clear about what we need from one another and finding ways to maintain our focus and commitment while looking after ourselves and each other.

As always, please reach out to us if you have any concerns or queries. Situations can change quickly for families, and we are here to offer responsive support no matter what is happening for your children. Open communication between home and school is an important part of helping our young people finish the year well.

Mr Scott Carroll - Head of School, School of Leadership

A Note from The SOL Assistant Principal 

SOL: Celebrating 2026, A Year in Review Assembly 

In Week 8, we will be hosting our SOL assembly to celebrate all things 2026, induct our Peer Companions, as well as our Year 8 Portfolio Leaders for 2027. At this assembly, we will also celebrate the third year of our Lucan Awards by announcing this year’s recipients. These award recipients will embody our school motto, “Live the Good News”. There were many students nominated by their peers and teachers for their outstanding contributions to the St.Luke’s Community. I look forward to celebrating with the staff, students and families of the students nominated for a leadership role or the Lucan Award. More details to follow.

Uniform requirements in the Summer Terms

As the weather heats up and we prepare for summer, it is important that your children have the required uniform items for Term 4. Hats are compulsory during Recess and Lunch in outdoor play spaces and during PE. There are three styles of hats available for purchase for $22.05. Hats can be purchased directly from the front office (and picked up from there) or from:

https://stlukes.uniforms4u.com.au/

Password: sl2765

The College bag is a COMPULSORY aspect of the uniform as well. I have observed many students using non-college bags. These can also be purchased from the online uniform store. If your child’s bag is broken, a new one will need to be purchased.

Neckties for the boys (and girls who choose to wear the pants and shirt combination), as well as stockings for the girls, do not need to be worn from next week due to the weather heating up. Terms 4 and 1 summer uniform is requested.

Black leather shoes are also an expectation as part of the full summer uniform. If shoes have broken or been outgrown throughout the year, new shoes will need to be purchased. Thank you for your support of this.

Connect 7

Our Connect 7 program is a program facilitated over three Fridays for our Year 6 students to assist with their transition into secondary school. The purpose of the program involves

• Facilitating a smoother transition for Year 6 students into Year 7
• Increased familiarity with Secondary teaching staff and learning spaces
• To enable students to feel more comfortable and settled as they transition from Year 6, two teachers to the several teachers, movement between lessons to different classrooms, different approaches to learning.
• Capitalise on the K-12 nature of our learning community.

The program is run by specialist secondary teachers who volunteer their time to support the program. We look forward to launching this with our students on Friday of Week 3. The program will run at 11am to 1pm on the following dates: 

• Week 4B, FRIDAY 6th November
• Week 7A, FRIDAY 27th November
• Week 8B, FRIDAY 4TH December.

Upcoming Dates for SOL:

• Connect 7 (Year 6 Transition Program) - 3 Friday sessions (completed by all Year 6 students at school)
• Year 7 2027 Orientation Plus - Friday Week 4 (select students who have already been contacted)
• Year 7 2027 Orientation Day - Friday Week 5 (for all Year 6 students transitioning into Year 7 at St. Luke’s, any students leaving the College at the end of 2026 will remain with their Year 6 teachers)
• Year 5 Surf Lifesaving Excursion - Tuesday Week 6
• Year 7 Swimming Program - Monday 16th November (7 White + 7 Teal A-K surnames) and Tuesday 17th November (7 Navy + 7 Teal L-Z surnames)
• Year 6 Thanksgiving Liturgy - Friday, Week 8 @8:45am in the Hall (parents welcome, invite to follow)
• Year 8 Milestone Week (Capstone Presentations (Monday and Tuesday), Celebratory Lunch and Liturgy (Tuesday), Great Aussie Bush Camp (Wednesday, Thursday and Friday)) - Week 9. We will host a student and parent Zoom meeting to provide further information about camp requirements (date to be confirmed for this).
• 2026: A Year in Review Assembly  - Wednesday, Week 8 @9am (in the Hall)

Mrs Josephine Camilleri - Assistant Principal, School of Leadership

Stage 3 Stories… 

Stage 3 Instructional Leader

Welcome back to Term 4! We are well underway into another exciting term of learning, growth and celebration. As the final term of the year, this is an important opportunity for our Stage 3 students to reflect on how far they have come, embrace new challenges and continue to demonstrate what it means to be leaders within our school community.

As the School of Leadership, we have many exciting opportunities for students to lead through service, responsibility and connection with others. From Week 4, our Year 6 students will participate in our Connect 7 program, experiencing a taste of Year 7 as they prepare for their transition to high school in 2027. Our Year 5 students have also had the opportunity to support our incoming Kindergarten students during orientation, demonstrating care and leadership as they welcome our youngest learners. In Week 6, they will participate in a beach excursion, consolidating their learning from earlier in the year about water safety and staying safe around our waterways.

In Week 7, our Acutis students will share their learning during their Celebration of Learning, providing an opportunity to showcase their growth and achievements. In Week 8, we will come together for our Year 6 Thanksgiving Liturgy, marking the culmination of our Year 6 students’ primary school journey as they prepare for the exciting next chapter of Year 7 in 2027. We look forward to celebrating these important milestones with our students and families.

Throughout the term, we look forward to seeing our students embrace these opportunities to lead with purpose, serve others and put our school values into action. Thank you for your continued support and partnership. We look forward to a wonderful final term in Stage 3!

Mrs Lauren O’Halloran - Stage 3 Instructional Leader

Nurturing Both Hearts and Minds in Stage 3

As a team, we try very hard to ensure the needs of individual students are met.  I do not refer to learning needs alone but to emotional needs as well.  I share the following excerpts from an article found on Edutopia.  I have paraphrased in parts.

“As educators, we are observing our students up close, experiencing the often-chaotic emotional early-teen roller coaster that this second-greatest time of brain development ushers in. The brain is growing tremendously … as it prepares for efficiency and specialisation in young adulthood.

During adolescence, there are also significant changes in the secretion and baseline levels of neurohormones. The adolescent brain …contains lower levels of serotonin, which can contribute to increased aggression, along with higher levels of testosterone, which can also lead to angry outbursts and impulsive behaviour. 

Additionally, we know that the frontal lobes of the adolescent brain are still developing, and this is where our executive functions (problem-solving, logical decision-making, emotional regulation, and sustained attention) live, so that we need opportunities and practice filled with repetition to develop these skills.”

This is a fascinating time in the development of your children, and we have incorporated this learning during our social-emotional lessons, as well as during Personal Development and Health.  It is important that our students understand that their reactions are perfectly normal.  An important part of these discussions is taking time to reflect on when we react to situations and whether these responses are appropriate.  We endeavour to provide a safe environment for students to consider different options and identify those that work best for them.

As we move into Term 4, the Stage 3 teaching team has reflected on the importance of this work.  Numerous studies have shown that children’s academic growth is diminished if they are struggling emotionally.  For this reason, we continue to engage in professional development sessions to build our capacity to re-engage those students who may have lost focus.

You may be interested in discussions with your children, from time to time, about what type of emotions they are experiencing, or what practices they use to help regulate their nervous systems to avoid dysregulation.

Acutis Celebration of Learning

Please join us on Thursday 26th November for Acutis’ Celebration of Learning in the Marketplace. We ask that parents please arrive and sign in at the front office. Please wait in the foyer to be directed by some of our wonderful students for a prompt start! We look forward to seeing you there.

Year 6 Thanksgiving Liturgy

Please join us for the Year 6 Thanksgiving Liturgy on Friday 4th December at 8:45am. This special liturgy will take place in the Performance Hall and will mark the culmination of our Year 6 students’ primary school journeys as they prepare for the transition to high school. We hope to see you there. 

Stage 4 Stories…

Focus on Year 7

As we enter Term 4, leadership opportunities are on the horizon for our Year 7 students. While these opportunities provide an exciting chance for students to step forward and take on greater responsibility, they also invite us to reflect on a more important question: What kind of leader am I, every day?

Leadership is not defined by a title, badge or position. It is reflected in the choices we make, the way we treat others, the courage we show when things are difficult, and our willingness to take responsibility for our actions. As we approach the end of the year, I encourage Year 7 to reflect on what they have accomplished, the challenges they have overcome, the impact they have had on others, and the kind of person they aspire to become.

Most importantly, these conversations should not stop with our young people. As adults, we can ask ourselves the same questions: Am I the person I want to be? How do I lead through my actions? What have I achieved this year, and what could I do better next year?

By having these conversations at home, we can help our young people understand that growth is an ongoing journey. We do not need to be perfect leaders; we need to be willing to learn, reflect, make changes and keep striving to be better.

As a Year 7 community, let us finish the year with purpose, recognising how far we have come while looking ahead to the people we want to become. After all, leadership begins long before we are given a title; it begins with who we choose to be each day.

Mrs Ashley Pepper - Year 7 Wellbeing Coordinator 

Year 7 Religious Education:

This term, Year 7 students will explore the overarching question, “Is the Incarnation relevant today?” Through Scripture, particularly John 1:1–18, students will investigate the meaning of the Incarnation and deepen their understanding of how God became human through Jesus Christ. They will explore how God's presence continues to influence people's choices, actions and relationships. Students will then apply their learning to real-life situations, reflecting on how they can respond through faith in action by demonstrating love, compassion, acceptance and inclusion in their everyday lives.

Artefact 1: The Word Became Flesh

Students are preparing for their in-class written assessment by exploring cause-and-effect relationships in John 1:1–18. They are developing their ability to explain how encountering God's presence, light and love (cause) influences people's choices, actions and relationships (effect). Through structured writing practice, Scripture analysis and scaffolds, students are learning to connect these relationships to real-life situations.

Year 7 HSIE

Last term Year 7 had the opportunity to attend the Chau Chak Museum. Students were able to learn about what artefacts can tell us about the past in order to answer the Driving Question ‘To what extent is the Ancient past a mystery’. To answer this questions, students created a podcast in which they linked their learning from Ancient China to their understanding of artefacts and what they can tell us about the past. 

Learning Showcase

Year 8 Religious Education:

This term, Year 8 students will explore the relationship between inner peace and external peace, guided by the Catholic understanding of peace. Through Scripture, particularly Matthew 5:9 and John 16:33, students will investigate how Jesus' teachings inspire individuals to become peacemakers in their families, communities and the wider world. They will explore how faith, forgiveness, compassion and reconciliation contribute to building peaceful relationships. Students will then apply their learning to real-life situations, reflecting on how they can promote peace through their words, choices and actions, becoming agents of peace in today's world.

Artefact 1: Inner and External Peace

Students are preparing for their in-class written assessment by examining cause-and-effect relationships between inner and external peace. Using Matthew 5:9 and John 16:33, they are developing their ability to explain how experiencing inner peace through faith (cause) inspires individuals to become peacemakers (effect). Students are practising integrating biblical quotations and constructing analytical paragraphs that clearly demonstrate these connections.

Year 8 HSIE

Last term, Year 8 students had the opportunity to attend a Medieval Incursion. Students learnt about the key medieval units of Medieval Europe, Black Death and Shogunate Japan. Students were also able to engage with the sources to learn more about the nature of Medieval Society in order to answer their Driving Question ‘Assess the role of duty and obligation in Medieval Society’ and for the Black Death, students are investigating ‘To what extent can sources tell us about the Black Death’.