Principal's Message

Dear Families, Students and Community Members,

Principal’s Message – End of Year 2025

Welcome to our final newsletter for 2025. Building on the success of our first year at Brinbeal Secondary College was a key focus this year and the contribution of our students to this goal cannot be underestimated. While much of our first year was dedicated to establishing ourselves as a school grounded in community. Our second year has seen us go from strength to strength in developing an inclusive learning environment and a strong sense of belonging for every student. We are truly creating a learning environment that reflects our values of Respect, Acceptance, Aspiration, and Achievement.

As we reflect on 2025, it is clear this has been a defining year in the growth and development of Brinbeal Secondary College. Our journey as a young and rapidly growing school continues to be shaped by the energy, resilience, and ambition of our community.

Across classrooms and learning areas, our students have demonstrated a genuine commitment to their educational journeys. They have embraced new challenges, are developing strong study habits, and set high expectations for themselves and one another. Whether mastering complex concepts, contributing to group tasks, engaging in the arts, or representing the College in sport and competitions, our students have shown that high expectations is not simply an outcome, but a mindset they bring with them to school every day.

Throughout the year, our staff have continued to strengthen their focus on high-quality teaching and evidence-informed practice. Their professionalism, dedication, and commitment to continuous improvement ensures that all students, regardless of their starting point, receive the support and challenge they need to thrive and grow in their learning. One of the great strengths of Brinbeal Secondary College is the way our teachers work not only in classrooms, but collaboratively, constantly learning, sharing, and elevating their practice.

We have also seen continued growth in co-curricular opportunities. Students participated in camps, sporting events, performing arts, maths, science and technology activities, and cultural celebrations. These experiences play a vital role in broadening students’ skills and helping them discover new learnings and opportunities. They reinforce the colleges strong belief that learning extends beyond the classroom and that every student deserves opportunities to challenge themselves in a diverse range of ways.

To our families, thank you for your ongoing trust, support, and partnership. Your engagement with the College and encouragement of your children, make a sincere difference to the success of our students and the strength of our school community.

I also extend my genuine appreciation to our staff, who work tirelessly to ensure quality learning remains at the heart of everything we do. I thank our School Council for their continued commitment and support of our College.

As we look ahead to 2026, we do so with optimism and excitement. Our school continues to grow, our programs are expanding, and our vision for the future remains clear and ambitious. Brinbeal Secondary College is a place of possibility for each and every student.

Congratulations to all students on a successful and memorable year.

STAGE 2 CONSTRUCTION

Our appointed builder, ADCO, have now begun preparing for our stage 2 construction which will occur throughout 2026. The builders have been busy preparing the site, with tempering fencing separating the school now in place to ensure student/staff safety throughout 2026.

We know that the construction zone has created some limitations for our students due the size of our new build, however, students still have lots of active play spaces around the school.

Stage 2 funding is based on providing the additional buildings, infrastructure, gardens and outdoor sport as per our original master plan and will cater for our long-term enrolment growth. This includes:

2 more Learning Neighbourhoods
A double storey Visual Arts building
Landscaping
Outdoor sports fields (2 soccer pitches)

Construction is due to be completed throughout 2026, with the intention that it is complete and ready for when we introduce Year 10 in 2027.

ADMINISTRATION OFFICE AVAILABILITY

The College will be closed from 10:30am Friday 19th December 2025 and will re-open at 11am on Tuesday 27th January 2026.

START OF TERM 1, 2026

With many families eager to commence learning in 2026, there is a staggered start program for all students.

Day 1 for Year 7 students is Thursday 29 January 2026.
Day 1 for Year 8 & 9 students is Friday 30 January 2026.

HELPFUL HINTS FOR FAMILIES BEFORE SCHOOL RETURNS

Parents often ask for tips on how to prepare students for a return to learning after a long holiday break. To help students prepare, routine is important and there are 2 main things you can ensure:

Sleep: It takes children at least a week to adjust to a new sleeping pattern that will support them to be ready for lots of hard work and learning. So, it is important to rein in those holiday late nights well before the end of the holidays. It is recommended that early teens get 9 to 10 hours sleep a night. Growing bodies and more importantly brains (that are undergoing significant neurological transformation in adolescence) need lots of sleep.
Devices: Parents own the devices and need to know the passwords, apps and systems that children are using to interact with the world. Online safety starts at home. We strongly recommend no devices in bedrooms during sleeping time. We suggest creating a family ‘charging station’ in a shared area.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you, as parents, for your considerable support throughout this year.

I look forward to seeing everyone back refreshed and ready for 2026. I hope that you have a wonderfully relaxing break.

Kind Regards,

Mr. Simon Haber

College Principal

As a staff team we are committed to providing a diverse and inclusive school with our students and your children. We encourage you to partner with us as we build our high expectations for our school community as a whole. Your feedback is always welcome and we can be contacted on 03 8001 3333 or via email at Brinbeal.SC@education.vic.gov.au