From the Acting Principal

As we come to the end of the 2025 school year, it is a wonderful opportunity to pause and reflect on what has been a year defined by hard work, growth and a strong sense of community. 

The final weeks of the year have been busy with celebrations, transition programs and planning for 2026, yet the tone across the College has remained calm, positive and purposeful — a real credit to our students and staff.

I would like to thank our School Council members for their commitment, guidance and support throughout 2025. Their contribution plays an important role in the success of our school, and we are very grateful for the time and care they give to our community.

Operational Updates

We are pleased to confirm that David Russell will return for Term 1, 2026. To ensure a smooth and settled start to the new year, Brooke Douglas will continue in an Acting Assistant Principal Year 7-8/Support role, Aaron Petersen and Melissa Treverton will maintain their portfolios and Michael Tuck will undertake the role of Associate Principal along with oversight of Teaching and Learning.

Looking ahead, an exciting facilities change will take place early next year with the planned removal of four N-portable classrooms near E-Block during Term 1 by the Victorian Schools Building Authority. This will open new possibilities for the space, and we are currently exploring ideas to create a courtyard area that can be used by students in a variety of ways.

Our whole-school evacuation drill, conducted during the Roll Over transition day, ran very efficiently, with the site cleared promptly. It was pleasing to see the mature approach taken by students.  The learnings gained through this drill will help inform our Emergency Management Plan and ensure staff and students know how to react in the case of an emergency

Living Our Vision – Challenge, Community, Strive, Achieve

Roll Over classes commenced on 24 November and had a very positive start. Students have been settled and engaged, and staff have continued to deliver high-quality learning experiences, even at a very busy time of year.  Most students will have been given some holiday homework (small amounts, increasing for VCE students) to ensure they are ready for 2026 learning, please have a conversation with your child about this and assist them structure some time during the break to complete it.

With around 750 guests, our year 2025 Year 12 Valedictory dinner it was our largest ever and a night filled with pride, gratitude and connection. The feedback from families has been overwhelmingly positive, and the sense of community in the room was unmistakable. A huge thank you to our senior team for delivering such a memorable and meaningful event.

The annual Parky Does performance was another standout moment. With a “Summertime” theme, the show sold out and required additional seating due to the incredible turnout. The quality of performances across music and dance was outstanding, and the atmosphere was electric. Many families stayed long after the final curtain call, sharing their pride and appreciation. Thank you to instrumental music team whose expertise underpins the success of events like these.

The Celebration of Student Achievement night on Monday 8 December was a true highlight of the year. The performances were outstanding, and it was wonderful to see students shine on stage while families looked on with pride. The evening was a celebration of the successful year our students have had, and the positive feedback from family members was overwhelming. Many shared how pleased they are with their children’s experiences at Parkdale and spoke warmly about the strong sense of connection and the quality of teaching across the school. 

On Tuesday 9 December, we were delighted to welcome approximately 200 incoming Year 7 students for the statewide transition day. This was their first full day of secondary school, and it was great to see their enthusiasm as they began to find their way around the College. Our student leaders played an important role in supporting and guiding our new Year 7s and I thank them for their contribution to the day.

Congratulations to all of our 2025 Year 12 students on their VCE results and outcomes this year.  We really are proud of each you and wish you all the best in your future endeavours.  It would be remiss of me to not mention our 2025 Dux, Hana Ly.  Hana was one of 42 students statewide to receive the top ATAR of 99.95! In addition to this Hana received a perfect study score of 50, which she paired with a perfect 50 last year in Math Methods.  A truly remarkable achievement.  The significance of Hana’s result is highlighted by the fact that Parkdale was the one of only two non-select entry government schools with a student with a 99.95 ATAR.

Social media ban

Much has been in the media regarding the recently implemented social media age restrictions.  Parents and carers play an important role in supporting their children to be safe online but this can be challenging.  To help, you can go to the eSafety website to learn more about the social media age restrictions and find tips on how to talk about social media age restrictions with young people.  The following links have been provided by the Department of Education.

Parents guide: https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/social-media-age-restrictions/get-ready-guide

Talking to under 16s about the restrictions: https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/social-media-age-restrictions/conversation-starters

2026 Student Leadership

We are delighted to announce our 2026 student leaders and congratulate them on their appointments:

• School Captains: Mia Sardellis & Lucinda Ashley

   

• Vice Captains: Bam Brickle & Emma Bates

   

• Junior School Captains: Eliza Ayres & Grace Cheek

   

• Junior School Vice Captains: Haiyi Xu & Zoe Houghton

   

We look forward to working with these students in the year ahead.  The successful candidates for our other leadership positions are listed later in the newsletter.

As the year draws to a close, I wish all students and families a safe, restful and enjoyable holiday break. Thank you for your ongoing support, and I look forward to continuing our shared work together in 2026. 

Merry Christmas!