SECONDARY (7-12)

Six incredible young leaders spoke to Secondary School students, staff, parents and grandparents today putting forward their compelling cases to be selected as College Captains in 2026.

Secondary School Leader, Community and Wellbeing (10-12), Meredith said she was proud of the students and applying for a Captain role was an honour and a privilege and done by those who are exemplary in all aspects of their schooling.

Mr Butts said school leaders have such a positive influence. He commended the candidates on their wonderful applications.

Manjot Kaur spoke with heart saying she believes leadership is about listening and lifting others and how her studies with VSV have been powerful in learning about leadership qualities. She vows to be approachable and reliable, standing with the students, not in front of students.

Mariam Al Mosawy asked us to be place trust in her to deliver honesty, fairness and dedication to the role. She promised to listen, support and lead passionately, building spirit, strength and community, while having fun along the way.

Mitchell Tremellen started by acknowledging his fellow candidates and how he wishes them every success. He sees our college as a place of growth and wants to help set up our young college to flourish and thrive. He looks to lead by example with community in mind to work towards making a very happy 2026.

Lila-Kate Niederle used crowd engagement to demonstrate how a leader can act on behalf of the community. She wants students to be comfortable to share and sees every conversation as an opportunity to understand. She wants to be the captain that listens, the captain that takes action.

Lillian Richardson spoke with passion of making the most of every opportunity. She wants us all to not only show up for class, but to show up for each other. She’s ready to step up, take responsibility and serve our community. Lillian would like to channel that hunger into unforgettable moments.

Shrey Patel believes leadership is not about speaking, but about listening. He vows to lead the way following our College values, with fairness, energy and commitment. He will stand by the students with pride. 

Our candidates will now sit an interview with the executive leadership team, followed by a wait while the House captain process takes place. Announcements will take place in Week 3 of Term 4 and Captain handover will take place at our Year 12 Farewell Mass. 

We wish all our wonderful candidates the best, but no matter the outcome you are already incredible young leaders with a bright future ahead. 

Congratulations to Parmis, Manjot and Fatma for their amazing artworks which have been awarded through the Shepparton Rotary Club’s Young Picasso Competition. 

We are so proud of these talented artists who will feature in the Young Picasso Exhibition at Sacred Heart Hall, Knight St, Shepparton on 20-21 September from noon to 5pm each day. Bring a gold coin donation for entry.

Hear from our students about their artworks:

Fatma Ghadban, Year 11

Title: Journey towards Peace

Artist Statement: A tranquil hallway leading the eye toward a secluded, peaceful garden, Imam Ali’s shrine in Najaf, Iraq. The path guides visitors toward a serene garden, a space where history, faith, and peace quietly converge.

Manjot Kaur, Year 11 

Title: Creativity doesn’t count for marks.

Artist Statement: School demanded perfection and conformity. My art rejects that silence, it speaks for the creativity, flaws, and individuality they tried to suppress.

Parmis Ghanbarian, Year 9

Title: The Real Billie

Artist Statement: As a pianist, I find deep inspiration in Billie Eilish’s personality and music, especially the way she expresses emotion. This portrait is to honour her influence on my creativity and connect my art to hers.

A Night to Remember in the Making!

The excitement is building as our Year 10 students prepare for one of the most anticipated events of the school year - the Year 10 Formal! In preparation for this special night, students have been practising, giving them the opportunity to fine-tune their dance steps,] and gain confidence. Congratulations to the students who embraced the chance to step out of their comfort zones and learn something new.

This week our dedicated student athletes took to the college oval to sharpen their sprinting and hurdling skills in preparation for the Hume Athletics next month.

These students qualified after their outstanding performances at the recent GMDSSA Athletics and now they’re training hard to take it to the next level! 

We’re so proud of their determination, sportsmanship, and effort. Let’s get behind them as they gear up to represent our school at Hume! 

Good luck, team. We’ll be cheering you on every step of the way!

Although the Italian Camp was unfortunately cancelled this week, our Year 11 students still got a delightful taste of Italy.In a fun, impromptu lesson, they channeled their inner artists by decorating mugs with vibrant Italian designs. To top it all off, they enjoyed a delicious antipasto platter while soaking up the sounds of classic Italian music - a mini festa right in the classroom!

Over the past two weeks, our Personal Development Skills class has been busy planning and running their own community improvement activities.

Students chose to head down to Waterbird Park where they collected rubbish, pulled weeds, and removed old tree guards to support the council in keeping the space safe and clean.

Back at school they also led a major clean-up of our grounds, helping to reduce plastic pollution and protect the environment with the support of Clean Up Australia.

To continue making a difference, we’ve set up a school donations page for Clean Up Australia. If you’d like to contribute, please scan the QR code or follow the link below, every bit helps! Together, we can keep our environment cleaner, safer, and more beautiful for everyone.

https://register.cleanup.org.au/fundraisers/dionprince/pds-school-clean-up 

Parents/carers are reminded there is a very important process to follow if your student must leave the college at any time throughout school hours. Please ensure you follow these steps:

Parents/carers MUST provide a note to the front office, at the start of the school day, stating the following:

- Student Name

- Date of leave required

- The time the student must present to reception to take their leave

- If they will return to the college the same day, and if so what time they will return

- The reason for the leave being requested

- The parent/carer’s name and signature

Please note, students will only be permitted to be collected by their parent/carer unexpectedly and without a note if it is an emergency.

Students are expected to wear full academic uniform on non-PE days.

This includes a knitted jumper and/or blazer for Year 10-12 students and a softshell jacket or knitted jumper for Year 7-9 students.

Students are not permitted to wear long sleeve tops underneath their academic shirts or PE t-shirts in lieu of wearing a jumper or for PE the rugby top.

For modesty, female students should be in the long winter skirt or pants with the long-sleeve academic shirt (blouse), jumper and/or blazer. Students are not permitted to wear the summer dress with layers underneath.

Please ensure you purchase any required items over the term break.

Any questions or concerns please contact Mez Lia, Rohan Lelliott or Sarah Baglin.  We appreciate your understanding and cooperation regarding this.