College Principal Report

As we move through Term 2, I’m pleased to share some exciting developments and celebrate the outstanding efforts of our students, staff, and wider community. There is a genuine sense of momentum across the College as we continue working together to ensure every student feels connected, challenged, and supported.

Introducing Our Leadership Team

To strengthen our support for students and families, we’ve introduced a new leadership structure at Keysborough College this year. While our two Campus Principals remain the same; Natalie Fode at Acacia and Richard Hastings at Banksia, we’ve refined Assistant Principal roles to better focus on the needs of our school community.

Matthew Sloan is our new Accountabilities and Community Assistant Principal, working on school governance, college-wide events, and building stronger partnerships with families through a new Community Engagement Framework.

Robyn Hughes (Acacia) and Jonathon Boyd (Banksia) are our Engagement Assistant Principals, focused on creating calm, orderly and supportive learning environments that set students up for success.

Melissa Williams leads Teaching and Learning across the College, while Rebecca Vass continues her outstanding work in Inclusion, ensuring every learner has the support they need to thrive.

We’re confident this new structure will strengthen our connection with families and provide clear, consistent support for students across both campuses.

Living Our Values: Respect, Excellence, and Diversity in Action

At Keysborough College, our values aren’t just words, they shape every part of school life.

Respect is at the heart of our inclusive culture. We’re proud to share that our Inclusion Team has been nominated for an Excellence in Education Award, recognising the powerful work happening across classrooms and support spaces. This award acknowledges the efforts of our integration aides, teachers, and school leaders who work every day to ensure every student is seen, heard, and supported. Since 2023, we’ve seen a 15% improvement in attendance among students in our priority cohorts, a clear sign that inclusive practice leads to real-world outcomes.

Excellence can be found in every corner of our College, from the classroom to the gym. Last week, our Year 7 Banksia Band performed to a packed gymnasium of over 500 proud family members and friends. It was a brilliant showcase of creativity, collaboration and confidence. Meanwhile, our teaching teams in English, EAL and Maths are laying the groundwork for a renewed, whole-school approach to literacy and numeracy, one that is backed by research, driven by our learning specialists, and focused on helping every student grow.

Celebrating our Diversity, we also embrace the many pathways that support different learners to succeed. This term, work has begun on transforming the old Banksia administration building into a new learning hub. In partnership with Community College Gippsland, this space will support Year 10 students in tailored engagement programs and may house expanded VET offerings in 2025 — giving students even more opportunity to shape their future in ways that match their strengths and interests.

Even our youngest students are living our values beyond the classroom. This week, our Year 7 students headed off to camp, an important moment of personal growth, where they step outside their comfort zones, form new friendships, and build confidence. I joined the Banksia Year 7s for their welcoming walk out in the beautiful open surrounds of Foster, up hills and past creeks, we all made it despite some of us questioning if we would at times! I thank our staff for providing such rich learning experiences and know our campers will return with stories of challenge, connection and fun.

As we look ahead, we’re also preparing to celebrate a major milestone: 15 years of Keysborough College. In Term 3, we’ll mark this anniversary with a week of celebrations that reflect our journey, our achievements and the community that has helped shape us. It will be a time to come together, past and present and we can’t wait to share more details soon.

Behind the scenes, none of this would be possible without the support of our dedicated Education Support staff. Recent team meetings have reinforced the critical role they play in the life of our College and I want to thank them for the professionalism, care, and commitment they bring to their work every day.

The strength of Keysborough College lies in its people: our students, staff, families and wider community. Thank you for everything you do to make this such a vibrant, inclusive and aspirational place to learn and grow.

Mr Aaron Sykes

Keysborough College Principal