Wellbeing 

As the term draws to a close, we are beginning to think about the future and what next year will hold for many of our students and staff. Pathways and subject selections have been decided, and while exams and unit completion for the current year are still a focus, we hope that students will be reinvigorated by the new challenges that lie ahead. A fresh start, a fresh focus, and a change in maturity levels can lead to a change in attitude for some and a reinforcement of goals for others. It is a time to encourage new thinking and strategies around approaches to school and beyond. We encourage these conversations to take place at home as we continue to challenge our young people to be the best version of themselves here at the College.

As our students’ mindsets shift, we remain conscious of what is still happening in the present. Our Year 12s are striving to do their best in completing exams, preparing resumes, or beginning apprenticeships, and we keep them in our thoughts and prayers. We also look forward to celebrating with them the end of their formal schooling at the Valedictory in a week’s time. This is a wonderful opportunity for staff, parents, and students to join together and enjoy a rite of passage, sharing in the success of the past six years as a collective who have worked hard to create opportunities for the future of our young people.

While on the topic of celebration at the College, I would like to mention our recent assembly, where we had a couple of very special guests perform for us. Firstly, Emily Nock, our Country Music Association of Australia 2025 Junior Academy Scholarship winner, performed “Your Mum” by Noah Kahan. It was a beautiful rendition by a talented performer. We also saw some wonderful work from Ethan Monk as he presented his  animatronics  exhibition, which saw four robots perform to a remix of Five Nights at Freddy’s. Ethan has amazing skills and is very dedicated in this area, having spent two years programming the robots to “sing” the song and produce the dance moves — an incredible achievement.

There is so much to celebrate in our community, and we encourage the whole College to build others up by supporting such talent and striving for excellence together. As was spoken about in the assembly address, there are too many who drag others down because of their own fears or insecurities. When celebrating, we must come together with open minds and hearts, accepting the invitation to be present, with no judgment. We must celebrate people as they strive for excellence without letting our fears and insecurities take priority.

In other areas of the wellbeing space, there have been many initiatives and continuing efforts to educate our young people to be open, caring, and inclusive.

School-wide Expectations

The College continues to implement and reinforce our school-wide expectations of Respect and Responsibility via the Whole School Approach to Positive Behaviour in Schools (WSAPBS) program. The Whole School Approach Team and the wider College community have been discussing the importance of developing positive relationships and establishing routines that create belonging.

Year-level meetings have been held with Years 7–11, where expectations were outlined, and the need to connect and feel connected was discussed. Challenges with student behaviour in interactions with staff and peers have existed in schools for generations. This does not, however, give anyone in our community an excuse to be disrespectful to others or to impact the learning opportunities of others at the College. In communicating this to students, we have emphasised that the overwhelming majority are being respectful and responsible, and we have asked staff to focus on catching students “getting things right” and on building relationships.

Civic Behaviours

I would also like to thank families and students for their support of our phone policy. We understand that it can be challenging to meet the daily pressures of life; however, maintaining routines around phone use will assist in guiding our young people to success. The soon-to-be-implemented social media delay for those under sixteen is a welcome response from society. We must continue to educate our young people in the appropriate use of social media and technology, ensuring it is age-appropriate. We must also maintain control over our actions and technology use, balancing its use responsibly.

To that end, we hope families are having conversations around behaviours that impact learning and growth. The use of mobile phones, content accessed online, and social media are ongoing concerns that can cause harm. We continue to guide students through education and policy and once again thank families for their support in this area.

Live 4 Life

The Wellington Shire Live 4 Life community continues to thrive. This year, the College rolled out Teen Mental Health First Aid training to Year 10s for the first time. Jacquie May, one of our Wellbeing Support Officers, has led this program alongside teacher Rod Curtis, giving up considerable time to deliver the training. The program aims to educate students on how to assist themselves and peers experiencing mental health challenges.

Student Leadership

As our Year 12 students focus on their studies and final exams, the College has provided Year 11 students with the opportunity to apply for positions within the Student Leadership Team. We have appreciated the way the 2025 College Captains, House Captains, and Student Voice Cabinet members served our community and embraced their roles.

We congratulate Jemma Fisher and Abdullaleem Hanafi on being selected as our School Captains for 2026. The students who applied for leadership roles were outstanding, and the decision was very difficult. Their presentations and interviews were mature and insightful. We look forward to working with many of them in our leadership team.

Congratulations also to our elected Captains:

• Allman: Eva Corcoran & Jase Roads
• Champagnat: Eloise Schultz & Lucas Lenne
• Daly: Zanelle Van De Vyver & William Moore
• Paulinus: Ella Nicol & Lachlan Powney
• Raphaela: Mia Ballinger & James Arnup
• Theodore: Tarla Stewart & Finn Wilson
• Liturgy Captain:  Willow Goode
• Social Justice Captain: Jasmine Lazzaro
• Environment: Eve Crouch
• Mental Health: Lucy Hannah

In Memoriam

I would like to take this opportunity to remember our beautiful classmate, student, and friend Dusty Daly. It has been one year since Dusty and his cousins left us. While many have returned to a somewhat normal existence, the Daly family, friends, and wider community continue to live with a “new normal.” We hold them close in our thoughts and prayers and remember Dusty’s spirit by caring for our mates and reaching out to those in need — a beautiful soul gone too soon.

Finally, on Thursday we celebrated World Kindness Day and dedicated the day to Ms Marian Lappin, who sadly left us this year. Marian served the College with distinction over 38 years and was known for her kindness and support, going above and beyond for staff and students alike. Marian often said we have a choice in our interactions with others, and if unsure, we should choose kindness. In a world where bullying and racism still exist, we would do well to take a leaf out of Ms Lappin’s book and choose kindness.

Anthony Robbins 

Deputy Principal Learning and Wellbeing