Dear families,

Welcome families and staff for what promises to be another exciting and productive term at our school. Despite the retreating daylight, Term 2 is always a busy time filled with learning opportunities, sporting events and community celebrations. It has been wonderful to see students return with enthusiasm and a positive attitude toward their learning. We thank our families for their continued support and partnership as we work together to help every child thrive. I also hope our families have taken the chance to welcome both Jaime and Ally in the office. Their warm, compassionate and professional approach has been well received by those I have spoken to, and I know they are loving the community they now serve!

Mother’s Day

Sincere thanks to Casey, Liz and the whole team who helped run the mother’s day stall and this afternoons picnic event. Our mothers, grandmothers and special people make such a difference in all our lives and we are grateful for everything you do for us! Casey has provided a little more detail on the celebrations further into this newsletter.

Boys netball

Congratulations to our Boys Netball teams (both Junior and Intermediate) for their excellent sportsmanship, teamwork and determination in the recent competition. Fielding two boys netball teams is another example of the growth in our school and to have them both come home as champions and progress to the next round is a fantastic achievement. I was able to watch a thrilling final again Williamstown High and was incredibly proud of the way the boys represented our College! Thankyou to Mr Ball, Ms Harrison and Mr James for coaching and supporting on the day.

Enrolments for 2027

Enrolments for Foundation/Prep 2027 are now open. Families with younger siblings, or those who know families interested in joining our school community, are encouraged to contact the school office for enrolment information and tour dates. In addition, we have been running multiple tours to accommodate interest in enrolment for 2027. We will exceed the schools capacity next year and I am expecting very strict enrolment conditions will be in place. While priority order of placement applies to certain year levels, others will be addressed on a first come, first served basis and spaces will be severely limited. While I appreciate that this can be a difficult time for families trying to secure opportunities for their children, I am very proud that our school has become one of choice among our community.

New shade area and gaga pit

We are excited to share that our new shade area and gaga pit are progressing. Poles have been installed and sails are in production. Synthetic turf has been scheduled for the holidays to avoid disruption and a second gaga pit will be installed in the coming weeks for students to enjoy. These additions provide valuable spaces for outdoor play, social connection and physical activity during recess and lunch times. We have also been working through soil management and approvals for our new playground which has been very slow – but not forgotten!

Frozen Jnr

I also managed to sneak a peek as the cast rehearsed for our Frozen Jnr production. I was genuinely moved by how talented, committed and inclusive this group of students and staff are. If I could bottle the culture that our performing arts teams are creating, it would be invaluable and I so excited to see the finished product! I don’t want any broken legs, but I wish the team well as the progress through their preparations.

University of NSW Maths competition

Opportunities to excel continue to diversify across the school and this was further exemplified when a team of over 20 students rallied to participate in the annual University of New South Whales Mathematics Competition. The groups worked on complex problems for almost 3 hours and commented that the level of challenge was exciting! We will eagerly await the results and commend the team for making the commitment regardless of the outcome!

With achievements in sports, arts, mathematics and more, all before the end of our third week, we are moving at pace as always! I hope that everyone can maintain the enthusiasm and make the rest of the term as wonderful as the beginning.

Warmest regards,

Nathan Guthridge

Principal

Altona College

Key Dates