Principal's Message

Dear Saint Ignatius College Geelong community members,

Performing Arts success

On 13 August, our Senior Choir competed in the annual Royal South Street Society Ballarat Eisteddfod Choral Competition at Federation University, Ballarat.

I am delighted to report that our choir was awarded first place in the Secondary Section of this prestigious competition.

This is a wonderful achievement and a testament to the talent, dedication and commitment of our students and the staff who support them. We congratulate every member of the Senior Choir on this outstanding success.

2027 Student Leadership

The process of appointing our 2027 Student Leaders is now well underway.

Leadership at Saint Ignatius College is grounded in service, integrity and a desire to make a positive difference in the lives of others. The leadership process provides an important opportunity for students to reflect on these qualities and consider how they can contribute to the life and culture of the College.

I attended the Years 9 - 11 Assembly on Tuesday, where the candidates for College Captain delivered speeches outlining why they would like to take on this important role. I was very impressed by the quality, confidence and enthusiasm demonstrated by our Year 11 candidates.

Each spoke with genuine pride in the College, a desire to serve their fellow students and a commitment to making a positive contribution to our community.

I congratulate all of the candidates on their efforts and wish them well as the appointment process continues. I will communicate the outcome once the process has been completed.

School Community Surveys – your feedback matters

At this time each year, MACS, in partnership with ORIMA Research, conducts surveys of students, staff, and parents to gather valuable feedback about our school and our progress against our School Improvement Plan.

Parents have received an email containing a link to complete the survey online. The survey provides an important opportunity to offer confidential feedback on how you believe the College is performing across a range of areas.

Your feedback matters. The information gathered will help us evaluate our progress, identify areas for improvement and inform our ongoing school improvement priorities. I strongly encourage all parents and carers to take the time to complete the survey. The more responses we receive, the more reliable and representative the feedback will be.

The survey closes on Friday, 18 September, the final day of Term Three.

Students in Years 7–12 will complete the student survey during Mentor time on Tuesday, 8 September, while staff will complete theirs at the designated staff meeting on Wednesday, 2 September.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to provide your feedback and help us continue to improve our College.

Supporting our staff while planning for the future

Like all Catholic schools, we are currently undertaking our planning and budgeting for 2027. This work is important to ensure we are well positioned to support our staff, students and families in the year ahead.

As part of this process, we are considering the implications of the changes likely to flow from a new Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA) for Catholic school staff, including the associated impact on staffing and operational costs.

We also recognise the significant financial pressures many households are currently experiencing. This will be an important consideration as we work through the setting of 2027 school fees.

We will continue to keep our parent and carer community informed as this work progresses and greater clarity emerges.

As always, our focus remains on maintaining a strong and vibrant College community while continuing to provide a high-quality Catholic education for every student.

Important dates on the College calendar

A reminder of some important dates and events coming up:

Tuesday, 1 September – Student Free Day
There will be no classes for students as staff participate in a professional learning and in-service day.

Thursday, 3 September – Parent, Student & Teacher Conferences
Conferences will be conducted via Zoom.

Thursday, 10 September – Parent, Student & Teacher Conferences
A further opportunity is available for students in Years 7–11 and VCE VM.

• Time: 4.00 pm–7.00 pm

• Format: Zoom

• Each interview is allocated 10 minutes, with discussions concluding at the eight-minute mark to allow time to prepare for the following interview.

• Parents and carers will receive information from Ms Robyn Jackson, Deputy Principal (Teaching & Learning), explaining how to book interviews.

Friday, 18 September – Final day of Term Three
Classes conclude at 2.20 pm, with buses departing shortly afterwards.

Monday, 5 October – Term Four begins
Students return for the first day of classes for Term Four.

Best wishes for the next fortnight. I thank our students, staff and families for your continued support of the College and wish everyone a positive and productive remainder of Term Three.

Michael Exton | Principal