Dear Saint Ignatius College community members,

As we reach the end of the school year, this final newsletter includes important reflections and updates for our community. We celebrate the outstanding achievements of our Year 12 students, acknowledge and farewell some staff members, and share key information about new social media age restrictions and changes to an important communication method with parents. You will also find details about Semester Two report availability, key dates for the start of 2026, and, as always, our warm Christmas wishes to students and families as we look forward to a well-earned break and the year ahead.

Congratulations to our Year 12 Students

The 2025 VCE Units 3/4 results were released on Thursday, and we extend our congratulations to the VCE Class of 2025.

As we reflect on our students’ achievements, it is clear that consistent effort and perseverance remain the foundations of success. We also acknowledge the strong partnerships between parents, teachers, and students that have supported our learners throughout their years at the College, helping them develop the skills, confidence, and resilience essential for VCE success. Our sincere thanks go to our dedicated Year 12 teachers for their commitment and guidance.

In addition to meeting the academic demands of Year 12, many students participated actively in the College’s co-curricular program—including Leadership, Sport, Music, Community Service, and Social Justice. Their involvement has played an important role in shaping well-rounded young women and men.

A significant number of students achieved outstanding study scores, and we congratulate them and their teachers on these impressive results.

VCE Dux of the 2025 Class was Amelie Anderson, with an impressive Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) of 95.75. Well done, Amelie!

The following students (in alphabetical order by surname) received an ATAR of 90 or greater, placing them in the top 10% of the State:

Some key statistics were:

3.4% of study scores were over 40.

The median study score was 30.

7% of students achieved an ATAR over 90.

22% of students achieved an over 80.

41% of students achieved an over 70.

We also congratulate our VCE VM students on completing their Senior Secondary Certificate. Many have already secured full-time apprenticeships, others are pursuing further education, and some have stepped directly into employment. We wish each of them every success in the years ahead.

I extend our College’s congratulations to our VCE VM Student of the Year, Madison Taylor. Well done, Madison!

With VCE results released and VCE or VCE VM certificates now in hand, some students may be seeking advice about their next steps. We remind students and parents that our Work and Further Education Team (P: 5251 1136) is available to support anyone wishing to discuss future pathways.

The achievements of all our students reflect their dedication to learning, the encouragement of their teachers, and the love and support of their families. We wish the Class of 2025 every success as they embark on the next stage of their journey.

How to support your child under 16 with the new social media age restrictions

From 10 December 2025, the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024 will require social media platforms to:

• prevent children and young people under 16 from having a social media account

• deactivate or freeze existing accounts held by people under 16.

Delaying access to social media protects the health and wellbeing of young people and gives them extra time to build real world connections and digital literacy skills.

The responsibility will be on the social media platforms, not parents, carers, children or schools, to implement these new restrictions.

Most popular social media platforms will be age restricted. These include Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), Reddit and YouTube.

Messaging services and online games, as well as apps and platforms that support health and education, can still be used.

How to help under 16s prepare for the change

Parents and carers play an important role in supporting their children to be safe online.

To help get under 16s ready for the social media minimum age requirements, you can go to the eSafety website to learn more about the social media age restrictions and find tips on how to talk about social media age restrictions with young people.

What the change means for our school

At our school, most age-restricted social media platforms are blocked for student use on the school network. Our school allows student access to YouTube in a logged-out state. However, this access is restricted so mature content cannot be viewed.

To keep up to date about the new social media age restrictions, visit the eSafety website and subscribe to their newsletter.

Farewell to some staff

On behalf of our College community, I thank each person who is leaving for their contribution to the education of our students and wish them all the best.

In particular, I want to recognise with gratitude the contributions made by our retiring staff members. They have significantly contributed to the development of our College. I congratulate them on their careers and wish them every blessing for their futures.

Thank you to the following staff members who have retired:

Nella Alessi

Jane Alexander

Bruce Connor

Geni Kozdra

Joe Pannuzzo

Linda Pape

Andrew Smith

Best wishes to the following ongoing staff who we farewell from the College:

Lucy Gibson

Olivia Davies

Trudi Smith

Isabella Losi

Kate Otto

Elise Meehan

Ric Roberts

Brendan Nicholls

Michael Hallam

Nicole Sadler

Best wishes to the following staff who will be taking leave during next year:

Caitlin Doble

Bernadette Donnelly

Rachel Locke

Leonie O’Brien

Paul O’Brien

Isje Turang-Timmins

College Office hours during school holidays

Our office closes on Friday, 19th December at 4:00 pm for the Christmas break and will re-open at 9:00am Monday, 19th January 2026.

Change to an important communication method with parents

As you may know, the College has been using the online system called Operoo (formerly Caremonkey) for excursion permissions, student medical data, and some messages. Operoo has announced it will cease operations in Australia on 31 January 2026. We are currently finalising the replacement system which will be in place from the beginning of the 2026 school year. More information will be provided to parents/carers in January 2026.

Semester Two Reports

Just a reminder that the Semester Two reports are now available via the Parent Portal. Acting Deputy Principal Robyn Jackson has sent correspondence to families with instructions on how to access these reports.

I trust that the Mentor and individual subject reports record achievements, identify strengths and areas for improvement and acknowledge student effort. I encourage you to take some time with your daughter/son to reflect on this year's progress in light of the report and to lead the conversation towards setting goals for 2026.

Some 2026 dates

I provide the following overview of early next year’s College events for your perusal to help with your planning. You will find more details, where appropriate, about these events in the newsletters early next year. You can also access the College Calendar through our website www.ignatius.vic.edu.au

Monday 19th January College office re-opens

Tuesday 27th January Teaching staff return

Friday 30th January Yrs 7 & 12 students return

Monday 2nd February Yrs 8, 9, 10 & 11 students return

Monday 2nd February College Beginning of Year Mass (Pds 3 & 4)

Wednesday 4th February College Assembly (9:00 am – 10:30 am, parents invited)

Wednesday 4th February Years 10 – 12 photos (formal uniform required)

Friday 6th February Swimming Sports (NBAC, Drysdale)

Wednesday 11th February Years 7 – 9 photos (formal uniform required)

Merry Christmas & happy New Year

As we approach the end of the school year, the pace naturally becomes busy and full, and many of us are eagerly anticipating the slower rhythm of the summer break. In the midst of this end-of-year rush, it can be easy to lose sight of the fact that we are also journeying through the Advent season, a time that invites us to prepare for Christmas, to reflect on the birth of Jesus, and to remember God’s presence with us in human form.

As partners in the Christian formation of our Saint Ignatius College students, we share the responsibility of helping one another keep “Christ in Christmas.” On the final day of assemblies I attended, I encouraged students to make sure the season is more than simply enjoying the gifts they may receive. I invited them to deepen their celebration by attending a church service, participating in a community carols event, or offering an act of kindness or service to someone in need, any gesture that helps them connect more meaningfully with our shared faith story.

With this being our final newsletter for the year, I extend to all families our warmest wishes for a joyful and blessed Christmas, and for a safe, restful holiday ahead. Thank you to the entire Saint Ignatius College community for your support and contributions throughout the year.