Dear Parents and Carers,

I am pleased to report that the 2026 school year has commenced very smoothly. A number of significant events in these opening weeks have strengthened our shared values, deepened our understanding of our Ignatian story, and fostered a strong sense of community. We have also encouraged our students to embrace the many opportunities at Saint Ignatius to grow academically, spiritually and personally.

As I mentioned in my first newsletter article for the year, our school improvement focus for the coming years is “Engagement for Excellence.” This guiding statement sets a clear expectation that every student contributes to a learning culture where opportunities are embraced and personal bests are pursued.

At our first whole-school assembly, I challenged students with a simple yet powerful question:

How am I choosing to show up for this new year?

The way they answer this question, through their daily choices, will shape not only their own success but also the experiences and achievements of those around them.

I reminded students that excellence is built through engagement: by showing up fully, consistently and with purpose. Engagement is more than simply being present in a classroom or on the field. It means being mentally focused, emotionally invested, respectful of people and places, and willing to take responsibility for one’s learning and growth.

I know that parents share these high expectations. Together, we want a school where excellence is not just an aspiration but the natural outcome of daily commitment.

I am confident this is possible because we have already seen it. Last year, we witnessed students fully engaged, and excellence followed. We saw it in our production of “Les Misérables”, where students committed to rehearsals, refined their performances and supported one another. We saw it on the sporting field, where effort, teamwork and perseverance are valued as highly as talent. We saw it in strong academic results, in the confident voices of student leaders, and in our justice initiatives, where students step forward to serve others. Most importantly, we saw it every day in respectful interactions, acts of service and the care students show for one another.

I look forward to an outstanding year ahead, confident that through engagement, excellence will continue to flourish throughout our school community. Thank you for your discussions on the home front to support your daughters and sons in ‘showing up’ well and getting off to a positive, prepared and purposeful start to the new year at school.

Opening School Year Mass

Our Opening School Year Mass on Monday, 2 February, was a prayerful and uplifting beginning to the year. It provided a valuable opportunity to give thanks, seek God’s blessing for the months ahead, and encourage our students to respond generously to the many gifts and opportunities before them.

We are grateful to Fr Gerry Healy SJ, Jesuit representative on the College Advisory Council, and Fr Linh Pham, Parish Priest of Queenscliff and member of the College Advisory Council, for celebrating the Mass with our community.

Academic Assembly

At our Full College Assembly on Wednesday, 4 February in the Companions Centre, we welcomed back high-achieving members of the Class of 2025 and recognised their outstanding academic results, along with many high-performing Year 11 students from 2025. It was a proud moment for our community. Our Senior Student Leaders also launched this year’s theme.

“One in Spirit – Show Up. Lift Up. Take Action.”

This theme was shaped by their reflections on the JACSA Schools Student Leadership Conference at St Aloysius College, Sydney, in December last year. It provides a strong, practical focus for how we hope our students will engage with one another and with their learning throughout 2026. And I am pleased that it aligns with our school improvement guiding statement.

We also acknowledged the high-achieving students from Years 7 to 11 from last year. In congratulating them on their accomplishments, we not only celebrated their success but also encouraged all students to strive for their personal best, setting a positive tone for a rewarding year ahead.

Parent Information Evenings

These evenings for Years 7–10 were very well attended. I have received positive feedback and thank all parents who were able to attend. We value constructive feedback and welcome your comments. Please feel free to contact the College by phone (5251 1136) or email (info@ignatius.vic.edu.au), directing your comments to the relevant organiser, in this case, the Head of Year Level Coordinator or the Director of Senior School.

I encourage parents and carers of our Year 12 students to attend the upcoming Year 12 “Companions on the Journey” Evening on Tuesday, 24 February at 7.00 pm in the MacKillop Senior Centre Theatre. This important evening will provide valuable information about the senior year ahead and the key milestones of Year 12 and will feature an inspirational guest speaker to support and encourage our students and families at this significant stage of their journey.

Annual House Swimming Sports

The sports were held on Friday, 6 February, at the North Bellarine Aquatic Centre. It was pleasing to see strong student participation, spirited competition and enthusiastic House support. I commend our Year 12 students for their leadership in creating a vibrant, encouraging atmosphere. Congratulations to MacKillop House on winning the day.

Annual House Athletics Sports

Unfortunately, due to the weather forecast and restricted space at Landy Field caused by current building works, including limited shade and shelter, we made the difficult decision to cancel the scheduled House Athletics Carnival. This was especially disappointing given the exceptional number of student registrations and the strong level of House enthusiasm. Deputy Principal Marina Brown has written to parents outlining the circumstances and the steps we are exploring.

Season of Lent

We marked the beginning of Lent with Ash Wednesday liturgies on 18 February. Students and staff received ashes as a sign of repentance and a reminder of our shared humanity. Lent is a time of preparation for Easter, the central celebration of our faith.

During this season, we are encouraged to deepen our relationship with God through prayer, fasting and acts of generosity. As a College community, we are supporting Project Compassion. Donations collected through Mentor Groups will be forwarded to Caritas to assist communities in need. We thank families for their support of this important initiative.

Open Afternoon

On Monday, we will host the first of two Open Afternoons, providing families of primary school students with the opportunity to learn more about our College as they consider their secondary school options.

I commend the many current students who have volunteered to assist on the day. Their generosity and pride in their College are deeply appreciated, and I am confident they will once again serve as outstanding ambassadors for our community.

Please note that applications for Year 7, 2027, close on Friday, 8 May 2026. This deadline also applies to current College families.

Road Safety

The safety of our students remains a priority. I remind all drivers to observe traffic laws around the College:

• The speed limit on Peninsula Drive is 40 km/h at all times.

• Please do not park in the St Thomas Primary School car park during College events.

• Much of Gillies Road (eastern side) is a no-stopping zone. Please avoid parking in neighbours’ driveways.

• An alternative drop-off and pickup point is McKiernan Street (on the north side of the bypass). Students can access the College safely via the underpass, reducing congestion on Peninsula Drive.

Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our community safe.

Before and After School Supervision:

Morning supervision runs from 8:30 am until Homeroom at 8:50 am. Students arriving before 8:30 am should go to the Information Learning Centre, which opens at 8:00 am.

Afternoon supervision for bus travellers is available from 3:05 pm until the last bus departs. Students waiting for buses should remain in the basketball court area or at the bus stop. The College Library is open from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm each day.

As we look ahead, we are encouraged by the positive tone set in these early weeks. We remain committed to providing an environment where every student can flourish in faith, learning and wellbeing. Thank you for your continued partnership and support as we journey together through the year.

Yours faithfully,
Michael Exton | Principal

The Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) Child Safety & Wellbeing Framework provides the overarching foundation for how Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools ensures the safety, wellbeing and flourishing of all children and young people across its schools. The document outlines MACS’ child safety commitment, purpose and objectives, and situates child safety at the heart of its Catholic mission and the MACS 2030 strategic plan. It articulates a clear framework built on child safe cultures and four practice principles — Inclusion, Belonging and Empowerment; Cultural Safety and Competence; Governance and Accountability; and Capability and Innovation — which align with the Victorian Child Safe Standards and Ministerial Order requirements. The Framework also explains how these principles are applied in practice through policy alignment, leadership accountability, risk management, staff capability building and continuous improvement, providing schools with a shared language, clear expectations and practical guidance to ensure child safety is embedded in all aspects of school life.

Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools is actively supporting the implementation of the Child Safety & Wellbeing Framework through the “11 Months, 11 Standards” initiative. This structured, year-long approach provides schools with targeted resources, guidance and professional learning aligned to one Victorian Child Safe Standard each month, enabling a clear and manageable rollout across the year. By sequencing the standards in this way, MACS supports schools to embed child safety practices progressively, reflect on current practice, and plan purposeful actions each term. This initiative strengthens consistency, builds staff capability, and ensures that child safety remains a visible, practical and sustained priority in every school community.

The Child Safe Standard 1 attachment provides information in relation to how MACS schools implement Child Safe Standard 1.

Child Safe Standards attachment

During the first week of term 1, Year 8 students engaged in a week-long program of activities designed to give our young people the opportunity to connect with their peers and their teachers known as Connection Week.

The program aims to allow opportunities for students to:

• Building Community and Fostering Belonging

• Developing Essential Skills

• Promoting Well-being and Resilience

The week began with students engaging in an extended session with their Mentor Teachers which was designed to set expectations, foster connections with their new classmates and teachers as well as foster their organisation skills by talking about the power of habit building.

The Ignatian Spirituality session allowed students to explore the ethos we strive to embody at the College, and tour the school for a better understanding of some of our iconography including the statue of St Ignatius (which takes pride of place at the front of the college), the artwork on the Loyola Building as well as many other sites around the campus.

The Police Presentation on online behaviour centred around how we can connect respectfully and safely in the online world. We were very fortunate to have this delivered by 4 members of the Victorian Police force including Shane Connolly and Mick Tatlock from Ocean Grove and Dee Kuchenmeister from the Geelong Community Engagement Unit.

Finally the Mentor Team Challenge gave students the opportunity to work as a team through a variety of challenges including games such as ‘Mute Line Up’, ‘Pictionary’, Minute Mysteries’ and ‘Guess the song’. In each activity students earned points for their Mentor group which were tallied at the end with the winning Mentor Group receiving a hot chip lunch!

Overall it was a week full of fun, connection and learning. A big thanks needs to go to the Year 8 Mentor and Subject Teachers for facilitating the week, Ms Jackson for her organisation and Mr Dillon for his assistance in ensuring the week ran smoothly.

Congratulations to our 2025 Academic Award recipients, who were recognised at our recent Academic Assembly. These students have demonstrated outstanding commitment to their learning and exemplify what it means to strive for personal excellence. Their success is not simply a reflection of ability, but of consistent effort, purposeful engagement, and a willingness to embrace challenge; qualities at the heart of our college theme, Engagement for Excellence.

Excellence at Saint Ignatius is about more than results; it is about the pursuit of growth, curiosity, and pride in one’s best work. Our award winners model the habits that lead to deep learning: preparation, persistence, and active participation in every lesson. We are proud of the example they set for our community.

As we begin the 2026 academic year, we encourage all students to take inspiration from these achievements. By engaging fully in their learning, setting high expectations for themselves, and supporting one another, every student can experience success and personal fulfilment.

We congratulate our award recipients once again and wish all students every success in their academic endeavours throughout 2026.

Year 7

The Arts team has had a fantastic start to the year. Our College Choir proudly supported the Beginning of Year Mass, alongside vocal soloist Sienna Davidson and our Year 11 Band. They also performed beautifully at the Academic Assembly, setting a wonderful tone for the year ahead.

As Arts Captain, I have been fortunate to work across many areas of the Arts, supporting new initiatives and creative ideas for 2026. It has been incredible to see so many new faces in music lessons, art rooms at lunchtime and performance ensembles. There is a real buzz around the department, especially with so many exciting performances already on the horizon.

A special thank you to our Arts Technician, Rob Dott, who has been working tirelessly to update our gallery space. It is looking fantastic and provides a brilliant showcase for student work.

If you have not yet joined one of our amazing Arts groups, I strongly encourage you to get involved. It is a great way to develop new skills, build confidence and connect with others who share your interests.

We already have a number of exciting events in the calendar, and we would love to see you there supporting the incredible talent within our College:

• Contemporary Bands Night - Week 7 at Flying Brick Cider
  
  

• Autumn Concert - Monday 23 March, 7.00pm, MacKillop Theatre
  
  

• Unit 3 Theatre Studies Performance Come From Away – 14 and 15 May, 7.00pm, Potato Shed

Please keep an eye on Xuno for booking details.

For now, enjoy these images celebrating the wonderful achievements of our students over the holidays. Congratulations to everyone involved.

On Friday 27 February, students are invited to take part in our Clean Up Australia Day initiative during lunchtime. We will meet at the synthetic courts to collect gloves and equipment before heading out to clean different areas of the school grounds.

This is a practical way for us to contribute to a cleaner, safer environment and demonstrate pride in our school community. Environmental responsibility starts with small, everyday actions, and this is an opportunity to work together to make a visible difference.

By getting involved, we show leadership, teamwork, and a shared commitment to sustainability. We encourage all students to take part and help create a school environment we can all respect and enjoy.

COLLEGE TOURS | Saint Ignatius College Geelong proudly offers two types of College tours for Year 7 prospective families, Guided Tours, and Guided Day Tours.

The College Guided Tours are specifically designed for Year 5 & 6 students and their families with attendees enjoying comprehensive presentations from the College Principal, Deputy Principals, Year 7 Coordinator and current Year 7 students.

Following this presentation, families will enjoy a tour with current students and teachers showcasing the outstanding facilities enjoyed by our teachers, students and support staff.

Our College Guided Tours, held over 2 nights are an ideal way for prospective families to ask questions regarding all aspects of the College to students and staff.

To register for a College Guided Tour click here--> https://www.ignatius.vic.edu.a...

We look forward to welcoming you and your family for our 2026 Guided Tours.

YEAR 7 2027 ENROLMENTS | Saint Ignatius College Geelong embraces the Jesuit theme of 'Cura Personalis' Latin for 'care for the whole person' and provides opportunities for inspiration, and growth through our Mentor Time sessions.

Families who are seeking an Ignatian education that embraces 'cura personalis' are welcome to apply for a Year 7 2027 position via this link 🔗

https://enrol.ignatius.vic.edu...

📆 Applications close on Friday May 8th, 2026.

There is an exciting energy around the College as we have commenced the year with renewed vigour, motivated by ‘Engagement for Excellence.’ Teachers have been working across all learning areas to embed the ‘Instructional Framework’ in their lesson planning and to ensure that clear ‘Learning Intentions’ and ‘Success Criteria’ have been set to maximise clarity in student learning. Teaching staff are working on gaining more familiarity with all aspects of the framework, with particular focus on reviewing and enhancing curriculum at Year 9 and 10. It is an exciting time for Saint Ignatius College, as we continue this great work in the curriculum space, which is research backed and data driven.

Across classrooms, we have completed ACER testing, along with pre-assessments across specific learning areas to ascertain skill levels and content understanding of the students in our academic care for the year ahead. To scaffold this, Belonging Week has included learning around transition, academic skills, learning attributes and relational learning.

In addition to this, myself, Mrs Robyn Jackson, Ms Jemma Morris and a number of Learning Area Leaders and coordinators have enrolled in the ‘Teach Well Masterclass’ professional development series. We are indeed dedicated to bringing the best methodology and current practice to our school. We have completed Day 1 in Melbourne and have active coursework to conduct in the school prior to our return to Day 2.

To support this structure, we have Learning Area meetings rotating fortnightly, where teachers are gathering to work on curriculum development and teaching methodology alternately. All aspects of school life are geared towards supporting teachers to create meaningful learning with measurable outcomes for our students.

It is an exciting season of growth and vision as we strive for the Magis of ‘Continuous Improvement’ across our curriculum, and support our Catholic ethos of upholding the dignity of every child in our care. We commit to this by offering them the highest level of academic opportunity, support and rigour.

Dreaming of a European holiday? Purchase a ticket or 2 in the 'PFA $10k Travel Voucher Raffle' and you could be packing your bags and on your way! Secure your tickets here --> https://rafflelink.com.au/sicgtravel2026

The 'PFA $10k Travel Voucher Raffle' is drawn on March the 26th, with all proceeds going towards student resources at the College.

Saint Ignatius College Geelong welcomes Year 7 2027 prospective parents to our well known annual community evening celebrating International Women's Day on Tuesday March 10th. Come & experience a sense of what it is like to be a part of our Ignatian community!

Tickets always sell out for this evening, so all attendees are encouraged to secure their seats early via this link

https://www.trybooking.com/DIBYH

We look forward to welcoming Year 7 2027 prospective parents to this evening.