Over the past fortnight, my calendar has reflected what is always a busy and rewarding time across our region. With students now in the middle of their examination period, much of my work has centred on supporting campuses, connecting with staff, and continuing important planning for the future.
A significant portion of time was spent engaging in leadership collaboration at a regional and global level. This included working alongside colleagues both nationally and globally to review leadership development and strategic priorities across our schools. These sessions are critical in ensuring we continue to build strong leadership pipelines and maintain excellence across all campuses.
I also joined our Global Education Leadership Forum, connecting with a wide network of educators to share insights and align on global priorities. Opportunities like this reinforce the strength of our broader organisation and the shared commitment to student success.
Closer to home, there has been a strong focus on campus support and operational work, including staff meetings, planning discussions, and involvement in recruitment processes for Campus roles. This work reflects our ongoing commitment to ensuring each campus is well supported and positioned for continued growth.
I recently had the privilege of participating in the Victoria and Tasmania Leadership Retreat in Launceston. This retreat, led by our amazing People and Culture team, provided a valuable opportunity for Leadership Team to come together, reflect on practice, strengthen alignment, and focus on the strategic direction of our schools. The shared learning from this experience will continue to positively influence our work across the region.
I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the Hamilton Campus community, where I had the opportunity to spend several days as Acting Campus Principal. I greatly appreciated the warm welcome, professionalism, and strong sense of community I experienced during my time there.
It has also been a pleasure to visit Bairnsdale and Berwick campuses this week. At Bairnsdale, it was fantastic to see the new Learning Centre beginning to come to life, particularly with the delivery of new furniture. These developments are exciting and will provide an outstanding learning environment for students.
Across all campuses, it has been wonderful to see the multitude of activities taking place both within individual campuses and across the region, bringing our community together and reinforcing what it means to be a truly connected school.
One of the absolute highlights of my role is meeting with the student leadership teams at each campus. These students are an outstanding representation of excellence within our school. Their leadership, pride, and commitment to their peers are a credit to themselves and their communities.
Acknowledging Our Students
Importantly, I want to acknowledge that our students are currently in the midst of their exams. This is a significant time, and I commend them for their focus, organisation, and perseverance. On behalf of all staff, I wish every student the very best as they complete their assessments.
I would also like to acknowledge our primary students for their amazing work. It is always a pleasure to see their enthusiasm for learning and the strong foundations they are building each day.
Uniform Standards
I have been very impressed with the standard of uniform I’ve observed across campuses recently. Students are presenting with pride, and this contributes greatly to the positive tone of our learning environments.
At the same time, I’d like to gently remind families and students of the recent communication from Paul Maher and Harvey Seeley regarding expectations. Maintaining consistency is important, and your continued support in upholding these standards is appreciated.
Looking Ahead
While the fortnight has been busy, it has also been incredibly productive. It is also exciting to note that we have already begun planning for 2027. We look forward to welcoming new students and many, many new families into our community as we continue to grow and strengthen our schools. In the next fortnight I will be spending time in Nathalia, Swan Hill, and Bendigo.
Thank you to all staff students and families for your ongoing dedication during this important time of the term. As we approach the final stretch of this term I encourage everyone to remain focussed and positive and collectively look forward to the upcoming term break.
Wishing everyone the very best
Frank Vetere
Dear Parents, Students and Community Members,
As this will be my final newsletter message in the Acting Campus Principal role, I would like to take the opportunity to thank our students, families and staff for their support over the past few months.
It has been a privilege to serve our school community in this role and to witness the many strengths and achievements of our students. I have been continually impressed by the dedication of our staff, the support of our families and the attitude of our students.
I am proud of what we have achieved together during this time and grateful for the opportunity to have led the campus. While I will be returning to my substantive role as Primary Lead Teacher, I remain committed to supporting our students, staff and families so don't be afraid to reach out for anything.
Thank you once again for your support, encouragement and partnership. I look forward to continuing to work alongside you all throughout the remainder of the year.
Kind regards,
Darren Burn
Acting Campus Principal
