Campus Connect: Term 1 Issue 1 2026

Mid Term 1 Newsletter

Staughton College

As we reach the midpoint of Term 1, I would like to take the opportunity to reflect on what has been an energetic and purposeful start to the 2026 school year.

We began the year with optimism and clear direction. The summer break allowed time for rest and connection, and it has been wonderful to see our students return refreshed and ready to learn. The tone across the College has been positive, focused and forward looking. These early weeks are critical in setting habits for the year ahead, and I have been proud of how our students have settled into routines and embraced our expectations.

A New Chapter: Respect. Connect. Grow.

This year marks an important milestone with the launch of our new College values: Respect. Connect. Grow.

These values were developed in partnership with students, staff and families, ensuring they reflect the collective voice of our community. They are more than words. They provide a shared language for how we learn, how we behave and how we support one another.

Throughout the term, our College Executive and staff have worked deliberately to embed these values into classrooms, assemblies and daily routines. Over the course of 2026, we will continue to unpack what they look like in practice and ensure they are explicitly taught, modelled and celebrated.

Welcoming the Class of 2031

We were thrilled to officially welcome our new Year 7 students, the Class of 2031, at our Whole School Assembly. Beginning secondary school is a significant milestone, and our Year 7 students have embraced the transition with maturity and enthusiasm.

Each student has received a laptop to support their learning, and they have quickly adapted to the expectations and independence of secondary school life. We look forward to watching them grow in confidence, capability and connection throughout their journey at Staughton College.

Our Focus: High Quality Teaching and Learning

Our clear and unwavering focus remains high quality teaching and learning in every classroom.

We know that strong teaching drives engagement, builds confidence and improves outcomes. When classrooms are purposeful and expectations are high, students thrive. Students play an important role in this work by arriving prepared, engaging actively in lessons, responding positively to feedback and demonstrating curiosity in their learning.

Together, staff and students create learning environments where progress is intentional and success is achievable for every learner.

College Leadership and Staff

Our College Executive team continues to lead this work with clarity and commitment:

• Ms Berry, Student Services and Operations Principal
• Sheree Ottone, Junior School Principal
• David Reid, Senior School Principal
• Instructional Leadership Principals: Sarah Sobey, Ashleigh Valley and Nick Morley
• Business Managers: Rachel Brown (Human Resources) and Kristy Owens (Finance)

I would also like to acknowledge our teachers and support staff for their dedication during this busy period. Their guidance, encouragement and high expectations are central to both student achievement and wellbeing.

Investing in Our Environment

Over the summer break, significant progress was made to improve our facilities and strengthen pride in our College.

Key developments include:

• Three new double storey portable buildings, providing 12 additional classrooms
• Installation of permanent front fencing, enhancing presentation and security
• Classroom upgrades and refresh works to support contemporary learning

These improvements reflect our long term commitment to providing high quality, modern learning spaces for our students.

Transition to Compass

We are preparing to transition from XUNO to Compass in early March 2026. This move aligns us with the majority of Victorian government schools and will strengthen communication with families.

Families will receive clear instructions and guidance ahead of the rollout to ensure a smooth transition.

Setting the Stage for Success

To maintain a strong learning culture, we will continue to reinforce clear and consistent expectations:

• Uniform – Wearing the correct uniform demonstrates pride and unity
• Mobile Phones – Following our policy ensures classrooms remain focused on learning
• Ready to Learn – Arriving on time, prepared and engaged is essential for success

Our staff will continue to work closely with students to ensure these expectations are understood and supported.

Looking Ahead

The second half of Term 1 includes several important events:

• Week 6 – Student Photos and Compass rollout
• Week 7 – Public Holiday, Student Free Day and the commencement of NAPLAN for Year 7 and Year 9 students

As we move through the remainder of the term, I encourage all students to reflect on their progress, seek support where needed and set clear goals for improvement. Consistent attendance, effort and positive behaviour will be key to ongoing success.

A Strong and Supportive Community

Staughton College is proud of its inclusive and supportive culture. Strong partnerships between families, students and staff are essential to student success, and I thank our parents and carers for your continued trust and support.

Together, guided by our values and united by our commitment to high quality teaching and learning, we will continue building a College where every student feels proud, connected and challenged to be their best.

I look forward to the continued growth and progress of our community throughout the remainder of Term 1.

Alan Devine
College Principal
Staughton College

Guess who’s back? The Homework Club is officially returning to 979FM for 2026! We are kicking off our 12th year on the air, and our Junior Radio Announcers are more hyped than ever.

Join us every Thursday from 4 PM to 6 PM for two hours of absolute chaos and community. We’re bringing you the latest Staughton College updates, local news, and our signature three interactive segments that you can play along with from anywhere! Plus, we’ve got the Top 20 most downloaded songs on repeat and a fresh guest staff member from Staughton in the studio every single week.

No radio? No worries. Download the Community Radio Plus app to stream us live on any device. Follow ‘The Homework Club, 979FM’ on Facebook so you never miss a beat. Thursdays are ours—let’s go!

Welcome to Term 1 2026!

We are all happy to start the New Year getting to know new students and staff and to greet familiar faces. We have met all of the new Year 7 students and we encourage them to download the library management system using the QR code to access their library accounts. Students can explore our new books, check their loans, reserve books, or search the catalogue for new items to read. To gain access students simply use their student code, for example (ABC0001) using the password ‘student’.

The second QR code is for the library Google Classroom. To join or access our Google Classroom use the QR code or the classroom code to join 5d7qree. 
We look forward to continuing to work with the students, finding ways to engage them with the library and their reading journey.

The library is open before and after school, during recess and lunch, and we are always busy. If you need assistance with a task, to catch up on homework or do revision pop in after school, there is usually someone here to help.

Our Book of the Month selection to begin the year, and with the Formula 1 Grand Prix happening very soon, are the new ‘Racing Legends’ books.

The Racing Legends series by celebrated motorsport writer Maurice Hamilton is a collection of engaging, illustrated children’s non-fiction books that introduce young readers to the lives and careers of some of Formula 1’s most iconic drivers. Each title blends fun facts, statistics, career stories and illustrations to chart how figures like Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris, Fernando Alonso, Oscar Piastri, Carlos Sainz and George Russell rose through the ranks to become racing legends, making complex aspects of F1 accessible and exciting for curious, fast-paced minds. Written by Hamilton—an award-winning author with decades of experience attending Grands Prix and reporting on F1—and often illustrated by Cat Sims, the books are easy to read, educational and perfect for younger fans or anyone looking for a light, inspiring introduction to the sport’s stars.

We look forward to sharing more fun and interesting titles in the next newsletter.

Melinda, Will and Andrea.

On Friday the 20^th of February, Staughton College held our Senior Staughton Speaks competition, where students were given the opportunity to present a persuasive argument on  a topic of their choice in a public speaking environment. A big congratulations and acknowledgement to Lance De La Cruz, Sneha Asthana, Ky Todd, Aiden Bastiaan, and Pehalpreet Singh for presenting on the day!

The students spoke incredibly well, demonstrating high levels of stage presence, delivery, and passion around their chosen topics; with subjects ranging from the necessity of Arts and cultural learning in modern society, and the rising concerns around mass surveillance and invasion of privacy. Two students from the Senior competition will be chosen to attend Wynnspeak; an annual region-wide public speaking competition where our students will be given the opportunity to compete against other schools in an exciting competitive format.

This Friday on the 27^th of February our Junior Staughton Speaks competition will be running – please come along and show your support for our wonderful public speakers in the Junior school!

The School Breakfast Clubs Program encourages healthy eating, which is proven to foster better mental health and wellbeing.  Breakfast clubs allow children to have a healthy breakfast in a safe and secure environment before school.

Studies show school breakfast programs play a vital role in improving grades, as well as giving them the opportunity to interact with staff and volunteers in an informal setting.

At Staughton College we are re commencing this program again for 2026. If there is anyone (staff or parents) willing to volunteer their time with this program please contact Julie Halantas in the wellbeing team on 9743-4622.  The program will run from 7.30 to 8.45 am on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, but any assistance during this time would be appreciated.

Thank you

Wellbeing Team

Our Swimming Sports Day was a fantastic success, with events running smoothly and great spirit shown throughout. Students gave outstanding effort in and out of the pool, representing the school and their houses with pride.

Thank you to all staff for their organisation and support, and to our students for their enthusiasm and sportsmanship. Your efforts made the day such a positive and successful event.

Here are the official results of the day:

1^st Thara – 611

2^nd Dantum – 555

3^rd Djurt Djurt 381

4^th Koruk Goru 321

Welcome back to all our students and families. And an extra special welcome to our new students and families.

We hope the students have settled into the school year well and family/home routines are back in place.

This year is a year of new beginnings and change.

Change can be tricky, but it challenges us to explore beyond our comfort zone, and when we can push past the discomfort we learn we are stronger than what we thought. Wellbeing looks a little different this year but will continue to offer the same quality support for all our students and families.

Your Wellbeing Practitioners are:

You will have noticed the office relocation. The Wellbeing practitioners now work from the:

First Wellbeing office is opposite M4

The Second Wellbeing office is the door before M1

The process for seeing wellbeing remains the same. You don’t need to make an appointment to see the duty worker. You can drop in during break times or speak to your year level coordinator who can help connect you with someone from the wellbeing team. As always, your visits are confidential.

Wellbeing have several complimentary services available for students. The Wellbeing duty worker will assess suitability and refer you to the right service/program.

These services are:

• Mental Health Practitioner
• Health Promotions Nurse
• Visiting Psychologist
• Art Therapy
• Odyssey House youth worker
• Les Twentyman School Outreach Support Services (SOSS)
• 

Throughout the year, Wellbeing run a variety of targeted group programs during school hours. The programs on offer this year are:

• Friendship Saver
• Seasons for Growth
• BRAVE
• Body Project Australia

Please look out for the promotional material throughout the term for more information or speak to Wellbeing.

Wishing you a fulfilling, safe and happy 2026,

Your Student Wellbeing Team

📢 **Important Update for Families — New Family Communication Platform**

Staughton College will be transitioning from XUNO to Compass as our primary communication platform, with an official rollout date of Monday, 2 March 2026. From this date, XUNO will no longer be in use.

To ensure a smooth transition, we kindly ask all parents and guardians to download the Compass app as soon as possible in preparation for your onboarding email, which will be sent at a later date with instructions on how to activate your account.

Getting set up early will help you stay connected with important information, student updates, attendance notifications, and school communications from day one.

Thank you for your support as we move to this improved system.Parent Flyer Start with Compass Compass Samoan Compass Tongan Compass Arabic Compass Dinka

Our school collects and uses student and parent personal information for standard school functions or where permitted by law, as stated in the Schools’ privacy policy and the Schools’ privacy collection notice.

Our Photographing, Filming and Recording Students policy   (https://www.staughtoncollege.vic.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Photographing-and-Recording-Students-Policy-2025.pdf) describes how we collect and use photographs, video and recordings of students. The policy also explains when parent consent is required and how it can be provided and withdrawn.

We ask parents to also review the guidance we provide on how we use Microsoft 365/Google Workspace for Education safely at the school and what parents can do to further protect their child’s information. If after reviewing the guidance, you have any questions or concerns regarding your child using Microsoft 365/Google Workspace for Education, please contact the school.

For more information about privacy, refer to: Schools’ privacy policy: information for parents. This information is also available in eleven community languages:

• Amharic
• Arabic
• Chinese
• Dari
• Gujarati
• Mandarin
• Somali
• Sudanese
• Turkish
• Urdu
• Vietnamese

As part of Harmony Week, we will be running 9 Court Volleyball in Week 8 on March 17th and 18th during both Senior and Junior lunch. There will be prizes to be won one for seniors and one for juniors, so we encourage students to come along, get involved, and celebrate together.

We are also launching a Cultural Mural Competition. Students can get into groups of 4 or 5 and design a mural that includes Cultural Diversity and the Cultural Engagement Office. Posters will be going up around the school, and the competition will close on March 27th (Week 9).