As we begin Term 2, I would like to warmly welcome back all students, staff, and families to what promises to be another productive and engaging term at Staughton College. Term 1 concluded with many successes across academic, sporting, and extracurricular areas, and it has been wonderful to see students return settled, positive, and ready to learn.
A particular highlight early this term was our ANZAC Day Assembly. This important event provided an opportunity for our school community to come together in reflection and remembrance, honouring the courage, sacrifice and service of Australian and New Zealand servicemen and women. Students demonstrated outstanding respect throughout the ceremony, and we thank the staff and student leaders involved in organising such a meaningful occasion. Special acknowledgement goes to the students who contributed, helping to create a respectful and thoughtful atmosphere.
Throughout the term, we continue to focus on strengthening student learning outcomes, attendance, and wellbeing. Staff are working collaboratively to ensure classrooms remain engaging, supportive, and focused on high expectations for all learners. We are also continuing to build positive learning behaviours and encourage students to take pride in their learning and contribution to the school community.
Our extracurricular programs are already well underway, with students participating in interschool sport, clubs, and leadership opportunities. These experiences play an important role in developing teamwork, confidence, and school connectedness, and we encourage all students to become involved where possible.
I would also like to thank families for their ongoing support and partnership. Strong communication between home and school remains essential in supporting student success, and we appreciate the engagement of our parent and broader community.
As we move through Term 2, we look forward to celebrating further student achievements and continuing to provide rich learning opportunities for all students.
Thank you to our staff, students, and families for their continued commitment to the Staughton College community.
The 25th of April marks ANZAC Day, a day where we remember and pay respects to all those who have served in the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC). For this year, I, alongside the fellow college captains Trisha and Gemma, accompanied college principal Mr. Devine to attend the ANZAC Day dawn service that was held at the Melton Cenotaph at around 5 am. The area saw mass numbers of attendees, including veterans and family members of veterans, showing their appreciation and acknowledgement as they wore poppies, representing remembrance, eternal sleep, peace, and consolation. The program would last for around an hour or two as we heard speeches from community leaders and witnessed a rendition of both the Australian and New Zealand national anthems whilst the college’s ANZAC wreath was presented onto the cenotaph as we paid our respects to those who have given their lives to fight for the nation.
Trisha Patel (School Captain)
A whole ANZAC school assembly was held on the 27th of April to commemorate and reflect on the service and the sacrifice of our Australian and New Zealand soldiers. The assembly was attended by both the Senior School and Junior School Captains, who played an important role throughout the ceremony. Speeches were presented to acknowledge the significance of ANZAC Day and the values of courage, mateship and remembrance. A poem was also read, encouraging the audience to reflect on the experiences and sacrifices of those who served. Following this, the school observed a minute of silence as a mark of respect and gratitude. To conclude the assembly, the Principal and School Captains solemnly walked out carrying a wreath, symbolising remembrance and honour for those who have served their country. The assembly provided a meaningful opportunity for the school community to come together and pay tribute to the ANZAC spirit.
On Monday, 18th of May, the staff celebrated our amazing ES team members with a wonderful spread as a token of our appreciation. Our ES are consistently dedicated to ensuring our school runs smoothly and efficiently, and are a vital part of our community. Thank you for all the hard work you all put in.
Our Wellbeing Team hold a Breakfast Club to ensure that students have the option of getting a breakfast in before the school day starts. On this particular morning, the Breakfast Club ran out of toasties very quickly, and there was more students than previous sessions.
If you’d like to volunteer, please contact Julie Halantis in Wellbeing via the Front Office.
The Year 10 Pathways, Parents and Students Information Session and Career Expo, held on Thursday 7th May from 5.00pm–7.00pm, was a fantastic success. The evening ran smoothly and attracted a strong turnout from students and families.
The event provided students and parents with valuable information about the VCE and VCE-VM programs, while also giving students the opportunity to speak with exhibitors and explore a variety of future study and career pathways.
Organisations and institutions in attendance included Victoria University, Victoria Police, The University of Melbourne, Leisure Employment Australia, Foresite Training, Kangan Institute, Busy At Work, Head Start, and Federation University Australia.
A special thank you to Loria (VCE) and Kingston (VCE-VM) for their support and contributions to the evening.
On Monday the 18th of May the Senior girls basketball team participated in the local schools basketball tournament. they took down Gisborne secondary 34-10 and then Alice Miller 24-12 in the group stages. The girls played with grit but lost to Melton Christian College in a tough grand final matchup. The girls played with great team work, plenty of gusto and showed great sportsmanship throughout the day.
The girls represented the school with Pride and helped the event organiser’s with cleaning up at the end of the day. the girls should all be proud of their efforts, and if you see them please congratulate them for their great work!
Go Staughton
Senior Boys Basketball
The Senior Boys Basketball team put together an incredible performance, finishing the day undefeated with a perfect 5–0 record and earning progression through to the Regional Round next term.
The grand final was one for the ages, with the boys trailing by 12 points in the final minute of regulation before mounting an unbelievable comeback to force overtime. Refusing to give in, the team dug deep once again and eventually secured the win in double overtime.
Crucial free throws from Marcus De Guzman and Solomon Stewart under immense pressure helped seal the victory, while huge defensive stops from Stewart Freeman, Deacon Herrick and Terry Reeder proved just as important in the dying moments of the game.
It was an outstanding display of resilience, composure and teamwork from the entire group, capping off a remarkable undefeated tournament performance. Congratulations to all players involved, and best of luck at Regionals next term.
Senior Boys Soccer
The Senior Boys Soccer team had an outstanding day in competition, finishing undefeated with no losses and one draw on their way to claiming the championship.
After a strong performance throughout the day, the boys carried their momentum into the final and secured a comfortable win to cap off a fantastic tournament campaign. Their teamwork, discipline and composure were evident across all matches as they consistently performed at a high level.
With the victory, the team has now advanced through to the Regional Round next term. Congratulations to all players involved and best of luck in the next stage of competition.
Cross Country Team
The Cross Country team put together an outstanding performance, with all competitors finishing strongly on the day as they await confirmation of the remaining results and qualifiers for the Regional Round in Week 9 at Keilor.
There were several exceptional individual performances, highlighted by Jujhar Singh Tamber, who won his race comfortably and finished well ahead of the field in a dominant display. Hayden Smith also produced a fantastic run to claim second place in his event, while Brendan Jacobs earned a strong second-place finish in his race as well.
It was a terrific effort from the entire team, with all runners showing determination and resilience throughout the day. Congratulations to everyone involved, and we look forward to seeing the final results confirmed.
U14 NRL 9s Teams
A highlight of the term has been the success of our students across a range of events. The Boys and Girls Under 18 rugby teams made States in the Storm Trophy competition for the first time in school history. Our senior boys’ basketball team made regionals in a thrilling 2OT win. Our Under 14 boys and Under 18 Girls made states in the rugby 9s tournament, The Under 18 girls competed with resilience, battling injury blows, and the U14 boys had a controversial loss in the golden point time of the Grand final.
U18 Storm Trophy Teams
We wish all our teams and competitors the very best as they continue their journey.
In the Storm Trophy our U18 girls played well, facing a strong Fountain Gate side. The girls represented the college well, scoring early and keeping the game competitive until half time. Jahmilah played a great game, scoring a try and solid running from our forwards like Tyloria along with great leadership on the field from Jayda. The girls did great in the first appearance in the storm trophy competition, Coming away as the 2nd best team in the comp.
The U18 Boys came away as State Champs in the Strom Trophy. With a massive performance from all of the boys. Jeremy led the boys from start to finish, providing high spirits and leadership on the field. Iosefa came away as man of the match converting on 5/6 attempts and causing damage with his speed all day. We are incredibly proud of our boys winning Staughton’s first ever state champs in our first ever appearance with a score of 34-18, qualifying Staughton College for our first ever Storm Cup appearance.
Mia in Y10 recreated the delicious Portuguese tarts we made at school at home for a special family occasion, her Nan’s birthday. She thoughtfully adapted the recipe to be lactose-free to suit her Nan’s dietary needs. What a fantastic effort Mia! Well, done for sharing your cooking skills with your family!
Our Junior students took on the staff in a game of Soccer during Lunch on Tuesday 31st of March. After a valiant effort and so much talent on the student side, the staff took the win in the final minutes with a score of 2-1. Well done to all who were involved!
My name is Lance, and I am one of your College Captains for 2026, and I am so excited to be working alongside the Senior Student Leadership Team throughout the year.
Just a little bit about me — my favourite subject is maths (unpopular opinion, I know). My favourite music artist is Daniel Caesar, with my favourite song from him being Transform, but if I’m being completely honest, my guilty pleasure artist is Olivia Rodrigo. A fun fact about me is that I am an avid basketball fan (Go Warriors!), and I can name some of the most obscure NBA players if anyone wants to test my elite ball knowledge.
For those of you
who don’t know, I’ve been at Staughton since Year 7 and have been involved with leadership since Year 8 and I’ve also participated in many extracurricular activities such as debating, public speaking, and instrumental music. Public speaking would probably be my biggest strength since I was able to reach the finals for WynSpeak in 2023.
My main goal this year as College Captain is to help cultivate a student body that sets everyone up for success and fosters a sense of community all around.
Can’t wait to see what 2026 brings!
Trisha
Hi, everyone!
My name is Trisha Patel, and I am one of your College Captains for this 2026. It’s truly an honour to step into this role, and I’m incredibly excited for everything we’re going to accomplish together this year.
Beyond my role itself, I’m someone who’s driven by curiosity and creativity. My favourite subjects are Biology and Chemistry. I’m super fascinated by how intricately the world is designed, from the complexity of cellular systems to chemical reactions. I love the challenge of problem solving and the satisfaction that comes from finally understanding something complex. At the same time, I’m equally passionate about creative expression. In my free time, I love sketching landscapes and city skylines and reading thought-provoking classics that leave me reflecting long after I’ve turned the final page.
Outside of academics and art, I’m a big fan of video games. My favourite will always be the Resident Evil series! I love story-driven, strategic games that fully immerse you in their world. And one very important fact about me: I will always go for the spiciest option on any menu without hesitation.
I’m really looking forward to an incredible year ahead with you all!
Jas
Hi everyone!
My name is Jas and I’m one of your Vice Captains for 2026. I’m so excited to work alongside our captains and leaders to make this year fun, engaging and meaningful for everyone.
A little about me — I’m 17, my favourite colour is purple, and my comfort show is Brooklyn Nine-Nine (I’m definitely an Amy). Fun fact: I’m terrible at handling spice, yet spicy food is my favourite — not the best combination, but we make it work.
I’ve been involved in leadership since Year 9. What started as something I joined for fun quickly became something I genuinely cared about. Since then, I’ve helped restart senior school clubs, worked with the principal team to revive performing arts, and contributed to rebranding Year 12 Retreat into Year 12 Ignite. These experiences showed me how powerful student voice can be when it’s truly heard.
As Vice Captain, my goal is simple: to listen, act, and create opportunities that reflect what students actually want. I want everyone to feel connected, valued, and proud to be part of our school.
I can’t wait for what we’ll achieve together in 2026. Thank you.
Gemma
Hi everyone!
I’m Gemma, and I’m incredibly honoured to be one of your Vice Captains for 2026. I’m really looking forward to working with everyone to help make this year inclusive, memorable and genuinely driven by student voice. A little about me; I’m 17, an international-level karate competitor aiming for my second World Championship this year. My favourite show is the 1997 Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but you guys are probably too young to even know it!
I’ve been in leadership since year 5 and I got involved because I’ve always been passionate about being a voice for those who don’t always feel heard. I believe leadership isn’t about being the loudest person in the room, but about making sure everyone feels represented, included and valued. Through both sport and school, I’ve learned the importance of resilience, teamwork and showing up for others.
As Vice Captain, my goal is simple; to listen, take action, and help create a year that reflects what students actually want. I’m so excited to see just how much we can accomplish this year!
We are proud to share that Meka-Lea Biu has been selected for the WEX (Work Experience in Government) program a significant achievement, with only 30 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students selected across Victoria.
The WEX program provides students with valuable insight into careers within the Australian Government, including leadership development, mentoring, cultural experiences, and opportunities to connect with other young Indigenous leaders.
As part of this program, Meka-Lea will be travelling to Sydney to take part in this experience.
This is an outstanding achievement for Meka-Lea and a wonderful reflection of the talent, leadership, and potential within our students.
We congratulate Meka-Lea on this incredible opportunity and look forward to hearing about her experience.
