Archived Newsletters

ANZAC DAY 2026

ANZAC Day is a time to reflect and remember the service and sacrifices of all the men and women who have served gallantly for our country.

The theme for 2026 is "Women in Service' which recognises women who have served and continue to serve in the Australian Defence Force.

Our College Captains and Vice Captains caught up with two very special women, former services personnel
Molly Kennedy and Taylah Hutchings from the Shepparton RSL Veteran Centre to hear about their
experiences.

WATCH NOW

Women in Technology

The Year 9 Women in Technology class have been making a small carry tray and box in the Technology Workshop T4.

This is a technology class for girls only. The class is targeted at girls who enjoyed Woodwork in Year 8 and may not have wanted to be in a mixed wood class with the boys.

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Tilly Campbell

A huge congratulations to Year 11 student Tilly Campbell, who has been selected as a Melbourne Theatre Company Youth Ambassador for 2026!

The MTC Youth Ambassador Program is one of the most exciting opportunities available to young theatre-makers in Victoria. Tilly was selected from applicants across the state to join a small group of passionate Year 11 students on a yearlong journey into the world of professional theatre.

Throughout the year, Tilly will meet monthly with MTC staff and artists, gain behind-the-scenes insight into one of Australia's largest theatre companies, and connect with a community of like-minded young people who share a genuine love of the artform.

We are so proud of Tilly and cannot wait to see where this experience takes them.

Mitchell Jones

Year 9 student Mitchell Jones ran a full marathon (42.2km) during the Salvation Army North East Youth Services 'Miles From Home' event at the 2026 Under the Same Stars Youth Homelessness Fundraiser.

Mitchell not only ran the full marathon, but also raised $794 for the Salvation Army.

Beaming with pride, speaking to Shepparton News, Mitchell's father - Nathan Jones said his teenage son had just achieved something a lot of people won’t achieve in a lifetime.

“I can’t describe the effort... and he’s done it at 14,” he said.“Today, Mitch ran 42.2km, he is now a marathon runner, unbelievable. He is among 0.13 of the population to complete a marathon this year. Today was a nothing day. We turned up to support a couple of mates doing something ridiculous; running 180km in support of the homeless in our community,” Mr Jones said.

“Mitch dragged himself to do one lap of the course. One lap turned into three, which turned into 10km, then 23km.”

Well done Mitchell for accomplishing such a huge personal achievement and also doing it for the Shepparton community.

Year 12 VCE-VM - First Aid Training

Our Year 12 VCE-VM students recently took part in a full-day first aid training session with St John Ambulance, as part of their Party Ready program. Designed specifically for young people, the program equips students with the knowledge and confidence to support their peers in situations involving injury, illness, or distress - covering everything from CPR to mental health first aid and substance overdose response.

Topics explored throughout the day included:

  • Alcohol, drug and mental health trends among young people
  • Effects of drugs and alcohol on the body
  • Standard drink information
  • Harm minimisation strategies, including Naloxone nasal spray
  • Mental health crisis response and action planning
  • Physical first aid using the DRSABCD framework
  • Risk scenarios and decision-making activities
  • Recovery position and CPR practicals
  • Defibrillation demonstration
  • Additional resources for ongoing support

One of the session highlights saw students wear the ‘beer goggles’ and attempt to walk in a straight line. These goggles are specially designed to simulate the effects of alcohol intoxication on vision, coordination, and judgment, making them a powerful tool for building awareness about the very real dangers of alcohol consumption. The activity sparked lively discussion about how long alcohol remains in the system and debunked the many myths students had heard about "sobering up" quickly. The hands-on demonstrations and real-life scenarios made the content immediately relatable and easy to absorb.

What stood out most was the program's focus on proactive measures and prevention. By exploring the risk factors associated with parties and social events, and practising how to respond in an emergency, our students left feeling more prepared, capable, and empowered to look out for one another.

Understanding NAPLAN

Each year, students across Australia take part in the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN). At Notre Dame College, students in Years 7 and 9 complete these assessments in areas such as reading, writing, spelling, grammar and punctuation, and numeracy.

NAPLAN helps schools understand how students are developing important literacy and numeracy skills. The information gives teachers another way to see how students are progressing and helps identify areas where students may benefit from additional support or further challenge.

At Notre Dame College, NAPLAN is just one piece of information teachers use. The results are considered alongside classroom work, teacher observations and other assessments throughout the year. Looking at all of this information together helps teachers gain a clearer understanding of each student’s learning and plan lessons that best support their progress.

It is also important to remember that NAPLAN is only a snapshot in time. It shows how a student performs on one particular day and does not capture the full picture of their abilities or potential.

Students do not need to study or prepare for NAPLAN. The most important thing is that students simply try their best on the day. The assessments are designed to give teachers an understanding of students’ current skills so they can continue to support their learning.

At Notre Dame College, we believe that your child is much more than a test result. Every student has their own strengths, talents and interests. We take a holistic approach to education, recognising that learning, wellbeing, confidence, relationships and personal growth are all important parts of a young person’s development.If you have any questions about NAPLAN or how the information is used to support learning at the College, please feel free to contact us.

Lena Cross - Data Improvement Leader

Winter Uniform Changeover

With the weather starting to cool down, it’s time to think about winter uniform. All students are expected to be in winter uniform by Monday 4 May, so it may be wise to check that you have all the necessary items and that they are in a good condition and still fit. All year 7, 8, 10 and 11 students will be in the new winter uniform whilst students in year 9 & 12 may still wear the older styles. The new dress and short sleeve shirts are not part of the winter uniform. The old-style long sleeve shirt still requires that the College tie is worn with it. It is acceptable for students in year 9 and 12 to wear a mix of old and new styles.

Winter Uniform:

  • College navy tailored shorts or College navy skirt or College Navy tailored trousers (Grey for Years 9 and 12 permissible in 2026).
  • Long sleeve College shirt (new style for Years 7, 8, 10 & 11 in 2026).
  • College tie optional (new style for Years 7, 8, 10 & 11 in 2026).
  • College jumper (for Year 12 – Navy Blue, or Year 12 Rugby Jumper).
  • Soft Shell College jacket or College Blazer.
  • College scarf (new style for Years 7, 8, 10 & 11 in 2026).
  • College navy socks or navy tights (skirt must be worn with tights for winter). (Grey for Years 9 and 12 permissible in 2026).
  • Black, polishable lace up traditional supportive school shoes which are fully enclosed and solid with a heel.

PE Uniform:

  • Year 7, 8, 10, 11 – new College PE uniform.
  • Year 9 & 12 – old style permissible for 2026.

Call for Committee Members – 2027 Debutante Balls

St Brendan’s Parish is seeking a small organising committee of approximately four people to coordinate the 2027 Debutante Balls, which were previously organised by Notre Dame College.

If you are interested in being involved, please contact Diane at the St Brendan’s Parish Office on 5821 2633 to register your interest.

Please note: Without a committee in place, the 2027 Debutante Balls will unfortunately not proceed.

Your support would be greatly appreciated.

Year 11 Immersion Group Fundraiser – Pie Drive

The Year 11 Notre Dame College Immersion students are running a Pie Drive Fundraiser through North End Bakehouse. All money raised will be going directly into the hands of the Good Shepherd Sisters in Thailand to support the wonderful work they do at their youth centre, women’s shelter and school.

Our students will be visiting each of these places as a part of their upcoming Immersion experience in June / July.

Order your pies HERE to assist with this fantastic fundraising opportunity to help others in need. Orders close on Thursday 14 May. Pies will be delivered to school on Thursday 21 May.

We greatly appreciate your generosity.