Secondary School Update - 6 March 2026

SECONDARY SCHOOL UPDATE Jonathan Brayshaw

At Australian Christian College, we believe that every student is uniquely created and deserves an environment where they can truly flourish as a whole person; academically, socially, and spiritually. Providing this holistic support is a collaborative effort, and we are blessed to have dedicated Support and Pastoral Care Teams working alongside our classroom teachers to care for our students’ diverse needs. 

This week, we would like to introduce the ancillary staff who support our students both inside and outside of the classroom. We are also sharing some important updates regarding our counselling and mentoring services, as well as ‘Pastoral Care Check-Ins,’ which reflect our proactive commitment to shepherding our students through their Secondary School journey.

Secondary Counsellor The Secondary Counsellor supports the wellbeing of students by providing pastoral care, counselling support, and guidance to help students navigate personal, social and emotional challenges. 

• Mrs Lovita Veigas 

Secondary Learning Support Coordinator Our Secondary Learning Support Coordinator leads the Teachers Aid Team and collaborates with Secondary staff to ensure students requiring additional support are effectively supported in their learning. 

• Mrs Raewyn Owen

Secondary Teacher Aids These staff support students by assisting class teachers, providing targeted learning support, and helping students grow in confidence in their learning.

• Ms Erin Lawless

• Ms Alyanna Rivera

The Clinic Staff This team supports physical health and wellbeing by providing first aid, managing medical needs, administering scheduled medication, and working with staff and families to ensure students are safely cared for during the school day.

• Mrs Deborah Somanader - Clinic Nurse

• Mr Jones Bresnev - Clinic Assistant

The Hub Staff Our Hub staff support the smooth daily operation of the Secondary school by serving as the first point of call for student and parent enquiries, and assisting staff with administrative needs, communication, coordination of student attendance, and general support. 

• Miss Nicola Reifenstein

• Mrs Carol Barton

Understanding Counselling and Pastoral Care We know that when a child mentions they "saw the counsellor," it can sometimes cause a stir at home! To provide better clarity, we are distinguishing between our various levels of support:

Pastoral Care Check-In Brief informal 10 minute interaction to see if a student is doing okay and to help support the student continue to go about their day. A brief note will be placed in the student’s Planner. These interactions are conducted by members of the Pastoral Care Team, such as a Year Coordinator, Pastoral Care Advisor or Counsellor. 

Counselling Counselling is a longer interaction (approximately 30 minutes) provided by Mrs Veigas to support students for ongoing emotional or social challenges. Counselling requires approval from the Head of Secondary or Assistant Head of Secondary. Parent consent must be obtained prior to ongoing counselling. 

Mentoring Mentoring is a structured, intentional and ongoing developmental conversation focused on growth, between a staff member and a student of the same gender, lasting between 10 minutes and no longer than 30 minutes. Mentoring involves working towards goals, such as behaviour pattern support, self-awareness development, building self-confidence, developing resilience, strengthening friendships and connection, as well faith and spiritual growth. 

All efforts are made to ensure that students receiving mentoring are not withdrawn from core class time (Mathematics, English, and Science). Mentoring requires approval from the Head of Secondary, Assistant Head of Secondary or Year Coordinator. Parent consent must also be obtained prior to ongoing mentoring. 

If you have questions about which service might be right for your child, please reach out to your child’s Year Coordinator:

• Year 7: Mr Ralph Hearsey (ralphhearsey@acc.edu.au) 

• Year 8: Mr David Thurlow (davidthurlow@acc.edu.au) 

• Year 9: Miss Miah Perry (miahperry@acc.edu.au) 

• Year 10: Mrs Kaylie Neave (kaylieneave@acc.edu.au) 

• Year 11: Miss Tamara Kunz (tamarakunz@acc.edu.au) 

• Year 12: Mrs Kiah Cavens (kiahcavens@acc.edu.au)

SECONDARY ZONE SWIMMING CARNIVAL 2026 Jonathon Skelly

On Wednesday 25 February, 2026 we sent a team of 30 students to represent our College at the West Met Zone Secondary Swimming Carnival. It was a busy yet exciting day watching our students compete with both resilience and excellence. We had four of our students finish the day as Age Champions, displaying their hard work rate and diligence. Australian Christian College finished in 3rd place overall as a school team. This is such an amazing achievement and we are so proud of each student that competed and did their best. 

We are looking forward to seeing our students move onto the next stage of the swimming competition: Combined Independent Schools Association (CSSA) State Swimming Carnival.

CLEAN UP AUSTRALIA DAY Brad Adams 

On the 1 March Australian community groups got involved in the Clean Up Australia Day. They were based at different locations and community members could attend and help collect waste from particular areas. 

As 1 March was a Sunday, our College decided to do a smaller scale version of Clean Up Australia around the College campus and in the neighbouring community.

From Genesis, God gives the charge to people to be good stewards of the world he has created. Part of this is evident in the way we keep our environment clean from waste and litter. 

With this in mind, our Year 8 and 9 students were allocated different areas around the College and along Farm Rd or Robert St. Their task was to collect any rubbish they could find, and place it in a bag to be properly disposed of. 

The students took to this challenge with gusto and were able to find a substantial amount of rubbish along the roads of our community. The most pleasing part of the event was hearing teachers say that they were surprised at the amount of rubbish in their designated clean up zones, but the students, through their diligence, were able to really clear these areas.

Last year across Australia, more than one million volunteers attended just over 12,000 sites and collected a huge amount of plastic waste. Our group from Marsden Park were able to collect a substantial amount of rubbish in a small amount of time and in the process, learned about the importance of putting your rubbish in the right place.

BUILDING FOUNDATIONS FOR LIFELONG FITNESS IN PDHPE Miah Perry

This term, students in Years 7, 9 and 10 have been actively engaged in our Fitness unit. The focus of this unit has been to encourage prolonged participation in lifelong physical activity by helping students recognise that maintaining health and fitness extends far beyond organised sport.

While sport is a valuable avenue for developing teamwork, resilience and skill, we recognise that not all students will continue competitive sport into adulthood. For this reason, our fitness unit has explored how physical activity can be sustained across a variety of everyday environments, whether that be walking the dog, completing a home workout, or attending a local fitness centre. Our aim has been to equip students with the knowledge, skills and confidence to take ownership of their health, both now and into the future.

Throughout the unit, students have participated in boot camp style training sessions designed to improve cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength and overall fitness. These sessions were delivered in a “challenge by choice” environment, empowering students to work at an intensity appropriate to their individual ability levels. This approach fosters autonomy, builds confidence and supports a positive relationship with physical activity. It has been encouraging to see students step outside their comfort zones, set personal goals and celebrate progress.

As a Christian community, we recognise that our bodies are a gift from God and that caring for them is important. Through this unit, students have been challenged to view physical activity not simply as performance or appearance based, but as a way to honour and appreciate the gifts that God has given to us through healthy and balanced living.

It has been wonderful to witness the enthusiasm, perseverance and encouragement displayed across all year groups. Many students have demonstrated significant growth in both physical capacity and mindset, developing resilience as they pushed through challenging workouts and testing sessions.

YEAR 11 CAMP Tamara Kunz

Last week, Year 11 had the privilege of attending Camp at Stanwell Tops. It was a fantastic camp and so encouraging to see this Year group grow closer together and build a sense of unity as their relationships grew. Across the three days, students engaged in physical challenges but were also presented with opportunities for personal and spiritual growth.

The Camp included key seminar sessions designed to equip students for the complexities of senior schooling. Our guest speaker, Matt Purcell, delivered a series of talks on self-worth and resilience. A highlight was the student-led "podcast-style" panel, where Matt engaged directly with anonymous questions submitted by the students, fostering a mature and transparent space for conversation. This was complemented by a Leadership Seminar delivered by Mrs Tranter and Mr Brayshaw, challenging students to consider what their involvement as leaders of the College could look like.

Beyond the seminars, students pushed past their comfort zones through various outdoor activities, including High Ropes course, Goliath Giant Swing, Bubble Soccer and Survivor-style bush challenges. It was great to see the students participate and go beyond their perceived limits.

A significant component of the Camp was the Ministry session, which offered a dedicated space for worship and spiritual enquiry. A teacher panel shared personal testimonies, opening the door for meaningful student discussions as the cohort explored deeper questions of faith and purpose in an atmosphere of mutual respect.

The evenings were a vibrant celebration of Year 11’s diverse culture. From the creative energy of Theme Night and the high quality performances at Talent Night, to student-led activities and a relaxed movie night, the sense of community was palpable.

Overall, Year 11 Camp was an encouraging experience and has set a positive tone for the year ahead. Whether it be moments of reflection, laughter, questions and courageous actions, we can’t wait to see what the rest of the year brings for this cohort!