Christmas is a season of joy and it is with joy we bring you our last communique for the year.

College opening and closing times

Our College will close for the Christmas break at midday on Friday 19 December 2025. Our office will reopen on Monday 12 January 2026.  Between 12 January and 23 January our office hours will be 8am – 3pm, before returning to the normal hours of 8am – 4pm upon the commencement of school.  We look forward to warmly welcoming our families back in the new year and seeing all students on their first day back on Tuesday 27 January.

Cultural Tour for 2026

We are thrilled to announce that our College is exploring a fantastic extra-curricular opportunity for our secondary students, a Cultural Tour to Indonesia, thoughtfully planned to align with our College curriculum. This enriching experience, guided by one of our expert teachers, will offer students and families the chance to immerse themselves in Indonesian culture, learning, and adventure. Participation is completely optional, allowing families and students the freedom to choose whether to join this memorable journey.

To gauge interest, our Community Development and Enrolments Manager recently conducted a survey among families from Years 6-11, and the positive response means we are moving ahead with planning for 2026.   We had 89 responses: Yes – 47 (53%); Maybe – 13 (15%) and No – 29 (33%) and we are listening when you say you want more extra curricula opportunities.

The proposed trip will likely span 12 days, departing on 17 September 2026 and returning on 01 October 2026. Detailed information, including trip rationale, available spots, venues, and expected outcomes will be shared in the new year by the Head of Campus, Mrs Coreta Lennon. We look forward to creating a meaningful and exciting experience that broadens horizons and brings our College community even closer together.

Parent and Student Toddle Sessions

On 19 January, we will release our ‘How to Use Toddle’ guides on the College website. These resources will provide parents and students with step-by-step instructions and important information about our transition to Toddle.

The College will be using an app called TASS Orbits as the parent interface, which connects directly with Toddle.

After midday on 19 January, please visit the College website and click the new ‘ORBIT’ button located in the top menu bar. The button will appear as follows:

For any student early adopters requiring support or who are anxious about the change to Toddle, we will run a Student session on the week prior to the start of school, on Monday 19 January.  This session will be run in the library on the Senior Campus at 2:15pm – 3.00pm in person, or via a Teams link. We will also run a series of sessions in school time in Week 1, so you are most welcome to wait until Week 1 to access.

For any parent early adopters requiring support, we will be running the following sessions (TASS Orbit parent app) on the week prior to the start of school The SAME information will be presented at each session, so if you need support, please pick a session that works best for you:

• Thursday 22 January 2-3pm in person in the library on the Junior Campus
• Thursday 22 January 3:15pm to 4pm in person in the library on the Middle and Senior Campus
• IT Online Q/A help Thursday the 22 January 5pm to 6pm for an online session. Teams Join the meeting now (Meeting ID: 448 266 038 714 42
• Passcode: uQ6vp9CT).

Term time adopters: We will also run the following support sessions in Week 1:

• Thursday 29 January 2-3pm in person in the library on the Junior Campus
• Thursday 29 January 3:15pm to 4pm in person in the library on the Senior Campus
• IT Online Q/A help Thursday 29 January 5pm to 6pm for an online session. Teams Join the meeting now (Meeting ID: 443 366 234 828 51 Passcode: 3q7Hj7EM)

Tuckshop – Metro Canteen

We’re pleased to announce that from next year, we will be moving all Tuckshop (Metro Canteens) orders to online.  Orders must be placed online via the Flexi Schools app, no cash, card, or phone payments will be accepted at the counter. Full ordering instructions will be provided at the start of 2026.

Responding to requests from College Captains and family feedback, we’re updating the Metro Canteen menu to focus on healthier options and will be removing the vending machines. Please help guide these changes by completing this quick survey (about 40 seconds) shared by our College Captains. 

Online ordering will initially launch at the Middle and Senior Campus, with the possibility of expanding to more days based on community support. To help Junior Campus students access healthy meals, Metro Canteens is seeking volunteers to transport orders between campuses. If you’re interested in volunteering, please contact our Parents and Friends group.

Transformation

This year has been transformative. The progress we’ve seen isn’t just numbers, it’s a story of students stepping up, taking charge, and shaping their own learning journey.

One heartwarming example came during our Step Up program: a Year 2 student asked for feedback on their colouring. Why is this significant? Because it reflects a deeper shift, students actively seeking the “next step” to improve. That’s ownership of learning in action.

And this isn’t an isolated moment as it is occurring in secondary as well. Mr Scott Williamson (A Team Tuition), who leads our secondary campus tutoring program, shared compelling evidence of this change in the students they support:

1. A Dramatic Shift Toward Independent Learning

• Early 2025: Proactive study rates hovered around 23%.
• By Term 4 (Oct/Nov): Peaks surged to 83%, with stretches reaching 100%.

This isn’t just a homework club anymore. Students are initiating their own learning beyond structured sessions, proof that independence is becoming the norm.

2. Sustained Engagement During Burnout Periods

• Student engagement scores stayed remarkably high, 3.9 to 4.4, even through late November, when fatigue typically sets in.
• Parents report that students are eager to attend sessions, reinforcing that we’ve created a psychologically safe space where motivation thrives.

3. Support Aligned with Academic Rhythms

• As exams approached in November, Exam Strategies and Assignment Completion metrics spiked – assignments hit 94%.
• Our program adapted perfectly: early focus on Growth Mindset, then pivoting to tactical exam prep exactly when students needed it most.

Why This Matters

These results show more than improvement, they show transformation. Students aren’t just learning; they’re owning their learning. They’re engaged, proactive, and resilient, even during the toughest times of the academic year.

The culture we are building is underpinned by understanding our purpose, and growing our unique gifts together in connection with God. This caring approach shines through in the Year 6 classroom, where students are thoughtfully exploring what identity means and how their faith shapes their journey as they learn and develop.

I would like to finish my highlights with the work of one of our cherished students:

Roaah Rhee’s Reflection Essay

Identity is who we are and what makes us unique and special. There are four parts of identity- Physical, Personal, Cultural, and Social Identity. Identity matters because it’s what makes us, us! Imagine everyone in the world had no identity. We would look the same, dress the same way, speak the same language, and even believe the same things. A life that would be boring and tedious. That’s why Identity is so important, it shapes who we are and makes us different. I have learnt that Identity is not something we just find, it’s something that we create all throughout our lives.

Physical Identity is about how we look and how others see us. It matters because people might see us as a kind person, and might approach us. For example, you might go out with your friends dressed completely in black. You might wear black makeup or have dark hair. This might show people that Black is your favourite colour, or that black resembles something that happened in your life. What people think of you really matters because their feelings make up your physical Identity. The poem ‘Russian Doll’ By Rachel Rooney shows me that I have different layers of physical identity. One that I love, one that I hide, and one that I show. That means people at school might see one part of me, and my family might see another part of me. Understanding this part of my Identity helps me to love myself and never have doubts about who I am either.

Our Personal Identity is all about our interests, beliefs and personality. This means that we act differently and believe in different things.  I love reading, listening to music and playing with my dog. My friends might be the exact opposite, but that’s okay since we are all special and unique and are built to have a different Identity. One time in my life I met a girl named Malia. She didn’t believe in Jesus and didn’t have a religion either. I was shocked at first but completely understood her. She taught me that not everyone has to believe the same things, because we all have our own special personal Identity and are made differently. This shows me that everyone’s Personal Identity is shaped by beliefs and personality.

Our Cultural Identity is about the places that we come from and the traditions that we celebrate. Knowing that everyone is unique in their own way because of their Cultural Identity makes me accept who I am. Even though people can be mean about my culture I will never let their words hover me, and I will never feel ashamed. In ‘The Past’ by Oodgeroo Noonuccal, she writes that no matter how much her past haunted her, she still loves it. She also writes about how our past leaves a huge mark in our lives. This makes me acknowledge my cultures food, stories, and unique traditions. My Identity reminds me to be proud of where I come from. To this day I have learnt to honour the people who fought to keep my country safe.

My social identity is made by the people in my life, my family, friends, community and classmates. My social Identity matters because the people I have met have really changed and made a big impact in my life. The story ‘Wonder ‘ By R.J Palacio reminds me that we may feel bad about ourselves but there are always people who think differently. You might have seen people make faces at you and make you doubt yourself, but you need to know there are people standing up for you. People like them are willing to be your friend, not getting paid/bribed to be your friend. Being a part of healthy and positive friendships and communities help me to think more positively about myself.

Who do I listen to tell me who I am? I listen to myself and mainly to God. God also reminds me to never let people’s words hurt me, because the only words that I should listen to are myself and God’s words. The bible reminds me that I wasn’t made carelessly, I was made ‘fearfully and wonderfully’. Knowing that I was made that way helps me understand that my identity was also made with love and care. This also helps me know that I don’t need to fit every beauty standard or look like famous models, I just have to love who I am and accept every feature that God gave me.

Gratitude

I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the incredible staff at Prince of Peace, our dedicated Parents and Friends team, the supportive parents, church family, wider community, and the College Council. Your kindness, encouragement, and unwavering commitment have made a profound difference in our lives. Just as it says in Philippians 1:3, “I thank my God every time I remember you.” Your generosity and care shine brightly, nurturing our students and helping them grow in strength and faith. I am deeply blessed to walk this journey (which has tough moments, difficult decisions, hard lessons, wonderful growth, and many moments of joy and happiness), with such a loving and Christ-centred community. Thank you.

Prayer for the future

Heavenly Father,
We come before You with hearts full of gratitude for the gift of community. We ask for Your divine protection over every student, staff member, and family connected to our College. Surround us with Your shield of safety and grant us wisdom to care for one another. May Your peace dwell in our halls and Your strength uphold us in times of challenge.

“The Lord will keep you from all harm. He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore” (Psalm 121:7-8).

We pray that everyone feels God’s love and blessing this Christmas Season. Amen.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Dr Susan Carter
Head of College