From the Executive Principal
What a joy it has been to welcome our students back to school this week. After the quiet weeks of summer, our campuses have once again come alive with the energy, laughter, curiosity, and hopeful anticipation that only the first day of a new school year can bring. I have loved travelling to all our campuses to connect with students after the holidays. It has been wonderful to see our Kindergarten students and our new Preppies, wide-eyed and ready to take on the world of “big school”, to talk to our Year 12s on the first day of their last year about the importance of leadership and legacy and to talk about holidays, dreams and aspirations with students at all different points of their school journey.
Our teaching staff have been preparing enthusiastically for the return of students, and it has been wonderful to see their excitement as they reconnect with students and step into the year ahead. Our grounds and maintenance teams have also worked hard over the holidays on several improvement projects over the holidays to get our campuses ready for our students. These projects include new bathroom blocks at Highton and Belmont campuses, an oval and science rooms for Surf Coast campus, new carpets at Bellarine, an improved canteen at Senior School and upgrades to accommodation at Back Creek Farm.
Throughout our first services, assemblies, and classes across the campuses this week and next week, we are introducing our theme for 2026: Strive for Excellence. This theme is already sparking meaningful conversations with students about what it truly means to do their best: not perfection, but the daily commitment to effort, courage, growth, and resilience. We have been encouraging students to keep striving even when things feel challenging, because it is often in those moments that real learning and character formation take place. Striving for excellence is not about competing with others but being the best version of who we can be every day. Why not ask your children if they have heard about this theme yet and what it means for them? We have also shared stories of inspiring people who embody this mindset, including our own alumna and Olympic gold medallist, Jakara Anthony OAM, whose journey is a powerful reminder that excellence is built on persistence, hard work, and setting ourselves aspirational goals. Her example shows our students that extraordinary achievements are possible when we stay committed to giving our best. As a school we are very excited to support Jakara, who visited us last year for her induction into the CCG Sports Hall of Honour, when she competes in the Winter Olympics in Italy in February this year. I am sure your children will be talking about that at home too over the next few weeks. As we begin this new year together, I am very much looking forward to connecting with families personally at our upcoming welcome picnics and social events across our campuses. These occasions are always a highlight of the year: opportunities to strengthen relationships, celebrate the start of the journey ahead, and continue building the warm, connected, and thriving community that makes our school so special. Here’s to a wonderful year of growth, joy, and striving for excellence together.
Dr Mathilda Joubert, Executive Principal
From the Head of Campus
As we begin the school year, we warmly welcome students and families back to Middle School – Highton. Over the past week, staff have been working hard to prepare for our students’ arrival, and it was wonderful to see all of our students, new and old, walk through the gates on Thursday morning.
Over the break many of you will be aware that we have continued some improvement works at our Highton campus. The student toilets on the south side of the building have had significant renovations. We ask that you support us in reminding our young people to show respect and appreciation for our facilities so everyone can benefit from these improvements.
On Monday at our Commencement Assembly, we will bring our campus together to celebrate the beginning of the new school year. This is a chance for us to share our direction, expectations, sing and pray together.
I look forward to a fantastic year ahead where our students will be presented with so many exciting experiences and opportunities. A new year of growth and development, both academically and spiritually.
We hope to see you around the campus in the coming weeks. Below are some important dates for our campus this term.
Important Dates for Term 1
Monday January 26 Australia Day Public Holiday
Tuesday January 27 Staff commencement
Thursday January 29 Student commencement
Monday February 2 Commencement Assembly
Wednesday February 4 School ID Photos (New students)
Wednesday February 4 MS-H Welcome Evening Year 5-9
Monday February 9 CCG Device Program Parent Information Evening
Wed Feb 11 – Fri Feb 13 Year 7 Cave Hill Creek Camp
Monday February 16 MS-H and JS Student Leaders’ Investiture Service
Wednesday February 25 House Swimming Carnival
Tuesday March 3 College Open Day
Monday March 9 Labour Day Public Holiday
Tuesday March 10 Student Learning Conferences 4pm-7pm
Wed Mar 11 – Mon Mar 23 NAPLAN Testing
Thursday March 12 House Cross Country Championships
Thursday March 12 Student Learning Conferences 4pm-7pm
Monday March 23 Year 5 Music Excursion RW Gibson Centre
Tuesday March 24 Year 8BG GEOS Camp
Wednesday April 1 MS-H House Athletics Carnival
Thursday April 2 MS-H Easter Service 12:15pm (Families welcome)
Thursday April 2 Final day of Term 1 (2:30pm dismissal)
Friday April 3 Good Friday Public Holiday
Tuesday April 21 First day of Term 2 – Students commence
Natasha Troop, Head of Campus
What’s Happening at Middle School
Term 1 Week 2
Wednesday 4 February – Middle School Student ID Photos
Wednesday 4 February – Middle School Welcome Evening
Friday 6 February – CCG Eagles Cricket Selection Try Outs – INTER MALE (Year 9)
Term 1 Week 3
Monday 9 February – CCG Eagles Tennis Selection Try Outs – Year 7 to Year 12
Wednesday 11 – Friday 13 February – MS-H Year 7 Cave Hill Creek Camp
Term 1 Week 4
Monday 16 February – MS-H and JS Student Leaders’ Investiture Service
Tuesday 17 February – Life Saving Victoria School Surf League – Year 7 to Year 12
Wednesday 18 February – Cross Campus Year 6 Canberra Camp Parent Info Session – 5.30pm
Thursday 19 February – GISSA Triathlon Championships – Year 7 to Year 12
Friday 20 February – GISSA Tennis Championships – Division One (Year 7 to Year 12)
Highton Welcome Evening
Instrumental Music Lessons and College Ensemble Program 2026
The Music Department warmly welcomes families to the start of the new year!
Aside from our Classroom Music program, we also offer a wide range of individual instrumental tuition including, brass, woodwind, strings, percussion and voice lessons, with over 30 specialist instrumental teachers at our campus. For anyone seeking more information on how to get involved in learning an instrument, we are holding a ‘come and try’ experience at our Welcome Evening on Wed 4 Feb.
We are also excited to announce that the College Music Ensemble Program resumes in Week 2.
Being part of our cross-year level ensemble program is one of the best ways to develop as a musician. Ensembles give students the opportunity to develop lasting friendships, build competence and confidence, develop teamwork skills, and experience a range of performance opportunities within a creative and supportive group. Whether you love singing and/or playing instruments, there’s an ensemble for everyone!
Weekly Ensemble Schedule / Ensemble Directors:
TUESDAYS
- 3.50 – 5.15pm Highton Intermediate Concert Band (Band Room) – Andrew Dunlop
WEDNESDAYS
- 8.00 – 8.45am Highton Novice Concert Band (Band Room) – Andrew Dunlop
- 8.00 – 8.45am Highton Guitar Ensemble (S18) – Scott Jolley
- 3.45 – 5.00pm Highton Middle School Choir (Chapel) – Kate Notini
THURSDAYS
- 8.00 – 8.50am Highton Novice Stage Band (Band Room) – Rob Moffat
- 3.40 – 4.50pm Highton Middle School Strings (Band Room) – Martin De Marte
FRIDAYS
- 8.00 – 8.45am Highton Music Theory Class (S19) – Brighid Mantelli
- 3.45 – 4.30pm Highton Middle School Percussion Ensemble (Band Room) – Pat Consedine
If you’re already in an ensemble, we can’t wait to welcome you back!
If you’re thinking about joining, now is the perfect time to enquire.
To join an ensemble or seek further information, please email the ensemble director listed above. Please note, there are no pre-requisites, auditions, or prior experience needed to join the Choir – new members are always welcome throughout the year. On Wed 4 Feb, the Choir will have an open rehearsal, 3.45 – 4.45pm in the Chapel – please feel most welcome to come and see what we do!
For all other ensembles, a level of proficiency is required on your instrument – instrumental tutors will be able to advise when a student is ready to join these ensembles.
Wishing everyone a wonderful year of music-making!
Kate Notini, Music Coordinator Highton Campus
Reminder: Device Program Parent Information Evening
A reminder that parents from across the College are warmly invited to attend our Student Device Program Parent Webinar that will occur this coming Monday, 9th February from 6.30pm – 7.30pm.
This event, delivered via Microsoft Teams, aims to provide support to parents of students across Years 4-12, especially those new to our device program or new to our College, though all parents and staff will find the information presented to be helpful.
I warmly invite all members of our community to attend.
Parents are encouraged to RSVP using this link to help us gauge numbers and prepare accordingly.
Monday, 9th February 6.30pm – 7.30pm
Parent Webinar delivered via Microsoft Teams (join link to attend here)
All are warmly invited to attend
Brendan Vanderkley, Director of Digital Learning
Reported Fees Increase for 2026
Parents may have seen an article published in The Geelong Advertiser on January 17, 2026 which made comment on our fee increases for the 2026 school year. The article published contained a table listing the % increase of fees from 2025 for a number of schools in the Geelong and surrounding areas. The reported increase for our school in the article was inaccurate since it did not take account of the change in how we are presenting fees to parents, as explained in the letter to our parent community at the end of last year. In 2026, unlike 2025 and the years prior, our fees are now inclusive of device, rural and Year 12 levies.
Our tuition fee increase for 2026 in all year levels are 5.95% and not 12.4% as published. This places us alongside Kardinia International College and Geelong College with only Sacred Heart having a lower % fee increase when compared to the 11 schools listed in the article.
If you have any queries in relation to this article or your fees generally, please contact us by emailing fees@ccg.vic.edu.au
