The Grapevine Newsletter Friday 31st October 2025
PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
Hope you’ve been enjoying the lovely weather!
As always, there’s been so much happening at the College.
A reminder that Monday, 3 November is a Pupil-Free Day, and Tuesday, 4 November is a Public Holiday. Students are not required at school on either day of Week 5.
Looking ahead to Week 7, our Parent Teacher Interviews (PTIs) will be held on Monday, 17 November 2025.
Student-Free Day: While students are not required at school, they are expected to attend their interview in full school uniform, accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Interview Times: 11:30 AM – 6:30 PM
Bookings: Appointments can be made via the Compass App or by contacting the Front Office. Teachers may also follow up with families to arrange a suitable time.
Please don’t hesitate to contact the Front Office if you have any questions.
This week, we enjoyed a wonderful Tabloid Sports Day, with students, staff, and parents all joining in the fun. It was fantastic to see such enthusiasm and community spirit throughout the day.
Our 2026 Foundation students also attended their first transition day. A highlight was welcoming new families into our community – the sound of laughter and song filled the classrooms, creating a joyful atmosphere for all involved. We’re looking forward to further transition sessions, including our Whole School Transition Day on Tuesday, 2 December.
Another exciting upcoming event is $20 Boss, which will take place on Wednesday, 26 November 2025. This program has been a great success over the past two years, and we can’t wait to see our Years 7–12 entrepreneurs showcase their creativity and business skills once again.
Finally, we wish the very best of luck to our VCE students completing their final exams. Last week, we celebrated the Year 12 Cohort in their final assembly. Congratulations on reaching this important milestone – we are incredibly proud of you and look forward to seeing the bright futures that lie ahead.
CLASS OF 2025
Congratulations to the Class of 2025, who last Wednesday celebrated their last day of Year 12. Students celebrated with a whole school assembly and morning tea with their parents, family and teachers. At the Assembly the students were treated to a video of the year 12's. Then some of the staff were invited to participate in some fun. The morning was enjoyed by all. Wishing them all the best for their future endeavours
VPC LITERACY FUNDRAISER
Congratulations to Nisha Whitton of Year 12 for raising over $100 for the Cancer Council. Nisha cooked and served Beef Stroganoff for her VPC Literacy project this term. Well done, Nisha!
VPC COMMUNITY PROJECT
For his VPC personal development community project Nghia researched, sourced and created an de-escalation basket for the 10-12 building. This basket will live in Ms Ingrid’s office and is available for students when they are having a tough time. Well done Nghia
REGIONAL ABORIGINAL JUSTICE AWARDS – LODDON MALLEE REGION ~ MIA JOHNSON
The Regional Aboriginal Justice Awards are a positive tribute to the achievements of the many individuals and groups who develop and deliver programs and projects, volunteer long-hours, and whose persistence and passion has achieved improved justice outcomes for local Koori communities.
These awards are held every second year and acknowledge key community members or groups throughout the regions of Victoria who have contributed to improved justice outcomes for Aboriginal people.
Mia Johnson. The Plaque Mia received was created by Shelby from Marara Design. The Strong Women artwork represents strong women coming together and connecting.
Children and Youth Award
On 2 October 2025 the Regional Justice Awards in Loddon Mallee were announced, with the Children and Youth Award being awarded to Mia Johnson. The award recognises excellence in an initiative that promotes children and youth.
Mia is a senior Aboriginal student at the Robinvale College who also plays a vital role in the Koori Girls Program. This program commenced within the school initially however has since moved into the STARS program with the students commencing discussions with Local Aboriginal Justice Advisory Committee (LAJAC) from 2024.
Mia is a senior mentor within the Robinvale community and has been paving the way for Aboriginal students at Robinvale College. The students meet regularly and are the voice for the young people of Robinvale. Mia continues to meet with the LAJAC members and Chairperson Aunty Lil Pettit to highlight what is working, what can be improved, and what they think is needed for better outcomes, to support not only themselves but their fellow friends and relatives of their age and the generation coming up after them in the Robinvale community.
This opportunity has provided young people with a space to speak freely and connect, to feel empowered, and furthermore feel heard when presenting issues and good news stories to LAJAC, contributing to accountability of services and seeing the change in actions made within program development and delivery.
The Loddon Mallee LAJAC would like to congratulate Mia on receiving this award. As she is completing her last year of schooling with Robinvale College – we can't wait to see what the future holds for a great young leader like Mia.
Mia has now been nominated for the Children and Youth State Victorian Aboriginal Justice Award being held in Melbourne from 13 November 2025 among many other nominated award winners from different categories.
YEAR 3/4 CAMP TO BILLABONG RANCH, ECHUCA
On arrival, the students were given an introduction to the camp and its activities. Over the three days, they enjoyed a range of experiences including orienteering, animal walks, and night walks. Around the ranch, students took part in paddle boating, damper making, archery, and the obstacle course.
After dinner, the evening activities included a campfire, whip cracking or fire twirling demonstrations, marshmallow toasting, and a big screen movie. It was a wonderful few days filled with fun, adventure, and learning — and we had some very tired but happy children return home on Wednesday!
THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TWIN TOWNS
The Villers-Bretonneux Association invited the Senior College captains Elizabeth Chirchiglia, Nazareth Filimone, Ana Filimone and Jacob Pulvermueller along with Junior Captain Austin Smith and Jed Macintosh, to be a part of the special ceremony to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the Robinvale Villers-Bretonneux twin towns relationship. The visiting delegation joined our captains along with the other school captain in the town to plant a tree at Memorial Park. This special gesture honours the enduring friendship and strong ties between our two communities. It was a privilege to have the student leaders of the College participate in this meaningful occasion, symbolising the continued growth and connection between our towns for generations to come.
YEAR 12 VCE EXAMINATIONS
This week, our Year 12 VCE students commenced the next significant stage of their academic journey with the commencement of their final examinations. We extend our best wishes to all students undertaking exams and commend them for their hard work and dedication throughout the year. The College community is immensely proud of their efforts and confident they will approach this period with focus and determination.
TABLOID SPORTS CARNIVAL
The College, in collaboration with Educational Sports Carnivals, held a Tabloid Sports Carnival last week. Families were invited to attend and cheer on our students as they participated in a day filled with energy, teamwork, and fun.
The Tabloid Sports Carnival is designed to promote team building, develop social skills, and provide a positive experience for all students — both those who consider themselves ‘sporty’ and those who do not. Students took part in a variety of novelty activity stations aimed at developing a range of physical and cooperative skills linked to both traditional and modified sports.
Students competed for points in their house teams, with groups made up of students from Foundation through to Year 11. At the conclusion of the day, presentations were held on the oval to announce the overall 2025 Winning House Team.
The winning house team was determined by the highest cumulative points earned across the Tabloid Sports Carnival, Swimming Carnival, Athletics Carnival, Cross Country, SEPEP program, and Green Compass achievements throughout the year.
Congratulations to the overall winners KINKUNYA for 2025!
