Issue 7 - 2026

The occasion brought together more than 50 distinguished guests, along with staff and students from Years 3–12, and coincided with the School’s 20th Anniversary—making it a particularly meaningful milestone.

The new facilities represent the culmination of several years of planning and a strong commitment to providing contemporary, high-quality learning environments. Designed to support collaboration, creativity and flexible approaches to teaching and learning, The Collaboration and Creativity Centre includes specialist learning areas, a Pre Kindy to Year 12 Resource Centre, a Year 12 study space, and student and staff facilities. Complementing this development are the transformed Performing Arts Centre, complete with a Theatre and Dance Studio, and seven flexible Humanities classrooms. Together, these spaces are already enriching learning and wellbeing across the School.

The ceremony also provided an opportunity to reflect on the School’s remarkable 20-year journey. From modest beginnings, the School has grown into a thriving community of over 1,500 students, underpinned by our strong School Culture pillars of Commitment, Compassion, Excellence, Inclusion, Resilience and Respect. As a community, we recognised the contributions of AngliSchools, School Council, school leaders and staff—past and present—whose shared vision has shaped the School’s success.

Feedback from our invited guests was overwhelmingly positive. They spoke highly of our grounds, our facilities, and the wonderful spirit of our school. Most importantly, they commented on our exceptional students. One of my favourite moments was hearing a guest recount how a student she spoke with shared how proud he is of our school—something that truly speaks volumes.

Looking ahead, our School remains focused on growth, innovation and connection. Initiatives such as the expansion of the House system, the introduction of new learning spaces, and our continued commitment to honouring our connection to Country reflect a future grounded in both tradition and progress. The new Centre stands as a symbol of this vision—a vibrant hub where students will continue to collaborate, create and thrive for many years to come.

In Christian tradition, a labyrinth is a physical and spiritual tool for meditation, prayer and contemplation. Unlike a maze, which is designed to confuse with branching paths and dead ends, a labyrinth features a single, winding path that leads to a central point and back out again. It serves as a metaphor for the spiritual journey—a path towards God.

I am sure that many generations of Swan Valley students, staff, and families will walk this labyrinth in the years to come, contributing to their own spiritual journeys. Surrounding the labyrinth we have planted some beautiful native trees, including paperbarks and flowering gums, which over time will enhance the sense of peace and reflection in this special space.

As part of this unit, I visited a classroom to talk about my role within our school community. The students were very engaged, and after our discussion, they were delighted to be invited to visit my office—a highlight of their day!

This year, members of the School Executive and Early Years Team visited students from Pre-Kindy to Year 2 to read Luna Roo the Kangaroo Baller by Adam Wallace and Adrian Beck. The story delivered a powerful message about courage and determination.

During the day, students also had the opportunity to watch a West Coast Fever open training session, meet players, and collect autographs. One of our teams had an outstanding result, remaining undefeated throughout the day and winning the West Coast Fever Cup!

This was a fantastic opportunity to include all students who play football, as well as introduce others to the sport. The Boys’ team competed strongly in several close matches, finishing third overall. Our Girls’ team performed exceptionally well, remaining undefeated and winning the Championship Flag!

Competing against 23 schools, this event provided a great challenge. Paige Jones (Year 5) placed an impressive 4th out of 118 competitors. Overall, the School placed 12th, with strong foundations for future growth.

With large and highly competitive fields, many students ran the course for the first time and performed exceptionally well. A significant number of our runners finished within the top 50% of their races. Notable performances included Oscar Evans (Year 11), who placed 37th out of 354 runners, and Kain Jones (Year 7), who finished 88th out of 391 competitors.

Please note that interviews typically occur approximately 18 months prior to the year of entry, and a number of year groups are already full or close to capacity. Families who have not yet submitted an application for a future student are encouraged to contact our Registrar, Mrs Merri Corr, on 9297 9506 or via email at enrolments@svacs.wa.edu.au

If your child will be leaving SVACS, we would be grateful if you could notify us as early as possible. Timely communication helps us plan effectively, including offering positions to families on our waitlist.

Withdrawal Policy Reminder

• One full term’s notice in writing is required for all student withdrawals.
• This equates to at least 10 school weeks’ notice (school weeks refer to term time only, not holidays).
• Withdrawal notices should be addressed to the Principal, Ms Melissa Powell, and emailed to enrolments@svacs.wa.edu.au .

Thank you for your support and cooperation.

Designed to streamline communication between the School and Parents/Carers, the app includes features such as push notifications, so you’ll never miss important news or upcoming events. To get started, please refer to the User Guide Instructions for step-by-step details on how to download and set up the app on your phone. We look forward to keeping you informed and connected through this new platform.

Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/swan-valley/id6738373306

Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=au.edu.wa.svacs.schoolapp

Carpe diem! Seize the day!

Melissa Powell

Principal

Corpus Christi

One of the first special days in Ordinary Time is the celebration of Christ’s Body: the eucharist is a sharing in the Body of Christ; it is also a reference to the Church as Christ’s Body. In modern terms we might say it is a corporation (literal meaning ‘body’) made up of all who are joined to Christ in baptism, or a communion, in which all the members have a function, a role and a place, with Jesus at the head.

In Chapel we considered how this is also the basis of our Anglican School community; even with our differences and diversity we are all part of one body, even if not joined to Christ as Christians.

Sheep without a Shepherd

We reflected on Jesus’ healing, in many places, of every disease and sickness, and his compassion for the people who were led astray, following false cures and teachings; they were spiritually as well as physically sick, and the Gospel tells us his ministry healed them.

We reflected on the sicknesses and diseases of our society and the false hope that is offered by scams and money-making schemes that do nothing to heal and simply make dishonest people rich. This situation relates to our school motto, Walk in the Truth. It is part of our mission to help students think for themselves and learn to discern what is true, right and good, and to grow in the wisdom and confidence not to be a sheep who blindly follows whatever the trend might be.

Confirmation and Baptism

Years 7-9 have celebrated the eucharist in Chapel this term. Students may feel they want to explore the Christian faith further, to be Baptised or, if already Baptised, take a further step in their faith commitment by being Confirmed. I expect to have a Confirmation service in Term 3 or 4, and I welcome enquiries from parents and carers, as well as students themselves.

Inclusion

As we celebrate the eucharist, I remind all students that we respect, and welcome into our inclusive Anglican community, members of all religions and of none. It has been very pleasing to see students of other faiths come forward at the time of Holy Communion, to receive an acknowledgement of their place in our family. Many students come forward for a blessing and this is a sign of the age-appropriate exploration of our spirituality. Jesus reached out towards all whom he encountered, and he did not set any religious tests before showing them God’s love.

Blessings and peace to all readers

Father Toby
School Chaplain

Prayer

Lord, you showed compassion on all who were harassed and anxious,
suffering from every disease and sickness,
and recognized their need of a shepherd.
As we explore and find the path of truth,
lead us by the light of your wisdom,
that we may find your healing love
and share it with our neighbours.
We pray in your holy name.

Amen.

The event provided a valuable opportunity for students to proudly share their learning with visiting family members. Following the classroom visits, families enjoyed a morning tea and engaged in conversation with the Primary Leadership Team. We sincerely thank our parents and friends for their attendance and support, which helped make the experience both memorable and rewarding for our students.

As we approach the end of the term, Semester 1 reports will soon be shared with families. When reviewing your child’s report, we encourage you to engage in positive, supportive conversations about their progress and celebrate their achievements. This is also a valuable opportunity to work together to set realistic and meaningful goals for the upcoming semester.

I wish all families a restful and enjoyable school holiday and look forward to welcoming students back on Wednesday, 22 July.

Pre-Kindergarten children have been busy learning about bees! Through stories, discussions, crafts, and hands-on activities, the children explored the important role bees play in helping plants grow. They enjoyed discovering how bees work together in a hive and why these tiny insects are so important to our environment.

End of Semester 1 Assembly: Thursday 2 July (formal uniform is required)

Last Day of Term 2: Friday 3 July

First Day of Term 3: Wednesday 22 July

Thank you to everyone for your support and partnership. I wish you a wonderful end to Term 2 and a safe, happy holiday.

Mrs Shirley Steel
Head of Primary School

The Year 11 Winter Whirl was recently held at Mulberry Estate in Caversham. It was a wonderful evening of canapés, dancing, and shared moments. The atmosphere was fantastic, with students making the most of the dancefloor throughout the night. A special thank you to the staff who supported the event and embraced the occasion, joining in the dancing alongside the students. 

This award is a significant achievement and recognises Ania’s dedication and commitment to supporting students, staff, and school communities through library and information services over many years. Well done!

To ensure that all students can continue to enjoy these resources, we ask families to support us by encouraging children to:

• Return books by their due date
• Keep books in a safe place when not being read
• Handle books with clean hands and care
• Protect books from food, drink, pets, and younger siblings
• Use a library bag when transporting books between home and school

Unfortunately, we have recently seen an increase in overdue, lost, and damaged books. Damaged books are often unable to be repaired and must be replaced, reducing the funds available to purchase new resources for students.

A reminder that all Primary students should bring a library bag when borrowing books. Library bags help protect books from damage caused by water bottles, lunch boxes, and everyday wear and tear in school bags.

Thank you for your ongoing support in helping us build a culture of respect, responsibility, and care for our shared Resource Centre collection.

Jasmine Hayes
Head of Resource Centre

We were delighted by the enthusiasm and imagination shown in the many wonderful entries received. From colourful illustrations of favourite characters and scenes to inventive new adventures for Luna Roo, students demonstrated outstanding creativity and storytelling skills.

Congratulations to our 2026 winners:

🏆 Kindergarten: Karli G.
🏆 Year 1: Sartaaj S.
🏆 Year 2: Elle T.
🏆 Year 6: Anaahat K.

Selecting winners was no easy task, with so many high-quality entries submitted. Thank you to all students who participated and shared their ideas with us.

The Resource Centre team would like to congratulate our winners and thank everyone who helped make National Simultaneous Storytime such a successful celebration of reading, creativity and imagination.

Paper Bag Donations Needed

The Resource Centre is seeking donations of clean paper grocery bags.

These bags are provided to students who forget to bring their library bags and help protect borrowed books on their journey home. Reusing paper bags is a simple and sustainable way to help us care for our collection.

Donations can be dropped off at the Resource Centre at any time.

Thank you for your support.

Resource Centre Volunteers Wanted

The Resource Centre is looking for parent and grandparent volunteers to assist with preparing new books for the collection.

Tasks include taking home some books that need covering and helping us get exciting new resources onto the shelves for students to enjoy

If you are able to spare a few hours occasionally and would like to support the Resource Centre, please contact The Resource Centre.

We would love to hear from you.

Standing Together Presentation
We can all support the prevention of family and domestic violence, whether or not we are likely to experience violence in our own lives.

Facilitated by Anglicare WA, the Standing Together presentation builds a shared awareness and understanding of family and domestic violence, including the drivers behind its prevalence and encourages meaningful conversations about how we, as a community, can all play a role in prevention.

When: Monday 29 June 2026, 3.30pm – 4.30pm
Where: Swan Valley Anglican Community School, in the School Chapel
Who can attend: Welcoming all staff, parents and carers
Parking: Please use the Primary Car Park

We hope to see many of you there, as we ‘stand together’ as a community.

Kind regards,

Shirley Steel (Head of Primary) and Keralee Radi (Head of Secondary: Student Wellbeing)

Hosting is simple - NO extra planning needed ️

• Your guest simply joins your normal family routine
• Students can share a room with a same-gender child
• They attend school each day with your child
• All students can host regardless of age

“Best family experience ever, our kids didn’t want to say goodbye.”

Baxter Family

Gold Educational Tours coordinates every aspect of the visit providing 24/7 support and $440 per student (8 nights x $55 per night) to help cover hosting expenses.

Hosting is a simple way for your child to grow in confidence, curiosity, and connect them to new opportunities — and as a bonus, all host families are entered into Gold Educational Tours’ annual “Tokyo Disney Family Trip” draw!

Ready to help your child become world-ready? For more info, visit:
https://schoolcommunity.goldeducationaltours.com.au