Principal's Report 2025
The Netflix series Adolescence, released earlier this year, caused quite a stir. It was a very moving depiction of the dark forces of the internet that have disrupted relationships between teenagers, their friends and families and their teachers.
At the core of the story was the main character, 13 year old Jamie Miller, who was charged with the murder of a female classmate.
While some political leaders throughout the world claimed to be shocked, those of us who work with teenagers were much less so. We are not aware of any such murder but, through getting to know our students, we have been exposed to parts of some students’ online world: domestic terrorism, frightening images from the dark web, animated child abuse pornography, highly misogynistic messages, and a deep disdain toward girls and women peddled by influencers we will not name.
It is impossible to expose young minds to violent pornography or hate filled social media sites without there being a consequence or without fractured relationships.
Children, male and female, are the targets of the monetised attention economy and often present as confused by what pops up, sometimes entirely uninvited, onto their devices. We are also confused; in our case by how successive governments have failed dismally to protect them.
We look back wistfully to the olden days of, say, 2019, when many of these concerns were yet to be fully revealed. For example, in 2019 sexualised behaviour in young children was still an indicator of child sexual abuse; today it is an indicator of access to devices from early primary school.
It would be easy to feel overwhelmed by the horrors these devices have provided to children, however, some of our students have chosen a different and empowering path.
A group of strong and forthright girls have formed a project group called the Sassies to raise awareness about the increasing sexual harassment they are aware of, both online and in person. They are making a bold and confident stand against the sexualisation of children and the subsequent normalisation of sexual harassment of both girls and boys.
During their project, the Sassie’s attended a workshop with the author Madonna King to plan their awareness raising activities. Following this they wrote an amazing speech and delivered it to a whole school meeting, designed their very own Sassie T shirts as well a mural that loudly proclaims ‘STOP’ to sexual harassment. Over the course of a week an artist was employed to work with the Sassies and the mural now takes pride of place outside the school kitchen.
Not content with their success, the Sassies have designed merchandise including hoodies stating Sexual Harassment Awareness and a wristband with a clear No Means No. They are far from done yet and recently told us they have many more plans. Watch this space.
However, our aim to turn this around lies with the good men and women on our staff, adults that young people can trust in, and who forge strong teacher student relationships that help foster a heathy transition to growing up. We now have to work hard to maintain these relationships in a time of social stress where some young people become immersed in the dark side of the internet.
Teachers have always had the superpower of building the social skills of respect and responsibility in young people. In addition, we must not be daunted by our responsibilities to have open and empathetic discussions around the very difficult and sometimes disturbing issues facing far too many young people.
The popularity of Adolescence has opened a door for some of these tricky conversations.
Teachers know, better than anyone, that growing up is now much harder to do.
Bronwyn Rose
Principal
Assistant Principal's Report 2025
Shepparton ACE Secondary is proud this year to be able to offer the more senior students a VET Certificate III in Music program. This is a direct result of the new offering of an Arts program at junior level in 2024 where their horizons have been broadened to include new interests.
We are also still facilitating the VET Certificate III in Information Technology and the VET Certificate III in Community Services with the intention of offering the Diploma of Community services later on in the year. A number of senior students are also completing several modules from Certificates II and III of General Adult Education.
All year levels have been involved in an overnight camp and in 2025 and Year 11 students have been invited to participate in the 10 day Vietnam/Cambodia tour. Year 12 students will be going to Cairns as part of their studies, and at the end of the year will be touring Tasmania as a reward and celebration for their perseverance in successfully completing their secondary school studies. VCE English students are being given the opportunity to see a play adapted from the novel 1984 at Westside theatre, and Year 12 students have made their way to Melbourne to see the Lord of the Rings musical.
Staff have continued to update their Australian curriculum teaching units and have developed outstanding curriculum for our newer offerings at junior levels of media studies, creative design and cultural studies.
This year we have welcomed Katie to our staff as cultural adviser and to work with indigenous students when needed, and Dias, our maths teacher. We say a temporary farewell to Hannah Arnold who will be back with us next year at the finish of her maternity leave.
Appreciation goes to a hard-working staff that continually seeks to provide great learning experiences and for their care and kindness for our students.
Rosemary Hocking
Assistant Principal
Chairperson’s Report 2025
“Travel is still the most intense mode of learning” – Kevin Kelly
Welcome to our 2025 Annual General Meeting report. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the dedicated staff at Shepparton ACE Secondary College for their outstanding work in organising school incursions and excursions.
These learning experiences, both on and off campus, offer your students unique opportunities to engage with the world in ways that go beyond the traditional classroom setting. Whether it’s camps to Harrietville, Mt Buller, Japan, or Cairns, or in-school sessions focused on wellbeing, safety, politics, or subject-specific themes, each activity is thoughtfully designed to complement your curriculum and support the inclusive and safe culture you proudly nurture.
Coordinating these experiences is no easy task, behind each excursion or incursion lies a great deal of unseen work. It involves meticulous planning — selecting venues, arranging accommodation, developing itineraries, completing necessary documentation for school council approval, and obtaining parental consent. These preparations demand significant time and effort, often encroaching on already limited planning hours.
Staff also make personal sacrifices, leaving behind families and pets, preparing lessons for students remaining at school, and mentally gearing up for the journey ahead — all in the hope that everything runs smoothly.
Through these efforts, you provide your students with invaluable learning experiences beyond the traditional classroom walls — opportunities that broaden their horizons and enrich their personal growth, often in ways they might not otherwise encounter.
Thank you sincerely for your dedication and the meaningful experiences you offer our students. I wish you all continued success in the coming financial year.
Georgie Schofield
Chairperson
The Netflix series Adolescence, released earlier this year, caused quite a stir. It was a very moving depiction of the dark forces of the internet that have disrupted relationships between teenagers, their friends and families and their teachers.
At the core of the story was the main character, 13 year old Jamie Miller, who was charged with the murder of a female classmate.
While some political leaders throughout the world claimed to be shocked, those of us who work with teenagers were much less so. We are not aware of any such murder but, through getting to know our students, we have been exposed to parts of some students’ online world: domestic terrorism, frightening images from the dark web, animated child abuse pornography, highly misogynistic messages, and a deep disdain toward girls and women peddled by influencers we will not name.
It is impossible to expose young minds to violent pornography or hate filled social media sites without there being a consequence or without fractured relationships.
Children, male and female, are the targets of the monetised attention economy and often present as confused by what pops up, sometimes entirely uninvited, onto their devices. We are also confused; in our case by how successive governments have failed dismally to protect them.
We look back wistfully to the olden days of, say, 2019, when many of these concerns were yet to be fully revealed. For example, in 2019 sexualised behaviour in young children was still an indicator of child sexual abuse; today it is an indicator of access to devices from early primary school.
It would be easy to feel overwhelmed by the horrors these devices have provided to children, however, some of our students have chosen a different and empowering path.
A group of strong and forthright girls have formed a project group called the Sassies to raise awareness about the increasing sexual harassment they are aware of, both online and in person. They are making a bold and confident stand against the sexualisation of children and the subsequent normalisation of sexual harassment of both girls and boys.
During their project, the Sassie’s attended a workshop with the author Madonna King to plan their awareness raising activities. Following this they wrote an amazing speech and delivered it to a whole school meeting, designed their very own Sassie T shirts as well a mural that loudly proclaims ‘STOP’ to sexual harassment. Over the course of a week an artist was employed to work with the Sassies and the mural now takes pride of place outside the school kitchen.
Not content with their success, the Sassies have designed merchandise including hoodies stating Sexual Harassment Awareness and a wristband with a clear No Means No. They are far from done yet and recently told us they have many more plans. Watch this space.
However, our aim to turn this around lies with the good men and women on our staff, adults that young people can trust in, and who forge strong teacher student relationships that help foster a heathy transition to growing up. We now have to work hard to maintain these relationships in a time of social stress where some young people become immersed in the dark side of the internet.
Teachers have always had the superpower of building the social skills of respect and responsibility in young people. In addition, we must not be daunted by our responsibilities to have open and empathetic discussions around the very difficult and sometimes disturbing issues facing far too many young people.
The popularity of Adolescence has opened a door for some of these tricky conversations.
Teachers know, better than anyone, that growing up is now much harder to do.
Bronwyn Rose
Principal
Assistant Principal's Report 2025
Shepparton ACE Secondary is proud this year to be able to offer the more senior students a VET Certificate III in Music program. This is a direct result of the new offering of an Arts program at junior level in 2024 where their horizons have been broadened to include new interests.
We are also still facilitating the VET Certificate III in Information Technology and the VET Certificate III in Community Services with the intention of offering the Diploma of Community services later on in the year. A number of senior students are also completing several modules from Certificates II and III of General Adult Education.
All year levels have been involved in an overnight camp and in 2025 and Year 11 students have been invited to participate in the 10 day Vietnam/Cambodia tour. Year 12 students will be going to Cairns as part of their studies, and at the end of the year will be touring Tasmania as a reward and celebration for their perseverance in successfully completing their secondary school studies. VCE English students are being given the opportunity to see a play adapted from the novel 1984 at Westside theatre, and Year 12 students have made their way to Melbourne to see the Lord of the Rings musical.
Staff have continued to update their Australian curriculum teaching units and have developed outstanding curriculum for our newer offerings at junior levels of media studies, creative design and cultural studies.
This year we have welcomed Katie to our staff as cultural adviser and to work with indigenous students when needed, and Dias, our maths teacher. We say a temporary farewell to Hannah Arnold who will be back with us next year at the finish of her maternity leave.
Appreciation goes to a hard-working staff that continually seeks to provide great learning experiences and for their care and kindness for our students.
Rosemary Hocking
Assistant Principal
Chairperson’s Report 2025
“Travel is still the most intense mode of learning” – Kevin Kelly
Welcome to our 2025 Annual General Meeting report. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the dedicated staff at Shepparton ACE Secondary College for their outstanding work in organising school incursions and excursions.
These learning experiences, both on and off campus, offer your students unique opportunities to engage with the world in ways that go beyond the traditional classroom setting. Whether it’s camps to Harrietville, Mt Buller, Japan, or Cairns, or in-school sessions focused on wellbeing, safety, politics, or subject-specific themes, each activity is thoughtfully designed to complement your curriculum and support the inclusive and safe culture you proudly nurture.
Coordinating these experiences is no easy task, behind each excursion or incursion lies a great deal of unseen work. It involves meticulous planning — selecting venues, arranging accommodation, developing itineraries, completing necessary documentation for school council approval, and obtaining parental consent. These preparations demand significant time and effort, often encroaching on already limited planning hours.
Staff also make personal sacrifices, leaving behind families and pets, preparing lessons for students remaining at school, and mentally gearing up for the journey ahead — all in the hope that everything runs smoothly.
Through these efforts, you provide your students with invaluable learning experiences beyond the traditional classroom walls — opportunities that broaden their horizons and enrich their personal growth, often in ways they might not otherwise encounter.
Thank you sincerely for your dedication and the meaningful experiences you offer our students. I wish you all continued success in the coming financial year.
Georgie Schofield
Chairperson
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