Campus News
By Term 3, there is a wonderful sense of momentum across the campus. Students are increasingly confident to perform, compete, create, lead and embrace new challenges. It has also been a term that has highlighted the importance of community and connectedness.
Events such as the Middle School Musical, Father’s Day celebrations, Junior School Assemblies, Boys Middle School Bonanza and Girls Middle School Glow have brought our students and families together, reminding us that learning flourishes when students feel supported and known. In an increasingly fast-paced world, these shared experiences matter. Occasions like these create lasting memories, strengthen relationships and nurture a genuine sense of belonging.
Reading offers something just as valuable, and this term’s Book Week celebrations were a wonderful reminder of that. Through reading, students engage with ideas, perspectives and experiences far beyond their own. It builds knowledge, imagination and empathy, while cultivating the focus, stamina and resilience needed to grapple with complex ideas. At a time when attention is pulled in so many directions, nurturing a love of reading remains a lifelong skill worth cultivating in our students.
Whether through shared experiences or the pages of a book, these moments help our young people thrive.
Early Learning Centre
The wonders of space
The Reception children have been captivated by the wonders of space. Through their inquiry, they have been exploring galaxies, constellations and planets, sharing theories and asking thoughtful questions about the universe. This learning has extended into our Specialist program, where the children have created their own galaxies, pretended to be astronauts as they navigated space-themed obstacle courses and learnt new songs inspired by their discoveries. Through these experiences, the children are developing their creativity, physical skills, language and understanding while following their curiosity and imagination. What an exciting journey of discovery beyond our world.
A morning of play, connection and fun
On Friday, 4 September, we were delighted to welcome our fathers and significant people to the ELC for a special morning of connection, play and celebration. The children were so proud to share their learning environment and enjoyed engaging in a variety of games and activities alongside the special people in their lives. From active challenges to playful experiences, there was plenty of laughter and joy throughout the morning. A particular favourite was Snakes and Ladders, which brought plenty of excitement and friendly competition. It was a beautiful morning filled with connection, laughter and precious moments shared between our children and their special people.
Junior School
Book Week - a symphony of stories and smiling faces
Book Week 2026 was celebrated at City Campus with great enthusiasm and creativity, inspired by the Children’s Book Council of Australia’s theme, Symphony of Stories, which beautifully highlighted lyrical and musical imagination.
Our students embraced the occasion with excitement, arriving in a wonderful array of costumes for the much-anticipated Junior School and ELC Book Week Costume Parade, bringing beloved story characters to life in imaginative and memorable ways. Among the standout costumes were Donald Duck from Trombone Trouble, characters from Matt Cosgrove’s Alpacas with Maracas, and the much-loved Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin.
Adding to the excitement of the week, The Emperor’s Egg by Rae Tan was announced as the winning book in the CBCA Early Childhood category. The celebrations continued throughout the week with a range of engaging craft experiences through Craft O’clock, as well as a special visit from Meerkat Productions, whose captivating Book Week theatre performance of Dear Broccoli by Jo Dabrowski provided all Junior School students with a thoroughly entertaining literary experience.
Happy Father's Day dads
Junior School students warmly welcomed fathers, significant men and other special guests for a joyful morning of shared activities and connection. In the lively Level 9 space, the children eagerly showcased their creativity by designing and building imaginative structures from spaghetti and marshmallows, before joining their dads and guests in energetic dance sessions with the support of the Just Dance platform. To conclude the celebration, students carefully decorated personalised wooden ‘Dad’ plaques, creating meaningful keepsakes for their special visitors. The room was filled with laughter, excitement and a genuine sense of community, and the success of the event was greatly enhanced by the valued support of the parent community.
Coming Up: House Spirit Morning
Families will be reminded about the upcoming House Hangout Morning, an optional before-school gathering designed for Junior School students to spend time with their House groups in a fun and welcoming setting. The event will provide children with a valuable opportunity to form friendships across year levels, deepen their sense of connection and belonging, and further develop House pride through a variety of engaging, shared experiences. Throughout the morning, students will be invited to take part in enjoyable and cooperative activities such as games, craft, drawing and enthusiastic House chants, all of which will contribute to a vibrant community atmosphere. It is hoped that many students will attend and enjoy this spirited and inclusive occasion.
Middle School
Shrek the Musical Jnr
Returning to Gasworks Theatre, our Middle School students entertained audiences with their energetic three-night production of Shrek the Musical Jr. Performing in a professional venue gave students the chance to step into the world of Far Far Away and share a production full of humour, colour and joy.
Alongside the evening performances, the cast also presented a special daytime show for our Junior School students, who enjoyed seeing Shrek, Fiona, Donkey and a host of fairytale characters brought to life on stage.
The production highlighted the commitment, creativity and teamwork of the cast, who pulled back the layers of their characters and worked together to create a confident and polished performance with an important message about accepting others for who they are.
Thank you to our Haileybury community for their support and we acknowledge the outstanding work of our staff, led by Ms Jane Marshall, including Mr England, Mrs Schmidli, Ms Ackermann, Mr Hicks, Ms Southgate, Mr Schaepman and Ms Elletson, whose expertise and encouragement guided students throughout the production.
Book Week
What a fantastic week Book Week was for our Middle School students, with this year’s theme, A Symphony of Stories, celebrating the many voices, perspectives and experiences that books bring to our lives.
Throughout the week, students had the opportunity to engage with a range of activities that highlighted the power of reading, storytelling and creativity. We were fortunate to welcome authors Dean Rankine, Joel McKerrow and Nova Weetman, who shared insights into their work, discussed their novels and offered students valuable advice about the writing process. Their sessions provided an authentic glimpse into the dedication, persistence and imagination that sit behind every published work.
The week culminated in our much-anticipated Book Week Dress Up Day, with students and staff showcasing a wide range of creative and imaginative costumes, from Bananas in Pyjamas to Things 1 to 22, inspired by beloved literary characters. The enthusiasm and effort on display reflected the strong reading culture that continues to thrive across our Middle School.
Thank you to our library team for their hard work in creating such an engaging and memorable week for our students. Their commitment to fostering a love of reading and learning is greatly appreciated.
Boys Middle School (BMS) Bonanza and Girls Middle School (GMS) Glow
The Middle School came together for an afternoon of fun, connection and community with BMS Bonanza and GMS Glow Together.
BMS students embraced the excitement of laser tag, the sweetness of doughnut decorating and the ever-popular dance room, with many reluctant to leave when the afternoon came to an end. Meanwhile, GMS students enjoyed a vibrant program of activities kicked off with dance-off and continued with polaroids, glitter face painting and jewellery making.
The enthusiasm, laughter and energy on display throughout the afternoon reflected the strong sense of belonging that exists within our Middle School community. Events such as these play an important role in fostering connections across cohorts and helping students build relationships beyond their immediate friendship groups. It was wonderful to see students encouraging one another, trying new activities and simply enjoying the opportunity to spend time together in a relaxed and inclusive environment.
Thank you to our Deputy Heads of Middle School, Ms Holly Emslie and Ms Georgia Hall, for their organisation of these events, and to the teachers whose support helped make the afternoon such a success.
Father's and Significant Men Day
Our Middle School fathers and significant men came together to celebrate the important role they play in the lives of our young people.
Fathers, significant men and students laced up their skates and took to the ice at the Icehouse in Docklands for an afternoon of fun and connection. While some glided confidently across the rink, others embraced the challenge of learning something new, reminding us that growth often comes from being willing to step outside our comfort zones.
It was a wonderful opportunity for our students and the significant adults in their lives to strengthen connections while enjoying one of the many unique experiences available on our doorstep at Haileybury City.
Catherine McNamara
Head of City
Haileybury Parents & Friends City (HPF City)
HPF Cocktail Party – what a night!
We are so excited to announce that the HPF City Cocktail Party on 21 August was a huge success.
An amazing evening was had by all, and the after party was also a huge hit, making it a night to remember.
We are thrilled to have raised over $3,000 through our live auction that will support the students with enhancements of their choice. A huge thank you to our wonderful auctioneer, Joel Hitt, for helping make the auction such a success.
We would also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the Chang, Garafalo and Wang families for their incredibly generous donations. Your support means so much to HPF City and students, and our School community.
We hope everyone has a wonderful and relaxing school holidays and enjoys some well-deserved family time.
We look forward to finishing the year strong in Term 4.
SHUS Open for Up Day
For Up Day, the SHUS will be open, and we would love your support in donating or selling any summer uniform items that your children have outgrown.
It is a great opportunity to give those uniforms a second life and help another family in our School community.
Wishing everyone a fantastic holiday break.
Michelle White and Andrea Livingston
HPF City President
