General News
19 June, 2026
Hopetoun P-12 Wrap Up - Term 2 weeks 7&8
By the Community Connections Class
We welcomed Mrs Barnard at the start of Term 2 to teach our Prep-3 students.
She has found the adjustment to teaching at Hopetoun P-12 College both exciting and rewarding.
Moving from South Africa to a small community in Victoria was a big change, but the staff, students and families at Hopetoun P-12 College have been incredibly welcoming and supportive to her and her family.
It has helped her feel part of the community very quickly. Her favourite thing about the school is the strong sense of community and connection between students and teachers.
The smaller school environment allows staff to really know each student well and support them both academically and personally.
One of the biggest differences in her teaching in Hopetoun compared to South Africa is the classroom environment and teaching approach.
In Australia, there is a strong focus on student wellbeing, hands-on learning and encouraging student voice and independence.
The class sizes are generally smaller, which allows for individual support and relationship-building with students.
She enjoys teaching primary students because of their curiosity, enthusiasm and honesty. Primary students are excited to learn new things and celebrate even small achievements. She finds it rewarding to help build their confidence, independence and love for learning during such important developmental years.
Students from Years 7&8, along with students from Rainbow P-12 College, played Football and Netball in Horsham on Wednesday, May 27.
The girls that played Netball had four games, losing three and drawing one.
They had a great time playing with new girls, all encouraging each other well, and represented the school amazingly.
The boys that played Footy also had four games and lost them all. Despite this they all showed great sportsmanship, tried their best and had fun.
Also on Wednesday, June 3, students in Years 7-9 participated in a dance session during their sport lesson, with Justin from the Ministry of Dance.
He taught the students a dance routine before everyone formed a circle and took turns copying his moves and showing off some of their own.
After enjoying some fun and creative dancing, the students learnt another routine that Justin had previously taught to other groups.
All students had a great time and appreciated the opportunity to try something different during their sports lesson.
On Wednesday, June 3, the Year 7 students had the opportunity to learn about the Hidden Exhibition through a Zoom call.
The presenter, Grace, spoke about Jewish life, the Nazis, the Holocaust, and liberation.
Students were introduced to the stories of seven children who were saved during the Holocaust: Joe, Paul, John, Henri, Halina, Floris, and Sonia.
During the session, the students were asked to choose one child to learn more about and discuss.
They chose Halina Zylberman, a then 11-year-old girl from Poland. The students learnt about the challenges she faced during the war and how she survived despite the dangers around her.
The session was informative and helped students gain a better understanding of the Holocaust and its impact on children and families.
Finally, on a busy June 3, Harvey and Matilda went to Horsham to take part in the Southern Mallee Lakes football and netball competitions. Matilda represented the school in netball and played in five games.
The team won two, lost two and drew one.
She really enjoyed the day and had lots of fun.
Matilda’s highlight of the day was shooting some goals. Harvey represented the school in football.
He played in five games where he spent most of the day in the backline, but got switched to the frontline and kicked a goal.
Harvey’s highlight of the day was when he kicked the goal. Harvey and Matilda represented the school well and enjoyed playing with other students from other schools.