This week across our three Wimmera Lutheran College campuses, it has been wonderful to see our communities come together to celebrate Father’s Day. Across Horsham, Nhill and Dimboola, our students have had opportunities to recognise and give thanks for the fathers, grandfathers and special persons who play such an important role in their lives.
Father’s Day provides us with an opportunity to reflect on the people who guide, encourage, protect and support our young people. Families come in many different forms, and we are grateful for all those special people who provide our students with love, wisdom, encouragement and a sense of belonging.
Our celebrations across the College have been a wonderful reminder of the importance of relationships and community. Whether through special activities, shared meals, gifts, visits to our campuses or simply spending time together, these moments provide an opportunity for our students to say a simple but important thank you.
As a Christian community, we are also reminded of the example of love that God provides for us, a love characterised by patience, compassion, grace and faithfulness. As we celebrate Father’s Day this Sunday, we give thanks for the fathers and special persons within our WLC community and for the many ways they contribute to the lives of our children and young people.
"As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him" Psalm 103:13
May God bless all of our fathers, grandfathers and special persons this Father’s Day, and may they know how deeply their presence, encouragement and care are valued.
WLC Strategic Plan
I am pleased to share we are nearing an important milestone with the completion of the Wimmera Lutheran College Strategic Plan. This work has involved considerable consultation, reflection and collaboration across our College community as we have sought to clearly articulate who we are, what we stand for and where we are heading together as one College across three campuses.
The Strategic Plan is centred around our three strategic signposts of Shaping Identity, Growing Community and Transforming Learning, which will guide our priorities and decision-making in the years ahead. Importantly, the process has also enabled us to establish our new Mission and Vision, supported by our five College Values of Community, Respect, Excellence, Grace and Integrity. Together, these provide a clear foundation for the future of WLC, ensuring that our Lutheran identity remains central while we continue to grow, strengthen our community and provide meaningful learning opportunities for every student.
I look forward to sharing the completed Strategic Plan more broadly with our community and, most importantly, seeing it come to life through the work of our College in the years ahead.
Term 4 uniform
As we prepare for the start of Term 4, families are reminded that students will transition to the WLC summer uniform, including the requirement for students to wear the appropriate hat when outdoors. With the warmer weather approaching, now is a good opportunity for families to check that summer uniform items from earlier in the year still fit and are in good condition, particularly given how quickly children can grow. Families who require new or replacement items are encouraged to order early to ensure uniforms are available and ready for Term 4. We appreciate the support of parents and carers in helping our students wear their WLC uniform correctly and with pride across all three campuses.
Mr Jason Przibilla, Executive Principal
Faith News
Father’s Day!
Father's Day is always a big deal in WLC. This year Miss L’s Foundie students led our morning chapel service as we hosted many fathers, grandfathers and other people special in the lives of our students. Our guest then got to participate in a range of football-themed activities and enjoy some football-themed food. Dads, football, pies. It is a lot of fun.
As we look forward to Father’s Day on Sunday as we celebrate with or think of our fathers, grandfathers, father figures and other important people in our lives, we also remember God, our Heavenly Father. The Bible is full of imagery and descriptions of God relating to us the love, care, instinct to protect and pride in us as a father. Here are some examples:
"As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him" (Psalm 103:13)
"See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are" (1 John 3:1)
"The Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father'" (Romans 8:15)
"And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty" (2 Corinthians 6:18)
“He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing" (Zephaniah 3:17)
As we compare our relationship to God, our Heavenly Father, with an earthly father, we know He is even more perfect in filling His fatherly role because He is love and His love, care, protection and pride never waver. His love is absolute and perfect.
As you reflect on God’s invitation for you to experience His fatherly love, we can look to Jesus, our example who lived in such intimacy with Him. His experience of his father’s love, acceptance, direction and help was what sustained him and gave him purpose and hope. May you experience this from your Heavenly Father God too.
We remember especially those among us who have lost their earthly dads. May you know God’s fatherly love at this time.
Mrs Kate Polack, College Chaplain
Sub Schools News
Primary School News (4 September 2026)
Capacity
I feel our community is at capacity.
We are nearing the end of Term 3, and both staff and students are battling fatigue and sickness. It happens every year, but this year it seems to be hitting harder. Everyone is buckling themselves in, ready to survive these final few weeks of school.
It has got me thinking about our capacity as human beings. It can be frustrating to have so much to do and yet have so little energy to do it. Why does it have to feel so hard sometimes?
And then, while preparing for devotions this week, I read about Elijah in 1 Kings 19:3–8.
Elijah was physically, emotionally and spiritually exhausted. He lay down under a tree and told God that he had had enough. He was done. He had nothing left to give.
God’s response was unexpected.
He didn’t give Elijah a lecture. He didn’t tell him to try harder or to keep pushing through. Instead, God simply said, “Get up and eat.”
Elijah obeyed, and then he rested.
A little later, God said to him again, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you” (1 Kings 19:7).
I love that verse because God recognised something Elijah himself perhaps struggled to acknowledge: the journey was too much for him in that moment.
Elijah needed food. He needed sleep. He needed rest. And only once his body was restored was he ready to continue the journey.
How often do we do the opposite? How often do we try to push through our exhaustion because there is still work to be done? We convince ourselves that stopping is a sign of weakness, or that we will rest once everything is finished.
But what if rest is not something we earn once the work is done? What if rest is part of the way God has designed us to live?
Author Scott Erickson writes, “Sometimes the most sensible, spiritual thing we can do is to eat, sleep, go for a walk, breathe and rest.”
Perhaps that is exactly what some of us need to hear at this point in the term.
God designed us to live and work within our capacity. He knows our limits, even when we struggle to acknowledge them ourselves. He invites us to rest when we need to rest, so that we can return renewed and ready for the challenges ahead.
So, rather than encouraging our community to simply push through these final weeks, perhaps we should encourage one another to know our capacity, respect our limits and make room for rest.
So today, I offer this prayer for Capacity and Rest:
Gracious God,
Thank you for the gift of work and for the energy you give me each day.
Help me to recognise the edges of my strength and teach me to work within my true capacity.
Stop me when I try to push beyond my limits out of fear, guilt or pride.
Lord, forgive me for believing that my worth comes from how much I can accomplish or how many tasks I can complete.
Give me wisdom to pace my steps and courage to say no when my capacity is full.
Fill my work with focus, peace and joy.
Father, remind me that you do not need me to carry the whole world.
When my body grows tired and my mind begins to slow, help me to stop rather than simply push through.
Teach me to see rest as holy, not as failure; as restoration, not weakness.
Renew my spirit in the quiet moments, so that I can rise again refreshed and ready for the journey ahead.
Help me to trust that when I rest, the work does not all depend on me. You are still God.
In your Name, Amen.
If this resonated with you, check out Scott Erikson’s art and devotions on his website at ImagePilgrimage.
F-2 Spectacular Extravaganza
Our Foundation, Year 1 and Year 2 students will be performing in their Spectacular Extravaganza on Thursday 10 September!
The students will have a dress rehearsal on Thursday afternoon for our College community before taking to the stage that evening for their families.
For the performance, students are asked to wear:
blue denim jeans
sneakers
a PLAIN, coloured T-shirt - no logos, writing or patterns, please. T-shirt colours may be red, blue, pink, yellow, orange, green or purple. Please do not wear black T-shirts
The PTFA will host a barbecue from 5pm, providing a great opportunity for families to grab dinner before the performance begins at 6pm.
We can’t wait to see our youngest performers take the stage and share their spectacular performance with our community. We look forward to seeing you there!
Science Showcase
Our Years 7-9 students will present their Science Showcase on Wednesday 9 September.
The Middle School students will share their learning about Body Systems, Forces and Energy through an exciting evening of hands-on activities, science demonstrations and interactive experiences.
This promises to be a fun and engaging night for our whole College community, and all Primary School families are warmly invited to attend.
📅 Wednesday, 9 September
⏰ 6pm-7pm
📍 Middle School Area
Come along, explore, discover and see our Middle School students bring their science learning to life! All are warmly welcomed to attend!
Sports Week
Mr Davidson is busily organising Week 10 as Sports Week for our students!
There will be games, challenges and activities organised every lunchtime, encouraging students to get involved, get active and make the most of their lunchtime.
What a fantastic way to finish the term with plenty of fun, movement and energy!
General housekeeping
Remember that 18 September will be the last day of the term. School will finish early at 2:30pm.
Summer uniforms are to be worn from the third week of Term 4 onwards. Hats are mandatory and will need to be worn immediately at the start of the term.
Important dates
5 September - RoboCup Vic State Competition
9 September - Science Showcase 6-7pm
10 September - F-2 Performing Arts Spectacular
18 September - Last Day of School
Awards
FD: Lily M & Harper C 1B: Olivia Y & Braxton C 1S: Archer H & Brianna H 2W: Monti & Alfie 3D: Joey N & Jiya K 3N: Lucy T & James B 4R: Ari M 4M: Ethan P & Max D 5K: Henry E & Oliver W 5J: Ariel M 6H: Oliver M & Emella T 6M: Luella R, Nevaeh J & Thevlini S 6R: Sage C & Ollie M
Specialist awards:
Art: classes of 4M, 3D, FD, 2H German: Tessa W Chinese: 6H Digital Technology: Ezekiel H Performing Arts: Emlyn T PE: Max D
Trinity Tiger/Cub Awards
Congratulations to our very special Tiger and Cub awardees!
Cade S - Mallee
Summer M - Mallee
Charlotte S - Lowan
Mrs Christina Jacobsen, Head of Primary
WLC: Horsham - Curriculum & Pedagogy
The Power of "Locking In"
"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" — Galatians 6:9
As we head into the final stretch of term, you might hear your child use a phrase that's become popular in the playground: "locking in." In student-speak, it means fully focusing, blocking out distractions and committing to the task at hand. It turns out this playful phrase captures something we've been building all year: persistence.
The end of term can be tricky. Excitement about the holidays creeps in, energy dips and it's tempting for children (and adults) to coast through the last few weeks. But some of the most valuable learning happens right here, in the push to finish well. Much like Paul's encouragement not to grow weary, but to keep going until the harvest comes.
Persistence isn't about never struggling. It's about what we do when we struggle. Do we try a different strategy? Ask for help? Take a breath and have another go? These are the habits that carry far beyond the classroom.
Here are a few ways to support "locking in" at home:
Name the effort, not just the result. Try phrases such as "I noticed you kept trying even when it was tricky," instead of just "good job."
Break large tasks into smaller ones. A short burst of focused effort often beats a long, unfocused one.
Celebrate finishing, not just starting. Completing a task, even an imperfect one, builds real confidence.
Model it yourself. Let your child see you stick with something challenging, out loud: "This is hard, but I'm going to keep working on it."
As we "lock in" for these final weeks, we're proud of the resilience our students have shown all year. Here's to a strong finish!
Richest blessings,
Mrs Jacqui North, Assistant Head of Primary School(s): Curriculum & Pedagogy
Secondary School News (4 September 2026)
Parent-Teacher interviews
This week, we held our final formal Parent-Teacher interview evening for the year. Thank you to all of the families who attended and continue to support us as we work together to support your children. This partnership between school and home is an important part of helping our students to achieve their best.
As always, please feel free to reach out to your child’s teachers at any time throughout the year if you have any concerns or questions about their learning and progress.
OES Camp
Our VCE Outdoor and Environmental Studies class headed off on their final camp for 2026, spending three glorious days in the Grampians walking the peak trails. The students had an amazing time and enjoyed seeing some of our region’s most breath-taking views.
It was a big undertaking, with students walking significant distances across the three days, and they should be proud of their efforts. Thank you to Mr Pickering, Mr Kenny and Breanna for their organisation of the camp and supervision of the students.
Teacher Aide Appreciation Day
This week, we also celebrated Teacher Aide Appreciation Day. I am incredibly grateful for the support that our teacher aides provide to our students across the Secondary School. They spend time scaffolding learning, breaking tasks down and providing encouragement and support to help our students be the best that they can be.
Our school is a better place because of the care and support they show our students and staff each day. Thank you to Miss Mellington, Mrs van Buuren, Mrs Gaulke and Miss Ellis for all that you do!
Important dates
Final day of term - Friday 18 September
Year 12 Graduation - Friday 20 November
Mrs Kate Carter, Deputy Principal - Head of Secondary
Sports News
Primary School Sports News (4 September 2026)
Father’s Day Footy Day
Big thanks to our Year 6 cohort for co-ordinating Footy Day activities and supporting the Father's Day stall today. These students are to be commended on the effort they put into delivering these activities and for the support they gave to others on the day.
Thank you to our parents from the PTFA that volunteered to run the Father's Day stall and to Kirrily D and Jack K for offering their time to umpire the staff v students footy game.
We hope that everyone involved enjoyed the day.
Little Desert Division Athletics
Twenty-four Years 4, 5 and 6 WLC Primary students will participate at the Little Desert Division Athletics on Wednesday. Students who finish first or second in individual events or first in relay will progress to Greater Western Region Athletics on Friday 9 October.
School holiday cricket clinics
Registration to attend a free holiday cricket clinic for 5-12-year-olds on Thursday 1 October at Coughlin Park are now open.
Term 3 sports events
Little Desert Division Athletics - Wednesday 9 September
Term 4 sports events
Greater Western Region Athletics - Friday 9 September
Little Desert Division Years 5-6 Cricket Blast - Wednesday 21 October
Years 3-4 Girls Hoop Time region final - Monday 19 October
Greater Western Region Volleyball - Thursday 29 October
State Athletics - Thursday 29 October
Foundation and Year 3 Learn to Swim Program - 20-23rd and 27-30 October
Years 1 and 2 Learn to Swim Program - 4-6 and 16-20 November
Mr Gary Davidson, Head of Sport (F-6)
Secondary School Sports News (4 September 2026)
Black Ranges Year 7 Basketball
On Tuesday, two teams headed to Ararat to compete in the Year 7 Black Ranges basketball. Our boys had five games for the day, and managed to come away with three wins and two very narrow losses. The boys played to a high standard throughout the day, and had plenty of fun along the way.
Our girls team had four games, three of which they won, and only lost to Horsham College by one point to come away with second place for the competition.
Well done to all of our Year 7 students on a great day.
Thank you to Benbow Basketball Academy who has worked with these students throughout Term 3, we appreciate all your knowledge and guidance you have provided.
Thank you to Mr McKinnon for coaching the boys team!
Black Ranges Year 8 basketball
On Wednesday, we had two teams compete in the Black Ranges basketball in Ararat. The girls played in four games throughout the day, and managed to come away with three wins! Plenty of strength and determination was shown throughout all of their games. Well done girls.
Our boys team played in four games, and were able to finish the day with one win. Their other three games were all close and competitive. Well done boys!
Both teams displayed plenty of skills they have learnt over the past few weeks with the help of Benbow Basketball Academy.
Thank you to Mr McKinnon for coaching the boys, Karter N for reffing throughout the day, and Miss Reid for driving the bus. All of your support is greatly appreciated.
Good luck and well done
Congratulations to the following students who achieved high placings in the HDFNL and WFNL junior vote counts earlier in the week.
HDNFL:
13 and under netball: Layla K (7th)
15 and under netball: Lydika B (7th)
17 and under netball: Ilze VZ (3rd) and Maya P (10th)
Under-14 football: Zack P (5th), Rafa S (9th)
WFNL:
13 and under netball: Emily L (runner-up), Greta S (4th)
Wishing all students competing in the finals of the HDFNL and WFNL competitions all the best!
Coming events
September
7 - Black Ranges secondary track and field
8 - Greater Western Region Years 7 and 8 volleyball
October
7 - Black Ranges Year 7 cricket
8 - Greater Western secondary track and field
12 - Black Ranges Year 8 cricket
20 - Black Ranges Year 7 tennis
21 - Black Ranges Year 8 tennis
Miss Jayde Ellis, Head of Sport (7-12)
Wellbeing News
Celebrating Father's Day
For many years now, the role of fathers has changed and evolved. During the industrial revolution, fathers were often considered detached and distant due to working long hours in factories. However, today things have changed dramatically with many dads being celebrated for being sensitive, caring and more hands-on.
Recent studies have shown that children benefit greatly from having fathers who are present and interacting in everyday activities. This has transformed the understanding of how fathers shape children’s lives from the start, challenging conventional ideas of parenthood and gender.
Research also suggests that fathers influence their sons and daughters in different ways, which is especially true during their transition to adolescence. Engaging in regular physical activities can play a key role in influencing children to learn self-control, face challenges, regulate emotions and take manageable risks.
In this Special Report, fathers will learn about the positive impact they can have on their child’s mental health and wellbeing, whilst also ensuring they indulge in a little self-care.
Parental Guidance: positive solutions for every family
We’ve thankfully moved beyond the era of authoritarian parenting, where fear and obedience were the primary tools of discipline. But in the wake of this shift, many parents find themselves adrift in a sea of uncertainty. If not strict control and punishment, then what? How do we guide our children effectively while fostering their independence, resilience, and emotional wellbeing? This is the question at the heart of modern parenting.
Join renowned parenting expert Dr Justin Coulson for Parental Guidance, a refreshing presentation that will challenge conventional parenting wisdom and equip you with effective, science-backed strategies.
This presentation will empower you to move beyond outdated parenting paradigms and embrace a fresh perspective on child development. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of your child’s needs and learn how to create an environment that supports their growth, fostering a more positive family dynamic. Don’t miss this opportunity to revolutionise your parenting approach and create a thriving family life!
In today's world, where distractions are abundant and the pressure to excel is high, guiding children to develop healthy study habits is more important than ever. As students aspire to achieve academic success, the cornerstone of that achievement lies not just in their intelligence or drive, but in the study habits they cultivate.
It's essential for students to recognise that good study habits aren't merely about spending extra hours hitting the books. It's more about quality over quantity and having a more balanced approach. Emphasising the value of a routine is essential. Consistent study times establish a sense of structure and discipline, turning studying into a natural part of their daily routine rather than a burdensome task.
Additionally, how students approach their study sessions is equally important. Taking regular breaks is a crucial part of this process in maintaining focus and preventing burnout.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle that includes sufficient sleep, a balanced diet, and consistent physical activity are indispensable elements that will significantly impact your child's ability to study effectively. Fostering these healthy habits is one of the most valuable gifts we can offer children, paving the way for a lifetime of learning and achievement.
This Special Report will help you support your young person as they embark on studying for exams.
