College News – 24 October 2025

Yesterday we acknowledged and celebrated the Class of 2025’s last official day of schooling. The graduating cohort spent time with their House groups in the morning, reflecting on their journeys as they were farewelled by their younger peers. They were then treated to a morning tea on the Front Lawns before their final Liturgy together in the Chapel. The guard of honour formed by Junior Years students for the Year 12s as they exit their farewell assembly is always a beautiful display of Rostrevor brotherhood, with the youngest and oldest students finding connection in this symbolic tradition.  

The Class of 2025 finished their final day of school with a catered lunch on the Front Lawns, taking time to be together as a whole cohort before they delve into their exams in Week 4. While they will come together again at Presentation Night and at their graduation, yesterday was still an emotional time, being their last official day of classes and concluding 13 years of study. We wish them all the best as they now head into exams.

Today Rostrevor’s youngest learners welcomed their grandparents and special friends to the College to join in a morning of fun and making memories in a celebration of the wonderful contributions they make to each other’s lives. The special guests were invited into classrooms for activities and to the Chapel for a liturgy before being treated to a morning tea on the Rostrevor House Front Lawns. Thank you to the many grandparents and special friends who came along to share in this morning’s festivities and make memories with their boys.  

The inaugural Spring Long Lunch on Saturday was a success, with parents and caregivers gathering at the Victoria Park Social Club for an indulgent afternoon of good food and great company in support of the important work of the Rostrevor College Foundation. 

Thank you to the Foundation and Friends of Foundation, in particular Rostrevor parents Paula Briffa, Megan Furst and Erica Pennington, for organising this outstanding event! 

As announced to students by Principal Shana Bennett at an Assembly at the end of Term 3, the Rice Building at the heart of our College is undergoing some exciting upgrades in Term 4. A fresh and modern toilet facility in the old ‘Demo Room’ on the ground floor of the Rice Building is currently being constructed, the news of which has been received with great enthusiasm by students. 

In a newly constructed floor level in the ‘Demo Room’ space, we will construct a new Health Centre, with multiple sick bays, an accessible toilet and shower, plus an isolation room for infectious students. To best support the medical, health and first aid needs of students, the College has recently signed a service contract with Pop-Up Health to provide a full-time qualified Nurse to be based at the College during school terms. At the beginning of 2026, the school Nurse will be located in the Health Centre. For more information about these exciting projects, see the letter sent to families.  

On Wednesday, the Year 5 cohort visited Parliament House for an engaging and educational tour led by the Hon. John Gardner, who shared fascinating insights into South Australia’s government and history. Students explored the House of Assembly and Legislative Council chambers, learning how laws are made and debated. After enjoying lunch, the group continued their excursion at the South Australian Museum where they investigated artefacts and exhibits as part of a hands-on scavenger hunt. It was a day full of learning, curiosity and memorable experiences beyond the classroom. 

Rostrevor's two Stage 2 Football classes planned and delivered a Football coaching session on Thursday afternoon for Rostrevor's Year 7 and Year 8 Footballers as part of their Stage 2 Specialist Football course. As part of this assessment task, the Year 11 students completed a coaching accreditation. This also provided a fantastic opportunity for the senior students to work with some of the Middle Years students and build connections between year levels. 

Last Saturday evening, a dedicated group of Social Justice group students represented Rostrevor College with great pride and generosity at the Jupiter Supports Quiz Night. The students volunteered their time to assist with selling raffle tickets, serving food and helping throughout the evening, contributing to the smooth operation and welcoming atmosphere of the event. 

The night was a tremendous success, raising over $9,000 for the Little Heroes Foundation, which supports children and families affected by Childhood Dementia. Our students’ involvement demonstrated a spirit of service and compassion, embodying the values of community engagement and social responsibility that we strive to nurture at Rostrevor. 

A sincere thank you to all the students who gave up their Saturday night to make a difference — your efforts are greatly appreciated and continue to make our College proud. 

"The night was really fun hanging out with friends, and it was meaningful as we helped serve food, sell raffle tickets, and support other activities, making the evening run smoothly for everyone. It also opened my eyes to another community and the challenges people face in their everyday lives."—Emmanouel Pishas, Year 8 

Over the past seven months, I have been a part of the Youth Governor’s Leadership Foundation branch of the Leadership Institute of South Australia. The program started with a two-day retreat where we learned key concepts, including TICK, metacognition, integral quadrants, and the art of meeting—all of which would help us with our Community Action Project, or CAP. My group selected two of the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals: Climate Action and Life on Land. Over the next couple of months, our group participated in many initiatives, such as making key chains to raise money for Conservation SA; managing our Instagram account, @climatecrisisSA, where we posted videos about climate change issues in our community along with some posts that had a light-hearted, silly side; and holding meetings with Green Adelaide and the Conservation Council SA. We asked them about what was happening in our local community and were informed about many ongoing projects one key example being the South Australian Grassroots Ecosystems, or SAGE for short, which is described as the "pot in which things grow." We also heard from guest speakers and addressed problems in our community.  

This experience has propelled me toward greater action in my community, from Heaps Good COP to climate finance. All of this culminated in our graduation and presentation in front of the Governor, Her Excellency the Honourable Frances Adamson AC, where we shared our group findings. Our presentation broke down what we did and explained what TICK psychological profiles are how are group work at the end we were present a certificate of completion by her excellency and relevant sponsors. 

Zane Kidd, Year 11

Families considering an enrolment for younger siblings to commence in Reception 2027 are encouraged to apply now! 

Our Reception program is designed to spark curiosity, build confidence, and lay the foundation for a lifelong love of learning. This includes our Little Rossi Learners Program designed for new student transition and orientation. 

Contact College Registrar Megan McCormack via enrolments@rostrevor.sa.edu.au to apply. 

Over the coming weeks Rostrevor College will continue our relationship with the St Vincent De Paul Society through the donation of much needed gifts, everyday and food items for hampers to support those in need this Christmas season. Our donations will be collected on 28 November (Week 8), by St Vincent De Paul for distribution to those in need within our wider community. For more information about what items to bring and how to donate, please see the letter sent to families.  

Congratulations to all students who participated in the 2025 Junior Years Sports Day on Monday! Well done to Egan who were this year’s winning House, and to our year level champions on their outstanding performances. The highlight of the day was undoubtedly the Year 6 student leaders beating the teachers in the relay race after the teachers were slowed down by their colourful outfits! Thank you to the Junior Years staff - particularly the Co-Curricular team - and volunteers who ensured the day was a success, and to the many parents who came out to support their sons. 

This week, our Middle A and Middle B Basketball teams were given a unique opportunity to experience what it’s like to live the day in the life of a professional athlete, thanks to our partnership with the Adelaide 36ers. 

Students and staff visited the Gameready Performance high-performance facility, where they were greeted by Adelaide 36ers star DJ Vasiljevic. DJ spoke to the students about what the day would involve and shared insights into the mindset of an elite athlete. 

The morning began with one group taking part in an on-court skills session led by NBL Assistant Coach Kerry Williams—an incredible chance to learn directly from an elite-level coach. Meanwhile, the second group trained with a Gameready Performance Strength & Conditioning coach, focusing on injury prevention and developing strength, endurance, speed and agility. In the afternoon, students completed a recovery-based strength and conditioning session, which included stretching, ice baths and sauna recovery—highlighting the importance of rest and rehabilitation in athletic performance. 

The day concluded with an inspiring session from DJ Vasiljevic, who spoke about his pathway to professional basketball, the US college system, and what it truly takes to reach the elite level. Students were also given the opportunity to ask DJ questions about his journey, and what it takes to compete at the highest level. It was an incredible experience that gave our students valuable insights into the life, discipline, and commitment required to excel as a professional athlete. 

Rostrevor’s First XI Cricket team welcomed four debutants on Saturday, with Zack Faraonio (player 765), Ryder Franks (player 766), Sidney McDonald (player 767) and Edward McCallum (player 768) cementing themselves within Rostrevor’s rich cricketing history. The game resulted in a very close loss, with Archah Parisi the top run scorer on 69, and Max Szarvas and Tyler Hitch leading bowlers for the Rostrevor side. 

Thank you to Year 10 student Ryan Hanatschek for photographing the cap presentation and game!