The Helenian - 24 September 2026

As Term Three draws to a close, it is hard to believe that we have already completed three-quarters of the 2026 school year. As is always the case at Helena College, the term has been a busy one, with students across both campuses taking part in a wonderful range of academic, sporting, cultural and community activities.

For our Year 12 students, the end of Term Three marks an important milestone in their Helena journey, with their final secondary school classes now complete. Our ATAR students have commenced their Semester Two examinations, which continue into the school holidays, before their attention turns to the external ATAR examinations later in the year. We wish them every success as they enter this important period.

Our General Pathway students have also been busy completing their final workplace placements. Workplace Learning provides students with an invaluable opportunity to experience different working environments, develop practical skills and gain a clearer understanding of the pathways that may be available to them after school.

Early next term, our focus will turn to celebrating the achievements of all our departing Year 12 students as they reach the conclusion of their time at Helena College, culminating in our Graduation Evening.

While the end of Year 12 is a significant moment, there has certainly been plenty happening across the rest of the College as well.

Our Middle School production of The Real Story of Alice in Wonderland was a wonderful evening and provided many students with their first opportunity to perform on stage. It was particularly pleasing to see a group of Year 12 students take responsibility for directing the production, giving them the opportunity to develop their skills while providing younger students with an authentic theatre experience.

At the Junior School, students have also had opportunities to perform and share their talents. The Dance and Music Showcase performances gave students the chance to showcase what they had been working on for their families, while Helena’s Got Talent once again demonstrated the wonderful variety of talents, interests and personalities within our student community.

Across the College, students and staff also supported R U OK? Day, raising funds while, more importantly, encouraging conversations about wellbeing and the importance of checking in with those around us.

Our Year 11 and 12 Media students showcased their creativity at the College Film Festival, presenting an impressive collection of original films to an audience of students, staff and families. The range of ideas, production techniques and approaches to storytelling demonstrated the considerable work that had gone into each production.

Sport has also featured prominently in recent weeks, with students from Years 4 to 12 representing Helena College at Interschool Athletics Carnivals. Regardless of individual results, it was wonderful to see so many students having the opportunity to represent their school and support their teammates.

For our Year 10 students, school has looked very different over the final two weeks of the term. Half of the cohort headed south for the Cape to Cape Expedition, while their classmates undertook work experience with employers across a wide range of industries. This week, the groups swapped, allowing all students to enjoy both opportunities. These are very different experiences, but each encourages students to develop independence, confidence and a greater understanding of themselves and the world beyond school.

Our Year 5 students have also enjoyed an adventure of their own, travelling to Fairbridge Village in Pinjarra for their camp. Camps are always an important part of the Helena experience, providing students with opportunities to challenge themselves, build friendships and enjoy experiences that are very different from an ordinary school day.

It was also wonderful to welcome so many grandparents and special friends to our Darlington Campus over three days. These occasions are always very special for our students and provide an opportunity for some important people in their lives to see and experience their school.

Participation remains one of our core values at Helena College. We want our students to make the most of the opportunities available to them, whether that means stepping onto a stage for the first time, representing Helena in sport, heading away on camp, entering a workplace or simply being willing to try something new.

There will be plenty more happening when we return for Term Four, so I encourage families to continue checking the College calendar, the weekly What’s On email and other College communications.

I look forward to welcoming students back to school on Monday, 12 October.

Peter Coombs | Principal

Thank you to all the parents who attended last week’s Digital Safety session.

The ySafe presenter, Patrick, covered a number of important topics, including a quick intro to the latest slang, some insight into social media and popular apps, coping with ‘pester power’ and plenty more. One of the key takeaways was the ABCs of online safety at home: Access, Boundaries, and Communication.

Following the simple ABC model will help ensure your child has a positive experience when navigating social media apps and online games:

Safe Access: Ensure your child’s apps and games are age-appropriate and secure.
Clear Boundaries: Set rules and expectations together so everyone is on the same page.
Open Communication: Stay interested in your child's online experiences and encourage them to talk to you about their concerns so they know they can come to you for help.

One of the resources mentioned in the session was the College’s Cybersafety Hub. The Hub brings together the insights of the world’s most respected online safety experts. Parents will find a rich library of helpful resources, including app reviews, how-to guides and advice on an array of online safety topics. Further information on all the topics discussed at the presentation are available on the Cybersafety Hub.

This resource is provided to all members of the Helena College community - parents, students and teachers. No log in is required. The link is available HERE, and is accessible from every page of the College website, and can also be found on my.helena.

Follow up Questions

After the presentation, a few parents asked for information on parental controls and internet filtering on the school-provided laptops when children are online at home. Internet filtering is used to control access to online content. It is implemented through software that scans websites and blocks restricted or inappropriate content. There are many benefits including protecting children from online dangers, limiting distracting content, blocking pop-ups and other ads, and managing online interactions.

We do encourage parents to consider a home-based internet filtering software, such as Qustodio. Qustodio works on Apple, Windows and Android technology. While internet filtering is a crucial component of many parental control tools, it's not the whole story. Parental control software, like Qustodio, not only filters web content but also provides additional features to help parents manage and monitor screen time and device use. Some of these tools can even track the location of your child's device, monitor their online behaviour, and restrict certain device features, such as the camera or microphone.

Once you have purchased your home internet filtering package from you preferred supplier, please contact IT Support at itsupport@helena.wa.edu.au to arrange for the software to be installed on your child's school-owned laptop. You will need to provide the relevant log in details for the product to the IT team to enable them to activate it. Once this is done, you can manage home internet access directly through your package.

Sisters Selected for WA State Development Teams

Congratulations to Mia and Isla S, who have both been selected as members of the Western Australian State Development Calesthenics squad, with Mia in the Junior team and Isla in the Intermediate team.

The sisters will represent Western Australia at the 2026 Frangipani Challenge, to be held in Darwin from 23–27 September. This is a fantastic opportunity for Mia and Isla to compete at a higher level, further develop their skills and proudly represent their state.

We congratulate both girls on this wonderful achievement and wish them every success for the competition in Darwin. We are sure it will be a memorable experience for them both!

Helena Students Shine at National Taekwon-Do Championships

Congratulations to Coen H, Evelyn P and Angus B, who proudly represented Helena College Taekwon-Do at the All Australia National Open Taekwon-Do Championships 2026, held in August.

Competing against 176 competitors from 14 clubs across Australia, our students achieved fantastic results across Sparring, Special Technique, Pattern and Agility.

Coen won Silver in both Special Technique and Agility, Evelyn achieved Gold in Agility, Silver in Sparring and Bronze in Pattern, while Angus earned Bronze in Agility.

These are wonderful achievements at a national level, and we congratulate Coen, Evelyn and Angus on their hard work, determination and fantastic performances. We are proud to see them representing Helena College with such enthusiasm and sporting spirit. Well done!

Ellie Makes a Splash at WA State Swimming Championships

Congratulations to Ellie S, who enjoyed an outstanding weekend at the WA State Swimming Championships, achieving an impressive Breaststroke trifecta for the second consecutive year.

Ellie claimed Gold in the 50m, 100m and 200m Breaststroke, as well as Silver medals in both the 4 x 50m Medley Relay and 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay.

Even more impressively, Ellie achieved Personal Best times in all seven events she contested and has qualified for an incredible 10 events this year.

Ellie’s success is a wonderful reflection of the dedication and hard work she has put into her training. Congratulations, Ellie, on these fantastic achievements — we are so proud of you!

Congratulations Oliver!

Congratulations to Oliver, who achieved the rank of 3rd Kyu – Green Belt in Karate on 15 August.

Oliver has been practising karate since the age of four, training two to three times a week. In karate, students progress through the ranks from 10th Kyu to 1st Kyu, with 1st Kyu being the level immediately before achieving a black belt.

Oliver is the youngest Green Belt at his dojo, an impressive achievement that reflects his dedication, perseverance and strength. He will continue his training and, in 2027, will begin working towards his Brown Belt.

We are immensely proud of Oliver and all he has achieved!

Helena Walk | 2026

As a reminder, this cherished annual event will take place on Thursday 15 October 2026 at the Glen Forrest Campus (Senior School). Permission emails and information have been sent to families - providing details of the event.

Year 4 and 5 Class Placements | 2026

Looking ahead to 2027, there will be two classes at both Year 4 and Year 5. As part of our planning for the new school year, careful consideration will be given to the composition of each class, with the wellbeing, learning and social needs of all students in mind. Families are welcome to view the following document for further information about the class placement process.

Personal Belongings at School

As a general reminder, students are asked to leave personal belongings and toys at home unless they have been specifically requested or approved as part of a classroom or school activity.

Bringing personal items to school can sometimes result in belongings becoming lost, damaged or distracting for students. Importantly, families are also asked to ensure that children do not bring inappropriate or potentially unsafe items to school, including items that are not suitable or appropriate for a school environment.

We encourage families to have a quick conversation with their child about what they are bringing to school and, particularly with our younger students, to periodically check school bags together.

Thank you for helping us maintain a positive learning environment for all students.

Parking

As part of our ongoing commitment to fostering a respectful and safe environment for both our school and the wider neighbourhood, we kindly remind all families to adhere to local Shire parking regulations.

As a reminder, please do not park on the footpath along the school’s perimeter, as this creates difficulties for parents, pedestrians, other road users and neighbours alike. By parking in / using designated areas, we can further the safety of our students and maintain positive relationships with all community members. For additional details, please click here.

Darlington Campus (Kindy to Year 5)

Glen Forrest Campus (Years 6 to 12)

Darlington Campus

Glen Forrest Campus