Every year, as April draws to a close, Australians pause. We stop, we bow our heads, and we remember. ANZAC Day, the 25th of April is not just a public holiday. It is one of the most sacred days on our national calendar, calling us to reflect on what it truly means to serve something greater than ourselves.
At our school, ANZAC Day is not simply observed — it is felt. And this year, our community will come together in two meaningful ways to honour those who gave so much.
Our School Commemoration – Wednesday 22 April
On Wednesday 22 April, our entire school, from Kindergarten through to Year 12 will gather for a whole-school ANZAC commemoration assembly. We are deeply honoured that local war veterans from Toukley RSL will join us in person. Their presence is a blessing. These men and women do not simply represent history – they are living history, and to show them our respect is a privilege we do not take lightly.
Our School Vice Captains Josef and Willow will serve as Masters of Ceremonies, and our School Captains Abigil and Lucy, will deliver a formal address. We encourage every student to come ready to listen, reflect, and participate with a genuine and open heart.
The ANZAC Day Services – Saturday 25 April
On ANZAC Day itself, our school will participate in the Dawn Service at Toukley RSL. There is something truly moving about standing together in the quiet darkness of the early morning, thinking about those who gave everything to protect us. Our School Captains will deliver an address before the wider community, and all are warmly invited to join us in the march and main service that follows.
What ANZAC Day Asks of Us
The ANZACs were ordinary young people – many not much older than our senior students – who found themselves in extraordinary circumstances. In the face of fear and hardship, they demonstrated the very values our school holds dear.
They showed:
Courage – doing what was right even when it was hard
Faith – a deep belief in one another and in something worth fighting for
Justice – standing up for the rights and freedoms of others
Wisdom – carrying hard lessons forward so future generations might be spared
Compassion – caring for the wounded and suffering, even in the darkest of times
Integrity – doing their duty honestly, faithfully, and without seeking glory
These are not just ANZAC values. They are our values – ones we strive to live by every day in our classrooms, on our fields, and in the way we treat one another.
Finally
ANZAC Day asks something simple of us: remember. Remember that the freedoms we enjoy today were not free – they were paid for.
We hope to see our whole community at both events. Come together. Stand together. And remember – together.
Lest we forget.
By Alison MacLarty, Deputy Principal
