Tatachilla news

Congratulations to our phenomenally talented Year 11 student Nara who was one of the youngest player’s selected for last month’s netball First Nations Tournament in Melbourne.

Nara, who plays for Yakanarna, represented her First Nations community with pride, facing off against some of Australia’s most experienced top-flight young netball players, including Black Swans and West Coast Fever’s Scarlet Jauncy, and Black Swans and Birmingham Panthers’ Gabby Coffey. Nara’s South Australian team competed against rivals from every Australian state and territory, finishing fourth overall in the competition.

Nara says that this experience was so valuable for her as a young player. “I grew so much as a player and as an individual, all the girls kept pushing me and I learnt so much about my culture. The thing that makes me most proud was playing alongside my sisters and becoming one as a team."

The First Nations Tournament is a pathway to playing for the Black Swans, Australia’s national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island netball team managed by Netball Australia.

Well done, Nara, we’re so proud of you!
 

Our college counsellors offer advice on helping your child to thrive in Term 4 as they navigate end-of-year events and complete the school year.

As we step into Term 4, a period often filled with change and new challenges, we want to share some valuable ways you can support your children through this important stage of their school year.

Term 4 brings exciting opportunities as well as transitions—whether it’s preparing for final assessments, participation in end-of-year events, or the anticipation of moving up to the next year level. These changes can sometimes feel overwhelming for students, so your support and encouragement at home are more important than ever.

Here are some ways you can help your children thrive during Term 4:

• Create a calm and structured environment
  With many activities and deadlines, a calm and organised home space helps your child focus and manage their time effectively. Encourage a daily routine that balances study, rest and play.
   
• Encourage open communication
  Check in regularly about how they’re feeling and what’s happening at school. Listening without judgment builds trust and helps your child feel supported, especially if they face challenges or stress.
   
• Celebrate effort and achievement
  Acknowledge not just results, but the hard work and persistence your child shows. This motivates them to keep striving and builds resilience.
   
• Support healthy habits
  Ensure they get enough sleep, nutritious meals and physical activity. These are crucial for concentration, mood and overall wellbeing during busy periods.
   
• Stay connected with the college
  Keep in touch with teachers and staff. They are your partners in understanding your child’s progress and can offer advice on how to best support them.

Term 4 is a wonderful time for growth, reflection and celebration of your child’s achievements across the year. Together, we can help them finish well, with confidence and excitement for what is ahead.

We look forward to seeing you at one of the many end of year events this term.

The beautiful sunshine was the perfect backdrop for our annual Blessing of the Animals chapel service: the final service of a very busy Term 3.



Inspired by the legacy of St Francis of Assisi, Tatachilla students, families, staff and a delightful variety of animals gathered on the college grounds to celebrate God's creations.

As part of the service, Ministry Team Leader Lee-Anne Munro reflected on the significance of the Blessing of the Animals, reminding us that animals are part of the world God declared good. They bring joy, companionship and wonder to our lives, often helping us experience qualities such as trust, loyalty and unconditional love. Through them, we are reminded of the goodness and care woven throughout God's creation and of our calling to be thoughtful stewards of all He has placed in our care.

It was a truly inspiring, nature-filled, open-air service that brought our community together in gratitude and celebration.



Thank you to Pastor Adam Morris from Our Saviour Lutheran Church, Aberfoyle Park, and Pastor Fin Klein from St Michael's Lutheran Church, Hahndorf, for blessing our pets. 
 
We are grateful to our student leaders, Emily, Albrecht, Izzy, Noah, Jackson, and Jade, our phenomenal Year 12 musicians Billie and Ashlyn, and everyone who joined us.

Thank you for helping make Blessing of the Animals 2026 such a meaningful day.

(Pictured above: Pastor Adam Morris blessing a student's pet bunny.)
 

Congratulations to Eli and Shay, our talented cross-country runners. Eli has been selected for the South Australian state team to compete at the School Sport Australia Track and Field Championship in the 10-12 years age category. This competition is taking place in Victoria from 29 November to 3 December, and Eli will run in the 800 metre and 1500 metre events.

It’s the second time Eli has been chosen to represent South Australia at a national athletics competition. Last month, Eli competed alongside Shay at the National Cross Country event in Sydney, placing 17th out of 36 in the 2-kilometre race, with his team achieving 4th place in the cross-country relay. 

Shay also had an outstanding event, placing 4th in the 3-kilometre race and 3rd in the 1-kilometre time trial. To top it off, Shay was also nominated as one of the captains of the South Australian team. Congratulations boys on your outstanding achievements!
 

Do you love working outdoors and making a difference for our natural environment? If you do, then our EcoSanctuary team would love to hear from you. They’re looking for passionate volunteers to help care for the Tatachilla Lutheran College’s EcoSanctuary. Experience is not required, just a love of the outdoors and a willingness to help.

How you can help

EcoSanctuary volunteers can be Tatachilla students, their families or members of the local community. Our volunteers help with a range of tasks, including;

• planting and watering native vegetation
• weeding and mulching
• general sanctuary maintenance
• helping monitor and feed our animals
• collecting seeds and supporting plant propagation
• assisting with school and community events.

Interested in signing up? Please contact EcoSanctuary Resources Officer, Kristy Smith at kristy.smith@tatachilla.sa.edu.au to register your interest and receive information about the college’s volunteer registration and screening process.

Together, we can care for our native flora and fauna and help our EcoSanctuary thrive.
 

It has been another exciting week of sport at Tatachilla, with students achieving outstanding results across swimming, futsal, athletics and AFL.

Futsal

Congratulations to our Year 9/10 girls’ futsal team on finishing fourth in the state at the recent state finals. The team put in a fantastic performance, narrowly missing out on a win in a close 4–3 match. Finishing fourth in the state is an excellent result and a fitting reward for a strong season. This young team has built a solid foundation for continued growth and success in the years ahead.

Swimming

Congratulations to Year 11 student Tom, who competed at the 2026 Australian Short Course Swimming Championships, delivering an outstanding performance with three silver medals and two Australian multi-class records.

Tom’s results were:

•    U17 200-metre freestyle multi-class: Silver medal and new Australian U17 record
•    U17 50-metre butterfly multi-class: Silver medal and new Australian U17 record
•    U17 100-metre freestyle multi-class: Silver medal

An outstanding achievement, Tom. Well done!

Athletics

Tatachilla students recently represented the Onkaparinga South District at the State Athletics Championships after finishing first in their respective events at the district athletics day in Term 1.

Congratulations to all our athletes on their selection and efforts.

Results:

•    Julian: Gold medal in the high jump
•    Isla: Silver medal in the 1500-metre event and bronze medal in the 800-metre event
•    Eli: Silver medals in both the 800-metre and 1500-metre events
•    Mileena: Silver medal in shot put

Well done to all our students who represented the district.

AFL

Congratulations to Year 6 students Isla and Kayla, who have been selected for the Onkaparinga South girls’ team to compete in the SAPSASA AFL State Carnival at West Beach this month. We wish them all the best for the carnival!