From the Principal

Good morning everyone.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of presenting medallions and ribbons to students participating in the interschool swimming competition held at the Pines pool. It was a lovely day with all students participating fully.

We continue to conduct tours and enrol students from other schools. Families are impressed by the size of our grounds and our facilities. Last week we invited Year 7 parents to our ‘Meet and Greet’. It was fantastic to see parents chatting to Year 7 teachers, finding out where their child’s locker was and taking photos of timetables displayed on walls. We look forward to building positive relationships with our families through communications such as our weekly newsletter or having families join us onsite for different events, such as Open Night 25th March. This year Open Night will have a carnival atmosphere, with many interactive activities for people of all ages. We would love to see you there. Please invite other family members and friends.

Child Safe Standards

The safety and wellbeing of every child and young person in our care is our highest priority. As a school community, we are committed to creating and maintaining an environment where children feel safe, respected, valued and heard.

In Victoria, all schools are required to comply with the Victorian Child Safe Standards, which aim to protect children from abuse and ensure organisations create cultures of safety and accountability. These standards are not simply a compliance requirement — they are embedded in the way we lead, teach, support and engage with our students every day.

As part of the Victorian Government’s commitment to implementing the recommendations of the Betrayal of Trust report, which found that more must be done to prevent and respond to child abuse in our community, there is a new regulatory landscape surrounding child safety, underpinned by the Child Safe Standards.

The Child Safe Standards are compulsory minimum standards for all Victorian early childhood services and schools, to ensure they are well prepared to protect children from abuse and neglect. Child Safe Standard 4 highlights the importance of an open and transparent child safe culture for families and communities.

Schools must provide families and communities with accessible information about their child safe policies and practices and involve them in their approach to child safety and wellbeing.

For more information please find our child safe policies on our website.

Partnering With Families

Keeping children safe is a shared responsibility. Families can support child safety by:

• Talking regularly with your child about school and friendships.
• Reinforcing messages about respectful behaviour and online safety.
• Informing the school of any concerns, no matter how small they may seem.
• Ensuring contact details are up to date so we can communicate effectively.

If you have any concerns about a child’s safety or wellbeing, please contact the school. All concerns are treated confidentially and respectfully.

Linda Stanton

Principal

Important Dates

Middle School

Meet Our Team – Year 7

This week, I am excited to introduce you to our wonderful Year 7 Coordination Team.

I feel incredibly fortunate to work alongside such talented and dedicated staff who genuinely care about every student in our care. Their commitment to supporting students academically, socially and emotionally ensures that our Year 7s feel safe, supported and confident as they begin their secondary school journey at Mornington Secondary College.

The Year 7 team works tirelessly behind the scenes — monitoring wellbeing, supporting learning growth, communicating with families and celebrating successes — both big and small. They are passionate about creating a positive and welcoming environment where every child can thrive.

I am so proud of my team and thank them for the great work that they do!

I hope you enjoy getting to know the middle school teams over the coming weeks with some fun facts and information!

Evangeline Romage – Year 7 leader

Nickname: Evie

University attended: Melbourne University

What did you enjoy about secondary college? I liked all the extracurricular activities and I had fantastic teachers. I went to an all-girls school. Everyone was friends with each other. I loved our whole school assemblies and loved singing the school song.

What do you love about teaching? I love seeing the students excited about their work and being proud to show it to me in the class. I really enjoy class discussions in Year 12 where everyone shares their ideas and opinions about the texts we are reading.

Favourite food: Kingfish sashimi and anything Italian

What sport do you play? Cricket for Red Hill and netball for Carrum/Paterson Lakes

What other activities do you enjoy? I like to go for walks and to go out for lunch.

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? Anywhere in Italy near a beach

Favourite clothing brand: Assembly label, Dissh, and Nude Lucy

Month born : October

Last concert: Lorde

Favourite TV show: Real Housewives of Salt Lake City

Alex Mackenzie – Year 7 coordinator

Nickname: Ajax/ AJ (maiden name Jackson)

University attended The University of Ballarat

What did you enjoy about secondary college? Representing my school at Cross-Country and in the school tennis team, and seeing friends each day.

What do you love about teaching? The positive relationships, organising fun events, making my lessons a fun part of someone’s day, and promoting a healthy active lifestyle to students.   

Favourite food: Mexican/ Indian

What sport do you play? I used to play tennis, now I go to the gym most mornings. I love most sports.

What other activities do you enjoy? Holidays with my family, going to the beach, and outdoor activities.

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? Yaroomba- Sunshine Coast

Favourite clothing brand: Decjuba 

Month born: October 

Last concert: Ed Sheeran 

Favourite TV show: Bluey

Awards won: Tennis - Ladies Singles Club Champs BPTC

Denise Leggett

Assistant Principal

Senior School

To students and families of the Mornington Senior School,

In the blink of an eye, we’ve reached the halfway point of this term. In the Senior School, we are getting really busy and our ATAR and Year 10 students may be starting to feel the pinch of studying for multiple assessments at once, while for our VM students, Applied Learning projects are in full swing. It’s great practice for the end of semester and end of year exams though where students study for multiple subjects at once.

Positive behaviour

This week I want to make some public shout outs to students in the senior school who have exhibited positive behaviours recognised by their teachers. Well done to the following students who have positively influenced their learning environment, have gone above and beyond or are just working really well. The below students are the top 10 in each year level by number of green posts.

Year 10

Year 11

Year 12

Next week I want to acknowledge all students in the senior school who are up to date with their work submission, so make sure to get your work completed, uploaded through Compass or marked off by your teacher (if a task is handed in). 

Edrolo update for VCE ATAR students

Some subjects in Year 11 and 12 have a learning enhancement that families are strongly encouraged to purchase based on the results seen by students with high usage of this program. The free access period has now closed and students who have yet to pay have been shut out of the system. 

For families to subscribe to this resource at the school negotiated rate of $35 per subject (reduced from $20 per month for one subject or $40 per month for all subjects for single subscribers), families need to login to Edrolo and organise a payment. A link to do this can be found under the ‘star’ menu in Compass. See below:

Study Tip of the week:

Study your calendar before your content. Map SACs, exams, and major deadlines first. Strategy beats panic.

What is coming up this term in the Senior School? 

Kind regards,

Nick Evans

Senior School Assistant Principal

Parent–Teacher Conferences – Bookings Now Open

Parent–Teacher Conferences are now open for booking on COMPASS. Interviews will be held in person on Tuesday 31 March from 11:00am to 6:00pm.

These meetings are an important opportunity to discuss your child’s progress, celebrate strengths and identify next steps for improvement. We encourage all families to take the time to connect with teachers and continue the strong partnership between home and school.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Excellence for Every Student – The Mornington Achievement Cycle

At Mornington Secondary College, excellence is not a single event — it is built through consistent daily effort, measured progress and recognised achievement. The graphic above outlines how our classroom learning connects directly to our recognition programs.

1. Topic Checklists ensure students complete essential classwork in every unit. 
2. Performance Tasks provide opportunities to demonstrate learning and achievement. 
3. Progress Checks, conducted each term, monitor student application and effort across all subjects. 

Together, these processes give students regular feedback and clear next steps.

Recognition follows learning. Endeavour and Excellence awards acknowledge outstanding effort and results in individual subjects. Students who consistently achieve at a high level may earn Gold Star or Strive recognition across a semester.

This cycle reflects our commitment to excellence for every student, in every class, every day — where daily effort leads to measurable growth and meaningful celebration.

Mike Parker

Assistant Principal - Curriculum and Student Wellbeing

Year 7 Students of the Week

Kade Lanyon

Favourite food: Tacos

Hobbies out of school: Footy and sport

What sports team do you follow? Melbourne Demons Footy Club

Favourite movie/TV show: Young Sheldon

Do you have any pets? A dog named Duke 

What are you excited for at Mornington Secondary College: Making new friends and the canteen

What do you enjoy most about being at Mornington Secondary College? Sport, friends and all the opportunities

What career do you wish to follow when you finish school? An AFL player 

What's one skill you have that makes you unique? My footy skills

Your greatest strength: Talking a lot

What three words best describe you? Kind, funny, energetic

Addison Pepperell

Favourite food: Pasta

Hobbies out of school: Gymnastics

What sports team do you follow? Essendon Bombers

Favourite movie/TV show: The Rookie

Do you have any pets?  No pets- I’d like a cat

What are you excited for at Mornington Secondary College: Opportunities and leadership

What do you enjoy most about being at Mornington Secondary College? All the people and activities

What career do you wish to follow when you finish school?  A designer

Your greatest strength: Adapting

What three words best describe you?  Funny, kind and collective

Year 9 Captains Announced

We are pleased to announce our Year 9 Student Leaders for the year ahead! Congratulations to Paula Arena and Charlotte Davies, who have been appointed as Year 9 Captains, along with Max Mathy, Elise Waring and Charli Christie as Vice Captains.

The Year 9 cohort was informed during this week's year-level assembly. Our student leaders are already full of ideas and enthusiasm and are eager to work alongside their peers to make Year 9 a positive, inclusive and engaging year for all.

Congratulations to all students on their leadership roles — we look forward to seeing the impact they will make throughout the year.

Sian Jones

Team Leader Year 9

Year 10 Student Spotlight

Ryder Kohn - Pre-Senior

What is your MSC Highlight: doing my engineering course, getting to learn new things and opportunities. I love how smooth and well looked after the pre senior class is, it’s such a good experience.

Favourite learning activity you have completed in class this year: I love all my classes. They are all engaging and I always look forward to be there ready to learn. The teachers make everything easy and always provide the right help when needed 

What are you most looking forward to in Year 10? Being able to have the chance to do TAFE and experience new things. The school cares and teachers make going through everything smooth as a dream.

What do you enjoy most about being at Mornington Secondary College? The new and exciting opportunities and being able to connect with everyone. All students and teachers are very kind and welcoming making moving or just starting school really easy and was a fun exciting.

Year 10 Outdoor and Environmental Studies Surfing Excursion

On Tuesday 24th February Year 10 Outdoor and Environmental Studies students went to YCW beach on Phillip Island for a surfing lesson. The conditions were not ideal for beginner surfers as the tide was quite far out and the waves were quite dumpy. The students made the most of the challenging conditions catching the whitewash of the broken waves. 

We had many levels of success with students surfing the waves on their stomachs, knees and hanging ten! There were also plenty of epic wipe-outs and faceplants which added to the adventure. We all agreed at the end of the session that surfing is challenging, fun, but also physically hard work! 

John Walker

Outdoor and Environmental Studies teacher

Year 12 Outdoor Education Point Nepean Historical Relationships Excursion

The Year 12 Outdoor Education students recently participated in their Historical Relationships excursion across the Mornington Peninsula. Students visited Pt Nepean National Park to explore the impact of colonisation and Australia’s military history, before heading to Sorrento Back Beach to reflect on the deep cultural connections of the Boonwurrung Country. The experience was especially meaningful as students explored and learned more about the rich history of the place they call home.

Madison Nicholls

Maths/OES Teacher

Real voices. Real experiences.

Watch the video below to hear directly from our families about their experiences at Mornington Secondary College. Real voices. Real experiences. A genuine glimpse into life at MSC.

See MSC Come to Life

Our community plays a vital role in sharing the story of Mornington Secondary College, and we invite all MSC families to help spread the word about our upcoming Open Night, taking place Wednesday 25 March, from 5.00–7.00pm, on site.

Help us spread the word with friends, relatives and neighbours who may be considering secondary school options and ensure the next wave of future MSC students doesn’t miss out — share the excitement and encourage them to join us at our upcoming Open Night.

Pre-registration is available via the button below. We look forward to welcoming both familiar and new faces to Open Night 2026.

Year 9 Cairns Camp Updates

It's not too late to join the Cairns Camp wait list!

If interested, please contact Year 9 leaders Sian Jones or Kim Rattue, prior to Tuesday 10th March.

Information Session: Year 9 Cairns Experience

Families of Year 9 students attending the Cairns Camp will have recently received an invitation via email for an Information Session.

Date: Monday March 2nd 2026

Time: 6pm to 6.30pm

Venue: Learning Centre, Year 9 building

Parents/guardians and students are invited to attend.

Production - Disney's High School Musical

Stay tuned for cast announcements, but if you want to be involved off-stage and assist backstage or be involved with props or set design, please see Miss Jeffs or Miss Healey for information on being a Production Crew Volunteer

Tickets will go on sale in the coming weeks. Be sure to keep an eye on our school communications for performance dates and ticket details.

We can’t wait to share this fantastic production with our school community!

Disney's High School Musical One-Act Edition

Licensed exclusively by Music Theatre International (Australasia)

All authorised performance materials are also supplied by Music Theatre International (Australasia)

www.mtishows.com.au

Success for MSC Students 

VIC State Championships - Life Saving Victoria

Last weekend MSC students Jay Turner and Ethan Neath-Saito represented Mornington Life Saving Club at the State Championships, held at Lorne.

Jay secured podium finishes in the following events:

• Gold in U14 Boys Beach Flags 
• Gold in U14 Boys Sprints 
• Bronze in U14/15 Mixed Beach Youth Relay

Ethan improved on his results from last year, making finals in multiple events and finishing:

• 4th in the Team Belt & Reel
• 5th in U14 Boys Individual Tube Rescue
• 8th in U14 Boys Individual Ironman, in a field of 40+ competitors.

Dandenong Southern Stingrays

The Dandenong Southern Stingrays compete in the AFL Talent Pathway Competition, the premier development competition and main recruitment pathway to the AFL. The program gives talented regional players the chance to compete at a high level while remaining close to home.

Congratulations to MSC students Darcy Irving, Rafa Merchan and Jack Duggan on their selection in the Dandenong Stingrays U16 Boys team.

The boys recently received their jumpers for the season in preparation for their upcoming practice match.

When: Saturday 14 March, 1:00pm

Versus: Gippsland Power

Where: Belvedere Reserve

We love sharing news of MSC success, both in and outside of school. Please share any exciting news with mornington.sc@education.vic.gov.au so we can spread the word to our broader MSC community.

School Tours

For families with primary school-aged children, doing a school tour is the perfect opportunity to give them the chance to see and hear everything MSC has to offer — first hand. 

Tours are held every Tuesday school day at 9.30am (duration is approximately 1 hour) and can be booked online on the below link or by calling the office on Ph. 5970 0200.

Don’t Miss a Moment at MSC!

Follow Mornington Secondary College on Facebook & Instagram for news, events, and more so you never miss a moment of your student's learning journey.

Community News & Opportunities

Mornington Lions Club Book Fair

Host a French Exchange Student: April Arrival

Southern Cross Cultural Exchange have French students arriving on 18 April for a 5‑month exchange and are seeking welcoming host families. Students attend a local high school and immerse themselves in Aussie school life while improving their English. Hosting can create lifelong friendships and future travel opportunities. Please ask about reimbursement to help with food costs.

For more information, please contact Heidi on 0478 543 600 or hhorne@studentexchange.org.au

Womindjeka Festival

To learn more or to reach out to us