Message from our 

Campus Principal

What a fantastic start to the year at the Morwell Campus!

It has been a pleasure to welcome so many new faces into our community, especially our 2026 Year 7 cohort, who have already embraced campus life with enthusiasm and confidence. Our continued enrolment growth is a wonderful reflection of the strength of our programs and the supportive environment we provide. With five form groups now established across each year level, we are thrilled to offer even more opportunities for connection, learning and success for every student.

Staff Welcome 

We are very pleased to welcome a number of staff to our Morwell Campus team this year. Each brings valuable experience and expertise to our school community:

Erin Gruis – Assistant Principal

Melissa White - School Nurse

Lauren Answer – Admin: Campus Operations

Nicole Taylor – Learning Specialist

Poorni De Silva – Maths & Science Teacher

Kaitlin Everitt – English & Humanities Teacher

Shantal Kelly – Science Teacher

We look forward to the positive impact each of these staff members will have on our students throughout 2026.

Morwell Campus 2026 Leadership Team 

Our Campus Leadership structure for 2026 is as follows:

Dan Swallow – Campus Principal

Erin Gruis – Assistant Principal

Ross Johnson – Year 7 Team Leader

Elisse Burke – Year 8 Team Leader

Jeff Derkacs – Year 9 Team Leader

Sheryl Tangi – Year 10 Team Leader

Denise Cairnduff – Disability Inclusion Specialist

Sophie Taylor - Learning Specialist

Nicole Taylor – Learning Specialist

We are fortunate to have a strong and experienced leadership group guiding our work this year.

Student Leaders

We are proud to announce our student leaders for 2026.  Our leaders have been presented with their badges and will be recognised formally at a forthcoming assembly, followed by a leadership lunch.  We look forward to their contribution to the school community this year.

School Captains: Rahni Mzrygloski & Emily Matthews

Vice Captains: Emily Matthews & Karalyn Phillips

Student Leaders

Year 9: Ilah Wilson, Ashden Madex, Porcha Carranza & Jake Moyes

Year 8: Mikyla Malone, Amelia Sims, Matthew McLean & Bibi Gulab Jan

Year 7: Nada Ismail, Maleah Bertoli, Jaxon Macintosh & Savannah Hunter-Thain

NAPLAN 

Students in Years 7 and 9 will participate in NAPLAN from 11 March to 24 March.

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy provides valuable information about how students are progressing in reading, writing and numeracy against national standards. While NAPLAN represents only one snapshot of student learning, it helps families and schools understand areas of strength and areas for continued growth.

We encourage families to speak positively with their child about doing their best and approaching the assessment period with confidence. As always, we will schedule testing thoughtfully to minimise disruption and maintain access to regular classes and electives wherever possible.

Year 7 Welcome BBQ

Earlier this term, we held our Year 7 Welcome BBQ, and it was wonderful to see so many families in attendance. Events like this play an important role in strengthening the partnership between home and school, which we know is critical in supporting young people through their secondary years.

Thank you to all staff and students who assisted in organising the evening, and to our families for taking the time to attend and connect with our school community.

Student Collection Procedure 

Last year, we noticed an increase in the early collection of students, which can significantly interrupt teaching and learning in the classroom. While we understand that early collection is sometimes necessary, we are implementing a revised process to help minimise these disruptions.

Therefore, students will only be collected from class during a lesson time in the case of emergencies.

If you need to collect your child early, please contact the General Office in advance. Office staff are only able to make announcements during break times, so please ensure there is enough time for a message to reach our child.

• Recess: 10:40am – 11:00am
• Lunch: 1:05pm – 2:00pm

Alternatively, you may send a note with your child explaining the reason for their early departure.

Where possible, we ask that appointments and early pick-ups be scheduled during recess or lunchtime to avoid unnecessary interruptions to classroom learning.

If you do need to collect your child during lesson time due to an emergency, staff will of course assist you.

If you have any questions regarding student collection procedures, please contact the front office for further assistance.

Mobile Phone Expectations

A reminder to all families that Victorian Government policy requires mobile phones to be switched off and securely stored during the school day unless a student has an approved exemption.

Students may bring a phone to school; however, it must be turned off and locked in their locker from arrival (8:30am) until dismissal (2:45pm).

If a student is found using a phone during class time or at recess/lunch, the phone will be confiscated and held securely at reception. A parent or guardian will be required to collect it. This approach supports consistency and ensures our classrooms remain focused learning environments.

If students need to contact home during the day, they are encouraged to speak with a staff member, and arrangements can be made through the school office.

We appreciate your ongoing support in reinforcing these expectations.

E-Scooters

We have recently observed an increase in students travelling to school on electric scooters.

Families are reminded that many e-scooters are not legally permitted for use by minors under Victorian road regulations, and a number of devices exceed legal speed and power limits. There are also clear safety concerns regarding use on roads and footpaths surrounding the school.

As a result, e-scooters are not permitted on school grounds in 2026.

We thank families for supporting safe and legal travel arrangements for all students.

Mr Dan Swallow

Morwell Campus Principal