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Mentone Girls' Secondary College Newsletter
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School Council 

Introducing Tess McGeoch

Parent Representative on Council 

 

Hi everyone

 

I’m Tess, one of the parent representatives on School Council. I joined in April this year and have really enjoyed learning more about how the school operates.

 

Reviewing the Strategic Plan, school policies, and financial reports has given me insight into how much thought and care goes into supporting our students. Safe to say, our girls are in excellent hands!

 

Last month, School Council reviewed the proposed 2026 Budget. A key concern is that revenue from parent curriculum contributions has declined dramatically in recent years. This makes balancing the budget more challenging and may require spending cuts.

 

Schools are also limited in how and when they can request contributions. You can read more here: Parent Payments Policy

 

Contributions fund things government funding does not cover, including

 

  • Activities that make school fun, the Colour Run, intraschool competitions like Swimming and Athletics Carnivals and House Performance. 
  • Employing registered nurses in First Aid.
  • Qualified and experienced Social Workers attending to students’ wellbeing
  • Practical supplies provided to each individual student for science, art, food and textile technologies

  • Ongoing improvements to classrooms and specialist learning areas, including instrumental music, sport, art, technology, and science

     

Part of my role as a parent representative is simply to let you know what’s going on at school. Financial matters can be tricky to discuss, but transparency is important. Council wanted families to understand the situation and how contributions directly support your daughter’s education.

 

As you know, MGSC is truly special. As one of only six government girls’ schools in Victoria and the only one locally, it provides a unique, high-quality education tailored just for girls. For many of us, its outstanding reputation was a key factor in choosing MGSC for our daughters. Strong parent support ensures our girls can continue to enjoy the programs and opportunities that make MGSC exceptional.

 

If you’re able to contribute, your support directly helps sustain these programs. Please keep an eye out for parent contribution notifications this month.

 

Wishing everyone a fantastic final term.

 

Thanks

 

Tess McGeoch

Parent Representative, School Council