Principal Team Editorial
As we head into a well-deserved term break, it would be remiss of me not to take some time to reflect on some wonderful achievements over the past 9 weeks.
Mooroop Naming
We started the Term with a whole school assembly in the Mooroop gym where we officially named the four spaces after well-known aboriginal athletes and artists; Patty Mills Court 1, Ash Barty Court 2, the Rachel Maza Drama Studio and the Ella Halveka Dance Studio. We reflected on the meaning behind the name Mooroop which means ‘spirit’ and we celebrated the first ‘hoop in the Mooroop’ with Year 11 student, Jayvel Singh, sinking the very first basket. A highlight, for me, was having many of our parents and families in attendance to be part of the fun.
Moving forward, I extend an open invitation to our parent/carer community to attend whole school assemblies, as this is a great way for families to feel connected to our school and strengthen parent partnerships which we know are vital to improving student wellbeing and learning outcomes.
Curriculum & Pathways Information Evening
This Term we held our annual Curriculum & Pathways Info night which is a great opportunity for parents and their children to meet with teachers of all subjects and Learning Areas to ask questions and make informed decisions about pathways.
With over 70+ subjects at Year 9/10 and three pathways at VCE, the choices and decision-making can be overwhelming, and our info evening certainly helped families navigate these decisions. Impressively, we had a vast array of tertiary providers in attendance who were able to give students and families an even greater understanding of possible pathways beyond school.
Performing Arts
An absolute highlight of Term 3 was Chicago: Teen Edition with audiences blown away by the high standard of singing and dancing that our very talented students displayed.
Our Instrumental Music students also continued to impress, with our Symphonic Band taking out first place at the revered Royal South Street Eisteddfod for the second year in row and cementing our highly reputable Instrumental Music program as one of the best in government and non-governmental schools in Victoria.
Sport
On the sporting field, we dominated with a clean sweep of 3 from 3 carnival wins, taking out first place at Division Swimming, Athletics and Cross County. This is an incredible achievement and highlights the depth of sporting talent we have at Wantirna College. Furthermore, we had some outstanding individual and team achievements. Chloe Grund achieved first place at the State Cross Country Championships, and our Senior Girls AFL and Senior Boys Netball teams made it all the way to the State Finals.
Senior Ball
The Senior Ball was another highlight with a record number of 354 Year 10 and 11 students attending. It was a fabulous night with students dressing up in their best outfits and having a great time with their peers and teachers.
Book Week
The library celebrated Book Week with activities every day and students searching for teachers who had volunteered to read their favourite book somewhere in the yard. It was a fun week focused on fostering a love for reading – a lifelong skill that all students will need in their pathways beyond school.
Say No to Bullying
Our Say No to Bullying campaign was a big focus this Term, with whole-school surveys, student focus groups and classroom activities designed to better educate students about what bullying is and the power of calling out bullying behaviours.
iCan Challenge 2026
We launched our biannual iCan Challenge which will be bigger and better this time! In 2024, we raised 50K for the Good Friday Appeal by walking 50km along the bay, from St Kilda to Frankston. On 1st April 2026, we aim to raise over 100K with at least double the participants we had last year, and we invite interested parents who would like to join us on the walk to contact the school – we’d love to have you join the iCan Challenge team!
Practice Exams
And finally, our VCE Unit 4 students collected their massive pile of practice exams and are preparing to start an intensive study period with subject specific lectures, practice exams and revision classes. We wish them all the best as they embrace the final weeks of their schooling journey and encourage them to do their absolute best.
Next term, I look forward to hosting our Parent Forum, where I’ll be sharing some key data from our student, parent and staff surveys in addition to learning data which is compared to network, similar and state schools. It’s an opportunity to learn more about the key initiatives of the school, provide us with valuable feedback and meet other parents who are invested in their child’s educational future!
I wish everyone a safe and restful break.
Carrie Wallis
Principal