Principal Team Report

Dear MSC Community,

Welcome to the mid-term edition of Links!

Semester One Awards assembly

On Monday 18 August, we held our awards assembly to recognise and celebrate all of our Semester One High Achievers and also to acknowledge and thank our Year 10 Peer Support Leaders for their work in smoothing the transition of our Year 7 students over their first semester at MC. The assembly was opened and closed by our MSC Show Band. An added highlight was our special guest, Mr Matt Gregg MP, the new federal member for the seat of Deakin.

Below is an excerpt from my principal's address:

It has been a while since we have gathered as a whole school – the power outage on 24th April unfortunately spoiled our ANZAC assembly preparation. So today becomes even more critical. It’s an exciting time of year, looking back on reports and successes from Semester One, and, having had course counselling and subject selection, looking forward with anticipation to new subjects and new challenges for 2026. In this assembly, we reflect on and celebrate academic success … a highlight for those to be recognised and awarded for their success, and a start to imagine where this success might lead. We want you all to strive for success in school the same way.

Our school community has achieved several successes this year, and especially in recent weeks, highlights being:

Whole school success: acknowledgement as one of the state’s most improved VCE performers;
Staff and community success: The announcement of funding for our Stage 2 STEM building – and a fabulous Science Week celebration last week – thanks Ms Pepper and team!
Team success: Our very positive Push Up challenge fundraiser;
Individual success: Amelia Ly’s scholarship to Salzburg in Austria;
Cohort success: Our Year 7s and Year 9s gaining very strong results in NAPLAN;
Program success: the NEVR Spotlight Concert, where the Showband debuted;
and of course, the school production of ‘Mamma Mia!’.

These seven highlights reflect the broad nature of our success, with many opportunities if you make the effort! Ultimately, what we should all be striving for is personal success on some level, and not just big successes, but also small ones, and not just academic ones, but also ones of attitude, or interaction, of being the best we can be in an all-round sense, as part of a community. It’s without doubt just as critical for school learning – simply learning how to interact as part of a community.

It means reflecting on what we don’t do well, and considering how we can do it better. And that can often require us to draw on one of our college values - courage. I spoke to Frau Halpin’s Year 7 D Challenge class last week about courage. The word "courage" originates from the Latin word "cor", or couer in French, meaning "heart". This Latin word evolved into the Old French "corage," which also referred to the heart, but encompassed emotions, spirit, and temperament. Ultimately, "courage" entered English through Middle English, retaining the sense of inner strength and bravery. Heart, of course, is also synonymous with grace and kindness. And that’s where I would like us to seek success also, by thinking about how you respond to and treat the other people around you, by:

Thinking before you comment – is it kind or hurtful?
Not getting drawn into poor behaviour just because others (especially your friends) are doing it;
Thinking before you post, comment or ‘like’ etc. Why do people post comments they would never be prepared to make directly to someone?
Always behaving appropriately, mindfully, kindly whether at school, in the community, wherever!

Our Year 7s and Year 8s will get a reminder of that this week as they undertake the Optus Digital Thumbprints program.

It’s appropriate here for me to refer to Miss Taglieri’s post about Bullying - No Way! Bullying No Way Week is Australia's key bullying prevention initiative for schools. It’s disappointing that it’s even needed, but that’s a reality. We will be running a targeted four-week bullying prevention campaign across the Junior School, because we know we are not immune here.

The theme for 2025 is 'Be bold. Be kind. Speak up.' It takes courage to spark change. Acting against bullying is everyone's responsibility. It takes a community to be brave and address bullying behaviours, within and beyond the school gate.

Students can be bold, kind and take a stand to support others being bullied. While parents and teachers are there to support children and young people learn how to behave in a positive way.

In our community and in our school, we want a place where everyone can belong, a place that celebrates everyone, and where bullying is never accepted. We're asking you, the students, along with teachers and support staff, your families, our whole community in fact, to be bold and say something, be kind and support someone, and be proud to take a stand against bullying.

So be prepared to have a little courage and start with yourself: change what you have to, seek some input, respond to the feedback, interact positively with others , challenge your own underperformance, find your thing – consider our broad range of performers celebrated on stage today and out in the foyer – take the time to look.

Everyone can make this their focus, either to improve themselves or to call it out in others. Let’s work on being our best selves. We set a very high expectation for you in all aspects of your schooling, your education, your future – we would be failing you if not.

I am proud and appreciative to be acknowledging and celebrating your achievements with you as college principal, on behalf of all college staff, especially your proud teachers. For subject awards, for Naplan, whatever – keep it up!

To our Peer Leaders I say thank-you and well done for your work as leaders in building our community by guiding our Year 7 students through their early days of transition to our place, Mullauna.

To our Year 12s – once again I challenge you. You now have less than one term of learning and preparation before the final assessments, VCAA exams and life beyond Mullauna. Your final English SAC is in two weeks – Oedipus! Now is the time to take a deep breath and focus, step up and recommit to yourself and your studies, regardless whether VCE or VM, and take it up another notch, in your own work in class and study at home, in study groups with peers, in Period 0s and after school, and in lessons and discussions with your teachers.

I wish all of you the very best for Semester Two and I look forward to celebrating your next achievements at the end of the year!

‘My first speech’ competition – Matt Gregg

Please refer to our Compass post for details of this competition.

Understanding the New Digital Media Ban for Under-16s

This week our Year 7–10 students were fortunate to take part in Digital Thumbprint sessions, exploring the challenges and opportunities of life online. A question that came up again and again was:

“What does the digital media ban for under-16s mean to me? And what will I be able to access?”

From 10 December 2025, new Australian federal laws will tighten age restrictions on popular platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube, among others. While most already require users to be 13, these changes will lift the minimum age to 16 years old.

The aim of this new law is to give young people breathing space—time to develop important life skills such as digital literacy, critical thinking, impulse control, and resilience before being exposed to the pressures of social media. Under the new law, age-restricted platforms will be required to:

Identify and deactivate accounts held by under-16s.
Block under-16s from creating new accounts.
Prevent workarounds that might bypass the restrictions.
Provide fair processes to correct errors so no one is excluded unfairly.

We understand this change may leave some young people feeling upset, worried, or frustrated. Some may even become more secretive about their online use. This is why open, supportive conversations at home are so important.

Tips for supporting your child through this change:

Lead with empathy and understanding.
Ask your child how they currently use social media.
Talk openly about the new law and what it means for them.
Explain that these changes are protections, not punishments.
Discuss the risks the law is designed to reduce, such as over-use, exposure to harmful content, and impacts on sleep, stress, and wellbeing.
Validate their feelings and reassure them they are not alone.
Explore safe alternatives together for staying connected with friends and expressing themselves.
Remind them they can always come to you or another trusted adult for support.

These changes are significant, but they also provide families and schools with an important opportunity to strengthen young people’s digital wellbeing and help them navigate online spaces more safely. Please find attached the link to the eSafey website which contains further information:

Socialmedia 'ban' or delay FAQ | eSafety Commissioner

Reminder - Comedy for a Cause

Don't forget to gather your friends and purchase tickets for our annual P&CA comedy night to raise funds for a most worthy cause – Mullauna's Wellbeing program! Please refer to the flyer attached for comedian bios and booking details.

Science Week - Lunchtime Activities – INSERT MPE’s wrap

Last week was Science Week! Thanks to Miriam Pepper (Head of Science & Technology) and her team. Our fabulous Science and Technology teachers ran special Science Week activities every lunchtime. Prizes were awarded at each activity for participation and also to competition winners. Judging by the numbers of enthusiastically engaged students at every event, it was a very successful week. We hope you enjoyed the daily quiz too!

Looking forward to 2026

Year 6 -7 Transition planning is in full swing, as this annual process gathers pace towards its culmination (for this year) on the State-wide Orientation Day on Tuesday 9 December. Our course counselling team has completed its work engaging with students and parents to make their subject selections for 2026. Many factors need to be taken into account when making these decisions, especially for Senior School subjects:

passions and interests
strengths and abilities
pathways plans and career goals
prerequisites for VCE and tertiary study

just to name a few. We are excited to be able to offer Units 3 & 4 VCE Literature and Specialist Maths in 2026.

School Events

Mullauna College has an ‘Excursion and Incursion Policy’ which states the following:

All parental consent and medical forms must be completed on Compass, or hard copies

signed and returned by the approval date stated on the event. This approval date is set as

three (3) school days prior to the actual event for school and event organisational reasons.

Permission to participate will not be granted on the day of the event. All families must be

given sufficient time to make payments for excursions/incursions. Parents are to be provided with permission forms and excursion information, via the Compass Event, clearly stating payment finalisation dates. Payment must be completed 10 days prior to departure. Children whose payment has not been finalised by the published deadline will not be allowed to attend the event. The college has a strict ‘no pay, no go’ policy. Staff have been advised that no student is to be taken on an excursion unless s/he has parental permission granted on the Compass Event or returned a completed Parent Consent Form and paid for the event according to the published deadline. Students who do not have permission will be removed from the event, so that they will appear on their normal class roll.

VCE Practice Exams – Week 1 of the September break

A reminder to all Unit 3-4 students that the college will again run compulsory practice exams in the first week of the September break. Ms Watson will publish more details soon.

It is critical that all students participate in order to gain valuable practice and to receive vital feedback for improvement from their teachers.

Year 12 VCE & VTAC Information Evening

Last Tuesday evening, Kim Watson, Nik Smith and Amanda Leahy delivered an informative program for current Year 12 students and their parents / carers in preparation for the challenges (and excitement) of the months ahead, culminating in the final exams and the wait for ATARs and the beginning of life after school! Rebecca spoke about how to keep fit and healthy for the study and exams ahead, Kim outlined the key dates and programs, and Nik covered key VTAC and VCAA dates and processes.

BUILDING UPDATES

Plans are now taking shape with the appointment of a builder imminent for the Stage 2 STEM Centre. We should find out shortly as the various builders go through the tender process in coming weeks.

In other news, major improvements are being made to various ramps in the college, including the front of the school and east of the Staff Centre. Significant improvements to the B Wing student toilets will be completed over this weekend. Tinkabell ELC has received new roof works to ensure they are weatherproof during wet and stormy weather. We look forward to the upcoming September holidays to take the opportunity for other school improvement works, including more painting, sanding and varnishing the D4 and D5 classroom hardwood floors, and placing more synthetic grass outside the stadium Year 10 locker bay.

Parent / Caregiver / Guardian Opinion Survey (PCGOS)

Thanks to the 50 families that have already responded! We're still aiming for 150+.

All Mullauna families have received an individual link and PIN (the Family A member) to this annual survey. The PCGOS is designed to assist schools in gaining an understanding of families’ perceptions of school climate, student behaviour, and student engagement. Our school will use the survey results to help inform and direct future school planning and improvement strategies, and will be presented to and discussed at: staff and leadership team meetings, school council and our new Parent Association.

All families are strongly encouraged to participate in the survey. Please call the college and ask to speak to a member of the principal team if you would like more information.

The Parent / Caregiver / Guardian Opinion Survey (PCGOS) closes on 18 September.

Progress Reports and Student Learning Conferences

Progress Reports are soon to be prepared and will be published on Wednesday 10 September. These reports will give parents and caregivers feedback on the learning progress and work habits that each student has displayed throughout the term. Parents and students will be able to track progress in the work habits, as these are now consistent across all reports. On Thursday 18 September, we will conduct our Student Learning Conferences to enable further discussion and elaboration on the feedback provided in the Progress Report.

The details for the Learning Conferences will be provided with the Progress Reports and on Compass.

Jeff McMillin, Michael Bray and Harry Ruff

The MSC Principal Team

Community

August 2025