From the Principal

Dear Parents and Carers, Students and Community

A massive congratulations goes to our graduating Class of 2025 on the release of VCE results on Thursday 11th December. These results reflect not only the dedication, resilience and hard work of our students, but also the tireless commitment of our staff and the support of our families. We are incredibly proud of the achievements across the cohort. Some of the highlights include:

• Dux with an ATAR of 96.7
• An increase in our median study score to 28.00, reflecting consistent improvement across subjects
• 10% of all study scores above 37, demonstrating excellence across the cohort
• 40+ study scores achieved in nine different subject areas, including English, Food Technology, Health and Human Development, General Mathematics, Foundation Mathematics, Mathematical Methods, Psychology, Art Making & Exhibiting and Systems Engineering
• Over one-third of the cohort scoring in the top 30% of the state, a remarkable achievement for our students and our school community

These results represent more than numbers—they highlight the genuine growth, curiosity and academic determination of our students. We are confident the Class of 2025 will continue to thrive as they enter the next chapter of their lives.

On Tuesday 9th December , we had the pleasure of welcoming our 2026 Year 7 cohort as they came together for the first time. The energy in the school was incredible. As students arrived, you could sense a mixture of excitement, a few nerves and a great deal of curiosity about what lies ahead. By the end of the day, new friendships had formed, positive relationships with staff were beginning to develop, and the students left with a renewed sense of enthusiasm and confidence about joining the Mornington Secondary College community next year.

A heartfelt thank you goes to all staff involved in shaping such a welcoming Orientation Day. A special acknowledgement goes to our transition team – Denise Leggett, Evangeline Romage and Alex Mackenzie – for their organisation, insight and care in supporting our newest learners.

Throughout this week, our staff have been working collaboratively on advance planning—building, refining and updating curriculum resources to ensure a smooth and strong start to 2026. The commitment shown by our staff to continually improving teaching and learning is something that sets our school apart.

Semester 2 reports will be published via Compass on Monday afternoon. This earlier release responds directly to feedback from families and is designed to give students and parents more time to reflect on achievements, celebrate growth and discuss academic goals for the year ahead.

As we conclude another busy and successful school year, I would like to sincerely thank all students, staff, families and the wider Mornington Secondary College community for your ongoing support, partnership and positivity. Our collective efforts have made 2025 a year of strong outcomes, strengthened relationships and many proud moments.

I wish you all a very safe, joyful and Merry Christmas. May the holiday break be restful, enjoyable and filled with time spent with family and friends. We look forward to welcoming everyone back in 2026, refreshed and ready to strive for excellence and achieve your dreams.

Merry Christmas

Regards

Adam Slater

Acting Principal

Important Dates

Middle School

Dear families and carers,

The year has almost come to an end, and students are now enjoying Activities Week and the chance to connect with peers from other year levels. It has been a wonderful year across the school.

Our Year 7 students have embraced secondary school life and have proven to be a fantastic cohort of young people. Our Year 8 and Year 9 students continue to grow as confident members of our secondary community, and both cohorts have shown outstanding connectedness, effort, and commitment to their learning.

We are incredibly proud of all our students, and we are equally grateful to our teachers and staff, who work every day to ensure our young people feel engaged, supported, and happy at Mornington Secondary College.

I look forward to seeing you at our Presentation Evening, which is always a great celebration of student achievement and effort.

As promised, included are two easy recipes that you can make for Christmas. Enjoy and have a safe and happy Christmas!

Best wishes

Denise Leggett

Assistant Principal

Senior School

To students and families of the Mornington Senior School,

2025 VCE results release

VCE results were released on Thursday 11th December to our Year 12 students and as always, there were some fantastic stories. Students scoring in the high 90s and our students achieved their highest percentage of 37+ scores (top 15% in a subject across Victoria) since the pandemic. The median study score increased by a whole study score point from 2024 and after working with Kylie Lebrasse (Pathways leader), we have an increased percentage of students who will be guaranteed a university offer in their top few preferences.

While the media will continue to focus on the ATAR and Study Score results in schools, the most important outcome for any student, is the ‘what comes next’ part of their life.  Whether university, TAFE, apprenticeships, other training, gap years or full-time employment, the important outcome for every student is that they are equipped to face their next challenge.

We are so incredibly proud of the efforts of the class of 2025, including our ATAR, non-scored and VCE VM students and wish them all the best in their next chapter.

Have a great summer holiday with your families and friends, look after each other and I’ll see in 2026.

The Senior School team for 2025

I’d like to publicly thank the tireless work of the senior school team of 2025, who have dedicated their year to supporting students to achieve their personal best. The following staff have continued to make fantastic contributions to the students of Mornington SC.

• Year level leaders – Jo Reeman (12), Jasmine Keough (11) and Jake Uhlenberg (10)
• Year level coordinators - Jo Dixon (12), Mick Williams (11), Alex Malligan (10)
• Applied Learning Leader – Rebecca Slater and Kate Wilson (Head of VCE VM)
• Pathways team – Kylie Lebrasse and Fi Cornwall (VET coordinator)
• Senior School Education Support – Allison Betts
• All our fabulous Year 10-12 teaching staff
• The maintenance and facilities team led by Geraldine Carter for ensuring student learning spaces and surrounds were in the best condition they could be

Have a great holiday period and we look forward to see our students back in classes on Thursday 29th January.

Key Senior School Dates

Kind regards,

Nick Evans

Senior School Assistant Principal

End-of-Year Reports & Fast Forward Reflections

Reports will be released to families on Monday via Compass. We encourage parents and carers to take the time to review these together with your young person, celebrating strengths and identifying areas for continued growth as we move into 2026.

Our Fast Forward program has been a great success, giving students a valuable head start in their 2026 subjects. Staff have been impressed by the positive attitudes, the willingness to try new approaches, and the focus students have shown during these two weeks. This momentum sets a strong foundation for the year ahead.

As we wrap up a busy and rewarding year, we hope all students enjoy a well-earned break over summer. Rest, recharge, and return ready to build on the hard work already started.

Merry Christmas and a safe, happy holiday season.

Mike Parker

Assistant Principal - Curriculum and Student Wellbeing

Dux of Mornington Secondary College 2025

Congratulations to Asher Cooke, our Dux for 2025! Asher achieved an outstanding ATAR of 96.7 and plans to pursue further studies in Psychology.

We congratulate Asher on this exceptional accomplishment and wish them every success in their future studies and career.

Presentation Evening

Our annual Presentation Evening is a special occasion for our entire school community—staff, students, families, and invited community guests—to come together and celebrate the outstanding achievements of our students throughout the year.

The evening recognises excellence across academic pursuits, community involvement, service, leadership, and sporting achievements. Awards will be presented by teaching staff, and a number of scholarships will be awarded in partnership with Freemasons Mornington Lodge, Rotary Club of Mornington, the Lions Club of Mornington, Campion Books, PSW, and the Australian Defence Force Long Tan Leadership and Teamwork Award. We thank each of these groups for their generous support.

Families of students who will be recognised and celebrated on the night have been invited via email and we look forward to celebrating and acknowledging the hard work, dedication, and success of our students. 

Year 7-12 2026 Resource List: FREE DELIVERY DEADLINE CLOSING SOON

Campion is the school resource supplier for Mornington Secondary College. To receive first choice of school needs and FREE delivery, orders must be placed online by Wednesday 17th December 2025. Please find links to the Year 7-12 Resource lists at the bottom of this newsletter article. 

To order, please head to: https://order.campion.com.au/

Your school resource code: VVRH

Your order-by date is 17th December 2025

The How to Order flyer is below.

The Campion Parent Hub includes How to Order video & How to Order PDFs in 11 languages https://campion.com.au/parents/how-to-order/

Family help:

FAQs: https://campion.com.au/support-help/support/

Email help@campion.com.au

Tel 1300 433 982

SUBJECT LIST TIP: If you are unsure what subjects to buy resources for, simply log into Compass (parent acess) and click into the Payment Centre on your dashboard. There, you’ll be able to see your child’s allocated 2026 subjects.

Year 12 Retreat - Class of 2026

Last week, as part of our Fast Forward program, the Class of 2026 travelled to Alexandra Adventure Resort for their Year 12 Retreat.

It was an early start and a long drive, but well worth the journey. Students threw themselves into a range of activities, including the Flying Fox, Giant Swing, High Ropes, Archery and Canoeing. They also made the most of the warm weather by relaxing by the pool and enjoying some competitive Beach Volleyball and Gaga Ball.

Despite the heat, our new Year 12s embraced every challenge with enthusiasm. They stepped out of their comfort zones, supported one another, and gave their best effort in every activity.

On the final night, students competed in a lively and entertaining Trivia competition, which tested both their brain power and their stomachs with a series of food challenges. I’m still surprised they had room for more—especially given how well we were fed throughout the camp!

We wish all our students a wonderful Christmas break and look forward to working with them in the new year.

Jo Reeman

Team Leader Year 12

Year 7 2026 Orientation

This week we proudly welcomed our 2026 Year 7 students to Mornington Secondary College for a successful Orientation Day. The campus was filled with excitement as new friendships began to form and students enjoyed their first real taste of secondary school life.

From high-energy PE sessions and delicious Chocolate Truffles in Food Tech, to mind-stretching challenges in Science and Design Tech, Japanese language tasters, and the thrill of trying musical instruments for the first time, the day was bursting with opportunities to explore, learn and connect. A sunny BBQ lunch brought everyone together, rounding out a memorable start to their MSC journey.

We can’t wait to see this wonderful group continue to grow, learn and thrive at MSC in 2026 and beyond.

Evangeline Romage

Team Leader Year 7

Orientation Day

While we welcomed 2026 Year 7 new faces to MSC on Tuesday 9th December, our 2026 Year 8, 9 and 10s went offsite for one last fun excursion together.

2026 Year 8 - Gumbuya World

2026 Year 9 - Enchanted Maze & Tree Surfing

2026 Year 10 - Zootopia 2 Movie Day

Mornington Secondary College Values Award

 Congratulations, Harvey Dallwitz!

Harvey’s quiet determination, reliability and unwavering work ethic will make him an exceptional member of our school community. A true high achiever at his current primary school Benton Junior College, Harvey leads by example and consistently upholds Mornington Secondary College's core values of Achievement, Respect and Community.

We are proud to recognise Harvey as the recipient of this year’s Mornington Secondary College Values Award, and we look forward to his learning journey at MSC.

School Captains in Parliament

Well done 2025 MSC College Captain Ethan Barker!

It’s fantastic to see school leadership at Mornington Secondary College opening doors to unique opportunities.

This week Tom McIntosh MP was joined by Ethan Barker. As Tom mentioned "Eastern Victoria is full of young leaders already making their communities proud."

Head Start Sign Up Success

Congratulations to Andy Segrave who recently signed up and commenced his Head Start School-Based Apprenticeships (SBAT) with employer Elite Gas and Plumbing and is now completing his Certificate III in Plumbing. 

The Head Start program will support Andy as he embarks on his SBAT journey commencing his qualification certificate, attending work with his employer and also working towards completing his VCE VM studies at school. 

The Head Start team wish Andrew all the best as he pursues his chosen career pathway.

For further information about the Head Start program, please reach out to MSC Head Start Coordinator, Brett Murphy. And to learn more, click below.

Key Learning Areas Activity Week

For most of this week our Year 7-8 students have enjoyed a rotation of Key Learning Areas (KLA) activities.

In Science we had escape rooms. Abby, Elise, Max and Ava were the winners of the session, winning by a clear 6 minutes!

In Health and PE students had access to all things sporty!

In English, students and teachers went old school with board games.

Next week our students will enjoy Activities Week from Tuesday 16th December to Thursday 18th December. As this is our last newsletter for 2025, please keep an eye on our social media pages to see their adventures.

Wellbeing

Mount Martha Rotary Club BBQ

Mount Martha Rotary Club has been a long-standing supporter of the Mornington Secondary College Breakfast Club, generously providing funding each year to help keep this valuable program running for our students.

This year, Rotary invited MSC to assist at the Mornington Bunnings BBQ fundraiser, with proceeds directed back to the Breakfast Club. Abby, Ezekiel and Buster volunteered their time, chatting with community members about life at MSC while helping behind the counter.

Thanks to the success of this fundraiser, the Breakfast Club will continue operating in 2026.

Maddie Collinge

Student Wellbeing

Junior Rangers

This week we had our last Junior Ranges for 2025. It was a great celebration with food, music and nature. We were very privileged to have Uncle Yirrmal from Arnhem Land sing and story tell and Uncle Josh welcomed us to country with a smoking ceremony. 

A huge thanks you goes out to Bunurong Council and the Briars for providing our students with this amazing experience all year. We look forward to another year of learning culture in 2026. 

Mental Health Support - Holiday Break

Please find below a link for any student and families that may need mental health support over the school holidays.

Nicole Boland

Mental Health Practitioner

Sun Safety

Summer is here and this is your friendly reminder to Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek & Slide!

At a glance

• UV or ultraviolet radiation is a type of energy from the sun. It can be very harmful to your skin.
• If the UV Index Forecast is 3 or more, you should protect yourself from the sun. You can check the UV ratings on weather apps.
• Tanning is a form of sun damage you can see.
• Get in the habit of following the five SunSmart steps: slip on clothes, slop on sunscreen, slap on a hat, seek shade and slide on sunglasses.
• The ingredients in Australian sunscreen are safe.
• Speak to a qualified health worker if you have questions about sun safety – don't believe everything you read online.

Sun myth-busting: 

Myth one: A tan protects you from the sun

A tan is your body’s response to sun damage, but it’s not enough to protect you from the sun. Think about it this way: a tan is thought to give your body an SPF (Sun Protection Factor) of around 2 to 4, which is almost nothing. You can still get sunburnt even if you have a tan. Experts recommend using sunscreen with at least SPF50.

Myth two: You can't get sunburnt if you have darker skin

It’s true that people with darker skin have more melanin, and melanin absorbs some UV radiation from the sun. But this doesn't make those with darker skin immune to sun damage. Some people with darker skin might notice their skin flaking or feeling very sensitive after time in the sun, rather than sunburn. These are still signs of

damage.

Myth three: Sunscreen is worse for you than the sun

Scientists have proven beyond doubt that the sun causes cancer in humans. In contrast, there is no scientific evidence that sunscreens with ingredients approved for use in Australia cause cancer or other health problems. Australian sunscreens are regulated by the Therapeutic Goods Association (TGA) to make sure they are safe and work well.

Nicole Becker

School Nurse

Free Public Transport

From 1 January 2026, people aged under 18 can travel free on all Victorian public transport services using a new youth myki card. This includes trams, trains, buses and coach services.

To access free travel, they must tap the myki card on and off each time they travel. For areas that do not use myki cards, they must show their myki card to travel free.

For more information, and to register for a youth myki card, click on the below link.

For more information about other travel options to school, and support for eligible students, refer to the Travelling to school webpage on the Victorian Government website.

2026 Student Subjects and Contributions - Now Available on Compass

Families can view 2026 student subjects and pay contributions via Compass (Parent Access). To get started, simply log in and click into the Payment Centre on your Compass dashboard. There, you’ll be able to see your child’s allocated 2026 subjects and associated contributions.

Year Level Information

Years 7 & 8

Students in Years 7 and 8 will automatically be enrolled in all subjects listed in the 2026 booklist.

Year 9

All Year 9 students will study the below subjects, with their associated costs described as Classroom Materials:

Year 9 elective subjects can be viewed by checking your contributions in the Payment Centre.

Year 10

All Year 10 students will study English and Maths, with their associated costs described as Classroom Materials.

All additional Year 10 subjects and electives can be found under your contributions.

Years 11 & 12

All VCE/VET/VCAL subjects for Years 11 and 12 are listed within your contributions.

2026 Subject Contributions Parent Information Booklets can also be accessed anytime on our school website.

School Approved Padlocks - Available Now

School approved padlocks can now be ordered in the SHOP on Compass. Please refer to the visual guides below on where to find the SHOP; using the Compass app or using Compass in browser mode.

Please note that using the SHOP does attract a 20c order fee.

Reminder: Canteen orders can also be placed via Compass (as highlighted above). 

Rotary Mornington 54th Annual Art Show 

The Rotary Club of Mornington is proud to announce its 54th Annual Art Show to be held at the Peninsula Community Theatre, 91 Wilsons Rd, Mornington.

The 2026 Show will consist of a Physical and Virtual Show and runs between 10am-5pm from Friday 16th of January 2026 to Saturday 24th of January 2026, with a special Late Night Opening on Friday January 23 until 8pm. The Virtual Show closes on Monday 26th of January. 

The Mornington Art Show has grown to be one of the most prestigious and largest art shows in Victoria with over 750 high quality works of art from local and interstate artists available for sale. Feature artists Billy Nye and Nina Volk, well-known Melbourne artists, will be joined by artisans who will present examples of their work, including ceramics and sculptures. This year’s judges are renowned painter Clive Sinclair and Peninsula photographer Yanni. Art works from local students will also be on display, including pieces by MSC students.

More information can be found at https://morningtonartshow.com.au.

Community News & Opportunities

To learn more or to reach out to us