From the Principal

Good morning everyone, I hope you have had a wonderful week.

Our week at Mornington Secondary College has been a productive one:

Students have begun to complete the Attitudes to School survey. Students from Grade 4-12 complete this survey every year and the results are collated for each school to assist with planning for the next year.

Students in Year 9 have completed their Morrisby career profiling and will attend an online interview to analyse their results providing students with an indication of future career pathways. The results can also be used during course counselling.

Over 100 students represented the school in a School Sports Division cross country competition. Year 12 students had fun coming to school in their pyjamas and dressed in evening wear for the Year 12 Formal, held at Functions by the Bay in Frankston.

Today, staff are participating in professional development. Teaching staff focusing on Positive Classroom Management Strategies and Education Support staff are listening to June Weir from the Independent Office of School Dispute Resolution and then participating in staff wellbeing activities.

On a personal note, this week has been my last time teaching Year 7 Food Technology this Term. From next week, Shani Hodson will be taking over this position. 

This week the ‘2025–26 Victorian State Budget was released with a strong focus on cost-of-living relief for families, with approximately $2.3 billion allocated to targeted support measures. Other key areas of investment include health, early childhood education, transport and infrastructure.

In contrast, the school education sector largely maintains the status quo, with most programs receiving continued funding. Notable exceptions include the cessation of the School Savings Bonus and the conclusion of the Tutor Learning Initiative.

Key investments in the education sector aim to provide support for families through:

• Increases in the Camps, Sports and Excursion Funding (CSEF) to $400
• Free public transport for students under the age of 18 years
• Free kindergarten for three- and four-year-olds

Other key investment areas for education include:

Linda Stanton

Principal

Important Dates

Term 2 2025

May

May - Monday 26th  Year 7 and Year 10 Vaccinations

June

Jun - Monday 9th  King's Birthday public holiday, student free day

Jun - Tuesday 10th to Friday 13th  Year 7 to Year 10 PAT testing

Jun - Wednesday 11th to Thursday 19th  Year 10 and Year 11 Exams

Jun - Tuesday 17th  GAT Day for students studying VCE Units 3 and 4

Jun - Friday 20th  Report writing day, student free day

Jun - Monday 23rd  Semester 2 commences

Jun - Thursday 26th to Friday 27th  Year 12 Snow Camp - Mt Buller

July

Jul - Tuesday 1st  Course Information Evening for 2026 Year 9 to 12 students

Jul - Friday 4th  End of Term 2, 2.30pm dismissal

Middle School

Dear Parents and Carers,

Year 9 Morrisby Career Education 

The Department of Education gives every Victorian Government school student free access to the world-leading Morrisby online career education tool. Today our Year 9 students completed their Morrisby quizzes. Morrisby will use their answers to create a unique profile that:

• summarises their individual strengths and interests
• suggests related careers paths and study options.

Next: an interview will be set up between your child and a career consultant from the Australian Centre for Career Education. They will talk about how to understand and use Morrisby. It will help your child create a career action plan and think about options for senior school. 

Numeracy with Mrs Watchorn

Maths Challenge Hub is Wednesday J8 at lunchtime and Friday VX3 lunchtime with Mrs Watchorn. In the Maths Challenge group, students are currently participating in Melbourne University's Problem-Solving Program, where they develop critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills through an engaging Mathematical Research Challenge.

Students tackle open-ended problems using real mathematical techniques by gathering data, simplifying concepts, visualising solutions, and proving theories. Collaboration is encouraged, allowing students to build teamwork and critical reasoning skills. Those who prefer independent work can take on the challenge solo, exploring at their own pace. This challenge is all about mathematics and helping students deepen their understanding, sharpen their reasoning, and experience the thrill of solving complex problems! 

Thank you, Mrs Watchorn, for giving our students the opportunity to be part of this program!

YEAR 7 events

Week 6: Monday 26th of May Period 1 Year 7 vaccinations  

Week 7: Friday the 6th of June- PAT testing Period 1 (Literacy)

Week 8: Tuesday the 10th of June PAT testing Period 1 (Numeracy)

Week 9: Monday the 16th of June Year 7 Interschool Sport All Day (most year 7’s involved)

Week 9: Tuesday the 17th of June Werribee Zoo excursion- All Day

Week 10: Friday the 27th of June Celebration of 100 Days of Secondary College- Year 7 

Wishing our families a wonderful week

Warm Regards

Denise Leggett

Assistant Principal

Senior School

To students and families of the Mornington Senior School,

Year 12 Formal

The Year 12s had their formal on Thursday 22nd May at Functions By the Bay and a great time was had by all, including some staff who went above and beyond to attend and support their Year 12s in a somewhat different learning environment. Many Year 12s assured me they were going home to study and that if they appeared tired the next day it would be due to all of that study. Luckily for the students, Friday is a curriculum day where our staff have a full day of professional development. I would like to commend the efforts of the Year 12 students who looked fantastic and conducted themselves in the manner we expect from our Senior students. My thanks (and I’m sure that of the students) goes to Jo Reeman and Jo Dixon for their work putting the event together and ensuring it’s success. 

Overdue work tasks

I spoke last week about the end of Unit 3 and overdue learning tasks. While the vast majority of students are up-to-date, all students who have had overdue learning tasks have been given the opportunity to catch up and submit them. Students who have not managed to meet the requirements will have meetings in the coming weeks to discuss the impact and next steps.

With the end of Unit 1 approaching our Year 11s are undergoing a similar process. There will be opportunities for work to be completed (by opportunities I mean mandatory sessions 😉) to assist students in obtaining their ‘S’ but only students who complete all required tasks to a satisfactory level and have met the attendance requirements are guaranteed to achieve an ‘S’ result. I am hoping that will be 100% of the cohort.

Year 10 and 11 exam period

Preparations for the Year 10 and 11 exam period are well under way and I’m hoping to be able to share the exam navigator with students and families next week. Year 10 students will do an exam for each of their Semester 1 subjects except for students in the inaugural Pre-Senior program who will receive some correspondence from Jake Uhlenberg outlining their expectations during the exam period.

Our Year 11 ATAR students will complete an exam covering their Unit 1 key knowledge and skills. Our Year 11 VM students will take part in a presentation cycle where they present their progress from Semester 1 to a panel of teachers and peers during one day of the exam period. They will also be part of panels watching and providing feedback to some of their peers.

Key Senior School events

11th – 19th June (Wed – Thurs) – Year 10-11 exams and VCE VM Semester 1 presentations (year 11)

17th June (Tues) -VCAA GAT – all students studying a Year 12 VCE ATAR or VM subject required

20th June (Fri) – Report writing day (no classes)

23rd June (Mon) – Start of Semester 2 rotations (Years 7-11)

1st July (Tues) – Senior Pathways Course Information Night

4th July (Fri) – End of Term 2

Kind regards,

Nick Evans

Senior School Assistant Principal

Indigenous Student Get Together 

On Monday 19th May we had our first indigenous student get together for the Term.  This was a great opportunity for our students to get together and have a yarn around the fire at our Hands on Learning space. (There might have been a few marshmallows involved as well!)  Our students are getting ready to participate in the Koori Emerging Leaders in Schools program (KELIS) next week, hosted at Mt Eliza Secondary College. A special shout out to a bunch of friends who also came along to support our indigenous students.

Mike Parker

Assistant Principal - Curriculum and Student Wellbeing

Students of the Week

Year 7 William Heels 

Favourite food: Pizza 

Hobbies out of school: Swimming, running, going to the beach

What sports team do you follow? Richmond Tigers

Favourite TV show: The Rookie

Do you have any pets? No- I’d like a pet dog

What do you enjoy most about being at Mornington Secondary College? The sporting events- athletics, cross country, swimming carnival, and camp

What career do you wish to follow when you finish school? Maybe something in IT

Year 7 Aria Oakley

Favourite food: Chicken Kievs

Hobbies out of school: Horse riding and basketball

What sports team do you follow? Essendon Bombers

Favourite TV show: The Rookie

Do you have any pets? 2 Horses named Quin and Tyson and a dog named Boosh 

What do you enjoy most about being at Mornington Secondary College? Friends, the opportunities, the variety of subjects

What career do you wish to follow when you finish school? Horse riding

Year 8 Jake Lillecrapp        

Favourite food: Gluten free Churros

Hobbies out of school: Tennis, swimming, playing guitar and drums and going to the gym

What sports team do you follow? Richmond

Favourite TV show: Stranger Things

Do you have any pets? I have 2 dogs and a lizard. I have a golden retriever named Archie and a Golden Groodle named Chewbacca. My lizard is a bearded dragon and his name is Fred.

What do you enjoy most about being at Mornington Secondary College? All the extra curricula activities, clubs and Drum Corp. I am also enjoying Science at the moment and hanging out with my friends.

What career do you wish to follow when you finish school? Anything that pays well.

Year 8 Elise Waring        

Favourite food: Dumplings 

Hobbies out of school: Piano, reading and chilling out at home

What sports team do you follow? Richmond

Favourite TV show: Harry Potter

Do you have any pets?  have a Rottie/Staffy/Lab dog named Nando and a ginger cat named Archie.

What do you enjoy most about being at Mornington Secondary College? I love learning and the curriculum here.  I also enjoy hanging out with my friends. I also enjoy being part of the school production team.

What career do you wish to follow when you finish school? Dentist

Year 11 Lachlan Rossouw

Year 11 Harry Rossouw

Both students were outstanding on their Outdoor Education excursion. Harry and Lachlan excelled at wakeboarding and did all the jumps. They tested their ability and overcame any perceived risks.

New Staff Member

Hi, my name is Deb Gale.

I have been working for the Department of Education for over 20 years and am very much looking forward to becoming a part of the Mornington SC community as the First Aid coordinator, where I will be working 3 days each week - Mondays, Tuesdays & Wednesdays.

My husband and I moved to the Mornington Peninsula several years ago after enjoying our summers on the beach with family and friends. We have developed a strong connection to our community and the beautiful environment we call home. My hobbies include:  art, photography, hiking, travel & exploring new places.

I look forward to meeting you all over the course of the year.

Deb Gale

First Aide

Education Week

Our students continue to be local media stars. Below is a snippet of them on Mornington Peninsula Magazine social media this week.

On May 19th: ✨ Education Week Spotlight ✨At Mornington Secondary College, the Year 7 program is built on belonging, connection and academic excellence. With a dedicated Year 7 precinct and a strong focus on routine and relationships, students settle into secondary life feeling known, valued and confident. 💙Highlights like the Parent Meet and Greet, Grandparents’ Morning Tea and Neon Disco reflect the College’s commitment to community and wellbeing - balancing learning with meaningful experiences. 📚✨As MSC approaches 100 Days of Secondary School, the foundation for success is strong and growing. 

On May 20th: Mornington Peninsula Magazine celebrated Education Week with passionate students and dedicated teachers at Mornington Secondary College. Watch and hear what they have to say about what makes MSC such a special place to learn and grow. #SchoolPride #FutureLeaders #InspiringEducation

Also, for anyone who shops at Mount Martha IGA, please keep an eye out for us on their screens in-store.

Year 9 Team Sport - Go Karting & Laser Tag

On Thursday 15th May our Year 9 Team Sport elective students enjoyed an action packed day at Le Mans, involving full throttle fun with a 15 lap race around one of Le Mans race tracks and then three rounds of laser tag. Students raced and played for individual and team rankings.

The HPE elective Team Sports 9 provides students with the opportunity to engage in a variety of team sports and investigate their many aspects.

Grant Olarenshaw

Director of Teaching and Learning Excellence

Year 9 - Morrisby My Career Insights Program

On Thursday 22nd May our Year 9’s sat the Morrisby Career Profiling Assessment.  

This object of this assessment is to provide students with a measure of their innate/natural strengths so they can use this knowledge to help them choose subjects and careers that meet their natural abilities.  

The individual results from this will be shared with the students in June when they have a follow up one to one consultation with a Morrisby advisor.  

It is a great program and previous Year 9s have talked highly of the assessment and follow up. Well done to all the Year 9’s on how well they worked today.

Sian Jones

Team Leader Year 9

Year 10 Outdoor and Environmental Studies - Indoor Rock Climbing

On Monday 19th May the Year 10 Outdoor and Environmental Studies students challenged themselves at indoor rock-climbing at the Bayside Rock indoor rock-climbing centre. 

The students were fantastic working in groups of three with a climber, belayer and a safety person. The students in their groups checked each other to ensure that they were connected properly and remained focussed on learning how to climb and belay correctly. Students placed a significant amount of trust in their peers and were very supportive and encouraging of each other. It was terrific to see and hear great communication and teamwork with group members assisting the climber with advice on where to place their feet and hands. The students challenged themselves on harder climbs as their confidence developed throughout the session. The centre also had a tunnel system that students could challenge themselves to navigate through. The tunnels were very narrow with tight and twisty sections which made it exceptionally challenging. 

I was extremely impressed with the group’s ability to push themselves out of their comfort zone and really challenge themselves.

Mr Walker

OES Teacher

Year 11 English Cultural Immersion Day 

During Term 2 students in Year 11 English have been studying an Australian favourite, Looking For Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta. You may remember it yourself from the 90s, you watched the cult film, or you have read it recently with your child – regardless, it has something in it that everyone can relate to. It is a timeless story of growing up, choosing a future, connecting with family, strengthening relationships, building self-identity, understanding culture, appreciating traditions, and breaking free of expectations. 

One of the significant stories within the novel is that of migrating to Australia from Italy in the 1950s and the challenges and triumphs faced by those starting afresh in a new country and how this has shaped their family and the nation’s future. This led us to spend the day in the city exploring cultural connections and immigration over time in Melbourne. From catching the train into the city and through the city loop, to exploring the stalls of the Queen Victoria Market, we were immersed in multiculturalism and inspired by the stallholders’ stories of how their products relate to their heritage and the cultural connections that can be celebrated and experienced by us all now in this modern day and age. 

Students spent time interviewing stallholders from Deli's, Turkish Delight stand, Clothing stores, Cakes and Coffee brewers, Sweets and desserts, and other specialty items relevant to our study. Students purchased a range of items from Adidas jumpers, fake Rolex watches, jewellery, badges, pictures, and even a loaf of bread and a pineapple “because it was a bargain!” We then enjoyed lunch from around the world including Italian pizzas, Malaysian curries, Chinese noodles, Turkish kebabs, American donuts, English pancakes, and so much more! 

We then continued our journey to the Melbourne Immigration Museum where we participated in a guided session titled “Waves of Migration” exploring the movement of people from around the world to Melbourne and Australia. It was very clear to see that this global phenomenon was in fact very close to nearly every student in the room having near or far ancestors who migrated to Australia at some point as Immigrants or Refugees. Following this, we were able to explore the museum collection and try to pass the interactive “tests” imposed on migrants to enter the country across time depending on which Government was in power. 

Finally, we soaked in the excitement and history of Immigration Bridge that runs over the Yarra River at Southbank. The bridge was initially a railway bridge over a hundred years ago but is now a footbridge that boasts a glass bridge installation capturing migration data up to the 2001 census from every country imaginable to Melbourne. It was delightful to see students showing great interest and taking photographs in front of countries they have themselves migrated from or their 2nd, 3rd or 4th generations back have migrated from shaping who they are today. 

Overall, it was an inspiring and eye-opening experience in the city for the day. There was a buzz on the way home about the ease of travelling into the city and the abundance of cultures you can immerse yourself in through so many free and easy to access places and activities. Hopefully this helps enhance our understanding, respect and inclusion of all cultural backgrounds that shape our local and broader communities. 

Thanks to Year 11 English students for a great day out. It was a pleasure to take you along with Mrs Ganotis, Ms Jeffs, Dr Watkins and Mr Williams who gave up their time to plan, organise and attend this wonderful day. 

Jackie Lewis 

Literacy & English Leading Teacher

Year 12 Pyjama Day

On Tuesday 20th May our Year 12's held their Pyjama Dress Up Day. The event was dual purpose: super comfy for any Year 12s doing SACs and a great fundraiser for the MSC chosen charity HomeGround!

HomeGround, based in Tanti Park, champions the strengths of the local community and provides on-the-job training and employment pathways in Mornington Peninsula’s hospitality industry for local young people. HomeGround’s mission aligns strongly with Mornington Secondary Colleges’ core values of COMMUNITY, ACHIEVEMENT and RESPECT.

Mornington Primary School Athletics Carnival

Our Year 10 Sports Leadership class had the exciting opportunity to design and deliver a tailored program for the Prep to Year 2 students at the Mornington Primary School Athletics Carnival held on Friday the 16th of May . Traditionally, primary school athletics events focus on students in Years 3–6, so it was a privilege for our students to contribute to a program specifically created for the junior years.

The program featured a variety of novelty events, mini athletics challenges, and a house soccer competition, with each year level rotating through the different activities.

Our MSC students were exceptional in their roles, demonstrating strong leadership skills and a natural ability to engage with younger children. They delivered a fun and inclusive program, and it was clear from the smiles and energy on the day that the MPS students thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

I couldn’t have been prouder watching our students in action—clearly explaining activities, encouraging participation, and creating a positive, supportive environment for the younger children.

The MPS staff and parent helpers were incredibly impressed, with many commenting on the professionalism, enthusiasm, and maturity of our students.

A heartfelt thank-you to my Year 10 Sports Leadership class and all the MSC student helpers who contributed to making the day such a success. A special thank-you also to Kobi Lawson for your efforts in organising equipment and helping ensure the day ran smoothly.

Mrs Mackenzie

Year 7 Coordinator

VCE Biology - GTAC: Day of Immunology

On Wednesday 21st May our VCE Year 12 Biology students travelled to the Gene Technology Access Centre (GTAC) in Parkville for World Immunology Day. 

The excursion allowed our students to meet and work with accomplished local immunologists as well as hear from Associate Professor Sophie Valkenburg. It was a really fun day, full of learning, and an amazing opportunity for our VCE students studying Unit 3 Biology.

Jo Reeman

Team Leader Year 12

Hands on Learning

Our Hands on Learning students continued their progress on building garden beds and garden maintenance, and worked up an appetite for an outdoor oven roast lunch!

Victorian Secondary Schools Basketball Challenge

On Wednesday 21st May the MSC U20s Boys Basketball Team competed in the Victorian Secondary Schools Challenge (VSSC) at Jubilee Park. The VSSC is an open competition for all Secondary Schools throughout the state. Well done to our team who were competitive all day, but unfortunately did not progress to the next stage.

John Molino

Basketball Coach

Immunisation Program 2025

Please find attached important information from Mornington Peninsula Shire relating to the Year 7 and Year 10 Immunisation Program planned for Monday 26 May 2025. The letter details the Shire's request that the college sends parent contact details to them so they can follow-up any student who has missed their immunisation.

Please read carefully.

Please consent or decline for your child to take part in the Immunisation Program using the following links: 

Year 10 Immunisation 2025 Consent Link

Year 7 2025 Immunisation Consent Link

A help sheet from the Shire is attached.

Shellie Farnill

Education Support - Student Services

2025 Production - FROZEN JR

Tickets are available to purchase now!  Remember we have a sing-a-long session on our open night so you can join in the fun!

When:        Tuesday 5 August 2025 SING-A-LONG SESSION     7-8:30pm

                     Wednesday 6th and Thursday 7th August 2025     7-8:30pm

                     Saturday 9th August 2025     2-3:30pm

Location:   Performing Arts Theatre, 1051 Nepean Highway, Mornington Vic 3931

Tickets can be purchased via trybooking, on the below link.

School Saving Bonus reminder and allocation to school activities

The Victorian Government is delivering the School Saving Bonus (SSB) – a one-off support of $400 for eligible government school students from Prep to Year 12 in 2025. The SSB can be used for uniforms and textbooks until Monday 30 June 2025. Any funds already allocated to school activities do not expire.

To use any remaining SSB funds to cover the cost of school activities in July, please refer to the SSB online system and allocate the funds to school activities before 30 June 2025. 

Any unspent funds remaining on the portal after 30 June 2025, including online voucher amounts that have not been redeemed, will become a credit to use on school activities. However, the unallocated credit will not be available on your family account at our school until late July. 

To learn more about the SSB online system, download the step-by-step System guide for parents and carers or watch this School Saving Bonus video. System guide translations are also available in 14 languages.

The Department of Education’s SSB contact centre will remain available until 30 June 2025. After this date, please contact Erin.Dixon3@education.vic.gov.au for any SSB related questions. The contact centre can be reached by: 

• completing the School Saving Bonus enquiry form
• calling 1800 338 663, between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm on weekdays.

Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund

The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) helps eligible families to cover the costs of school trips, camps and sporting activities.

If you have a valid means-tested concession card, or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible. A special consideration category also exists for asylum seeker and refugee families. Means-tested concession cards must be valid on the first day of Term 1, 2025 (Tuesday 28 January 2025) or Term 2, 2025 (Tuesday 22 April 2025). A student aged 16 years and over who is considered a mature minor and holds a valid concession card is also eligible to apply.

Eligible families will receive a payment of $256 per year for secondary school students . The funds will be paid directly to the school to be used towards camps, sports and excursion costs for the benefit of your child.

If you would like to apply, please contact the school office on Ph. 5970 0200 and ask for an application form. Please return completed application forms to the school office as soon as possible.

National Reconciliation Week 2025

National Reconciliation Week 2025 will be held from Tuesday 27th May to Tuesday 3rd June. The theme this year, ‘Bridging now to next’, reflects ongoing connection (between past, present and future) and encourages us to move forward together, guided by past lessons to build a more united and respectful nation.

The start and end of National Reconciliation Week recognises 2 significant milestones: the successful 1967 referendum, and the High Court Mabo decision.

Compass Updates

There has recently been many updates to features on the Compass app for parents. Please find below a how-to-video to learn more on how to View Learning Tasks.

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