Business Manager's Report

Business Manager’s Report to the Community.

Sending out a warm welcome to our new Year 7 students and families, and to our wider community, Welcome Back.

Thank you to our Families for generously contributing to our Curriculum Contribution.

To provide greater transparency, this year we are sharing details about our collection rate for curriculum contributions with the school community. This information is important as it helps everyone understand the current context for school funding.

Since 2020, we have lowered the set target collection from 65% to 60%. At our current student numbers, this equates to $242,107. As of January 31, 2026, we have collected 26.53% of $403,512 (100% collection rate) and 44.21% of $242,107 (TARGET).

Before we discuss amounts and payment options, let’s address why we ask families for a Curriculum Contribution.

In 2026, the State Government's cash funding for each student is $544.00 per year. On average, each student spends 190 eligible days at school. The State Government contribution is $2.86 a day.

Here is an example of how these funds are spent or used daily. Let’s multiply $2.86 by 5 (weekdays – Mon-Fri), now we have $14.30 per student, per week. MSC students, on average, attend 5 classes a day over the week, for a total of 25 classes. When we divide the $14.30 by 25, that is an average of $0.57 per class that the State Government contributes towards resourcing each child’s education in the classroom. That is less than the cost of ONE single Pink Lady apple. 🍎

Now that we have clarified why we request contributions, here is the suggested amount for families:

Mullauna Secondary College Council has set the suggested contribution at $645.00 per student.

Am I able to pay contributions or voluntary payments in instalments?

Yes. You control the amount and schedule, paying via online banking (direct deposit or bPay), Compass, or in person at the general office with debit/credit card or cash.

“Chip Away”: Log in to Compass and make manageable payments toward the $645.00.

Direct Deposit: BSB 063 093, Account 10003691 (Commonwealth Bank).

bPay: Use your unique bPay code provided to each family.

In Person: Payment accepted Monday to Friday, 8:30 am – 4:00 pm, via Debit/Credit Card (not Amex) or cash.

To further clarify, you may have noticed the term “suggested” when referring to the curriculum contribution amount.

The $645.00 is suggested only; you decide your contribution amount, including partial payments.

Moving on, some families wonder whether additional subject costs, such as for Art, Science, or Food Technology, apply.

In short, no. For high-consumption subjects such as Art, Science, MakerSpace, and Food Technology, we are not requesting additional contributions from families.

Let’s now look at a special area: Year 9 Skillz@Mullauna.

For SkillZ@Mullauna, the school was previously able to apply for State Government grant funding. We have not received this grant since 2022. Recently, we had WheelTalk visit (don’t let me do all the talking, ask your child about it). The main component of the Skillz@Mullauna program is a combination of the guest speakers and the city experience. We re-evaluate this program annually based on student feedback, family contributions and cost of activities for the following year.

Your contributions are essential to keeping this program running. Thank you for your ongoing support.

As there are various types of school-related payments, let’s clarify the difference between an Opt In camp/excursion fee, a contribution, and the tax-deductible building fund donation.

Opt In: This is a payment to the school for instrumental music, interschool sport, excursions, and camps.

Instrumental music is an optional activity / instruction that your child/ren can undertake whilst at school. Family payments for instrumental music help fund instrumental music instructors.  

A budget is outlined for the specific purpose of the event, factoring in costs such as transport, entry fees and activities. We give families sufficient notice for camps and excursions; we also enter prearranged date payment plans for these events, allowing families to budget.

Contributions: This includes the curriculum contributions and voluntary donations to Friends of Music, Friends of STEM and Friends of the Arts. Contributions help the school financially manage consumable-rich programs, which give us the opportunity to purchase new and updated equipment, like 3D printers and virtual babies, and to offer lunchtime activities.

Tax-deductible Building Fund: Every donation of $2 or more is fully tax-deductible. We are bound by stringent guidelines when utilising the funds from the Building Fund. These can be used to maintain buildings, paint and repair physical brick-and-mortar buildings.

Feedback: We welcome feedback; please reach out to us at mullauna.sc@education.vic.gov.au