This week at MNSC
NAPLAN tests for Year 7s and 9.
The testing window for NAPLAN this year is March 11 to March 26.
NAPLAN tests at secondary are now all conducted online. The online tests are much more engaging and ‘adaptive’ than the hard copy tests. The online tests are adaptive, which means the questions change depending on how the student is performing. This reduces stress for students.
We use the NAPLAN tests to inform our teaching and to do something called ‘triangulation.’ Any test for any student on any given day, is just that – their performance on that day. Triangulating data means that we have multiple data points which paint a much more holistic view of student performance. Other uses are, if student performance is high on NAPLAN but weaker in the classroom, that requires further investigation and vice versa. In the absence of NAPLAN and other testing, we often have an incomplete picture of student performance.
I urge parents to encourage students to do their best. We are all about everyone doing their best no matter the task. There are times in life when we have to sit ‘tests’, practising in low stake environments is critical in developing the skills of working under pressure – something that we all will experience throughout our lifetime. The NAPLAN tests are simply an opportunity to practice demonstrating knowledge and skills within a designated time frame. They are nothing to be afraid of.
Please note that parents and carers must formally ask for their student/s to be withdrawn in advance of the tests (we won’t withdraw on the day) and withdrawal is usually only granted for students with a disability. If you have any queries, please contact Ms Dauphin on 5667 9000. These are national tests set by our government, and individual schools cannot decide who sits the tests or not. We do provide accommodations for students who need additional support (like a quieter space) during the tests.
Attendance and Absences
If your child is absent from school please advise the school as soon as possible, you can log the absence via COMPASS, email keith.kerstjens@education.vic.gov.au (56679011) or call the school office on 5667 9000.
Important Dates
9th Mar Labour Day Public Holiday – NO School
19th Mar House Athletics Day
Contact Details Update
Important reminder if any of your details, for you or your student have changed please contact the office on 5667 9000, so they can be updated. Thank you.
CSEF Information
10c Recycling Program at Mirboo North Secondary College
Currently we are promoting the use of the new 10 cents recycling program at Mirboo North Secondary College where containers marked with the 10c recycling symbol are eligible for this program.
To recycle these items all you need to do is dispose of your eligible empty containers in the yellow wheely bins in the Agora and the basketball courts.
All funds raised through the recycling program will circulate back to the school and will be put towards new equipment for learning and sport.
By recycling your 10c containers your helping the school by keeping it cleaner and helping fund new equipment that you will use for your education.
Raiden Knabe
Year 9 Media Arts
Absent for School Photos ?
We just wanted to update you with Dates for families that will be away from your schools scheduled Photography date.
All the families need to do is email: catherine@gippslandschoolphotography.com.au and I will book it for you; families will all need to be booked in.
My studio is in Traralgon with plenty of parking and photos literally take 3 mins to complete. Students are welcome to come before their scheduled date also this is not a problem
Saturday Feb 28th & Thursday and Friday March 12th and 13th
Catherine
Gippsland School Photography
Science News
The Year 8 Science students are currently investigating electricity. Last week they were involved in experiments involving static electricity and got to play with a Van de Graaf generator which is an electrostatic device invented in 1929 by Robert Van de Graaf that uses a moving belt to accumulate electric charge on a hollow metal globe.
In Year 10 Science classes the students are studying genetics. Last week they kitted up in their science PPE and followed a quite complicated experiment to successfully extract DNA from numerous fruits and legumes. Many thanks to Michelle Dawson our wonderful Laboratory Technician for working really hard to gather all the equipment necessary for such complex experiments for the learning and enjoyment of our students.
Julie Jones
Maths and Science Teacher
School Polar Fleece Jumper Orders
Orders for the polar fleece jumper have opened and close on March 6th if you would like one, hopefully before the school holidays. Ordering is via QKR, the same app as ordering from the canteen. Click Here or download from Google Play Store or Apple App Store.
School preparations for the bushfire season
Each year, we undertake a range of activities to ensure the safety of our school and to prepare for bushfires and grassfires.
An important part of this process is communicating to parents what will happen when certain fire danger ratings are issued to help ensure the safety of students and staff.
Our school has been identified as being at risk of bushfire or grassfire and is a Category 3 school.
Our school will close on a day forecasted as Catastrophic fire danger rating in fire weather district - West Gippsland and South Gippsland fire districts.
Closure of the school due to a Catastrophic fire danger rating will be enacted when the Bureau of Meteorology forecast and related public safety messaging are confirmed. Due to uncertainties in the forecast, the timing of this confirmation may vary. Information regarding potential or confirmed Catastrophic fire danger days will be communicated to you by Facebook and Compass/email.
It is also important to be aware that:
- No one will be on site on days where the school is closed due to a forecast Catastrophic day.
- All bus routes that travel through the Catastrophic area will be cancelled.
- School camps will be cancelled if a Catastrophic fire danger rating day is forecast for fire weather district in which the camp is located, or if the travel involves passing through areas that have Catastrophic fire danger.
As part of preparing our school for the fire season, we have updated and completed our Emergency Management Plan and reprioritised any maintenance works that may assist in preparing for the threat of fire and cleared our facility’s grounds and gutters.
What can families and the school community do to help us prepare?
- Ensure we have your current contact details, including your mobile phone numbers.
- Keep in touch with us by reading our newsletters, checking our website www.mnsc.vic.edu.au and the school’s social media.
- Make sure your family’s bushfire survival plan is up-to-date and includes alternative care arrangements if our school is closed due to Catastrophic fire danger. Further information can be found on the CFA’s website.
- Action your family’s bushfire survival plan if your own triggers are met. Our school community may be spread out across many areas and some families may be at higher risk than others. Your family’s safety is critical, so please let us know if you are actioning your bushfire survival plan and if your children will be absent on these days.
- If your child is old enough, talk to them about bushfires and your family’s bushfire survival plan.
Families are encouraged to action their Bushfire Survival Plan on Catastrophic fire danger rating days in their district. The safest option is to leave the night before or early on the morning of the Catastrophic day. On such days, children should never be left at home alone or in the care of older children.
You can find more information on emergencies, warnings and preparedness actions here:
- VicEmergency app – that can be downloaded on your android and iOS mobile devices
- VicEmergency Hotline (1800 226 226)
- Website https://emergency.vic.gov.au
- Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/vicemergency)
- Twitter (https://twitter.com/vicemergency)
- ABC local radio, Sky News and other emergency broadcasters
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the department’s policy?
The Department of Education annually assesses the fire risk of all schools and early childhood services with the support of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). They are allocated a category of risk (categories 0 to 6). Schools and services that are Categories 0-3 are published on the Bushfire At-Risk Register (BARR).
The department’s Bushfire and Grassfire Preparedness Policy requires all schools and early childhood services on the BARR and the Category 4 List to close when a Catastrophic fire danger rating day is forecast in their fire weather district. All school bus routes which travel in or through a district with Catastrophic fire danger must also be cancelled.
The policy also requires that schools at the highest risk of bushfire (those in Categories 0, 1 and 2 of the Bushfire At-Risk Register) enact pre-emptive action plans based on the fire danger forecast for their Local Government Area (LGA).
Who issues fire danger forecasts?
The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) provides public fire danger rating forecasts each day of the fire danger period using fire weather district areas. In Victoria, there are 9 fire weather districts, which are based on Local Government Area boundaries.
The department uses these forecasts when supporting schools to enact their pre-emptive bushfire actions plans.
VCE MATHS Reminder
Students who are enrolled to study a VCE Mathematics subject need to have a TI-Nspire CAS calculator made by Texas Instruments. They can purchase new calculators from Office Works or online. They can also purchase second hand at a fraction of the price online.
Julie Jones
Maths and Science Teacher
School Bus Program
From 1 January 2026, free public transport was introduced for all Victorians aged 17 and under. As a result, ineligible (Farepayer) travellers approved for the School Bus Program will no longer be required to pay a term fare. The application process, assessment and all existing eligibility criteria for priority seating will remain in place.
Please contact Rachael during office hours on 5667 9000 should you require any further information.
Year 7 Art
Lisa Benn
Art Teacher
Year 7 Food Technology
“So far in Year 7 Food Technology we have made fruit salad, pizza, pancakes and baked potatoes with coleslaw! Learning about lots of healthy meals and snacks to make for themselves and their families.”
Mel Neill
Year 7 Food Technology
Arts Technology Faculty
What a great start to 2026!
The Arts Technology Faculty welcome Tristan Cross to the Technology department. Tristan brings years of experience to the Woodwork classroom and has motivated students with his passion for wood and materials. Here is the Year 10 Cabinet Making class ready to go!
Ms Kelly with Year 8 Visual Communication and Design class, learning about the design elements through the word association topic.
Mrs Borg with her Year 8 Visual Communication and Design class learning about the design field of messages through logos.
Mrs Benn with her Year 7 Art class learning about the colour wheel and how to use it to mix colours.
Mrs Scott our Food technology specialist is taking Year 10 Food Today and Year 12 Food studies creating appetising dishes for our students.
There are Year 7 and 8 Textile classes as well that are all making amazing projects.
For new Year 7 parents, we have an Art/Technology Exhibition in Term 4 where we showcase your students' work.
Thank you
Lisa Benn
Arts/Technology Coordinator
Australian Defence Force (ADF) Work Experience Opportunities – 2026
The Australian Defence Force is offering work experience programs across Victoria in 2026 for students aged 15–18 years.
These programs provide exposure to career pathways within the Navy, Army, Air Force and Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG), as well as broader roles within the Australian Public Service.
Confirmed programs and closing dates include:
Introduction to Navy – HMAS Cerberus (April 28–30) Applications close 15 March 2026Day program – students arrange their own transport.
STEM To The Rescue – Wantirna (June 22–26) Applications close 26 April 2026Day program – transport required.
Introduction to Navy Overnight – HMAS Cerberus (July 20–24) Applications close 17 May 2026Residential program – accommodation and meals provided.
Further programs including Army Familiarisation (Puckapunyal) and STEM Immersion (Fishermans Bend) are anticipated for June, October and November. Closing dates will be published once confirmed.
Students are responsible for transport for non-residential programs. Families are encouraged to review all details carefully before applying.
Applications are made directly through the Defence Careers website.
Geoff Williams
Careers
Senior School News
Just a few messages to share.
The Senior Team
Please feel free to contact anyone on the team, at any stage, if you need to talk to anyone about any issues, or if you have any questions or concerns throughout the year. The Senior School team consists of:
Petra Hopkins – Senior School Leading Teacher
Petra.Hopkins@education.vic.gov.au
Lachlan Davey – Senior School Coordinator
Lachlan.Davey@education.vic.gov.au
Rose Hill – Senior School Coordinator
Rosemary.Hill@education.vic.gov.au
Geoff Williams – Careers and VET
Geoff.Williams@education.vic.gov.au
Wellbeing Days and Skills Sessions
Due to feedback from past students, we now have a focus on providing sessions around topics such as stress management, coping strategies, using AI ethically, and incorporating and making digital calendars. We are also looking at running sessions on renting, exam techniques, how to purchase a car, how to find accommodation in the
city, and scholarships.
Year 11 VCE students will take part in Wellbeing days once per term. These will run all day, incorporating guest speakers and hands on activities. Wellbeing days are also about students having a chance to get to know each other, work together and learn to support each other. This is critical for students to gain the best possible outcome for Year 12. We will not be advertising the days, as we have found in the past, that students do not attend, as they believe they can take the day off. Attendance is crucial for these days and are part of the minimum of 90% attendance required.
On a Wednesday, we will start running skills sessions, which are also compulsory for students at school. They will only run for one period, maximum of two, if required.
Year 11 Camp
Camp details are now finalised. Final payment of $140.00 should become available on Compass on Monday. We have kept the payment as low as possible. Students will now be travelling by bus on both days, allowing a return to school on the Friday by 4pm. More information will follow soon. Please be aware that payments can not be refunded, as all bookings have been made.
Careers Newsletter
Mr Williams will start creating and releasing a regular careers newsletter soon. This newsletter informs students and families of important information and dates specific to the Senior School. The newsletter will be released via Compass and posted on the Senior School newsfeed.
Students are reminded and are encouraged to check Compass and their emails regularly to ensure that they do not miss out on any opportunities. If your student does not know how to access their emails or Compass, please encourage them to speak to Mrs Hopkins.
Likewise, as a parent we encourage you to access the Compass system for important information and updates, to report absences and be responsive to correspondence.
Edrolo
Edrolo payments are due. Students will be locked out of their accounts by the end of this month. The subjects that incorporate Edrolo into the curriculum use it as a hurdle task to allow students to satisfy their outcomes for the subject. Students may be at risk of failing their subjects without access to Edrolo.
Areas for Improvement
We would like to thank the support from families and students in regard to uniform (black shoes and shorts) and behaviour. Thank you to the students that come to class ready to learn, are in full school uniform, and show respect to others. Unfortunately, a small number of students still believe they have the right to be rude, use vulgar language, and behave in an inappropriate way, making other students and teachers feel uncomfortable. This is not acceptable and will not be tolerated.
In 2026 the Senior team will continue with lunchtime detentions, where the behaviour or incident involving a student will be discussed. A notification of a detention is now automatically sent home. Detentions appear on a student’s Compass feed, and parents/guardians/carers will be contacted for a meeting, where inappropriate behaviour continues.
Thank you for taking the time to read this information.
Senior School Team
Other News
