Farewell Linda

Today we acknowledge and celebrate the outstanding career of Linda Stanton, whose contribution to education has left a lasting mark on countless students, staff and communities.

Throughout her time in educational leadership, Linda has remained steadfast in her belief that every young person deserves the opportunity to succeed. Her work has always been grounded in a deep understanding that schools are not just places of learning, but places of belonging, growth and possibility. Through her leadership, she has shaped environments where students feel supported and challenged to achieve their best.

Linda’s leadership has also been defined by her ability to guide the college through challenging and uncertain times. During periods such as the COVID-19 pandemic, she provided calm, clarity and direction, ensuring that the needs of students and staff remained at the centre of every decision. Her steady leadership helped maintain continuity of learning while preserving the strong sense of community that defines our college.

A key part of Linda’s legacy is the clear vision she has established for the college, alongside the development of our shared values of Respect, Community and Achievement. These are not just words, but principles that continue to shape our culture, guide our actions and set high expectations for all members of our community.

As she steps into the next chapter, we thank Linda for her unwavering dedication to education and to the communities she has served. Her career is one of genuine impact, and her influence will continue to be felt long after her time in the role.

On behalf of the entire college community, we wish Linda all the very best for the future and thank her for a remarkable career of service.

The Principal Team

Important Dates

Senior School

To students and families of the Mornington Senior School,

Just like that, and our first term for 2026 has concluded. It’s been a packed term for our senior school students but across the board there has been tremendous growth and achievement. For our Year 12 students there are only 5-6 weeks of Unit 3 left after the holidays, while our Year 10 and 11s have 6.5 - 7 weeks before mid-year exams. I’m proud of the attitude of the over-whelming majority of our senior school students and look forward to increased attendance in term 2 having a positive influence on the educational outcomes of those students.

I would like to acknowledge the work of all senior school staff (teachers and education support staff) while highlighting the work of the student managers and Applied Learning team:

• Jo Reeman & Jo Dixon at Year 12
• Jasmine Keough & Mick Williams at Year 11
• Jake Uhlenberg & Tyler Foreman at Year 10
• Bec Slater & Kate Wilson (Applied Learning)

The teams are supported brilliantly by our wonderful education support staff:

• Alli Betts (Senior School student services)
• Fi Cornwall (VET coordinator)
• Kylie Lebrasse (Careers Practitioner)

On a personal note (outside of senior school) I’d also like to thank Viv Collins (timetabler) for going above and beyond to ensure minimal impact to classes when we have staffing movement throughout the term.

Finally, I wanted to congratulate my Middle-school counterpart, Denise Leggett who retires after decades of service to both the education system itself but particularly to Mornington Secondary College and the Mornington community itself. Denise has shown so much care and compassion for the students (and their families) who have come through Mornington, while always maintaining high expectations and ensuring they are ready for their progression up into Senior School. Denise has been a fantastic colleague for me in my first few years as an Assistant Principal at MSC. I wish you all the best Denise and look forward to catching up and hearing about the many adventures to come. 

Students of the Month for March

Year 10

Deyvina Kanthan – in the words of Mr Foreman (Year 10 Coordinator), "Deyvina is a great student and was a huge help for the College on Open Night. She is a model student in and out of the classroom environment and always aspires to a high standard."

Amber Firth – A great student representing our Pre-Senior cohort well. Hard working and determined to have a go at everything and stay atop her work and learning, Amber leads by example.

Year 11

Natasha Adelia - Throughout the month of March, Natasha highlighted exceptional commitment to her VCE ATAR studies. She maintained her 100% attendance, whilst also displaying high levels of organisation and commitments to each of her subjects. Her teachers continuously identified her kindness and respect to others and her ongoing positive contributions to each class.

Ethan Sheen - Ethan is 1 of just 18 First Nation students from around Australia to make the Charles Perkins XI squad to compete at the Emerging Socceroos Championships in Sydney next month. What is also impressive is Ethan's ability to balance his sporting commitments and his school commitments. Ethan has maintained 100% attendance this year whilst consistently seeking to extend himself in the classroom by asking for feedback, working with others and contributing to a positive learning space. 

Year 12

Thomas Kernick & Anna Begley - Both students have amazing attendance, work fabulously in class, get their work in on time and are always working to do better. Anna is also part of the MSC Aerobics Squad, devoting time before and after-schools and juggling her studies with extra-curricular activities.

Getting ahead…

To our senior students, the upcoming holidays provide an important opportunity. While they are certainly a time to rest and recharge, they are also a chance to catch up if you’ve fallen behind, or to get ahead if you’re completing a VCE ATAR pathway.

Even something as simple as reading a chapter in advance can significantly strengthen your understanding of upcoming topics and place you in a stronger position for future SACs. Future you will be very grateful… even if current you would prefer another episode or a sleep-in.

So, by all means, enjoy the slower mornings and make the most of time with family and friends. Just remember, you are part of a state-wide cohort, and while they’re also enjoying their holidays, a few quiet wins now can give you an edge later.

Enjoy your well-earned break — you’ve earned it

Study Tip of the week:

Use active recall, not re-reading. Close the book. What can you remember?

What is coming up this term in the Senior School? 

Kind regards,

Nick Evans

Senior School Assistant Principal

Students of the Week

Koby Taylor Year 7

Favourite food: Tacos

Hobbies out of school: Boxing

What sports team do you follow? Geelong

Favourite movie/TV show: Jurassic Park

Do you have any pets? No pets - but I'd like a bearded dragon 

What are you excited for at Mornington Secondary College: Camp

What do you enjoy most about being at Mornington Secondary College? Design Technology and my friends

What career do you wish to follow when you finish school? To join the army

What's one skill you have that makes you unique? Kindness 

What three words best describe you? Kind, caring and funny   

Alyssa Priest Year 7

Favourite food: Sushi

Hobbies out of school: Dance

Favourite movie/TV show: Ginny and Georgia

Do you have any pets?  3 dogs named Millie, Jax and Luna

What are you excited for at Mornington Secondary College: Aerobics

What do you enjoy most about being at Mornington Secondary College? All my friends

What career do you wish to follow when you finish school? Maybe a marine biologist 

What's one skill you have that makes you unique? Dancing

What three words best describe you? Outgoing, friendly, energetic

Year 9 Assembly Awards

Congratulations to our Year 9 students who recently received awards for their efforts in Term 1 for categories such as:

• Class Star
• Determination
• Most Improved

Year 7 Beach Education Program – A Fantastic End to Term!

Our Year 7 students recently wrapped up the term with an exciting and educational Beach Education Program at the Mornington Lifesaving Club. This special experience provided students with the opportunity to step outside the classroom and engage in hands-on learning in a fun and dynamic coastal environment.

The program was designed to promote water safety awareness while equipping students with essential life skills. Throughout the day, students were introduced to basic First Aid and CPR techniques, gaining valuable knowledge that could one day help them respond confidently in emergency situations.

Students enthusiastically participated in a wide range of engaging activities, both in and out of the water. These included board paddling, rescue techniques, CPR practice, and a variety of beach and water games. Each activity was carefully structured to build confidence, teamwork, and an understanding of how to stay safe in aquatic environments.

The event was made possible through the expertise and support of the Mornington Lifesaving Club. Their experienced instructors ensured that students were safe, supported, and encouraged throughout the day.

It was wonderful to see our Year 7 cohort embrace new challenges, develop important skills, and most importantly, have fun together as a group. The Beach Education Program was a memorable way to conclude the term, leaving students with lasting knowledge and positive experiences by the sea.

We thank the Mornington Lifesaving Club for their professionalism and dedication, and we look forward to continuing to provide enriching opportunities like this for our students in the future.

Alex Mackenzie

Year 7 Coordinator

School Photos - That's a Wrap!

This week our Year 12s had their very last school photos taken!

Catch up and sibling photos also took place - and now photos for 2026 are complete!

By now all families should have received an email from Shellie Farnill (MSC Student Services) with their photo ordering code. Note: the email was only sent to the primary family for each student.

Step 1: Families use that code to register with Arthur Reed Photos.

Step 2: Once images are available to view in the webshop families will be notified by SMS and email.

Step 3: Orders of photos are mailed directly to the families by Arthur Reed Photos.  

For any enquiries, please contact Arthur Reed Photos Customer Service directly on customerservice@arphotos.com.au or telephone 5243 4390 (option 1).

Calling for Host Families - Japanese Visitors

ANZAC Day Tributes - Year 7 Drum Corp Members

Lucas Zarb: I drum on ANZAC Day in memory of Daryl Gardner Blannin‑Ferguson, who served with the 7th Battalion, Australian Infantry during World War I. He was killed in action on 8 May 1915 and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial in Turkey. 

Harley Gason: This ANZAC Day I will be marching for Clive Charles Stone. He was a sergeant in the Australian Imperial Force who fought in World War I. He died on 12 May 1917 in France and is remembered on the Villers‑Bretonneux Memorial for the soldiers with no known grave.

It means a lot to me to march for him, because I get to remember his service and the sacrifice he made for his country.

Sophie Taylor: I’m marching for Walter Richardson. He was a fisherman from Cowes who enlisted in 1915 and served at Gallipoli campaign. He later died of enteric fever in a military hospital in Birmingham on Christmas Day.

Today I want to remember his courage and honour him, and all the soldiers like him.

Koby Taylor: This ANZAC Day, I remember my great, great grandfather Albert George Farr. He was a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Pay Corps during World War I. I also remember my great grandfather John William Harwood, who served as a cook during World War II.

These relatives are from my Mum’s Dad’s side of the family. We haven’t been able to find much information about my dad’s side yet, but we are still trying to learn more.

I am representing all those who lost their lives and fought for our country. It is important to me to honour their memory and show respect for their service.

Antonio Jones: 

I’m marching today for Antonio Liccardo. He stood up for what he believed in and went to fight for his new country and our freedom. During the war, he faced many hardships, and like many soldiers, he lost friends.

I want to honour his bravery and remember the sacrifices he and others made for us.

Marisa Gicevski: I am marching for Roy F Stone. He was born on September 23rd, 1835, and is believed to have served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He later was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery.

I am representing all the people who fought in wars and sacrificed their lives so that we can live in a peaceful country today. It is important to me to honour their courage and remember what they did for us. 

Ashley Estcourt: I will be marching for Kenneth Trevor Estcourt. He served as a flying officer in the Royal New Zealand Air Force during World War II. He was part of No. 90 Squadron, flying operations in Europe. He died on 30 May 1943 at the age of 28 when his aircraft was shot down over France. He is buried at Cambrai (Route de Solesmes) Communal Cemetery in France.

I am representing him because he risked his life and died in the war. I want to honour his bravery and remember the sacrifices he made for others, so we can live in a more peaceful world today. One of the most important things to me is that we both share the last name Estcourt.

Cadence Liddle: I am marching for Ernest Victor Wild. He was born in Mornington, and a plaque has been placed in his honour on our Avenue of Honour. He served in the Australian Imperial Force during World War I and died on 19 July 1916 at just 18 years old.

It is important to me to respect those who died fighting for this country and to honour his sacrifice so we can live the way we do today.

Sima Barnikov: I am marching for those in my family who served their countries:

• My great‑great grandfather, Daniil Shunda, was born on 8 March 1921 and died in 2016 at the age of 94. He fought during World War II for the USSR and was awarded the Order of the Red Star and the Medal for Courage, which were honours given for bravery in the Soviet Army.
• My other great‑great grandfather, Antonenko Anton, was killed in the conflicts between the Soviet Union and Japan on the border in 1939, a series of clashes that were part of the lead‑up to World War II.

It feels important to me to respect those who died fighting for peace, freedom and the safety of others.

Isabella Kendall: I am marching for Philip Mervyn Maunsell Townsend. He grew up in Mornington and was a teenage merchant‑navy cadet during World War I. He served aboard the SS Aparima, which was torpedoed by a German submarine in the English Channel on 19 November 1917. He was only 16 years old when he was killed.

I am representing the young fallen sailors and soldiers who died during the war. It feels important to me to honour their courage and sacrifice so we can live in peace today.

Congratulations to new SBAT Student - Cassidy McCubbin 

Congratulations to Cassidy McCubbin (Year 12) who signed up and commenced her Head Start school-based apprenticeships (SBAT) with employer Mercedes Mornington and Plumbing on 28.01.2026 and is now completing her Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology.

MSC and the Head Start program will support Cassidy as she embarks on her SBAT journey commencing her qualification certificate, attending work with her employer, and also working towards completing her VCE VM studies at Mornington Secondary College.

The Head Start team wish Cassidy all the best as she pursues her chosen career pathway.

For further information about the Head Start program, please see the website and short video:

http://www.vic.gov.au/headstart 

About Head Start – 3 minute video

Brett Murphy

Head Start Coordinator

Success for MSC Students 

On behalf of Mornington Secondary College, we would like to recognise the achievement and congratulate Ethan Sheen (MSC Year 11) on his selection into the First Nations Charles Perkins XI squad for the Emerging Socceroos Championships. Ethan is 1 of 18 First Nations footballers from around Australia selected to play in the Boys U15 & U16 championships that are being played in Sydney from 18th – 24 April. This is very exciting news, and we wish Ethan every success. 

John Walker

College Sport Coordinator

Schools Mountain Bike Race 

Schools Mountain Bike Race is an AusCycling sanctioned event hosted by the Red Hill Riders MTB Club, and will be held in Dromana on Sunday 3rd of May. 

This is the first of a series of races where both Primary and Secondary School aged children can race Mountain Bikes on the Mountain Bike specific track around Dromana College. 

AusCycling has registered Mountain Biking with School Sports Victoria, however students will need to enter individually for this event using the Entryboss entry system.

Entries for Round 1 at Dromana are now open.

More information can be found here: https://entryboss.cc/races/29984

Students race representing their school for both individual places, and an overall Schools Trophy. Every entrant earns points for their school which will be totalled at the end of the series.

Attendance Notes – Friendly Reminder

Please ensure you select the correct reason when submitting an Attendance Note:

• Medical or illness: Student is unwell (physical or mental health), injured, in hospital, managing a chronic condition, experiencing menstrual/pelvic pain, or receiving treatment (e.g. head lice).
• Healthcare appointment (off-site): Student is attending a medical, dental, allied health, counselling, or NDIS appointment.
• Bereavement: Student is absent due to the death of a family member or friend, including attending a funeral.
• Sorry Business: Student is absent for cultural obligations related to grief or loss within the Koorie community.
• Truancy (off-site): Student is absent without permission; parent/carer may be unaware or does not approve.
• Extended family holiday: Student is on an approved family holiday (principal approval required; learning plan considered).
• Religious or cultural observance: Student is absent for a recognised religious or cultural reason.
• Parent choice (school unapproved): Student is absent for reasons not approved by the school (e.g. shopping, visiting friends), unapproved travel, private tutoring not arranged by the school, or family business commitments.

Accurate attendance records are essential for meeting school requirements and supporting student wellbeing and progress—especially for senior students, where attendance percentages matter.

We’ve noticed an increase in incorrect selections and ask families to take a moment to choose the most appropriate reason. Thank you for your support.

Wellbeing

Junior Rangers

This week at Junior Rangers we visited the Briars, where students began the day walking along the boardwalk to collect swamp bark trees to continue making tools. Uncle Josh showed students the difference between the trees and what to look for to use to make the tools. Afterwards, students began working on their possum pelts & tools. Possum pelts are traditionally used to tell one’s life story; by drawing symbols and pictures that tell their story so far, and align with what part of country they’re from. 

Throughout the day Uncle Josh described the importance of Nga Wak Biik- connecting and listening to one’s country. Through discussing murrup, which refers to one’s connection to spirit, students learnt about connecting to country & Mother Nature, and how it will help them stay true to who they are, and free from negative influences in society.

Maddy Collinge

Student Wellbeing

Don’t Miss a Moment at MSC!

Follow Mornington Secondary College on Facebook & Instagram for news, events, and more so you never miss a moment of your student's learning journey.

Community News & Opportunities

Mornington Lions Club Book Fair

Songwriting Program for Your Students - April School Holidays (Mornington)

APRA AMCOS’ SongMakers program will be delivered locally in Mornington:

• Youth Hub, Wilsons Road, Mornington

• Wednesday April 8 & Thursday April 9

SongMakers is a nationally respected program that gives young music-makers the opportunity to write and record an original song from scratch over two days, guided by professional songwriters and producers.

Key details:

• Free to attend
• Includes free lunch both days
• Open to students aged 16-21
• No cost to schools or participants

This is an excellent extension opportunity for students interested in:

• Song writing and composition
• Contemporary music performance
• Music production and collaboration

It also aligns strongly with VCE Music pathways and supports students looking to build confidence, creative skills, and industry awareness.

Places are limited, so early registration is encouraged.

Register: https://bit.ly/4sdv5RD

Mayor's Short Story Writing Awards - Entries open

Entries for the Mayor’s Short Story Writing Awards opened March 30 and close midnight June 30. The competition is in its sixth year with generous prizes! It is a great opportunity for young writers on the Mornington Peninsula.

There are 3 categories:

• 8-12 Years (500 words, $500 prize + bookstore vouchers + excerpt of story published in MP Magazine)
• 13-17 Years (1000 words, $800 prize + bookstore vouchers + excerpt of story published in MP Magazine)
• 18+ Years (2000 words, $2000 prize + bookstore voucher + Police Point Artist Residency + excerpt of story published in MP Magazine)

Farrells Bookshop - Story Writing Competition 2026

• This year’s writing inspiration is a sentence prompt to be included in all entries: “The sound became louder & I realised it was…”

• For senior secondary students we are very happy to accept writing pieces that have been prepared for other assessments but need them to be reworked to ensure the sentence prompt is incorporated.  
• All entries must meet the Entry Guidelines. Full details can be found on our website: https://www.farrells.com.au/2025-kids-story-writing-competition/
• Shortlisted entries will be notified in early August ahead of our Winners Announcement Event with special guest author Fiona Wood in store Saturday 22 August at 3pm. There will be Farrells Book Vouchers up for grabs as prizes and winning entries will be published on our website. We look forward to lots of entrants from all year levels, so please feel free to spread the word to all teachers at your school. We have included an asset folder with an entry form and poster for your use if helpful.

Key Dates: 

• Individual entries close: Sunday 26 July 
• Shortlist Entries notified: Friday 7 August 
• CBW Event: Saturday 22 August Visit from author, Fiona Wood, with winners’ announcement and awards presentation. 
• Winning Entries Published: Monday 24 August All winning entries published on our website. 

To learn more or to reach out to us