Principal's Report

Principal Report

Dear Families,

It’s been a busy and exciting time across the College as our Year 12 students have now commenced their final exams, which are progressing smoothly. We’re incredibly proud of the focus and maturity they’ve shown throughout this important period.

Our Year 12 Graduation Dinner will be held on Thursday, December 4th, providing a wonderful opportunity for students, families, and staff to come together and celebrate the end of their schooling journey.

This Friday, November 7th, marks the final day of formal Year 11 classes. These students will also be busy preparing for their exams, which begin on Monday, November 17th.

Across the rest of the College, students and staff are beginning to prepare for the end of the year. Planning is already well underway for our HeadStart program, which begins on Monday, November 24th, for students entering Years 7–12 in 2026. This program gives students a valuable chance to step into their 2026 classes, meet their new teachers, and get a head start on next year’s learning.

And we certainly haven’t forgotten about our new Prep students, who will begin their very first Transition Session on Friday, November 14th. This is always such a special time as our youngest learners take their first steps into school life - an exciting milestone for them and their families.

Mortlake College 2026 Presentation Ball

Our College Presentation Ball will be held on Friday, November 28th. Tickets are $10 each, and all families and community members are warmly invited to attend.

Our students have been busy practising their dances and are looking forward to showcasing their efforts on the night. It promises to be a wonderful celebration of their hard work and teamwork.

A huge thank you to Melissa Fowler for her outstanding coordination and dedication in organising this magnificent event for our students and families.

Moving to Compass in 2026

We’re excited to share that from the beginning of 2026, Mortlake P–12 College will be moving from Sentral to Compass as our new school management and communication platform.

Compass will provide a more modern, efficient, and family-friendly system that brings everything together in one place — attendance, reporting, student progress, events, and communication. It will make it easier for families to stay informed and engaged in their child’s learning, and for staff to manage day-to-day tasks more effectively.

Some of the key benefits of Compass include:• A simpler, more intuitive interface for families and staff• Instant notifications and messages to help parents stay up to date with school events and student information• Streamlined attendance and reporting, with improved access to student learning data• Mobile app access, making it easy to connect from anywhere

We’ll be providing information and support sessions for families early next year to help everyone get familiar with the new platform before it goes live.

This transition marks an exciting step forward for our school community as we continue to strengthen communication and partnerships between home and school.

School Council Update

Since our last newsletter, our School Council has met and discussed or endorsed the following:

Renewal of our funding contract with TheirCare.
Fundraising Policy.
A presentation on the possibility of adopting a Mortlake College School Animal Emblem (student designs and suggestions were presented to school council).
Changes to digital device use in the primary school (see additional information below).School Council has endorsed continuing with our current digital technology program (Year 3 2026– Year 6 2029). For 2026, the Council will continue to supplement the overall cost of student Chromebooks with a $200 subsidy, meaning the total cost to families will be $335.
Reports from the Principal, Finance, and Facilities sub-committees.
Parent Payment arrangements for 2026 were endorsed, with this information being forwarded to families this week.
A discussion on 2025 Parent Payments, noting that to date, payment has been received from 57% of families. This low percentage makes it difficult to run additional programs across the College.
Renewal of our current cleaning contract.
Update about our new school uniform supplier (Lowes), with all items being made available to families from the beginning of 2027. Uniform items can still be purchased from the school in the meantime.
An update on our transition from Sentral to Compass, our new school communication platform.
Approval of the Year 5–6 Camp for 2026, to be held in Melbourne from February 2nd to 4th.

Our next School Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 25th.

2026 Parent Payments

Information will be sent home shortly about our 2026 Parent Payments. These payments play an important role in supporting the College to deliver programs and resources that are not funded by the Department of Education.

For 2026, stationery will be supplied through Officeworks. A dedicated Parent Portal has been set up, allowing families to access our Business Account discount. When comparing previous stationery costs with the new Officeworks pricing, we’ve found that Officeworks is slightly cheaper across all subjects.

Families are welcome to purchase stationery elsewhere if they prefer, however, the Officeworks portal provides a simple and user-friendly way to select items by year level or subject and offers flexible payment options.

Additional information about our 2026 Parent Payments will be included in the pack sent home to families shortly.

Changes to Digital Device use in Primary Schools

On Thursday 16th October, the Department of Education announced upcoming changes to the use of digital devices in primary schools (Prep to Grade 6).

From 2027, schools will:

No longer ask families to buy or supply their own devices (such as iPads or laptops) for school use.
Follow new daily screen time limits — with very limited device use for Prep–Grade 2 students, and up to 90 minutes per day for Grades 3–6.

This means that, from 2027, schools will provide shared class sets of devices for students to use, rather than each child having their own. At this stage, we are still waiting on further details about how this initiative will be funded.

In the meantime, Mortlake College will continue in 2026 with our current digital technology program, where Year 3 students purchase a Chromebook to use from Year 3 through to Year 6. These upcoming changes will not impact current or 2026 students, as the new rules do not begin until 2027. The cost of student Chromebooks in 2026 will be $335 each.

We’ll continue to share updates with families as more information becomes available from the Department.

Finalising 2026 Student Enrolments

We are now finalising our planning for the 2026 school year. All Mortlake College 2026 Enrolment forms need to be returned by Wednesday November 5th. It’s important that all student enrolments are confirmed as soon as possible. Accurate enrolment numbers help us organise classes, allocate staff and resources, and ensure a smooth start to the new year for every student.

If you have not yet completed your child’s enrolment, or if your circumstances have recently changed (for example, if you are moving away from the area), please contact the school office at your earliest convenience.

Thank you for your support in helping us prepare for a successful 2026.

New School Uniform Update

We’re pleased to share some updates regarding our school uniform as we continue working to ensure consistency, comfort, and availability for all students.

Lowes will become our new uniform supplier for the black jackets and black shorts. They will also complete the artwork and design updates for the other uniform items in preparation to begin supplying families from Term 4, 2026.

As part of these updates:

The white and red polo shirts and jumpers will have a refreshed design.
The grey shorts will be removed from the uniform list.
The school dresses will remain the same as our current design.

We have received written confirmation from our supplier that the school dresses will arrive at school before Christmas, ensuring they are available and ready for 2026.

A letter will be sent home to families soon with full details about the upcoming changes and the transition process. There will also be a transition period to allow families plenty of time to move to the updated uniform.

We’re excited to see these updates take shape and appreciate your support as we make the transition smooth for all students.

Be Aware – Thunderstorm Asthma and Hay Fever Season

As we head into grass pollen season (October to December), it’s important for families to be aware of the increased risk of asthma, hay fever, and thunderstorm asthma.

Thunderstorm asthma can occur when high pollen levels mix with certain thunderstorm conditions. These tiny pollen particles can be inhaled deep into the lungs and may trigger severe asthma symptoms, even in people who have never experienced asthma before.

Those most at risk include:

People with asthma or a history of asthma
People with hay fever, especially if their symptoms are not well managed

If anyone experiences wheezing, shortness of breath, or chest tightness, follow asthma first aid immediately and call 000 in an emergency.

How Families Can Prepare

To help protect your child and reduce school absences:

Ensure your child has an up-to-date Asthma Action Plan or Hay Fever Treatment Plan from your GP or specialist.
Make sure your child’s reliever medication (puffer) and spacer is always available to them.
Stay informed by downloading the Vic Emergency app and creating a “watch zone” to receive thunderstorm asthma alerts and advice.
If your child has hay fever symptoms but no plan in place, now is a great time to book a GP visit for advice and treatment options.

Together, we can help keep our students safe and healthy throughout the spring season.

2026 Prep Transition Program

We are excited to welcome our newest learners through the Prep 2026 Transition Program, which will run on the following dates:

Friday, November 14
Friday, November 21
Friday, November 28
Friday, December 5
Tuesday, December 9

These transition sessions play an important role in preparing children for the exciting start of their school journey. They give our future Prep students the chance to explore their new learning spaces, meet their teachers and classmates, and begin building the routines and confidence that will support them in their first year.

By the time school begins in 2026, we are confident our Prep/Foundation students will feel familiar with their surroundings and ready for a smooth, positive start to their learning adventure.

Year 7-12 HeadStart Program

Our 2026 Year 7–12 students will begin the HeadStart Program on Monday, November 24. This two-week program is a key part of preparing students for the year ahead.

HeadStart offers students the opportunity to experience secondary school life, meet their teachers and classmates, and begin building the routines, relationships, and confidence that will support them in 2026. It also allows students to engage early with their new subjects, expectations, and learning environments before the school year officially begins.

We encourage all students to make the most of this valuable opportunity to ensure a smooth transition and a strong start to the 2026 school year.

Sun Smart Reminder

Just a reminder that we are a SunSmart school. It’s important that all students wear their school hats during outdoor activities and apply sunscreen as needed to protect themselves from harmful UV exposure.

We encourage families to support this by ensuring students bring a hat to school each day and understand the importance of sun protection during this time of year. Together, we can help keep our students safe and healthy while enjoying the outdoors.

Safety Reminder – Helmets on Bikes and Scooters

We have noticed that some students are arriving at school without wearing a helmet when riding their bike or scooter. Wearing a helmet is not only a legal requirement, but also one of the most important ways to protect against serious head injuries.

We ask all families to please remind their child about the importance of always wearing a properly fitted helmet when riding. By building safe habits now, we can help keep our students safe — on their way to and from school, and whenever they are out in the community.

Thank you for your continued support in helping us promote student safety and wellbeing at Mortlake College.

Important Upcoming Dates

Please continually check Sentral and the newsletter for important dates, student information and highlights of events.

Last Day of Year 11 Formal Classes: Friday November 7th
Primary Swimming Program: Starting Tuesday November 11th (6 Sessions)
2026 Prep Transition Begins: Friday November 14th
Year 11 Exams commence: Monday November 17th
Year 7-12 Head Start Program: Monday November 24th (Two Weeks)
Presentation Ball: Friday November 28th
2025 Primary Celebration Assembly: Wednesday December 3rd (In the GGC starting at 6pm)
Year 12 Graduation Dinner: Thursday December 4th
2025 Secondary Celebration Assembly/Presentation Night: Monday December 8th (in the GGC starting at 6pm)
Statewide Orientation Day: Tuesday December 9th
Primary Bike Education Program: Monder December 8th to Friday December 12th
Last Day of Formal Classes (all students): Tuesday December 16th
Last Day the School Office is Open: 4pm Friday December 19th

As always, thank you for your ongoing partnership. Please stay connected through Sentral and our school calendar for the latest updates. If you have any questions or feedback, don’t hesitate to reach out to the office or your child’s teacher.

Linda Mooseek

Mortlake P-12 College Principal