From the Principal

Dear families,

Last week we had International Teacher Day. We are so grateful for the ongoing commitment of our teachers to our students.

And we love seeing our students engage and learn new knowledge and develop new skills. The new Victorian Teaching and Learning model promotes explicit teaching so that the skill being taught is broken down into pieces to help develop the understanding. The other focus is students practicing and learning the work so that the information is retained and becomes automatic, which means moving from the working memory into the long term memory.

Our STAR Instructional model is a framework to support the chunking of the learning in every class. As you can hear, teaching and learning are always being updated as more evidence about learning and how we learn is studied.

Walking around and seeing students working hard in class, taking notes, and solving problems is a wonderful result of what is being taught.

Thank you to the families who have advised that they will attend our Remembrance Day service. We hold a special service at the college and pause as a school community to remember the service and sacrifice of our service men and women. We would love for you to come along.

Warm regards,

Denise Leggett

Acting Principal

Breaking News - 2026 College Captains

Congratulations to Emmerson Mellor, Noah Almond and Isobel Reed who have been appointed as our 2026 College Captains.

Important Dates

Middle School

Dear Parents and Carers,

I am very excited about the upcoming Year 7 and Year 8 Presentation Days! Our students are working hard to ensure they are ready to share their best work with you. These events are a wonderful opportunity for parents to see and hear their child talk about their learning and achievements across their subjects. You should have already received an invitation from your child — we look forward to welcoming you.

This week, we had the pleasure of visiting Mount Martha Primary School, and what a fabulous event it was! Our students shone brightly — both through their performances in the Flag and Drum Corps and our amazing Junior Aerobics Team. The Principal, Mrs. Karen Walker, was full of praise and admiration for our students’ enthusiasm and talent.

A special mention goes to Jackson Sweatman, one of our outstanding Year 8 students and a proud former Mount Martha Primary School student. Jackson spoke beautifully to the primary school cohort about “A Day in the Life of a Secondary Student” and will also be performing The Last Post at our upcoming Remembrance Day Service.

Wishing you all a wonderful week ahead.

Warm regards,

Denise Leggett

Acting Principal

Senior School

To students and families of the Mornington Senior School,

I hope you had a great Cup Day, and for our senior students who had a long weekend (except for some Year 12s who had exams on Monday) I hope it was productive time or at least a chance to recharge the batteries before the busy few weeks we have in front of us.

2026 Elective Allocations (9-12)

Student course allocations will be released this week. Students with subject clashes in Years 11 and 12 have already had some re-counselling and most have settled on alternative options. There are some students who may need to pick a subject or two if they’ve missed out on some of their electives due to clashes. Most of the remaining students this applies to are students moving into Year 10 in 2026 and we are trying to meet with them in the next week.

Subject Change Requests

The next window for subject changes will occur in the Fast Forward period from the 24th November, with students all expected to complete at least a week of schooling prior to any application for changes. We have a rigorous course counselling process which students have been through during this year so we expect a minimal number of subject change requests, and any applications will need to go through a series of steps.

Any changes will be requested through the relevant year level teams.
Any approved subject change applications will generally take place for the start of the 2026 school year and only if there is space in the relevant class and the change has been recommended by the Careers team (Year 11 and 12), the Year Level team and the relevant Assistant Principal.
In the case of VCE subject changes, students may be expected to complete the coursework from the fast forward program prior to being dismissed for the year. So, students may need to attend on Dec 8th and 9th to ensure they go into the holidays being up to date.

Year 10 and Year 11 Exam Period

The Year 10 and 11 exam timetable will be released shortly (the cloud-based software used to create it is having a temperamental week 😉). There will be an exam navigator released on Compass, which outlines the conditions for the exams, approved materials and of course, the exam schedule itself. In brief though, all Year 10 and 11 students are only expected to be on-site for their scheduled exams (in full school uniform). Year 11 ATAR students will have two days of SWOTVAC to be used to study for their exams. Year 11 VM students will be completing a presentation/interview during the exam period, and their schedule will be displayed on Compass. Students who miss an exam/interview will have it rescheduled and should provide medical certificates.

Key Senior School events for Term 4 2025

Kind regards,

Nick Evans

Senior School Assistant Principal

Supporting Student Success: Checking Overdue Learning Tasks on Compass

As we move through the term, it’s important that students stay on top of their learning tasks and deadlines. One of the most effective ways parents and carers can support this is by regularly checking Compass for any overdue tasks. Even a quick check once or twice a week can make a meaningful difference to your child’s progress and confidence at school.

Teachers use Compass to post learning tasks, due dates, assessment details, and results. When a task shows as overdue, it often means that the student may need a reminder, a bit of encouragement, or support in managing their time. Sometimes it may simply have been submitted but not yet marked. Either way, a calm conversation at home can help students stay organised and focused.

How you can help:

Log into Compass with your parent account and click on ‘Learning Tasks’ to view what is due or overdue.
Encourage your child to break larger tasks into smaller steps and set short work sessions at home.
If your child is unsure how to complete a task, encourage them to speak with their teacher early.
Celebrate improvements and effort – progress is just as important as results.

Staying up to date with learning tasks not only supports academic achievement but also builds responsibility, routine, and confidence. Thank you for your ongoing partnership in helping students achieve their best. Together, we can ensure that every student feels supported, prepared, and proud of their learning.

Celebrating STRIVE Award Achievements – Semester 2

We are very proud to announce that 265 students have achieved a STRIVE Award for Semester 2. These students have shown strong commitment to their learning through consistent effort, positive participation, and a determination to improve.

A particularly special acknowledgment goes to the 86 students who achieved a STRIVE Award for the first time this semester. This reflects genuine growth in their approach to learning and demonstrates that improvement is always possible with persistence and focus.

These achievements are a credit to the students, their teachers, and their families who support them each day.

Mike Parker

Assistant Principal - Curriculum and Student Wellbeing

Students of the Week

Year 7 Dakota Bartling

Favourite food: Sandwiches

Hobbies out of school: Boxing and Silks

What sports team do you follow? North Melbourne

Favourite movie/TV show: Outer Banks

Do you have any pets? 3 dogs, a guinea pig and 4 birds

What do you enjoy most about being at Mornington Secondary College? Seeing my friends & food tech

What career do you wish to follow when you finish school? Makeup artist or beauty therapist

Year 7 Blayde Donald

Favourite food: Fried chicken

Hobbies out of school: Art, scooter riding, Tech

What sports team do you follow? Brisbane Lions

Favourite movie/TV show: Sonic X

Do you have any pets? 3 dogs, 3 cats, 8 birds

What do you enjoy most about being at Mornington Secondary College? My friends, Drum Corps and Flags, and all the opportunities here

What career do you wish to follow when you finish school? Film and television

Year 8 Jasmin Morgan

Favourite food: Sushi

Hobbies out of school: Gym and shopping

What sports team do you follow? Geelong

Favourite TV show/movie: Gossip Girls

Do you have any pets? A border Collie named Maggie and a ragdoll cat named Patchy

What do you enjoy most about being at Mornington Secondary College? All the opportunities we are given, such as choosing subjects, and teachers helping me to become a better learner.

What career do you wish to follow when you finish school? A Lawyer

Year 8 Nikki Huebers

Favourite food: Spaghetti Bolognese

Hobbies out of school: Fishing, Go Karting

What sports team do you follow? Melbourne Storm

Favourite TV show/movie: Family Guy

Do you have any pets: Two Dogs (Luna and Daisy)

What do you enjoy most about being at Mornington Secondary College? Hanging out with my friends

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

Art Show

We are proud to celebrate and share the work of Semester 2 Art, Media, Photography & Textiles Year 7-10 students. Please join us on Wednesday November 19th, between 3.30-6pm in the Gallery in M Block. Click on the image to RSVP.

End Of Year Activities Week: 16th - 18th December

We still have some spots available for end of year activities week. The activities offer a range of off-site and on-site supervised fun in the wind down to school holidays, and include, but aren't limited to:

Tree Surfing at Enchanted Adventures,
Le Mans Go Karting and Laser Tag,
Learn to Surf at Phillip Island, and
Gravity Zone Jump and Laser Tag.

To view options and book tickets, please use the below link.

Book End of Year Activities Here

Bookings for the End of Year Activities Week close on Sunday 23rd November, unless sold out.

Emma Kirkos

Activities Week Co-ordinator

Travelling Roadshow - Mount Martha Primary School

On Friday, 31st October, Mornington Secondary College’s Travelling Roadshow hit the stage at Mount Martha Primary School — and what an incredible day it was! Our talented Aerobics Team and Drum Corps wowed the crowd with their high-energy performances, filling the hall with excitement, rhythm, and school spirit.

The primary school students absolutely loved it — clapping, drumming, and dancing along to every beat and move! It was wonderful to see so many smiling faces as our students showcased just a taste of the amazing programs and opportunities we offer here at MSC.

We couldn’t be prouder of our performers, who represented our college with such enthusiasm and professionalism. The Mount Martha leadership team, students, and families were all blown away by the energy and talent on display.

Alex Mackenzie

Year 7 Coordinator

Year 7

Food Technology -7C

7C did a great job last week cooking tomato and vegetable pasta with garlic bread. They worked really well in pairs, showing great teamwork and time management to get everything done in 60 minutes. It was great to see everyone sharing the cleaning duties and helping each other out. Well done, 7C! Delicious dishes all round today.

Shani Hodson

Food Technology Teacher

Year 7 Girls SMR Basketball

Friday October 31st saw our Year 7 girls travel to Dandenong to compete in the SMR Basketball Finals.

The girls first game against Clyde Secondary College was an even game with our girls going down by 1 point, 22-23. We had our chances but were not able to make our shots when it counted in the last minute of the game. The second game against Keysborough Secondary College Acacia Campus saw our girls take an easy win by 40 points, 51-11, with all the girls scoring in the game. Our final game was against Mentone Girls Secondary College. Again it was a close game, with our girls struggling to drive to the basket with Mentone’s zone defence and eventually going down 22-27.

It was a great day with our girls pulling together as a team, displaying excellent sportsmanship and all scoring in at least one game.

Kim Rattue

Year Level Coordinator 8

Year 7 and 8 Lunchtime Basketball 3x3 Competition

This week saw the first round of our Year 7 and Year 8 Lunchtime 3x3 Basketball Competition. With 6 teams entered in each year level, there was a great atmosphere in the stadium. There was fun had on the court between classmates and plenty of cheering from the side-lines.

John Walker

College Sport

Year 10

Year 10 Outdoor and Environmental Studies – Otway Ranges Hike

Wednesday 29th – Friday 31st October

The Year 10 Outdoor and Environmental Studies students recently completed a challenging and unforgettable three-day hike through the spectacular Otway Ranges National Park — the first 30 kilometres of the famous 100 km Great Ocean Walk.

Day one began with an early 7.00am departure from school and the long bus journey to Apollo Bay, complete with the usual Monash traffic. The energy on the bus was high, with Gus taking on the all-important role of DJ. Once we arrived at Apollo Bay, students grabbed their backpacks from the trailer before heading to the shops for lunch. I drove the bus to the Lighthouse, which was our final destination, before catching a pre-arranged taxi back to rendezvous with the group at Marengo.

The adventure started quickly, with the first koala spotted perched unusually on a timber marker just 20 minutes into the walk. Excitement levels rose further with a red-bellied black snake sunning itself on the track. A little further down the track an echidna was burrowed just off the track — soon joined by a tiger snake slithering down from a tree! The weather was perfect: clear blue skies and mild conditions made for ideal hiking. Stunning beaches with golden sands and rolling surf provided plenty of photo opportunities along the way.

Students showed incredible resilience carrying their heavy packs, setting a fast pace with no complaints. On arrival at Elliot Ridge campsite, they quickly set up tents and cooked their meals on Trangia’s. The evening brought more wildlife encounters, with koalas calling loudly through the night and even a fox spotted near camp. Students showed excellent self-sufficiency, boiling and purifying tank water for the next day’s journey.

Day two’s destination was Blanket Bay, a beautiful campsite tucked just behind the beach. With the track expected to be muddy, there was a morning scramble for walking sticks before setting off. The day’s hike passed through towering eucalypts, lush tree ferns, and mossy logs — a stunning mix of forest and coastal scenery. After reaching camp, tents were pitched swiftly before students explored the rock pools at low tide, discovering crabs and marine life. With an early start planned, everyone turned in early for a well-earned rest.

Day three began at first light with a beautiful sunrise and a special sight — a mother koala carrying her baby. Spirits were high as the group set off at 7.00am determined to make record time to the lighthouse. The descent to Parker Inlet provided a perfect team photo spot before taking on the formidable “Heartbreak Hill” — over 250 steps straight up from the beach. The teamwork displayed here was outstanding, with some students even returning down the hill to help others carry their packs.

After reaching the top, it was full steam ahead to the Cape Otway Lighthouse. Once there, packs were loaded, and students enjoyed the comfort of fresh clothes and well-earned snacks. The group stopped in Apollo Bay for lunch before tackling the winding roads back to Melbourne. Despite heavy traffic through the city, they arrived back at school right on time — tired but proud.

The students were exceptional throughout the hike: positive, adaptable, appreciative, supportive, and self-reliant. A huge thank you to Mr Olarenshaw and Miss Romage for their invaluable support, positivity, and care during the trip. It was an outstanding experience and a wonderful way to conclude the Year 10 OES journey.

John Walker

Outdoor and Environmental Studies Teacher

Year 10 Psychology & Forensics Crime Scene Investigation Performance Task

Last week the Year 10 Psychology & Forensics classes have been using their sleuthing skills to solve the mock murder in the Science Room. Using skills such as fake blood analysis, chromatography, and fingerprint dusting they eliminated potential suspects and pinpointed who the likely murderer was. Students enjoyed putting their skills to the test for our final performance task.

Josie Salter

Science Teacher

Year 10 Textiles

Our Year 10 Textiles students are working hard on their final submissions for the upcoming Art & Textiles Show. Their dedication to the subject has been amazing, with many students choosing to come in during lunchtimes and after school to perfect their denim garments. Their creativity, persistence and passion really shines through in their work. Make sure you add the date to your diary, 19th November, 3.30-6pm in the Gallery at M Bock, and come along to see their designs on display. It’s going to be a wonderful celebration of their effort and talent.

Shani Hodson

Food Technology Teacher

Victorian All Schools Track & Field Championships

The Victorian All Schools Track & Field Championships was recently held over two weekends at Lakeside Stadium, Albert Park, for secondary aged students (Under 14 – Under 20). Offering a combined opportunity for students from private and public schools alike, the Victorian All Schools Track & Field Championships provides athletes the chance to compete against one another in their preferred discipline. Athletes compete for personal bests, and the opportunity to represent their state at the Australian All Schools Track & Field Championships.

Ethan and Noah Sheen competed in the 1500m and 800m events.

Year 7-12 2026 Resource List

Campion is the school resource supplier for Mornington Secondary College. To receive first choice of school needs and FREE delivery, orders must be placed online by Wednesday 17th December 2025. Please find links to the Year 7-12 Resource lists at the bottom of this newsletter article. Note: 2026 subject confirmation for Year 9-12 will be communicated mid November, date to be confirmed.

To order, please head to: https://order.campion.com.au/

Your school resource code: VVRH

Your order-by date is 17th December 2025

The How to Order flyer is below.

The Campion Parent Hub includes How to Order video & How to Order PDFs in 11 languages https://campion.com.au/parents/how-to-order/

Family help:

FAQs: https://campion.com.au/support-help/support/

Email help@campion.com.au

Tel 1300 433 982

Year 7 2026 Resource List

Year 8 2026 Resource List

Year 9 2026 Resource List

Years 10-12 & VCE Voc Major Resource List 2026

2026 Aerobics Squad Sign Up

All current students interested in joining the Aerobics Squad in 2026 are invited to our Come & Try Session on Wednesday the 19th of November, from 3:15-4:30pm in the Herbie Gym. Please ensure you submit your interest through the below link prior to the session.

Aerobics Squad 2026 - Sign Up

Indie Jowett

Aerobics Squad Coach

Hands on Learning

HoL Friday October 31st

The HoL students continued using mortar to finish up the concrete block wall surrounding the new garden bed, and thank you to Mick in maintenance who gave us some valuable advice during the process. Below, we're proud to share photos of the produce we are currently growing; onions, garlic, thyme, lavender, parsley and a young orange tree.

When the rain came our indoors activities included preparing and cooking our usual breakfast and lunch and some special cheese and onion scrolls for the general staff.

A shout out to Mali Gleeson who consistently takes initiative and follows one of the “focus plans” by seeing a job that needs doing and does it, and thank you to Lachie Wells for teaching me how to cook eggs without breaking them!

HoL Wednesday November 5th

As we start to wind down at HoL the crew spent the day doing some basic maintenance, cooking and cleaning. Other activities included watching a movie, a game of cricket and pool fun. Souvlakis were on the menu for lunch and Evie Motherwell dazzled us with her artistic drawing skills.