From the Principal

Good morning everyone, planning for the 2026 school year continues to consume many. Decisions will be made regarding the subjects that will run based on student numbers. Some students may need to use their second or third preferences.

Yesterday, Tom McIntosh MP spoke to the senior students. His message was ‘to speak to local MPs about issues they have that may better the community. Change begins with one person raising awareness’. Tom asked our students about what was important to them. The questions asked by the students were of extremely high quality. Tom did comment afterwards about the questions our students asked and said, ‘The questions they raised I would have expected coming from people 10-15 years their senior’. They raised concerns from pollution, taxes, housing, NDIS, homeland security and climate change.

This week we also saw more than 60 students join the Travelling Roadshow and performed before the students and staff at Benton Junior College. The Drum Corps and Aerobics teams took centre stage and had a wonderful time. Osborne Primary here we come.

Thankyou for your support. Have a wonderful week.

Linda Stanton

Principal

Important Dates

Term 3 2025

Middle School

Dear parents and carers,

Another busy and exciting week at the College!

Hands On Learning

Our Hands On Learning students had a truly meaningful experience this week, spending time with residents from Park Hill Aged Care. They showed maturity, patience, and genuine care as they walked with their buddies around the park, taking the time to listen and connect. Mr Pirrie rang from Park Hill to share how impressed he was with the respect and kindness our students demonstrated throughout the visit.

Afterwards, the group returned to school where I was fortunate to join them for a shared souvlaki lunch. The conversations continued, and it was clear how much the students had valued the opportunity to make a difference in someone else’s day. It was a wonderful example of the empathy and community spirit we are so proud to see in our young people.

Around the College

• The Year 7 Soccer Premier League competition continues Wednesday lunchtimes. It is fast becoming a highlight of the week, with plenty of healthy competition and enthusiasm. Thank you to Mr Walker for organising this fantastic event.
• In Year 7, I visited Mrs Mackenzie's class where students were hard at work on their research projects, showing great focus and engagement. 

• In a nearby Year 8 study hub I found students enjoying a quiet spot to read.

• I also enjoyed an afternoon at Benton Junior College, where our Aerobics teams and our talented Drum and Flag Corps performed. Mr Papettas had the primary students buzzing with excitement when he invited some of them to come up and try playing the drums – a highlight for everyone there!

Teaching and Learning

We all know that learning takes time and repetition. For students to transfer knowledge into long-term memory, they need regular opportunities to recall and apply what they have learned. This focus on retrieval practice is an important part of our teaching and learning approach.

Teachers also learn from one another. Through our peer observation program, staff visit each other’s classrooms to share ideas and strengthen their teaching practice. Your child may have noticed extra teachers in their lessons recently – all part of this collaborative process to ensure we are providing the very best learning opportunities.

Wishing you a wonderful week ahead.

Denise Leggett

Assistant Principal

Senior School

To students and families of the Mornington Senior School,

I had the pleasure of attending the Year 10 assembly this week and acknowledging the efforts of so many students for their efforts so far this year. There were many recipients of Strive Awards, Gold Star Awards and some Bronze and even Silver Merit Awards for sport and recreation, the arts, and community. It was great to see so many members of the class of 2027 recognised. 

VTAC Special Entry Access Scheme (SEAS)

This week our year 12 ATAR students have been exploring the SEAS processes which will support their VTAC applications. SEAS is an important scheme for all VCE ATAR students in Year 12 to consider as it can have the impact of increasing a student’s selection rank. What does that mean? Great question! it means students who may receive an ATAR below what they need to get into a course, may have their selection ranking increased. For example, a student may achieve an ATAR of 85 but the course they want to get into needs a 90 ATAR. If that student was impacted by circumstances such as financial hardship (themselves or family), a medical condition or disability or other difficult circumstances, they can write a SEAS application and support it with statements from health professionals or trusted adults not related to them who can explain the impact on their studies (such as year level leaders, coordinators, APs or wellbeing staff). The students know the details now and they have until Oct 10 to get their SEAS applications complete but doing it by Sept 5 is better (guarantee that all submissions get checked early). Please discuss this scheme with your child if they are seeking university enrolment in 2026.

VCE VM Market Day – August 26th

After much planning and collaboration, VCE VM Market Day will be running on Tuesday 26th August. Our VM students (and their teachers) have been putting in so much hard work to prepare for the day (while also meeting a whole host of academic outcomes) and we can’t wait to see how well the day goes. For the first time, we are inviting parents of VM students to attend the Market Day at lunchtime (between 1:30 and 2:10). It’s not often we get this opportunity to invite senior school parents into the school while our students are in classes, so we are looking forward to seeing you there to share the experience.

Aerobics Nationals

I was fortunate enough to spend a few days down in sunny Hobart with our aerobics teams and it was so inspiring to see them compete on the National stage. As one of two government schools who qualified and the only co-education school, it’s clear that we are batting well above where we are expected to be. In terms of dollars spent on tuition per point of performance we’d easily be the number one school in our categories in the nation. So congratulations to Year 11s, Seren and Sophie for their Silver medal and to Mya (Year 10), Anna (Year 11), Eleanor (Year 12), Elise (Year 12), Sophie and Seren for their efforts placing 5th in the country. Amazing effort from some talented students and the work towards the 2026 competition in Queensland will begin soon enough! I’d like to make one more thank you to former MSC student, now staff member and aerobics coach extraordinaire, Indie Jowett. Nothing phases Indie, as she manages both the team and the admin with ease, a smile and a brilliant attitude. Just another example of the types of people we graduate here at MSC.

Term 3 2025

Kind regards,

Nick Evans

Senior School Assistant Principal

Wear it Purple Day

The Department of Education has a strong commitment to ensuring all Victorian government schools are respectful, safe and inclusive places of learning and work for all students, staff and members of our school communities. As part of this commitment, the department is supporting all schools to join many other schools and workplaces across the country to recognise and celebrate Wear it Purple Day on Friday 29 August 2025.

At Mornington Secondary College we will be encouraging students to join us in the central court yard at lunch time for some face painting, ribbons and a bit of a sing a long.

WE WANT OUR PARENTS / CAREGIVERS / GUARDIANS TO TELL US WHAT THEY THINK! 

Our school is conducting the annual Parent / Caregiver / Guardian Opinion Survey offered by the Department of Education and is seeking your feedback. The survey is designed to assist schools in gaining an understanding of families’ perceptions of school climate, student behaviour, and student engagement. The survey is optional, but we encourage and appreciate your participation.

Our school will use the survey results to assist in identifying areas for improvement and professional development needs in the school, to target school planning and improvement strategies. 

The Parent / Caregiver / Guardian Opinion Survey will be open online from Monday 25 August to Friday 19 September 2025. All families are invited to participate in the survey. 

The survey is conducted online, only takes 20 minutes to complete, and can be accessed at any convenient time on desktop computers, laptops, tablets or smartphones. You will receive an email from the school with a link to the survey.

Your opinion is vital in shaping the work of the school. If you would like any additional information, please contact Michael Parker, michael.parker@education.vic.gov.au

Mike Parker

Assistant Principal - Curriculum and Student Wellbeing

Students of the Week

Year 7 Ellie Mooney

Favourite food: Dumplings

Hobbies out of school: Soccer & spending time with friends

What sports team do you follow? Celtic FC

Favourite movie/TV show: The Summer I Turned Pretty

Do you have any pets? A cat named Skye and a dog named Tony

What do you enjoy most about being at Mornington Secondary College? Interschool sport, friends

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

Year 7 Kyen Green 

Favourite food: Sushi

Hobbies out of school: Parkour, video games and spending time with family and friends

What sports team do you follow? The Geelong Cats

Favourite movie/TV show: Squid Game

Do you have any pets? 2 dogs named Nola and Dug and a cat named Kit

What do you enjoy most about being at Mornington Secondary College? Friends, sport and all the extra-curricular activities and excursions

What career do you wish to follow when you finish school? A cook or an actor

Year 8 Chelsie Surridge   

Favourite food: Pasta

Hobbies out of school: Netball, football, basketball and singing

What sports team do you follow? Carlton

Favourite TV show/movie/production: Hamilton  - musical

Do you have any pets? A Groodle named Storm

What do you enjoy most about being at Mornington Secondary College? All the squads and the different art techniques that I learn

What career do you wish to follow when you finish school? Play AFLW or be involved in theatre

Year 8 Ryan Chambers      

Favourite food: Pizza

Hobbies out of school: Footy and video games

What sports team do you follow? Richmond

Favourite TV show: Footy

Do you have any pets? 2 dogs, a Kelpie named Roxy and a NZ Huntaway named Dusty

What do you enjoy most about being at Mornington Secondary College? My friends and PE

What career do you wish to follow when you finish school? Not sure maybe something to do with architecture

TFT School Aerobics National Championships 

Over the weekend, we took our senior aerobics team 'Atkinspire' and duo 'Party Starters' to Wrest Point, Hobart for the TFT School Aerobics National Championships. The competition was fierce, with top schools competing from all across the country. 

Our duo 'Party Starters' were up first and performed like we've never seen before! Their energy was unmatched on the stage, making every person in the crowd smile. Sophie and Seren ended up with a score of 81.55 and took home the National Silver Medal!

Considering this is the first time MSC has ever entered a duo, we were blown away by this result and couldn't be prouder of Seren and Sophie. These two girls are incredibly hard workers and deserve a lot of credit for the time and effort they have put into creating the entire choreography for this routine. Congratulations Soph and Seren for making history at Mornington Secondary College by becoming the first ever students to represent our school as a duo. And what a result to make it this far in the competition and to win a national medal! 

Our senior team 'Atkinspire' were in the most competitive and highest scoring section of the entire day. Some of our students took the National stage for the first time, while others qualified for the 5th time! These girls have grown so much since the beginning of the year, and the beginning of their aerobics journeys, and I couldn't be prouder of the year they've had. In arguably the most sought out section of school aerobics, our senior team placed 5th in the country! What a huge achievement and a fantastic result for our students. The winners of this section scored 92.95 - the largest score of the entire competition! Not often do we see scores over 90 in aerobics, so that just proves how competitive this section was. I'm so proud of the time and effort these girls have put into the squad, and to make it to Nationals each year is admirable. Not many teams and/or schools get that privilege. To Mya, Seren, Sophie, Anna, Eleanor, Liv and Elise, congratulations on such a successful year. You make our school very proud!

We had an amazing weekend away in Hobart with these students, full of laughs and fun times. These results are incredible to take home, but I think the memories and friendships these girls have made will last a lifetime. I truly believe these results stem from the positive attitudes and teamwork our students hold. Thank you to all of the girls, their parents and families, and Nick Evans for an amazing weekend away celebrating our superstars! 

Indie Jowett

Aerobics Squad Coach

Year 12 VM Market Day

On Tuesday 26th August, our Year 12 Vocational Major (VM) students will be running a Market Day during recess and lunchtime, raising funds for the school’s chosen charity – ‘Home Ground’.

Home Ground is an organisation that was created with a vision to ‘champion the strengths of the local community’.  They aim to bridge the gap between unemployed youth within the region providing an opportunity to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. Home Ground is a youth training cafe providing on-the-job training and employment pathways for young people in our community.  All proceeds will be donated to Home Ground to provide these Traineeships and skills that will gain future employment in the hospitality sector.

In preparation for the day, students have planned, designed posters, advertised and sourced for a variety of stalls, including:

• Popcorn stall

• Sausage and Hamburger BBQ

• Lucky dip

• Baked goods

• Hot dogs

• Fairy Floss

• and many more

To purchase items from the stalls, and to buy raffle tickets, customers will shop with VM Market Day tokens, not cash. Tokens can only be purchased on the day (Tuesday 26th August) at the Token Stall, outside Student Services, with either cash or card before school or during recess and lunch. Unspent tokens will not be refunded. 

One of the major fundraisers on the day is the raffle. MSC have been overwhelmed with the generosity of local businesses, including the below list, and extend a big thank you!

• Office Works – Wacom Drawing Tablet
• Heritage – Gift Voucher
• Nan’s Thai Restaurant – Gift Voucher
• Endota Spa – Gift Packs
• Samo’s Kitchen and Car – Gift Voucher
• Bunnings – 2 x $20 and 1 X $10 Gift Vouchers
• Peninsula Service Centre - $170 Service Voucher
• Deco Heaven – $50 Gift Voucher & CD
• Ideas by the Bay – 2 X Wrendale Mugs
• Amcal Chemist – Gift Hamper
• Leisure Pets – Dog Coat and Cat Litter
• JB Hi-Fi - $50 Gift Card
• Local Artist – Peg People
• Sunrise Session – 3 X Large Gift Packs – Toiletries
• The Happy Herb Shop - $100 gift voucher
• Luup
• Mother Mary – cookies and Jam
• Johnny Ripe – Family Pack
• Southern Plants – Trees and Shrubs
• Hair House Warehouse
• Kiwi House – Body Butter
• Leisure Pets – Dog Coat
• Chemist Warehouse – His and Hers Hamper
• Stay Trays – Keep Cups
• Moonlit Sanctuary

Travelling Roadshow: Benton Junior College

Benton Junior College welcomed a travelling roadshow from MSC on Wednesday August 19th, allowing us to showcase our Drum and Flags Corp and Aerobics Squad to their entire school. 

Ms Romage introduced our Year 7 representatives Chelsea and Ben. Both Chelsea and Ben are ex-students of BJC, and spoke comfortably to the large familiar audience of Prep to Year 6 students and BJC staff about the many and varied opportunities they've enjoyed in their first year here at Mornington Secondary College.

The travelling roadshow is a wonderful way to strengthen our relationship with local primary schools, and provides future secondary school students with an insight into life at MSC.

Our performers received an enthusiastic round of applause at the end of the session, with a handful of lucky BJC students relishing the opportunity to try drumming in front of the school.

Year 7 

Exciting News from 7E Humanities!

Our Year 7 Humanities students are busily preparing for their Showcase coming up on Wednesday, 17th September, 2:30 - 4:30pm – and it promises to be a fantastic afternoon! 🎉

Students are working on a two-part Performance Task that really brings history to life:

1. Research Component – Each student is stepping into the shoes of someone who lived in Ancient Rome (think soldier, senator, slave, gladiator, or merchant!) and presenting their research from that person’s perspective.
2. Model Component – To go with their research, students are also building models of Roman inventions that have stood the test of time, such as aqueducts, arches, roads, amphitheatres, domes, and more.

The creativity and enthusiasm in 7E have been inspiring – in fact, Billie, Josh, and Amy have already started dressing up as their Roman characters during class time! 👏

We can’t wait for you to see the hard work, imagination, and flair our students have poured into this project. It’s going to be an afternoon where Ancient Rome comes alive – and we’d love for you to join us!

Sarah Walker

Year 7 Humanities Teacher

Year 7 Premier League lunch time soccer - Round 2 

Our second round of the Year 7 Premier League lunch time soccer competition was very exciting with 7 goals scored in the three matches. 

Game one was Manchester United v Arsenal which had many scoring opportunities but ended in a 0-0 draw. The second game was Liverpool v Manchester City with Liverpool finding the back of the net twice to record their second win of the competition. The final game was Chelsea who played top of the table Aston Villa. Aston Villa played with great skill, controlling and passing the ball constantly, placing Chelsea under defensive pressure. Aston Villa scored their first goal early which was then quickly followed by another. Chelsea tried hard to press forward but the Aston Villa team reacted quickly regaining possession and scored a further two goals before full time winning 4-0 to record their second win and remain top of the table. 

It was great to see a large supporter base for all teams coming down to the stadium to watch the games.

John Walker

Year 7 Premier League Boss

Year 8 

Art with 8C this week involved learning about Picasso, the art movement he was involved in and his Weeping Woman portraits. Our students researched the topic and then created their own portrait in the style of Picasso's Weeping Woman. 

Year 9/10 Divisional School Sport

Intermediate Girls Basketball

On Thursday August 21st I had the pleasure of taking two teams made up of Year 9 girls, mostly netballers, to Divisional basketball. We had a great day, with 6 girls scoring three pointers and many scoring their first ever basketball points!

Our A grade team, coached by Lacey, with Abby on scoring duty, finished the day on a high with a win, a draw and 3 losses. 

Our B team had many close games but could not get over the line.

A big thanks to Rafa and Jackson who came along as referees, helped out with scoring and also with coaching the B team.

Kim Rattue

Year 8 Coordinator

Intermediate Boys Basketball

The Year 9/10 A & B Boys Basketball team made their way to Dromana Secondary College and competed in a round robin tournament, playing 5 games throughout the day. The boys displayed a strong work ethic, great teamsmanship and worked their socks off from start to finish. After a few close losses they were finally rewarded with a win to finish the day and walk out with a positive result. 

Mick Williams

Year 11 Coordinator 

Intermediate Boys Futsal

On Thursday 21st August our school hosted the Year 9/10 Boys and Girls Southern Peninsula Division Futsal Championships in our stadium. We had six schools represented in the boy’s competition and three schools in the girls. The standard of play was very impressive to watch with fantastic trapping, passing and close ball control skills on display. 

Our boys team got off to a great start winning their first two games against Somerville 8-1 and Western Port 8-4. Their third game against Mt Eliza was much tougher with lots of incredible set plays and shots at goal. The boys were leading at half time 4-3 but Mt Eliza came home strong in the second half winning the game 7-5. In the fourth round the boys came up against Dromana who were undefeated. The boys played with great intensity with lots of scoring opportunities but unfortunately, we only found the back of the net once against Dromana’s three goals. Our final game against Rosebud was fantastic with both teams scoring multiple goals with a few real crackers from halfway! At the final whistle Rosebud had their nose in front winning 6-4. Congratulations to Dromana who won the competition undefeated. Our team placed fourth with two wins and three losses.

I would like to commend our boys for their skill, determination and conduct throughout the day. They represented our school with the highest standard of fair play and sportsmanship.

I would also like to thank the following students for refereeing every game in the competition which is a very challenging task. They were fantastic and a real credit to our school: 

• Harvey Austin, Jayden Harris, Jackson Linskill, Andrew Turver and Zac McCay.

Our Year 9/10 Boys Futsal team comprised of the following players:

• Jack Ainsworth, Joseph Arena, Alex Chambers, Sam Friebe, Leo Hume, Gus Lyons, Evan Schulinus, Ethan Sheen (captain), Jimmy Tiller and Heath Tiller.

John Walker

College Sport Coordinator

Intermediate Boys and Girls Table Tennis

On Thursday August 21st Year 9 and 10 students proudly represented our school at the Division Table Tennis Competition. Facing off against strong opponents from across the region, our players demonstrated impressive skill, determination, and teamwork throughout the event.

The day was filled with fast-paced rallies, nail-biting finishes, and plenty of school spirit as students encouraged each other both on and off the table. Our team showed great sportsmanship and resilience, with several close matches going down to the wire. 

The Boys A Team and Girls Team both finished second, which was a fantastic result. Beyond the scores, it was fantastic to see our students forming friendships with competitors from other schools and gaining valuable experience under pressure.

We are incredibly proud of the way our players represented our school with pride, respect, and enthusiasm. Congratulations to the team on an outstanding effort—your hard work and dedication have truly paid off.

Shaun Doherty

Year 9 Coordinator

Year 10 

Year 10 Textiles

Thank you to everyone who has donated denim to our Year 10 DENIM RE/BORN project so far. We have a great selection to work with! Donations are still open if you have more to contribute.

The project is now well under way, and this week students have been focusing on developing their visualisation and fashion illustration skills. To build confidence, they took part in a series of timed challenges designed to get ideas down on paper quickly. The whole class embraced the task, enjoying the fast pace while learning how to translate their concepts into clear design sketches.

Their progress has been impressive, combining technical drawing ability with creative flair. It has been great to see them challenge themselves, experiment with new techniques, and gain confidence in presenting their design ideas.

Watch this space for more updates as DENIM RE/BORN continues...

Shani Hodson

Food Technology Teacher

Year 10 Studio Art

Year 10 Studio Art's focus on learning human figure painting continued, with lessons this week concentrating on mixing skin colours and learning how to draw face proportions.

Year 11 Outdoor and Environmental Studies

Bushrangers Bay Living Culture Walk

The Year 11 OES class braved the wind on their walk down to Bushrangers Bay on Friday August 15th, where they explored indigenous land practices and the deep connection to Country. Students discovered the many ways native plants were traditionally used for food, medicine, and as aids for hunting and gathering. They were also lucky enough to experience low tide and explore the fascinating rock pools along the coastline. A big well done to all the students for completing the walk and embracing the wild weather!

Madison Nicholls

OES Teacher

Year 11 and 12

Year 11/12 Visit from Tom McIntosh MP

On Thursday August 21st our Year 11 and 12s welcomed Tom McIntosh MP to our school. He introduced himself, and his background, and encouraged all of our students to not stress on the immediate future, but to be open to the myriad of opportunities that they will be exposed to throughout life.

Tom then went on to open the floor to questions from our students, as he was interested to understand what their concerns and ideas are. Issues such as pollution, defence force spending, affordable housing, vacant homes and homelessness, renewable energy, digital identity and youth crime were just some of the questions our students raised.  It was fantastic to see the interest and knowledge our students had about issues that effect our wider community. 

Afterwards, Tom mentioned to our Principal Mrs Stanton how impressed he was with the volume and variety of questions from our Year 11 and 12s.

Jo Reeman

Team Leader Year 12

VCE VM Frankston Mornington Peninsula Industry & Job Expo

On Tuesday 19th August, 42 VCE VM students attended the Frankston Mornington Peninsula Industry Jobs Expo at the Mornington Racecourse, to connect with employers and education providers on their course or employment offerings. This was a great opportunity for those seeking casual or part-time employment, or even work experience! 

Student had a chance to visit each stall and speak to representatives from numerous industry exhibitors. Students participated in mini activities, winning prizes, and collected brochures, pens, and free drink bottles.  It was a great day out that included our Year 11 and Year 12 VCE VM students alongside our pathways team, Kylie Lebrasse & Fiona Cornwall, and Applied Learning Leader Rebecca Slater, who supervised and encouraged students to mingle with employers and education providers. 

For opportunities in your local area, we highly recommend that students visit this website. 

https://fmpjobs.com.au/

https://www.fmpllen.com.au/

Kylie Lebrasse

Careers Practitioner

Year 12 PE Training Programs Day

Our Year 12 PE students recently took part in a highly challenging and rewarding Training Programs Day, bringing together both Mr. Olarenshaw and Mr. Horwill’s classes. Across the day, students rotated through five separate training programs—with Continuous Training completed prior at home. This was capped off by completing a brief SAC-assessed write-up reflecting on the training principles and adaptations experienced.

It was a day that truly tested both the mind and the body. By the end, teachers and students alike were feeling the burn, with Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) almost guaranteed to set in! The effort and energy put into the sessions highlighted the commitment of our Year 12 cohort to their PE studies and their willingness to experience first hand the demands of various training methods.

A day of this scale doesn’t happen without a team effort. A special thanks must go to Mr. Grant Olarenshaw for his outstanding organisation and leadership in establishing the day. Mr. Shaun Doherty also deserves recognition for his ongoing commitment to making the FITT Club a fantastic teaching space, which allowed us to run a highly engaging muscular endurance resistance training program.

We’d also like to sincerely thank Geraldine and Mick, whose work behind the scenes ensured our learning environment was set up perfectly for success. And of course, a final shout-out to our outstanding trainees, Rory and Kobi, for organising and managing the equipment that kept the day running smoothly.

The day was a true team effort and a fantastic learning opportunity. While sore muscles may linger, the knowledge and experience gained will no doubt stay with our Year 12 students well into their final exams where we hope they will demonstrate the knowledge and skills learnt on this day. 

Rob Horwill

Head of PE

Hands on Learning

HoL Special Plum Chilli Jam 

It was all hands on deck in preparing and cooking Mr Butcher’s special Plum Chilli Jam recipe to sell at the upcoming Year 12 VM Market Day (Tuesday August 26th). There were lessons on how to handle, chop, prepare and cook fresh chillies, plus knowing when to evacuate the kitchen when the chilli fumes started seeping into the air! But the end result was worth it. I know I’ll be buying it! Dumplings and noodles were on the menu for lunch today, Friday August 15th.

HoL Aged Care Visit - Park Hill

Wednesday August 20th was a most eventful and productive day with our visit to Park Hill aged care. Our students took their responsibility seriously, playing board games and looking after the residents with care and compassion. It was a glorious day for a stroll around the lake and most importantly, connection and interaction for young and old. We heard some interesting stories about the elderly residents who were delighted to have us, and they are all eagerly looking forward to seeing us again. 

Back 'home', Mrs Leggett joined us to try our famous souvlakis for lunch, with home-made scones for dessert to top off a beautiful day.

Anastasia Maragakis

Hands on Learning Assistant 

Doctors in School

Nurse Fiona has been a nurse for many years and specialises in mental health. Fiona is a mum to three teenage children and has a dog called Freyer. Fiona works for the Doctor in Schools Program at three other schools, as well as working at Mornington Secondary College with Dr Steph on a Thursday each week. Fiona will look after students prior to seeing Dr Steph and complete a registration form if it is your first time at the clinic. 

Dr Steph has been the doctor at Mornington Secondary College since 2018 as part of the Doctor in Schools Program. Doctor Steph has four grown up children, a cat called Derek and a rabbit called Bunns (who is a bit of an escape artist). The Doctors in Schools service covers all areas of medical practice that your community GP would, such as physical health, mental health, sexual health, blood tests, referral for x-rays, and other investigates and letters to specialists can be organised.  Normal GP rules of complete confidentiality are assured, and the service is totally free.

Our Facilities

Mornington Secondary College have totally dedicated facilities for our Doctor in School program, with a GP room, a nurse’s room, a comfortable warm waiting room and bathroom. This building was purposely built for this service.  See pictures below.

The Doctor in School Program

The Doctors in School program is a government initiative that funds general practitioners (GPs) to attend up to 100 Victorian government secondary schools up to one day a week. The GPs provide medical advice and health care to secondary school students.

The objectives of the program are to:

• make primary health care more accessible to students

• assist young people to identify and address any health problems early

• reduce the pressure on working parents.

Headspace Frankston provides a nurse and GP to Mornington Secondary College every week on a Thursday. As mentioned above our regular nurse is called Fiona and our regular GP is Dr Steph.

An appointment can be booked a number of ways:

1. Using the following link: Doctors in School request for an appointment form
2. Find the above link under the STAR in Compass
3. Email shellie.farnill@education.vic.gov.au
4. Students can send a Teams message to Shellie Farnill
5. Call Shellie on 5970 0259
6. Ask for an appointment at Student Services (Shellie)

Participating schools, students and their parents/carers will not incur any out-of-pocket expenses for student consultations with the GP. The service is completely free of charge.

Consistent with Australian common law, the program recognises that:

• any student who wants to see the GP will be permitted to book an appointment

• the GP will decide whether the young person is mature enough to consent to medical treatment or whether parent/carer consent is needed - as is the case with all GPs in the community

• the right for a young person’s health information to be kept confidential will be respected unless the disclosure is with the consent of the young person or it is otherwise permitted by law – as is the case with all GP practice in the community.

For more information about the program, consent and confidentiality please see link below:

• https://www.vic.gov.au/doctors-in-secondary-schools

Shellie Farnill

Student Services - Extra Curricula

Available Programs and Competitions

To learn more or to reach out to us