Dear Parents and Carers,

As the 2025 school year draws to a close, I am filled with pride reflecting on the many achievements of our students, both inside and outside the classroom. This year has been marked by resilience, growth, and a renewed sense of community across the College.

We hope you have enjoyed reading our newsletters throughout the year, which showcased the diverse and engaging ways our students have been learning, from classroom lessons to exciting excursions, incursions, camps, and special events.

The past month has been a busy and rewarding time at the College. We have celebrated key transitions for Prep, Year 4, and Year 6 students, hosted our Year 7 Orientation Day for 2026, and conducted important interviews and transition activities. Our Year 12 students marked the culmination of their educational journey with a memorable graduation ceremony attended by families and friends. It was a privilege to present each graduate with their sash and certificate.

A defining moment of our graduation evening was the keynote address delivered by Tamanna Qarar Her speech was a powerful reflection of resilience and perseverance, qualities she has consistently demonstrated throughout her time at the College. Tamanna shared her journey of overcoming challenges with determination and grace, inspiring graduates to stay committed to their goals and embrace every opportunity for growth. Her words resonated deeply with the audience, making her keynote a truly memorable and significant part of the celebration.

To honour the outstanding achievements of our VCE students, we will share further details online early next year. We are incredibly proud of their hard work and dedication, and the entire College community looks forward to celebrating the accomplishments of our Year 12 graduates at that time.

I would also like to extend my heartfelt thanks to our Parents and Friends Association (PFA) for their unwavering support and invaluable contributions throughout the year. Your commitment enriches the life of our College in countless ways.

In addition, I wish to acknowledge Mary-Anne Schmidt, President of the College Council, along with all our Council members, for their generous dedication and steadfast commitment to our students. Their guidance and support play a vital role in helping every student strive toward their personal goals.

I extend my sincerest thanks to our dedicated staff for their tireless efforts in planning and delivering these events, and to our families for their ongoing support and trust in the College. Together, we have created an environment where students can thrive and achieve their personal best.

Our student leaders have continued to demonstrate commitment and creativity through a range of initiatives, including cultural celebrations, mental health awareness campaigns, and community engagement projects. These programs have enriched the life of the College and provided valuable opportunities for student voice and leadership.

In addition, our student leaders across the College organised and ran the following projects:

Early and Junior Years

The 2025 Early Years and Junior Student Advocacy Team has played an active role in creating positive school environments throughout the year. Their contributions have included participating in Friendship Day activities, where they created a photo frame for students to use, assisting with Cultural Day Celebrations by helping to set up engaging activities, and celebrating Principal's Day by designing heartfelt cards.

The Student Leaders also promoted World Kindness Day by designing posters to be displayed around the school and suggesting activities for teachers to complete throughout the week.

Through these experiences, our student leaders continue to grow as role models and work collaboratively to make MRC more meaningful and enjoyable for all.

Middle and Senior Years

This year, the Middle Years students played an active role in promoting cultural inclusion across the College. They worked collaboratively to develop a cultural book that acknowledges and celebrates the diverse cultural backgrounds within our community. Additionally, they assisted with Harmony Day activities, helping to foster a greater understanding of cultural differences and unity among students.

Students also facilitated smaller initiatives across focus groups for R U OK? Day, NAIDOC Week, and Science Week—each aimed at raising awareness and encouraging positive engagement within the College. On MRC Community Day, Middle Years students supported the Senior leadership team in showcasing cultural inclusion, highlighting their ongoing commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment.

Our Senior Years students have demonstrated exceptional leadership throughout the year, overseeing and leading several key initiatives across the College. They took the lead in organising and participating in major events such as Harmony Day, World Kindness Day, R U OK? Day, and World Teachers’ Day, all aimed at promoting inclusion and wellbeing within the College community.

A standout initiative was the creation of MRC Community Day, an event designed to promote cultural inclusion across the College. Senior students not only led this event but also collaborated with the Year 12 Senior Engagement Team to transform Celebration Day into a comprehensive whole-day experience, engaging students and staff in activities that recognised the hard work and dedication of Year 12 students.

The Senior Years students also concluded the year by creating an online art gallery to showcase student artwork from across the College. This initiative provided a platform for students to display their creative pieces, which were then judged, offering an opportunity for artistic expression and recognition within the broader school community.

We have continued to focus on effectively using data to support and drive student proposals and initiatives across the College, ensuring that actions are informed by relevant insights and tailored to the needs and interests of the broader student community.

We also continued Student Learning Walks, during which students participated in classroom observations and provided feedback on possible strategies to further enhance student engagement and voice. Additionally, regular College Principal Advisory Group meetings enabled student leaders to provide direct input into the operations of the College.

Beyond our buildings, our outdoor spaces have undergone various changes. Highlights include:

New decking for Fermont, enhancing a versatile outdoor learning and gathering space
Several landscaping upgrades have enhanced the natural beauty and usability of our grounds
New external play courts, including dedicated down ball and volleyball courts, promoting active recreation and social engagement
Passive seating areas, designed to encourage relaxation, connection, and quiet reflection.

It is my pleasure to announce the recipients of the 2026 scholarships:

Early Years: Warina Danial & Zahra Ammar

Junior Years: Ameya Madambath; Lily Camilleri & Mariam Alskal

Middle Years: James Ranellone & Gurnoor Kaur

Senior Years: Lahiru Saputantrie; Nina Khumphaiphuan & Sari Bailey

I am sure our College Principal is looking forward to presenting these students with their Certificates of Acknowledgement at a special ceremony early next year.

I also take this opportunity to thank all students who applied for scholarships this year and encourage them to apply again next year.

The start of the 2026 school year will follow this schedule:

Commencement of Years 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, and 12 students: Thursday, January 29th
Commencement of Years 8 and 10 students: Friday, January 30th
Prep students: Individual Assessments by appointment on either January 29th or 30th
Year 7 students: Ready to Learn interviews on either January 29th or 30th
Commencement of Prep, Years 7 and 9 students: Monday, February 2nd

Families will receive detailed information about these arrangements via Compass and a further reminder in the new year.

As always, we bid farewell to some of our valued staff members who are leaving the College at the end of this year. We thank them for their contributions and wish them every success in their future endeavours.

In closing, on behalf of the Principal Class team, I extend my sincere thanks to all our students, families, and staff for making 2025 a successful year. I wish our entire College community a joyous, safe, and relaxing festive season and a happy New Year. I look forward to welcoming you all back to school in 2026.

Con Stamatelatos

Acting College Principal

Mount Ridley P-12 College

Preparing today's students for tomorrow's opportunities

Issue 12 · 19 Dec 2025

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