From the Principal
Welcome to the last day of term and what a term it has been.
It began with the NAPLAN results being released showing better results than the State average and similar schools in reading, writing, spelling and numeracy. Improving Literacy and Numeracy outcomes for students has been a focus within the Maths and English departments and will continue to be their focus.
Teaching staff have worked collaboratively and will continue to do so, to understand and use data confidently to teach students at their point of need. Student voice and agency has grown to enable more students to have their say. This is occurring in class with students setting personal learning goals and out of class with the reintroduction of student forums. The focus for these this term has been on ‘anti-racism’.
There has been a major focus on creating preconditions for learning, so no student is disadvantaged by the few who are easily distracted. The mobile phone ban has supported this as has the focus on protocols around the use of laptops. The STAR instructional model is being used in all classes, so students know why they are learning and understand the success criteria for each lesson. Student movement during class time has decreased with leadership visible in and out of the classroom. Staff have engaged in learning walks and peer observations. Feedback is encouraged as this is one of the most powerful forms of professional learning.
Our data suggests that students are connected and engaged whilst at school. Walking through the corridors and classrooms also indicate great engagement in their learning is occurring.
To complement this and to further connect and engage students, there have been many opportunities for students to participate in. The Year 11 Outdoor Ed. students have just returned from their camp at Gariwerd. Students at Year 9 attended a ‘Speak and Share’ incursion, Year 12 VCE-VM students organised a very successful Market Day, raising more than $3000 for our charity, ‘Speak and Share’. Our senior Aerobics team, ‘Boultify’ won first place at the National Aerobics Championships in South Australia. Thirty students from Year 7-12 performed by singing and acting in our annual production, this year, ‘Be More Chill’. Year 7 students got up-close and personal with reptiles during their incursion. Our Japanese students explored the CBD, whilst our Year 11 Psych students attended the Zoo. Course counselling for students from Year 9 took place, Year 10 students actively volunteered to support our local community. Year 11 students danced the night away at the annual social. And this is not the complete list.
Students also participated in team sports or at an individual level. There was the State cross country, senior girls soccer and table tennis, senior boys basketball and football, netball and hockey. Year 7 & 8 students participated in interschool sports.
Parent/Teacher interviews were conducted onsite for the first time since COVID lockdown, and we met our 2024 Year 7 students with their families last week.
None of these things would be possible without the amazing staff we have working with our young people. I would like to thank them publicly and wish them and all students a safe and happy break. School will resume 2nd October, for another exciting but rigorous term.
Thankyou also for your support during this term. Together we make a great community.
Stacee Reddy will begin maternity leave in readiness for her baby. Best wishes Stacee. Tracey Watchorn will be replacing her at the beginning of next term. Welcome Tracey to the MSC community.
Linda Stanton
Principal
Important Dates
SEPTEMBER
11/09/23 | Year 12 Trial Exams from Monday 11th to Friday 15th
15/09/23 | Last day of Term 3 (2.30pm Finish)
OCTOBER
02/10/23 | First Day of Term 4
18/10/23 | Year 7 and Year 8 Student Showcase Afternoon
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Middle School
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Each week I will endeavour to provide you with information about one of our amazing and talented students. Many students excel in activities beyond school. Sometimes it is just by chance that we learn about their talents. This week, Ella in Year 7 attended the Mornington Peninsula Shire Youth Recognition Awards for 2023. Ella was nominated for an award under the category ‘community’.
Please read below for details regarding Ella’s nomination.
Congratulations to Ella, Year 7 student who was nominated for the Mornington Peninsula Shire Youth Recognition Awards for 2023. This youth-led event recognises and celebrates the achievements of young people on the Mornington Peninsula area for their talents! The categories were: the arts, hidden heroes, inclusion, environment and community leader.
Whilst Ella was not awarded first prize, she was a runner up. Ella was nominated under the category of ‘community’ for her ongoing commitment and involvement to our school community at Mornington Secondary College.
Nothing is ever too much for Ella. She is our School Captain for Year 7 and is a positive role model to her peers and represents our school community proudly at all events scheduled. Throughout the year, Ella has attended and spoken proudly at our parent meet and greet nights, parent information evenings, whole school assemblies and continues to demonstrate high expectations for herself and those around her.
Ella should be commended for her dedication to her community and her amazing involvement in our school.
Well done!
Today, as I was on my rounds, I headed towards the Cottage. A crew of students assisting Mr Pirrie were building a retaining wall. The students were very industrious as each student had a specific job to do. The cottage has had a recent update with new fences abutting the building. The fence was built by the students. The students have also painted the new fences blue. As they continue to beautify the area, I noticed that the vegetable garden is growing particularly well, and the flower bed is doing well too. Today there was a new greenhouse erected for the seedlings and plants. Once mature, the seedlings and plants will be used to landscape the cottage area.
I then ventured over to the Year 9 area as our wellbeing team cooked the sausages on the barbeque. What a great day, the music was playing while the students ate, and some students just sat on the lawn and enjoyed the beautiful sunshine. This was to raise awareness for RU OK day.
Thank you, dear families, for your ongoing support.
Wishing you and your family a wonderful holiday break and I look forward to catching up with you next term.
Best wishes
Denise Leggett
Middle School Assistant Principal
Year 7 and Year 8 Showcase
We are delighted to extend a warm invitation to you for our Year 7 and Year 8 Student Showcase Afternoon, where our talented young learners will be demonstrating their achievements and projects in both Science and Humanities. This event promises to be an exciting opportunity to witness the intellectual growth and creativity of your children.
Date: Wednesday 18th October
Time: 2:30pm till 5pm
Location: Mornington Secondary College Learning Centre
Our Year 7 and Year 8 students have been diligently exploring various topics and engaging in hands-on learning experiences throughout the academic year. This showcase will provide a platform for them to share their knowledge, discoveries, and innovative projects with you, their families, and fellow students. During the event, you can expect:
Science Exhibits:
Year 7-Science students have created a marketing campaign to raise awareness of an endangered Australian animal. Students will design a web page, marketing poster and model as part of this performance task.
Year 8- Students have selected a body system (from Digestive, Circulatory, Respiratory or Excretory system) they are interested in finding out more about. Students conducted research and created an A3 poster about their chosen body system. Based on this information students have built a model that demonstrates the function of the body system.
Humanities Displays
Year 7 – Ancient Rome. Students have created a model of something that the Romans have ‘left behind’ that we still use in some way today.
Year 8- Students have been working in groups covering a variety of different topics based on their allocated continent. Students have worked together, researching, planning and creating a variety of presentations to illustrate the ‘Geography’ of their continent. These presentations include mapping tasks, investigating a significant landform or landscape, reporting on a natural disaster and creating PowerPoints looking at how cities and megacities have changed / grown over time and each group will also create a model of their choice in relation to their continent.
Student Presentations
Selected students will give short presentations, offering insights into their work, findings, and the learning process. It's a chance to see your child's communication and presentation skills in action.
Teacher interaction
Feel free to engage with your child’s teacher, asking questions about their projects undertaken. This interactive dialogue will provide valuable insights into their academic journey.
Live music
There will be live music from the school band as well as students from our Drum Corp
Sausage Sizzle
Enjoy a free sausage for an afternoon snack.
Your presence at this event is vital to encourage and celebrate the hard work and dedication that our Year 7 and Year 8 students have put into their studies. It will also be an opportunity for you to gain a deeper understanding of the curriculum and learning experiences offered at our school.
Please RSVP to ensure we can adequately prepare for the event. You can RSVP by clicking the following link https://forms.office.com/r/exfrfcS2bS
We are excited to share this special afternoon with you and look forward to seeing you there. Together, we can inspire and support our students in their educational journey.
If you have any questions or need further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Sincerely,
Joanne Reeman - Year 7 Team Leader
Adam Pirrie - Year 8 Team Leader
Senior School
To students and families of the Mornington Senior School,
Well, that’s a wrap for Term 3. I wish all students and their families a safe, restful, and hopefully warm September holidays. For our Year 12 ATAR students, it’s the last school holidays they’ll have, before they graduate and are out in this big wide world, forging a path for themselves.
On Wednesday night, I was fortunate to attend a Rotary Awards Night where two of our wonderful Year 11 students had the opportunity to present about leadership in and out of school. Bridie Borthwick and Abby Turner were a fantastic representation of the college. Bridie also was recognised with a Citizenship Award. Mornington Secondary College has a long-standing partnership with Rotary and it was great to see the latest chapter in that relationship.
I wanted to congratulate the majority of our VCE VM Year 12 students who have now satisfied the schooling part of their certificate (VET classes will continue in to Term 4) and will not be back at school until the final day assembly. These students will have a Compass post on their student page (like the example below) showing they have completed all school-based (not including VET) requirements.
Any Year 12 VCE VM students without this post will be required to attend classes in term 4 to complete work. We will run classes to support their successful completion during the first two weeks of Term 4 (longer if required).
I know Senior School students and staff have worked hard this term and I thank you all for your efforts. Enjoy the break and I’ll see you all (in full school uniform, on-time and with all learning materials) on Monday 2nd October.
Kind regards,
Nick Evans
Senior School Assistant Principal
Referendum to change the constitution of Australia.
A very serious sounding title for a very serious topic. We are so lucky to live in a peaceful democratic country. Every now and then we get the opportunity to exercise our democratic rights (and responsibility) to make changes to the Australian Constitution.
As a school, we adopt a neutral stance on the issue at hand, but we do fervently advocate for the incredible learning opportunity it offers. The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) has meticulously crafted an election guide, presently making its way into households. Within these pages lie the official YES and NO campaign perspectives.
I would encourage all families to read through this document and have a conversation with your children about their views. The majority of our students are not eligible to vote, so when you vote you are not only voting for yourself, but also for your children.
Over the coming weeks there will be a lot of discussion in the media (and social media) it is important that our community keeps itself well informed.
Kind regards,
Mike Parker
Assistant Principal
RU OK? Day
Our Wellbeing Team created a fantastic environment to celebrate RU OK? Day.
Muffins, face painting, gold coin donation sausage sizzle, music, badges and a lot of care made the day a success.
Thank you to the Wellbeing Team and all involved, we appreciate the time and effort you put in to making the day a delight.
School Bus Program 2024 - Final Reminder
Students wishing to access a seat on a Department of Education school provided bus must complete an application form every year and parents/ guardians must agree to the conditions of travelling (attached) and if applicable, the payment of a fare ($125) per term prior to travel. Any application submitted after 1st October 2023 will be considered a late application and will be processed after all other applications. To submit an online application for 2024 – please follow the link below:
2024 Bus Application online form Note – you will need to complete one application form per student. Written communication will be sent to each family (via email) by the college during Term 4 to notify the outcome of your application. There is an option to select previous bus allocation – please note this does not guarantee an allocation to this bus. If you are unsure of the bus number, please select UNKNOWN. Any queries to be directed to: schoolbuses@mornsc.vic.edu.au
Please be advised that by submitting an application or having a seat in previous years does not guarantee your son or daughter a seat on a school bus for the following year. Parents/guardians are responsible for getting your children to and from school. To be eligible for a seat on a Department of Education school provided bus at no cost, a student must:
- Attend their nearest Government school and reside 4.8km or more from the school.
If your son/daughter does not fit into the above criteria they may be able to access the Department of Education school bus service after all eligible students are allocated a seat and upon payment of $125 per term. Public transport should be accessed if you live within 1.6km of the college or closer than the nearest school bus service.
Department of Education school bus service is not guaranteed, and your son/daughter may be placed on a wait list, in order of eligibility, date of application, and ensuring all Department of Education processes and protocols have been addressed.
Please see below Conditions of Travel set by The Victorian Department of Education and Training.
Year 10
Mr Jake Uhlenberg
And so we have come to the end of another term and we are rapidly approaching the end of this cohort's time as Year 10 students. We hope everyone takes the time to rest and relax in these upcoming holidays so that we may finish 2023 with a positive energy as we look to a new future for this group of students.
We would like to thank Mrs Michelle Barnes and the many incredible Health teachers at the college for running a spectacular workshop for our Year 10s on Wednesday this week surrounding 'consent'. This session focussed on the topic of sexting and online image sharing and we hope that the students took away the seriousness of this topic and will exercise caution in their messaging online.
Term 4 will be a busy one with our Formal in Week 2, and then the build-up to an exam period and finally, a time to test out our Year 11 classes before 2023 draws to a close. We can’t wait to see what our students can do.
Last Saturday Year 11 music students were treated to a recording session at Capel Sound Recording studios.
The “brief” was to come up with a brand new song in 6 hours including chord pattern, melody and lyrics and then record it using the high tech digital recording facilities.
The end product was outstanding and students had a ball and memorable experience in the professional environment.
Positive Work Experience Feedback
For the past week we have had one of your year 10 students, Taj Duggan, complete work experience with us on site at Swinburne University, and I wanted to express our team’s appreciation towards him.
Taj has observed our on-site team in carrying out maintenance tasks and repair works on industrial air conditioning plant equipment, as well as witnessing many formal and informal interactions with management and cliental. What stood out for me most was Taj’s communication skills, his ability to engage in those conversations with our team members and clients was impressive and above what I expected.
During this time, he has displayed an exceptional work ethic and has been eager to learn about all the tasks which we were undertaking, and even suggesting solutions to problems that we faced on the job! It’s been refreshing for us to see the next generation display such enthusiasm.
It’s no doubt a testament to your school’s commitment to providing a well-rounded education that prepares students not only academically but also in terms of character and life skills beyond school.
I can no doubt see Taj being a future leader of your school.
I hope that this feedback can be provided to Taj and his parents during parent teacher interviews.
Regards
Aaron
Service Technician
Year 11
Dr Jasmine Keough
"O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!" We chortled in our joy (to paraphrase Lewis Carroll's lines from Jabberwocky). The end of an energetic, eventful, and engaging Term 3 has finally come. Our lovely students have been working hard, finishing SACs and trying their best. There are some students, however, who will need to ensure that they complete all learning tasks to ensure that they receive the Satisfactory for all Units. I would recommend those students to use the coming holidays to finish those outstanding tasks. Satisfactory outcomes for all Units are important to pass Year 11 and transition to the final year of school.
Our ARClow Awards with our VM students finished on Tuesday with a small celebration. The party pies, sausage rolls, chips and lollies were well received. Our winner was Lachlan Gemmell who won a fifty dollar gift card, and our runner up was Alyssa Greaves who won a twenty five dollar gift card. The ARClow Award was based on students voting for those who illustrated our school values of Achievement, Respect and Community. They both also received a framed award. Congratulations Lachlan and Alyssa!
The Year 11 Coordination Team hope that our students have a eudaimonic time in the break; flourishing with rest, relaxation, and recreation. We look forward to supporting all of you in our final term together.
Year 12
Mr Scott Kirkby
VCE VM
A huge congratulations to the VCE VM cohort of 2023 that have completed their work and been signed off for the year. An assembly was held on Thursday afternoon to congratulate the students and they will be welcomed back for the final morning of school on October 17. On this day, staff will be cooking students breakfast, a final whole school assembly will be held to celebrate the students and a student led assembly of just the Year 12 cohort will take place before students are dismissed to get ready for Valedictory.
Trial exams
This week has been jam packed for VCE ATAR students. Trial exams have been happening all week with students all exposed to an exam under strict conditions for each subjects they study. This will help them understand the requirements for end of year exams. Each student was provided with a reflection sheet to complete after each exam to help them set goals for their study over the break. Exams will be marked and returned to students in the first week back after break.
Connect seminars
Big days for our students this week with Connect revision seminars taking place after exams. Some really engaging discussions and learning led by recently graduated high achievers for each subject. Students were given booklets to work on during the seminar and text book resources to take home and help them prepare for exams.
Valedictory
Tickets have completely sold out for Valedictory. If you have a ticket that you feel you may not need or someone is no longer available and would like to re-sell this at cost price, please contact a member of the Year 12 Coordination Team as we have a wait list of people who missed out. We can help connect you to a potential buyer.
Chess Club
Wednesday lunchtime LC3 for Year 7-9
Friday lunchtime LC3 for Year 10-12
Alumni News
Lucy Richards (graduating class of 2019) has just signed her first professional contract at Western United Football Club ahead of the 2023/2024 A-League W season. Lucy has been playing football at various MPLW teams, engaging in emerging Matildas' programs and has previously been a train-on player at Melbourne City.
Western United's head coach, Mark Torcaso, announced that “From her performances, her application and her attitude, it became clear very quickly that she is ready for this level and we are delighted to be in a position to give Lucy her professional debut and continue to help her realise her potential.”
Congratulations to Lucy, this is an incredible achievement at just 21 years of age.
You can tune into the A-League W season as it commences on the 14th of October and cheer Lucy on in her first season of professional football.
