From the Principal
Good morning everyone. This week we welcomed the wider community with ‘open arms’ at our Open Night Showcase evening. There was something for everyone with many interactive activities such as:
- A dry ice activity, carbon snake, smoke popper machine and elephant’s toothpaste in the Science building.
- Volume with popcorn and Robotics with Rovers for Maths,
- A tower building competition and a pulley challenge for Design and Technology
- A spelling bee, a survivor game and story writing for English.
- Guess the famous landmark and country flag for Humanities
- Hot chocolate making and an assortment of games for Health and PE
- Funny photos and sketching for Art
- Writing names in katakana and picking up M&Ms with chopsticks for Japanese
- Riding a bike to make smoothies and badge making for wellbeing
- Jelly creations for Food Technology
- Ping pong bounce, limbo dance, guessing booth, virtual reality visuals and ball in a basket for applied learning
- Aerobic performances, drum corps, music band playing, zooper doopers handed out by our Frozen Jr production cast and sausage sizzle by the Lions Club of Mornington
It was a fantastic event with many people in attendance, one, we will hold every year.
This week we also welcomed Indigenous Women Rangers from South Australia and Western Australia. The women spoke to Yr 7 students and Outdoor Ed students about history and culture.
Pi Day with the local primary schools has been rescheduled in Term 2. More information will be forthcoming.
Thankyou for your ongoing support. We are a great community with everyone working together.
Linda Stanton
Principal
Important Dates
Term 1 2025
March
Mar - Monday 31st to Wednesday 2nd April Year 10 Outdoor Education Camp Otways
Mar - Monday 31st Year 7 Grandparents Morning Tea
April
Apr - Wednesday 2nd Year 7 Disco
Apr - Thursday 3rd Parent and Teacher Interviews - face to face
Apr - Friday 4th End of Term 1 - 2:30pm finish
Term 2 2025
April
Apr - Tuesday 22nd Term 2 commences
Apr - Thursday 24th College Anzac Day Service 10:15am
Apr - Friday 25th Anzac Day Public Holiday
Apr - Monday 28th to Wednesday 30th Year 10 Outdoor Education Camp Otways
May - Friday 16th Year 9 Morrisby My Career Insights
Middle School
Year 7 Journey So Far
What a fantastic term we’ve had so far!
It was wonderful to see so many Year 7 parents attend our Open Night—it truly was a fantastic evening. Thank you for your support!
This Monday, we are excited to welcome grandparents to our Year 7 Grandparents' Morning Tea in the Conference Room. We can’t wait to meet the extended families of our students.
We’ll also be wrapping up the term with a Year 7 Neon Disco, and the students are buzzing with excitement!
Our Year 7 precinct has been a great success, and I’d like to thank all parents for their kind words and positive feedback about our Year 7 program. Your support means so much to us.
Wishing you all a wonderful week!
Denise Leggett
Assistant Principal
Senior School
To students and families of the Mornington Senior School,
Only two weeks to go for Term 1. It really does fly but with so many interruptions, our students (and staff) could be forgiven for feeling like life has been a bit hectic!
Classroom Mastery (questioning routine)
As you may be aware, we’ve been training our staff (and students) in a couple of new routines in 2025 as part of our Classroom Mastery approach to classroom behaviour and learning. One of these routines is a questioning routine where teachers are using a system that randomly selects students to answer questions. This has been a big shift both for staff who aren’t used to working like this and for students who have been able to choose to zone out, not answer or overt their gaze when the teacher has asked a question and is searching for a brave soul to answer. With any change, comes a period of discomfort but the students I have observed are adjusting quickly. The science behind this approach is two-fold.
- Teachers have to build in a greater pause (which is not second nature to many of us, myself definitely included). So, I tell my class what I am about to ask them and they get given time to think of a response or sometimes to share their response with a classmate before I randomly select a named icy-pole stick from a cup. Teachers also get input from a greater number of students in the class, helping them with their formative assessment.
- Students need to remain ‘engaged’ during this questioning time, negating the opportunity to opt-out of learning. Students may have the opportunity to phone-a-friend or hear from other students before forming their opinion. It sends a clear message – learning is not optional.
Each week, the Classroom Mastery leadership team at Mornington go into classrooms in pairs, observe the practices in action, collaborate and then provide feedback to staff on the spot (while the other coach supervises the class) so we are constantly working to refine our practices.
Without wanting to single out too many individuals, I did observe some terrific questioning and student responses in a Year 9 class taught by Mr Foreman last week, where over 15 individual students answered questions within a 10 min period – far higher than what would have been seen previously. Emily Parker had a similar experience in a Year 7 English class and Amanda Symons used questioning very effectively with her Year 12 Psychology class during a revision session. These simple routines have had a dramatic effect in the positive for so many of our staff and students already, and we are only weeks into our implementation.
Progress Reports
With progress reports being available to parents now, there has been some correspondence sent out to families of students who are deemed to operating below or well below the expected academic level in one or more subjects. Families are encouraged to work closely with the subject teacher (Parent Teacher Interviews are in week 10 as you know) to discuss strategies and approaches to improve the academic standards moving forward.
The information is to provide early intervention while there is time available to improve and does not mean that a student will ‘fail’ a subject. While we would all prefer every student to be at or above the level required without intervention, it isn’t always possible using the strategies and learning behaviours currently being exhibited.
Conversations with the teachers of those subjects identified will be pivotal in changing the current trajectory. I look forward to the productive nature of those conversations as we work together to create effective 3-way partnerships for successful outcomes.
It has been encouraging to hear about conversations about student progress happening already and we look forward to those students being on track by the semester reporting period.
Open Night shout outs
I just wanted to thank the efforts of all senior school students who volunteered their time for the Open Night showcase. It was a fantastic event, and our student were terrific ambassadors for the college. I don’t want to leave anyone out but did want to mention the efforts of our senior music students, our aerobics girls, our VM students who assisted in Applied Learning areas and other leadership students who helped around the event. Their efforts are just the latest proof of the brilliant young people the college helps to nurture along with families.
What is coming up this term in the Senior School?
Thurs 3rd Apr – Parent Teacher interviews – no classes
Kind regards,
Nick Evans
Senior School Assistant Principal
Adolescence
I’ve thought long and hard about writing today’s article. I’m going to surface some issues which are not comfortable to talk about.
I recently had the “experience” of watching the Netflix mini series “Adolescence”. This is a tricky show, extremely “real” characters portraying a very confronting issue, I want to say it was enjoyable to watch, but I think it was probably more thought provoking than enjoyable.
Without spoiling the plot it portrays a family's experience dealing with an interaction with the police and shines a light on the online world which our kids live in. Whilst this is a dramatized fictional event the issues faced by our children in the online world are REAL. We often hear things about the evils of social media and the negative impact it has on our children but too often I have spoken to parents who say things like “I don’t see that sort of stuff on my feed”. The reality is that we are all subject to the “Algorithm” we see things which are targeted at us, our kids see different things.
A recent study conducted in Ireland found that a set of fake accounts posing as 16 year old boys searching for things like football scores and how to get fit was served negative male role model posts within 2 hours and within 16 hours these posts were dominating the feed. This thing is not a media beat up, its not fake, its real and its happening to your kids now.
So what can we do? First off talk about issues with your kids! Find a way to dig deeper than “are you ok?” and being happy with the “yep” response. In last years student attitudes to school survey the question “Has anyone sent you something on the internet (i.e. on social media in an email or online message) that made you upset or uncomfortable?” 35% of students said yes! A good question to start a discussion is something more like “What’s something you saw this week that made you feel sad/angry/upset” or “what is something that you thought sounded a bit odd”. Having an ongoing dialogue is VERY important. (Of course those ideas are probably important for us to consider for ourselves and our own online experiences.)
Finally I would strongly encourage you to watch Adolescence (currently on Netflix). You should definitely watch it as a parenting team, if its more than just you at home. Should you watch it with your kids? That is a very difficult question to answer? For older teens I would say absolutely as the conversations it provokes will give you a one time opportunity to really get inside their world. For younger students its not so clear, you will have to be the judge of that.
Have a box of tissues handy!
Mike Parker
Assistant Principal
Students of the Week
Year 7 Alice Barr
Favourite food: Roast Pork
Hobbies out of school: Horse Riding and cooking
What sports team do you follow? Melbourne Footy Club
Favourite TV show: The Rookie
Do you have any pets? A dog named Mini and a cat named Milo
What do you enjoy most about being at Mornington Secondary College? All the wide variety of things you get to do and programs. I love the Aerobics Squad.
What career do you wish to follow when you finish school? A police officer
Year 7 Bailey Dixon
Favourite food: Maccas
Hobbies out of school: AFL, I play for Beleura. Seeing friends and cousins.
What sports team do you follow? Essendon Bombers
Favourite TV show: I don’t watch much TV but I like Stranger things.
Do you have any pets? A dog named Lexi and two cats named Milly and Saffy
What do you enjoy most about being at Mornington Secondary College? I really love the Drum Corps program
What career do you wish to follow when you finish school? A demolition man like my dad
Year 8 Paris Corfield
Favourite food: Lasagna
Hobbies out of school: Australian Rules
What sports team do you follow? Collingwood
Favourite TV show: Greys Anatomy
Do you have any pets? Dog, Oaky
What do you enjoy most about being at Mornington Secondary College? Friends and extra curricular activities
What career do you wish to follow when you finish school? Not sure
Year 9 Fraser O'Shea
Favourite food: Olives
Hobbies out of school: Basketball, watching Formula 1
Which sports team do you follow? Richmond
Favourite TV show: (Movie) Ford Vs Ferrari
Do you have any pets? Dog, Daisy
What do you enjoy most about being at Mornington Secondary College? Sport and Art
What career do you wish to follow when you finish school? Mechanic or something else to do with cars
Year 11 Cassidy McCubbin
House: Tuerong
My favourite subject: Accounting
Hobbies out of school: Footy
What do you enjoy most about being at Mornington Secondary College? Recess and lunch
What is your dream job? To travel the world
Immunisation Program 2025
Please find attached important information from Mornington Peninsula Shire relating to the Year 7 and Year 10 Immunisation Program planned for Monday 26 May 2025. The letter details the Shire's request that the college sends parent contact details to them so they can follow-up any student who has missed their immunisation.
Please read carefully.
Please consent or decline for your child to take part in the Immunisation Program using the following links:
Year 10 Immunisation 2025 Consent Link
Year 7 2025 Immunisation Consent Link
A help sheet from the Shire is attached.
Shellie Farnill
Education Support - Student Services
2025 Production - FROZEN JR
Announcing our MSC Cast for 2025 for FROZEN JR!
Meet our fabulous Anna's and Elsa's who will carry our show at the start of Term 3. Tickets are available to purchase now! Remember we have a sing-a-long session on our open night so you can join in the fun!
When: Tuesday 5 August 2025 SING-A-LONG SESSION 7-8:30pm
Wednesday 6th and Thursday 7th August 2025 7-8:30pm
Saturday 9 August 2025 2-3:30pm
Location: Performing Arts Theatre1051 Nepean Highway, Mornington Vic 3931
Tickets can be purchased via trybooking, on the below link.
Open Night
Thankyou to everyone who joined us on Tuesday 25th March at our Open Night Showcase. It was a fantastic night! We had so many people say how much they enjoyed the night. Words such as ‘awesome’ ‘fun’ ‘engaging’ were heard. Many families stayed for the full 2 hours while children made the most of the variety of appealing activities our faculties had on offer. Everyone had a great time!
School tours currently run every Monday morning at 9am during school terms. Tours can be booked online or by calling 5970 0200.
Year 7 Sport Thursday 27th March
Boys Cricket
Our Year 7 cricket team took to the field for their first taste of division-level competition, and despite limited past playing experience, they showed tremendous growth throughout the day. Facing off against well-drilled opposition, the boys improved with every game, gaining confidence in their batting, bowling, and fielding skills. By the final match, their teamwork and determination had them competing strongly, demonstrating just how much they had learned in a short time.
A huge congratulations to all the boys who stepped up, gave cricket a go, and embraced the challenge. Their enthusiasm and willingness to learn were outstanding. Well done, team!
Rob Horwill
Year 9 Team Leader
Boys Volleyball
Today the A and B boys volleyball teams competed in their first divisional tournament at Mt Eliza Secondary college. The B team gave a terrific effort and showed significant improvement over the day despite some very tough competition.
Team A took out first place by effective teamwork and developing their skills across the day. A great effort all round!
Kirsty Hamson
Teacher
Girls Volleyball
On Thursday 27th March we had two teams representing our school in the Southern Peninsula Division (SPD) volleyball championships which was held at our stadium. The competition was amazing with all six of our SPD schools represented by 2 teams making 12 teams in total across the A & B competition pools. Our girls did an outstanding job in representing the school displaying great skills, teamwork and sportsmanship through all 5 of their matches.
The A team won their first two games against Rosebud 25-17 and Somerville 25-17. They lost their next two games against Dromana 20-25 and Mt Eliza 10-25. Their final match against Western Port was exceptionally exciting with the lead see-sawing between the two schools. The scores were tied at 24-24 which meant that to win, a school was required to win by two clear points. The score kept levelling out at 25, 26 and 27 all. It was very tense, but our girls were able to steady their nerves and take the game out 29 – 27! With three wins and two losses our A team came runners up to Mt Eliza who had 4 wins and 1 loss.
Our B Team girls also did a terrific job with three wins and two losses. They lost their first match against Rosebud 9-25 but bounced back against Somerville to win 25-9. Their third match was a loss 11-25 against Dromana but again bounced back to win 25-15 in their next match against Mt Eliza. The B Team girls also managed to finish on a high defeating Western Port 25-12 in their last game. Overall, the B Team placed third in their competition.
Congratulations to both of our volleyball teams who represented our school with distinction.
John Walker
College Sport
Tennis
The Year 7 girls' and boys' tennis teams had an outstanding experience at their first interschool sporting competition, proudly representing MSC.
Our teams faced some strong competition, but displayed remarkable skill and sportsmanship throughout the day. The boys’ team secured an impressive 3rd place, while the girls’ team finished 4th.
Despite many of our players having limited experience on the tennis court, all students maintained a positive attitude and demonstrated excellent sportsmanship. As the day progressed, their tennis skills improved significantly, with players consistently improving their serves and engaging in longer rallies.
Overall, it was a fantastic day, and I was incredibly proud of the students' efforts. They represented the college with distinction both on and off the court.
Alex Mackenzie
Year 7 Coordinator
Ultimate Frisbee
The Year 7 boys ultimate frisbee A and B team had a great first day of interschool sport at Mount Eliza Secondary College on Thursday. Both teams played so well and showed fierce determination and great teamwork.
The A team were undefeated throughout the entire draw . The B team gave it a red hot go. Both our A and B teams played against each other in the final round! Fun was had by all.
Kirsty Hamson
Teacher
Year 8 Assembly
Last week Year 8 Captains and Connect Representatives were presented with a certificate at their year level assembly.
Congratulations to the following leaders:
Also presented at assembly were STRIVE award recipients. The STRIVE award is in recognition of a student's attitude and effort, not just academic achievements, and is generated through a points system based on progress checks throughout the year.
Congratulations to all the students who achieved and were presented with their awards, be proud of such an achievement!
Adam Pirrie
Year 8 Team Leader
Year 12 Outdoor and Environmental Studies Murray River Paddle Camp
Students tackled a challenging 40km paddle, starting from the Gulf and finishing at Bramah Lakes. Each day began with a refreshing dip in the Murray and ended with a Trangia cook-up around the fire.
Despite some very wet conditions on Day 2, the students were absolute troopers, embracing the rain after enduring a scorcher the day before.
One of the biggest highlights? Spotting emus—including three baby chicks—along the riverbanks, countless wedge-tailed eagles soaring overhead, and, of course, the endless paddling banter!
We hope all students had a fantastic camp—and bring on the next one: skiing at Mount Buller in winter!
A massive thanks to our incredible teaching team—Madison Nicholls, Mick Williams, Lewis Lynch, and Rory Wagner-Watts—for joining us and making this year’s Paddle Camp one to remember!
Madison Nicholls
Outdoor Education Studies Teacher
Senior SMR Lawn Bowling Championships
On Friday 21st March our senior boys Lawn Bowling team represented the school at the Southern Metropolitan Region (SMR) Lawn Bowling championships. The event was played at the Mornington Bowling Club on the Esplanade.
Our team got off to a great start beating Dromana B 5-2 after trailing the match early on. Dromana SC had multiple teams in the championship taking up invitation spots due to other teams withdrawing. In our second match against Dromana D, we were not as successful, going down 2-8. Our third match against Glen Eira was a real nail bitter going down to the last end where unfortunately the boys came up one short losing 4-5. Our final match of the day was against Albert Park where the boys turned the tables and came up one ahead thanks to some great skipper bowling by Alex Classon.
Our team was comprised of the following students:
Ciaran Best, Lucas Box, Alex Classon, Lukas Janda, Zac McCay and Sam Rankins
John Walker
College Sport Coordinator
Hands on Learning
Chefs, gardeners, tilers, labourers, and lumberjacks in the making…..and that’s just this week! And of course Mr Butcher monitoring the camp fire.
Anastasia Maragakis
Hands on Learning
Casey School Netball Tournament
Tuesday 25th March saw our netball squad girls head to Casey stadium to take part in the annual Casey Netball tournament.
Our Year 7 & 8 girls had a great start winning their first three games and looking strong. They finished third in their pool, losing to state finalist Frankston High School and Rowville academy.
Our Year 9 girls played in the Year 9&10 tournament. They played a strong tournament, finishing second in their pool, losing only to Rowville Academy by 4 goals.
A big shout out to our squad girls who represented MSC with pride and excellent sportsmanship. We are both very proud of your progress and achievements and can’t wait to see what the rest of the year brings.
Kim Rattue
Year 8 Level Coordinator and Netball Squad Coach
Evangeline Romage
Year 7 Team Leader and Netball Squad Coach
LET GO & GROW Tanti Mural Project
Inigo is a Melbourne based artist who specialises in the forgotten art of hand painted signage, gilding, decorative glass art, pin-striping, restorative work of historical signage, & realistic portraits and murals. He has worked with an impressive list of large and small businesses and has recently expanded into youth led community murals.
Inigo and his partner Kate (a youth worker at Bunjilwarra, a Koori rehabilitation and healing centre) are-passionate about generating community youth-led murals, engaging youth through art projects. Their collaborative work, focuses on fostering creativity and a sense of community among young people.
By involving them in the entire process—from planning and design to execution—youth participants developed artistic abilities, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. These projects often result in a sense of accomplishment and empowerment, as the youth see their collaborative efforts come to life in a tangible, public artwork.
The project LET GO & GROW, was run during February on the car park wall, on Robertson Drive in Tanti. Our Hands on Learning students contributed, until the artwork was completed.
The mural project, with the theme “Let Go and Grow” can serve as a powerful, transformative space for self-reflection and healing. It can act as both an artistic expression and a therapeutic tool, guiding young people through a process of letting go of limiting beliefs or negative narratives they have internalised.
For many disengaged youth, their stories—often shaped by trauma, rejection, or negative experiences—can hold them back from seeing their full potential. These stories may include beliefs like "I’m not good enough," "I don't belong," or "I’ll never succeed." These self-replicating thoughts become part of their identity and influence their behaviour, sometimes keeping them stuck in cycles of disengagement or self-doubt.
The "Let Go and Grow" theme acts as an invitation to release these outdated, limiting stories and step into a new narrative. The mural becomes a visual representation of the internal work needed to free oneself from the past and embrace personal growth, self-worth, and possibility. The mural project itself would allowed youth to actively participate in their own healing journey, either by contributing directly to the artwork or by interacting with it.
Concept Elements:
Symbolising Release: The mural would feature symbols of speaking out, with bold typography ‘LET GO & GROW’ painted in the same colours as the gum leaves throughout the artwork.
Growth and Transformation: To illustrate personal growth, the image of different shapes of gum leaves and blossoms, growing into a vibrant plants and flowers. This symbolises the potential of transformation and the idea that, just like nature, we can shed what’s no longer helpful and emerge stronger, wiser, and freer.
Youth Engagement in Design: Involve the youth in the design process, allowing them to suggest symbols, images, and colors that resonate with them. This helps them feel ownership of the project and ensures that the artwork speaks to their unique experiences. Workshops could be held where they are asked to reflect on the stories they want to release and the growth they wish to see in themselves.
Guided Reflection: Prior to starting the mural, we engaged students in group discussion about the stories they’ve been carrying. Helping them to identify beliefs or experiences that might no longer serve them and guide them in the process of letting go.
Themes of Healing and Empowerment:
Letting Go: The mural represents the courage to face and release old beliefs, harmful stories, and painful memories that have held them back.
Community: The mural brings together young people to work on a shared vision of healing and hope. It emphasises the power of community and mutual support in overcoming challenges.
Long-Term Impact:
This mural will not just be a one-time art project; it will serve as a lasting symbol in the space, offering youth a physical reminder of their capacity to change. Over time, it could become a place for ongoing reflection, where youth who engage with it find comfort and encouragement, knowing they are not alone in their struggles or their growth.
A mural based on the theme "Let Go and Grow" can help disengaged youth break free from the stories that hold them back. It’s an invitation to explore the possibility of change, to reflect on their past, and to release limiting beliefs. The mural itself becomes both a powerful tool for self-expression and a catalyst for personal transformation, offering a chance for youth to reconnect with themselves, their potential, and their future.
Inigo and Kate from the everyday dude paint are seeking funding to cover costs, to expand youth-led mural projects in collaboration with Mornington Secondary College and other youth led groups. These projects provide a unique opportunity for youth to engage in the artistic process, express their creativity, and contribute to the beautification of our community. ‘By securing financial support and finding new spaces, we aim to empower more young people, foster a sense of pride and ownership in their neighbourhoods, and enhance the overall aesthetic of our public spaces. Together, we can transform our community one mural at a time’.
Matt Butcher
Hands on Learning
School ANZAC Day Service
ANZAC day is a significant event for our College. We will be holding an Anzac commemoration for our students on Thursday 24th of April from 10am and we extend an invitation to all members of our school community to attend this event. If you would like to attend please RSVP by Thursday 3rd April, 2025 via email mornington.sc@education.vic.gov.au.
For more than 100 years, RSL Victoria has supported veterans and their families who have been impacted by their service and sacrifice. Generously supported, this special fundraising campaign enables Victorians to give something back to those who give and have given so much for us all. Your donation will help veterans in need gain access to crisis accommodation, emergency financial help, physical and mental health support, and so much more.
Mornington Secondary College proudly support this fundraiser and currently have a variety of ANZAC APPEAL badges available for purchase at Reception.
Additionally, you can donate to the ANZAC Appeal through donating securely online.
Swinburne Innovation in Action - Free School Holiday Program
The Swinburne Innovation in Action school holiday program is a 1-day program based at our Hawthorn campus where Year 10 - 12 students are given the knowledge and tools they need to come up with brilliant new ideas to solve real-world problems.
In this free program, they will:
- Visit the Hawthorn Campus of Swinburne University of Technology and identify a problem they would like to solve, framed by the UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Work together with peers to build a prototype solution for the chosen problem
- Level up their learning through hands-on, interactive workshops that focus on teamwork, design thinking, problem solving and communication
- Have fun!
Click below for more information, or to register for this event on Thursday 17th April.
Free Holiday Programs in April - Mornington Peninsula Shire Youth Services
Each holidays, Mornington Peninsula Shire Youth Services provide safe and fun opportunities for young people to connect and have fun through the School Holiday Program. We offer free activities at our Youth Hubs in Rosebud, Mornington and Hastings and low-cost excursions. Sometimes these are the only outings that some young people can access to do something different while their parents/caregivers may be at work, or unable to entertain them.
Attending our school holiday program can provide both young people and their families respite and reduce the isolation that some experience in the holidays.
Mornington Lions Annual Charity Book Fair
If you're a book lover, please head down and grab yourself a bargain at the Mornington Lions Annual Charity Book Fair on 12th and 13th April at The Studio (Cnr. Nepean Highway & Wilsons Rd, Mornington). All other details are in the below flyer.
Reconciliation Week Kick Off event
School Sport Victoria (SSV) Team Vic representative program
The School Sport Victoria (SSV) Team Vic representative program provides a development platform for Victoria’s emerging student athletes to participate in the annual School Sport Australia (SSA) Championships. SSV coordinates the selection process for Team Vic teams in partnership with relevant state sporting organisations.
For more information please click on the below link.
FREE YA WRITERS WORKSHOP in APRIL – Calling all Aspiring Creative Writers!
Trans Day of Visibility
Trans Day of Visibility is an annual international celebration of trans pride and awareness, recognising transgender, gender diverse and non-binary experiences and achievements! On 31 March celebrate with gender diverse people all around Australia by sharing stories, starting conversations, and attending events. For more information on how to get involved, please click on the below link.
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