From the Principal

Dear Parents and Carers, Students and Community

It was a real pleasure to welcome 66 students and 6 staff to our College this week from Nara High School, Japan.  Visits like this give all of us a wonderful chance to learn from one another, make new friends, and share our cultures in a relaxed, enjoyable way.

An action-packed schedule involved students being buddied up and given the opportunity to explore our school, join in activities, and get to know our each other. It was lovely to see at the end of the visit that bonds had been made and friendships forged.

A massive thanks goes to Amie Steny, Melanie Brindle, Kirsty Hamson and Paul Papettas for organizing and facilitating the visit. It was a great success, congratulations.

Well done to our 2025 Year 9 cohort. It was very pleasing to see yesterday’s paper and a testament to the dedication of staff at Mornington Secondary College with the 2025 Year 9 NAPLAN results being publicised. Mornington Secondary College was ranked number 2 in comparison to all Mornington Peninsula based government secondary schools. 

Over the Christmas break you will see the Victorian School Building Authority begin a portable relocation program at the College. Our current build capacity is 1900 students; this relocation program will adjust it to 1400. This will provide us with an opportunity to improve facilities across the college as well as open up areas to enhance student movement.

This week I continued to welcome invitations from staff and students to visit classrooms during Fast Forward so I can further observe and support our core business: quality teaching and learning. A highlight was the continued way students and staff embraced the learning opportunities, showcasing both dedication and creativity in their approach.

Regards

Adam Slater

Acting Principal

Important Dates

Middle School

Dear parents and carers,

Not only are we well into summer, but we are also moving quickly towards the Christmas break. This is the time of year when we often pause to reflect on what we have achieved and look forward to the opportunities ahead. As I write this, the golf in Melbourne has been underway and the cricket in Brisbane is in full swing, so I’m keen to catch up on the results later today. Even with a full school schedule, it reminds us all how important it is to have interests beyond our work to maintain a healthy balance. I must admit—I love Christmas time, and from my conversations with students, they do too.

Many students are already excitedly talking about what they hope to receive on Christmas Day, as well as their holiday plans. Camping seems to be a popular favourite among many of our families.

This week, students have enjoyed stepping into their next year level and engaging with new learning. Next week, we look forward to our curriculum-based activity days, along with welcoming our 2026 Year 7 students for Orientation Day—always a highlight on our calendar.

Just like last year, in next week’s newsletter I will share some Christmas recipes you might like to try at home.

Wishing you all a wonderful week ahead.

Warm regards,

Denise Leggett

Assistant Principal

Senior School

To students and families of the Mornington Senior School,

Greetings from the Year 12 Retreat in beautiful Alexandra! I’m quickly writing this early in the morning before a 7am breakfast and a full day of activities. If the first days of the retreat are any indication of 2026, then the Class of 2026 will have a fantastic final year of schooling. The cohort are supporting each other, displaying resilience and taking on challenges with calm confidence. So far we’ve taken on challenges including a giant swing, canoeing, high ropes courses, had some time in the pool (ok that may not be overly challenging 😉), laser tag, flying fox and enjoyed a campfire together. 

There was also an intense around-the-world table tennis challenge in which everyone involved experienced some success, even including an assistant principal!  I would like to thank Kate Wilson for her diligence in ensuring the staff had plenty of access to coffee!

The whole retreat has been such a success thanks to the work of Year 12 Leader Jo Reeman and Year 12 Coordinator, Jo Dixon. My thanks also to the staff who attended; Rebecca Slater, Viv Collins, Kate Wilson, Grant Olarenshaw, and fantastic AFL Trainee Kobi Lawson. They have worked hard, with good humour (and minimal sleep) to ensure the students have a great experience.

2025 VCE Results Release - Thursday Dec 11th, the wait is almost over! 

Results for students enrolled in one or more VCE or scored VCE VET Unit 3-4 sequences in 2025 will be delivered to the student’s nominated address from Thursday 11th December.

IMPORTANT : Read below to learn how to access VCE results and the ATAR service

The 2025 VCE results and ATAR service portal is resultsandatar.vic.edu.au.

Students wishing to use the 2025 VCE results and ATAR service to access their VCE results online or via the app will need to register in advance at resultsandatar.vic.edu.au.

Registration opened in August 2025. Students will need their VCAA student number and personal details to register. They will be asked to select a secure password when registering, which they will use to access their results. They only need to register once. The password they create can then be used for both the internet service and mobile app.

Students should be advised to register by 5pm Sunday 7 December to ensure they can access their results from 7am, Thursday 11th December.

If they have created a VTAC account (all MSC VCE ATAR students did this during ROADMAP classes in 2025), this is separate from their registration for the VCE results and ATAR service and will not give them access to the service.

The 2025 VCE results and ATAR service is free and will be available from 7am Thursday 11 December to 5pm Monday 16 December. The MSC Pathways leader (Kylie Lebrasse) has posted information on Compass about the change of preference window and families are encouraged to make contact if they require further information. The pathways team has a priority approach to the change of preference window, based on data we’ve collected, and will be contacting students who have not met pre-requisite requirements, or missed clearly-in ATAR scores for their preferred course. 

I’ll provide a snapshot of our results next week. 

Senior School students’ dismissal dates for 2025

December the 5th marks the last day of classes for our 2026 Year 11 and 12 students (other than individuals who may have been required by their year levels teams). Our 2026 Year 10 students will be taking part in activities next week.  

We look forward to seeing them for their first day in 2026, which will be the last Thursday in January (29th).

Key Senior School events for Term 4 2025

Kind regards,

Nick Evans

Senior School Assistant Principal

Faculty Fun!

In the second last week of the year students at Mornington Secondary College will be engaged in Faculty FUN!  Each day will be hosted by different faculties and students will participate in activities which focus on different aspects of the faculty. Each day will start in the learning centre with further details on COMPASS.

See you there!

Mike Parker

Assistant Principal - Curriculum and Student Wellbeing

Nara Visitors

Cultural Exchange Visit Brings Two Days of Fun and Learning from Nara to MSC

Over two exciting days, Mornington Secondary College Japanese students from Years 9-11 welcomed 66 visitors from Nara, along with their teachers, for a memorable Australian school experience. 

Our guests enjoyed a rich program of activities, beginning with a tour of the school and continued with hands-on sessions in origami, calligraphy, and traditional Japanese games and crafts. Students from both schools also enjoyed teaching one another their skills in basketball and four-square, creating a wonderful atmosphere of teamwork and shared learning.

Everyone came together for a classic Aussie morning tea, featuring Anzac cookies and a sausage sizzle—a definite highlight! New friendships were formed, cultural connections were strengthened, and fun was had by all throughout the visit. 

It was a fantastic two-day experience that we hope to continue in future years. The language faculty would like to express their gratitude to all those involved in this wonderful two days exchange experience.

Kirsty Hamsom

Japanese Teacher

Fast Forward Wrap Up

Students have experienced a sample of 2026 this last fortnight, with new class mates, new subjects, and new teachers.  Here's just a snapshot of what's being going on here at MSC.

ART

Our Year 8 Art students dove into one-point perspective in Fast Forward, building confidence with foundational drawing techniques. They learnt how to use orthogonal lines to create depth and practised surface-rendering methods such as scumbling to enhance their work. This unit is preparing them with the visual thinking and technical skills they’ll need as they progress into two-point perspective in 2026.

Year 9 and 10 Art students have been working together on our new school mural.

MATHS

2026 Advanced Year 8 Maths revised key skills.

2026 Year 9 Advanced Maths: Ratios investigations were used with mathematical modelling to solve practical problems involving ratio and scale.

2026 Year 10 Advanced Maths-Pre-Methods: Rationalising the denominator (3D).

2026 Vocational Major (VM) Numeracy: Real life examples, real life calculations on percentage increasing and decreasing.

2026 Year 11 Math Methods: Worked with calculators to use and transpose formulas.

SCIENCE

Our 2026 Year 10 students crash-tested cars. Students considered what is reliability and validity? And how can they control for unwanted variables?

2026 Year 11 Biology students investigated the impact on cube size on the Surface Area to Volume ratio. Cubes of agar where used to represent cells. This activity enabled students to see first hand that as a cube size increases, the surface area to volume ratio decreases. This means the cells is not efficient in absorbing nutrients or removing wastes.

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Our 2026 Year 8 students came together in Connect for good old fashion poison ball fun.

2026 Year 9 Fast Forward – Settling In & Stepping Up

A Strong Start to the Year

Our Year 9 Fast Forward cohort has made an impressive start, settling into the program with confidence, maturity, and enthusiasm. From day one, students have shown a willingness to participate, collaborate, and challenge themselves—qualities that will serve them well throughout their Year 9 journey.

Embracing Change With Confidence

Transitioning into Year 9 often comes with new routines, expectations, and responsibilities. Our Fast Forward students have not only adapted to these changes, but have embraced them. Whether it’s approaching new learning styles, taking ownership of their progress, or stepping outside their comfort zones, the group has shown a commendable level of resilience and openness.

Positive Classroom Culture

Teachers have noted the development of a supportive and inclusive atmosphere across the cohort. Students are encouraging one another, engaging respectfully in discussions, and showing a genuine interest in their learning pathways. This positive culture has helped create a space where everyone feels confident to contribute and grow.

Looking Ahead

As the year progresses, we’re excited to see how the students continue to develop their skills, broaden their aspirations, and make the most of the opportunities offered through the Year 9 program. With such a strong start, we’re confident that Year 9 is set to be a rewarding and successful year for all involved.

In 2026 Year 9 Connect there was a take no prisoners vibe during kickball and poison ball, but still with lots of smiles and fun had by the whole group.

SENIOR SCHOOL

The 2026 Year 11 cohort have started Fast Forward with a sense of purpose. Students have settled into the start of their VCE journey well. We had an assembly on Monday to ensure students understood the expectations of Year 11: 

• 90% and above attendance, 
• completion of all learning tasks, and 
• trying their best with SACs and ALPs. 

Some awards were also given to students for their achievements whilst in Year 10.

To wrap up Fast Forward, the 2026 Year 11 ATAR students surged into the stadium for their first house challenge: a high-energy dodgeball competition. The atmosphere was electric as players dodged, ducked and dived their way through a series of fast-paced matches. 

In a thrilling final, Beluera claimed victory, narrowly edging out Coolart to take the top spot in the first Year 11 House event of the year. In the battle for third place, Balcombe held their nerve to slip past Tuerong, securing a well-earned bronze finish.

The students have taken to VCE like ducks to water, and this friendly, spirited competition was a fantastic way to celebrate an impressive first two weeks.

The  Year 12 Vocational Major Personal Development (VMPD) students have been working on their team work skills with the Marshmallow Tower Challenge. It was fun (and delicious!) but also encouraged our students to work together to practice problem solving, design thinking, resilience and agility.

Year 9 2026 Camp Update

We're excited to announce that MSC's first Year 9 interstate camp to Cairns has been approved by School Council.  In the next few days the event will be entered on Compass asking for the deposit to secure a place on the trip. The deposit has until February 3rd 2026 to be paid. More information will be sent to Year 9 parents in the next few days.

MSC Connect with Local Primary Schools

Mornington Park Primary School Transition Morning

On Monday we enjoyed having Grade 5 and 6 students from Mornington Park Primary School visit our school for a fun morning of maths and aquatic games.

Mount Martha Primary School Drums & Flag Corps Session

On Tuesday, our Drum and Flag Corps had the wonderful opportunity to work with students from Mount Martha Primary School. The group delivered an energetic, hands-on session that kept everyone engaged from start to finish. It was a fantastic morning filled with rhythm, teamwork and plenty of fun!

Evangeline Romage

Year 7 Team Leader

Year 7 and 8 Lunchtime Basketball 3x3 Competition

This week was the final found of the Year 7 and 8 Lunchtime Basketball 3x3 Competition. 

Thank you to all players and spectators. Games were always played in great spirit and friendly rivalry, and were a pleasure to watch. Congratulations to the overall winners:

• Year 7 - Thunder
• Year 8 - Bucks

John Walker

College Sport

MSC Athletics Squad-That’s a Wrap for 2025!

Thank you to all students involved in 2025 Athletics Squad. We have seen tremendous results across the year, with many personal bests achieved in both athletics and cross-country, through School Sport Victoria as well as All Schools competitions.

These students train hard every week—both in the Athletics Squad and in their own time—and their efforts have certainly paid off. They have demonstrated an impressive level of fitness, determination, and team spirit across the board.

I’m already looking forward to 2026 and taking our training to the next level. New members are always welcome. Athletics Squad is a fantastic way to meet new people, feel part of a supportive team environment, set personal fitness goals for the year ahead and a great opportunity for pre-season training.

A big thank you to the following students who have been regular attendees throughout the year:

Well done, everyone—bring on 2026!

Alex Mackenzie

Head of Athletics Squad

Wellbeing

Matt Brown Presentation - Year 10 and 11 Boys

Earlier this week our Year 10 and 11 boys listened to guest presenter Matt Brown. Matt is a New Zealand born Samoan and an author, communicator, and internationally acclaimed barber and hair artist who is known for ‘giving great cuts’ and ‘inspiring great men.’ 

Matt regularly speaks to boys across the globe with themes of his talk centred around: 

• Healthy Masculinity, 
• Safe Relationships, 
• Consent, 
• Domestic & Sexual Violence, 
• Career and Purpose

Matt's presentation had our students enthralled as he shared his personal story; to foster vulnerability, healing, and connection. 

To learn more, you can watch Matt's TedX talk to find out more about his story.

Christmas Hampers

Mornington Secondary College extend a big thank you to the New Peninsula Baptist Church (Mount Martha Centre) for their generous donation of 45 Christmas Hampers. Each hamper is jam packed with Christmas themed treats, and will be distributed to lucky winners of our school community. Congratulations to anyone lucky enough to receive a hamper!

Could you be a Foster Carer? 

Nicole Boland

Mental Health Practitioner

Hands on Learning

It has been an absolute pleasure and privilege being part of the Hands-on Learning team at Mornington Secondary College in 2025. Our rendition of the program has surpassed our own expectations. Adam Pirrie, Matthew Butcher and I are extremely proud of all the students who participated. Staff and students all taught and learned so much from each other in a learning environment that a usual classroom structure cannot provide. Apart from the practical, educational and workforce skills, the participants also learned valuable social, personal and lifelong lessons. We have seen proof of our accomplishments with the improved development of our students at school within the areas of:

• Communication 
• Relationships with teachers and peers
• Behaviour
• Student’s ability to regulate their own behaviour
• Behaviour and learning in the classroom
• Attendance, engagement and attitude towards school
• General wellbeing 
• HAPPINESS AT SCHOOL!

In 2025, we were focused on renovating The Cottage, our dedicated learning area. Built in 2011 on a tight budget as a woodwork room, it struggled to find purpose. This gave the HoL team an opportunity to teach and learn new skills while creating a learning space our students could be proud of. This year, we are proud to say that the participants reached and even exceeded our initial goals set out in our project plan.

Our other projects reflected a contribution to service to the wider community including: 

• Excursion to an aged care facility  
• Involvement in a community mural painting project 
• Conservation involvement with planting days at Main Ridge 
• Beach clean-up days
• Sustained and built new networks with other organizations

We did have an animal shelter lined up but unfortunately the municipality had to cancel this year.

Within the school we've: 

• Sanded and painted various indoor and outdoor areas of the cottage
• Constructed retaining walls for the cottage gardens
• Regrouted the cottage interior 
• Painted the doors on the cottage interior roof 
• Redeveloped the front entrance
• Created garden beds and planted various shrubs, flowers, herbs and fruit trees
• Supported our own school with garden maintenance, school maintenance, mulching, and the VM Market Day stall

The best thing about HoL in 2025

• Mr Adam Pirrie: “Seeing the students having a sense of achievement and new relationships being formed”
• Mr Matthew Butcher: “The vibe and doing practical tasks”
• Ms Anastasia Maragakis: “Witnessing the new connections and bonds being formed, and the emotional and mental growth of all involved”

• Nikki Huebers: “Getting to know more people”
• Abby Perry-Rule: “Connecting with my peers and seeing that there is more to life than a classroom structure”
• Axel Sims: “Friends and the environment”
• Breiana Leadbeatter: “The friendships I’ve made and the different learning environment”
• Evie Motherwell: “The people”
• Johnny Butcher: “The beach days”
• Jay Turner: “Going somewhere else instead of the classroom”
• Paris Corfield: “The environment is stress free”
• Lucas Coutts: “The beach clean-up days”
• Levi Gerrey: “Going somewhere else instead of the classroom”
• Seth Glasgow: “Doing hands-ony things”
• Evie Evans: “The mural we painted”
• Mali Gleeson-Whiter: “Learning things that you don’t learn in class that are enjoyable and meeting Anastasia and Mr Butcher”
• Jamie McCay: “The food”
• Mason Smith: “Seeing my friends and making memories that will last forever”
• Lachlan Wells: “Learning a lot of different skills”
• Riley Whitzel: “The food”
• Harley Wilcox: "Learning how to lay bricks”

Congratulations Taylah

Last weekend, we had the pleasure of watching MSC alumna Taylah Gatt and the Kangaroos secure the AFLW Premiership. The North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos became the AFLW's first back-to-back premiers after defeating Brisbane by 40 points in Saturday night's 2025 NAB AFLW Grand Final.

"North Melbourne's pace on the outside – Tess Craven, Taylah Gatt and Amy Smith – was too much for Brisbane to handle, and they moved the ball forward with great effect."

Congratulations Taylah!

Netball News

Congratulations to Year 9 students Ella Holcombe and Nataliya Heyward for their selection in Two Bays U15 Female team competing in 2026 State Titles.

And further congratulations to Ella for her selection in the Netball Victoria 2026 Talent Academy.

The Netball Victoria 2026 Talent Academy is a development opportunity in the high performance pathway for emerging athletes aged 14 – 16 years old.

With six academies across the state, the program ensures regional and metro athletes have access to coaching and resources that can assist in their progression towards state and national representation. Athletes are talent identified at Netball Victoria’s major competitions, the Association Championships and State Titles, and invited to trial for their region’s academy. From there, they train together as a region, preparing for the Inter-Academy tournament in August which is where they can be selected into the top 50 for the Victorian state team trials. Congratulations, and good luck Ella!

2026 Student Subjects and Contributions - Now Available on Compass

Families can view 2026 student subjects and pay contributions via Compass (Parent Access). To get started, simply log in and click into the Payment Centre on your Compass dashboard. There, you’ll be able to see your child’s allocated 2026 subjects and associated contributions.

Year Level Information

Years 7 & 8

Students in Years 7 and 8 will automatically be enrolled in all subjects listed in the 2026 booklist.

Year 9

All Year 9 students will study the below subjects, with their associated costs described as Classroom Materials:

Year 9 elective subjects can be viewed by checking your contributions in the Payment Centre.

Year 10

All Year 10 students will study English and Maths, with their associated costs described as Classroom Materials.

All additional Year 10 subjects and electives can be found under your contributions.

Years 11 & 12

All VCE/VET/VCAL subjects for Years 11 and 12 are listed within your contributions.

2026 Subject Contributions Parent Information Booklets can also be accessed anytime on our school website.

Year 7-12 2026 Resource List

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

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

Your school resource code: VVRH

Your order-by date is 17th December 2025

The How to Order flyer is below.

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

Family help:

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

Email help@campion.com.au

Tel 1300 433 982

School Approved Padlocks - Available Now

School approved padlocks can now be ordered in the SHOP on Compass. Please refer to the visual guides below on where to find the SHOP; using the Compass app or using Compass in browser mode.

Please note that using the SHOP does attract a 20c order fee.

Reminder: Canteen orders can also be placed via Compass (as highlighted above). 

Rotary Mornington 54th Annual Art Show 

The Rotary Club of Mornington is proud to announce its 54th Annual Art Show to be held at the Peninsula Community Theatre, 91 Wilsons Rd, Mornington.

The 2026 Show will consist of a Physical and Virtual Show and runs between 10am-5pm from Friday 16th of January 2026 to Saturday 24th of January 2026, with a special Late Night Opening on Friday January 23 until 8pm. The Virtual Show closes on Monday 26th of January. 

The Mornington Art Show has grown to be one of the most prestigious and largest art shows in Victoria with over 750 high quality works of art from local and interstate artists available for sale. Feature artists Billy Nye and Nina Volk, well-known Melbourne artists, will be joined by artisans who will present examples of their work, including ceramics and sculptures. This year’s judges are renowned painter Clive Sinclair and Peninsula photographer Yanni. Art works from local students will also be on display, including pieces by MSC students.

More information can be found at https://morningtonartshow.com.au.

Community News and Offers

Invitation to Support YFU Student Exchange Hosting International Students

To learn more or to reach out to us