From the Principal

Welcome back everyone, I hope you had a wonderful break with family and friends. 

This week, we also welcomed new members of staff.  

• Amelia Taylor teaching English 
• Kirsten Lindsay teaching Psychology and Food 
• Kirsty Hamson teaching Japanese and VCE-VM 
• Steven Dodd – Gardener 
• Michael Maurier – Maintenance 

Today we say goodbye to Scott Kirkby, Year 12 Team Leader. Scott was successful in gaining a position at KooWeeRup SC as a Learning Specialist. Thankyou for your work Scott, we wish him well. Interviews have been conducted to replace Scott as the Year 12 Team Leader and I will announce the successful applicant in my next newsletter.  

Yesterday, the whole school community came together for an assembly in the Stadium. The assembly was facilitated by our College Captains, Molly Pearce Decker and Bridie Borthwick. Our senior band performed, as did our Drum Corps. Year Level Captains were announced and were presented with a badge. The Captains then attended the ‘All Captains Council’ in the conference room.  

During the assembly, I addressed the student body with information about the annual Attitudes to School survey, all students participate in. I introduced ‘Have a Say days’, where I invite approximately 20 students from each year level to join me in discussions about their experiences at school and suggestions on what they would like to see change.  

I finished by thanking students for their excellent behaviour during camps and excursions. I regularly receive emails and phone calls from members of the public congratulating the school and our students for the polite, respectful manner they conduct themselves. 

Our ANZAC day service will be conducted 24th April this year. This is a whole school event with fifty dignitaries joining us this year. Parents are also welcome to attend. Please contact the General Office if you would like to join us.  

Many of us will be marching along Main St, Mornington 25th April behind our very own Drum Corps. We hope to see you there. 

Linda Stanton

Principal

Important Dates

Term 2

April

Wednesday 17th to Friday 19th April - Year 11 Outdoor Ed Wilsons Prom Camp

Friday 19th April - State Swimming at MSAC

Wednesday 24th April - ANZAC Day Commemorations at school

Thursday 25th April - ANZAC Day - Public Holiday

Monday 29th April to Wednesday 1st May - Year 10 Outdoor Ed Otways Camp

May

Wednesday 8th May - Year 7 Cross Country

Thursday 16th May - Year 10 Careers Expo

Friday 17th May - Staff Professional Development Day - Student free

Wednesday 22nd to Friday 24th May - Year 7 Camp - The Summit

June

Tuesday 4th June - Year 12 TRAG Excursion

Thursday 6th to Friday 14th June - Year 10 and 11 Mid Year Exams

Monday 10th June - King's Birthday - Public Holiday

Monday 17th June - Semester 2 Begins

Tuesday 18th June - Year 12 GAT

Thursday 20th to Friday 21st June - Year 12 Outdoor Ed Snow Camp

Friday 21st June - SMR Cross Country - Ballam Park

Tuesday 25th June - 2025 Course Information Evening - 5.00 to 7.00pm

Thursday 27th June - Year 12 Fancy Dress Evening - Frankston Arts Centre

Friday 28th June - Last Day of Term 2 - 2.30pm Dismissal

Follow us on

Don't forget to look on compass for sport sign ups, excursions and any other information sent to students and parents. 

Below is a link to help guide you in your use of compass.

https://mornsc.vic.edu.au/for-parents/compass-parent-guide/

Middle School

Dear Parents and Guardians

Welcome back! 

Yesterday we had our whole school assembly.  What a great occasion! 

We celebrated the core value of Community and the profound sense of belonging that binds us together. The students shared energy and enthusiasm, supporting each other's success. Our school captains did a great job leading the assembly and presenting the Year level Connect captains to the college community.

Some Highlights of the Assembly:

1.  Embracing Community: Principal, Linda Stanton focused on the importance of fostering a supportive and inclusive environment where every individual feels valued and respected. 

2.  Captains' Reports: Our student leaders reflected on our achievements from term 1 and outlined exciting plans for the future. Their dedication to serving the school community is truly commendable. 

3.  Sports Report: Cheers were heard throughout the stadium as the sports report was delivered especially in regard to our Athletics day. Whether on the field, court, or track, our athletes exemplify resilience, teamwork, and sportsmanship. We have so many talented athletes. We have a great tradition of sporting prowess at Mornington Secondary College, and we are very proud of the individual and team achievements in the sporting field.

4.  Attendance Raffle: Recognizing the importance of regular attendance, we celebrated students who consistently showed up for learning with an exciting attendance raffle. Congratulations to the lucky winners!  The spinning wheel added an extra element of excitement to the assembly attendance awards.

5.  School Band : the college assembly was not just speeches and reports, it was also a showcase of our 2 sensational college bands. They performed so well and our student community gave them a rousing applause.

6.  Drum Corps: Our Drum Corps were simply magnificent and played as all of the students entered the stadium. We are very proud of our drummers and flag bearers who will represent us as we as a college march down Main Street Mornington on ANZAC day. Please join us if you can.

Thank you to all students, staff, and families for your unwavering dedication to our school community. With your ongoing commitment, we will continue to thrive and grow together.

Wishing you a great week!

Denise Leggett

Middle School Assistant Principal

Senior School

To students and families of the Mornington Senior School,

Welcome to term 2. It’s going to be a jam-packed term for Senior School students, with an exam period (Year 10 & 11), the conclusion of VCE units 1 & 3, the General Achievement Test (the GAT) for students studying a Year 12 subject (including VCE VM subjects) and the beginning of course selection information for 2025 programs. On top of that, our students will complete the Attitudes to School Survey, observe ANZAC Day ceremonies and many will be involved in a multitude of excursions, camps and sporting activities.

As we move into the cooler months, we will see students starting to dress appropriately to keep warm. I’ve taken this opportunity to link to our School Council-approved uniform policy which describes which items are available for students to wear. I’ve included a brief table of common items students may attempt to wear which are not approved and the permitted substitute items.

I wanted to highlight some valuable work that our Year 12 VCE VM classes will be doing over the coming weeks. They’ll be providing technical support to the Mornington community at the Mornington library. You may have seen a post on Facebook from the Mornington Peninsula Shire (I’ve included a screenshot below). It will be great to hear the stories of our students connecting with community and showing what fantastic young adults we have here at Mornington.

 I wanted to finish by thanking Mr Scott Kirkby for all his hard work leading our year 12 cohorts over the last 16 months and wish him all the best in his new role closer to his family. 

Have a fantastic week and it’s great to be around our enthusiastic learners again.

Nick Evans

Senior School Assistant Principal

Year Level Captains

Congratulations to the following students chosen as this year's Year Level Captains.

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

Year 10

Year 11

Year 12

Attendance

Congratulations to the following students.  They achieved 95% or above attendance in Term 1 and won a prize at our all school assembly.

Japanese Exchange Program

Mornington Secondary College is happy to announce that we will be hosting some international students from Japan later this year.

We will be seeking host families who are able to accommodate a Junior High School student from Osaka between July 28th -  August 6th. 

These students will attend MSC during their stay and participate in class experiences and some special program activities. 

More information to follow. 

If you would like some more information, or would like to register an expression of interest to host a Japanese student please contact Mel Brindle mbr@mornsc.vic.edu.au

Indigenous Women Rangers Visit

Mornington Secondary College was excited to welcome eight indigenous women rangers to our school to present to our students. Students heard about how rangers are working to protect Australia’s desert country, with stories from Western Australia, Northern Territory and South Australia. They then had the opportunity to ask questions on various topics such as environment, language and connection to country. 

The women’s group was visiting as part of the Thin Green Line Foundation’s Desert Women’s Leadership program and offered a unique opportunity for our students to meet our First Nations people and learn more about indigenous culture and land management. It was also a special opportunity for the women to develop their public speaking skills in front of a large audience, which was great preparation for corporate public speaking gigs later in the week. 

This is the second year of this type of collaboration between MSC and indigenous women ranger groups and we hope it continues in the future, thanks to the Thin Green Line Foundation creating these pathways for personal development and knowledge exchange.

(The Thin Green Line Foundation is a global not-for-profit conservation organisation who believe that the practical, direct action of rangers is the most necessary and effective way to overcome the environmental challenges of our time. They provide equipment, training and monetary support to rangers and their families primarily across Africa, Latin America and South East Asia. https://thingreenline.org.au/ )

Year 11 Health Students Cook Up a Storm

Students in Year 11 Health & Human Development classes took part in the annual "Master Chef: Nutritious Food Cooking Competition," an innovative event designed to combine culinary skills with nutritional science.  Held at the end of term 1, this innovative competition aimed to educate and inspire students about the importance of healthy eating habits and the fundamentals of cooking nutritious meals.

The event was part of a broader initiative by the College to integrate practical life skills into the academic curriculum, emphasizing the significance of nutrition and wellness. "Our goal is to empower our students with the knowledge and skills they need to make informed dietary choices," said Michelle Barnes, Curriculum Leader. "We believe that understanding how to prepare healthy meals is crucial for their well-being and future.”

Over thirty-five enthusiastic students participated in the competition, which was organized by the school’s Health teachers Ms Barnes and Mrs Dixon, with invaluable support from Food Studies teacher Mrs Bremner. Participants were challenged to create delicious, nutritious dishes within a set timeframe, using a variety of whole, unprocessed ingredients that covered the five food groups.

The dishes were judged on taste, nutritional value, presentation, and creativity by a panel that included Mr Evans (Senior School Assistant Principal) and Mr Kirkby (Year 12 Leader), who were more than willing to sample the delicious meals the students had prepared. The competition was fierce, but it was Henry Hodsdon with a beautifully prepared and presented Burrito Bowl from Ms Barnes’ class and from Mrs Dixon’s Nate Hogarth and Indi Daly won for their scrumptious Chicken and Salad Souvlaki wraps who took home the top prize, impressing the judges with their innovative use of flavours and nutritional balance.

"This event was about more than just cooking. It was a fun learning experience that taught us about teamwork, time management, and the science behind nutrition," said one of the competitors. "It’s definitely changed the way I think about food and health.”

The competition involved students researching a variety of nutritious recipes based on their knowledge of macro and micronutrients, their use of the Australian Dietary Guidelines and food selection models such as the Healthy Eating Pyramid and the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating. Students then were required to prepare a shopping list based on ingredients of their unique recipe and for judging were required to explain to the judges what nutrients were included in their meal.

A heartfelt thanks to all the participants, judges, and Food Tech staff who made the "Master Chef: Nutritious Food Cooking Competition" a resounding success.

Congratulations to Dima Shyshko and Mary-Louise Wakefield

The AGA Vibrant Futures Awards are designed to recognise Year 11 students who have consistently demonstrated the values of integrity and respect, two attributes that are highly valued and sought after in workplaces across the globe. IntoWork is a leading provider of employment, skills, education and support services that works with tens of thousands of young people to pursue their career and life goals and are proud to have launched this program. This is the first year of these awards and AGA IntoWork are proud to have worked with Mornington Secondary College and congratulations and well done to those that have been nominated and the selected winner Dmytro (Dima) Shyshko – Winner and Mary-Louise Wakefield – Runner Up.

ANZAC Day

Invitation to join staff and students at our ANZAC Day commemorations.

Uniform Policy

Please read and familiarise yourself with the College Uniform Policy.  Any questions please email the college mornington.sc@education.vic.gov.au

Link to PSW Uniform Supplier

Some Positive Feedback

From River Country Adventours who praised our teachers and students for a wonderful Murray River camp. A fantastic group went and had the most marvelous time.  Well done to Ms Maddie Nicholls and her Outdoor Ed class.

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