MWSC College News – Issue 20

College Council

Thank you to all members of College Council for their support this year. We held our final meeting for the year last week. College Council is made up of parent, student, and staff representatives as well as our College Captains and my Executive Team. We will be calling for nominations for the new College Council which starts in March 2026 towards the beginning of next year.

2026 Year 7 Orientation Day

Thanks to the Junior Sub school Team for overseeing our Orientation Day on Tuesday 9 December, which saw nearly 300, 2026 Year 7 students join our learning community. It was a wonderful day, and it was great to see everyone welcoming our new students to the college.

Year End Program (YEP)

The Year End program concluded last week. Thank you to all the staff who helped supervise the various activities. I heard our students thoroughly enjoyed their different sessions and excursions. Special thanks to Mr Will Keep, Mr Hans Wang and Mr Peter Young who oversaw this program with the help of Mrs Narda McLennan and Ms Shannon Howlett. It was great to see our students enjoying these special activities at the end of the year!

Farewell and Best Wishes to our Retirees

It is with sadness that we farewell five valued members of teaching staff at the end of the year.
Below I have listed their years of service to Mount Waverley Secondary College.

Ms Thana Suppiah – 3 years
Ms Simone Thissen – 7 years
Ms Dina Kenney – 12 years
Mrs Amanda Irwin – 36 years
Mrs Trish Bennett – 37 years

Thank you to all these wonderful members of staff for their dedication and service to our learning community over many years. We wish our retirees the best in their future endeavours and know that they will enjoy the next phase of their lives.

2026 Financial Contributions

Parents/Carers should have received a Compass alert regarding 2026 Financial Contributions. Parent/Carer voluntary financial contributions have allowed us to run extensive well-being programs, a wider offering of subjects and special curriculum experiences; enhanced digital learning opportunities; faster WIFI and internet, and enhanced grounds and indoor and outdoor learning spaces. The financial contributions we have received this year is lower than in previous years. This is likely to have an impact longer term to the college’s financial viability, in turn impacting on what resources we can offer our students. Contributions to our Building Fund are tax deductible and you will be sent a tax receipt from our Finance Department. Please support our learning community by contributing to these important financial contributions.

2026 Return to School Dates

The first day for Years 7, 10 and 12 students is Wednesday 28 January and Year 10 and 12 students head off to camp on this day. Years 8, 9 and 11 students start on Thursday 29 January. The General Offices will be open for business on Tuesday 27 January.

2025 Presentation Night

We held another great Presentation Night in the Besen Centre on Tuesday 16 December. It was great to recognise students from all year levels; including our Year 12 award winners which were determined by their official VCAA results which they received last Thursday. Congratulations to all 300+ students who received their awards on the night in various categories. I am very proud of your achievements.

Year 12 Results

Congratulations to our 2025 College Dux Jadon Tu who scored an outstanding 99.85 ATAR. We also had 23 students receive ATAR scores above 95, 61 above 90 and 131 above 80 which was a great achievement.

Well done to five of our students who achieved perfect study scores of 50: Jadon T – Biology NHT, Chemistry, Specialist Mathematics, Kimi T – Japanese Second Language, Brintha B – Legal Studies, Sanchali J – General Mathematics and Radin A – Foundation Mathematics. 

Happy Holidays

I would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge all students who have done their best always to fulfil their potential in all activities they have undertaken at Mount Waverley Secondary College this year. Such a positive attitude to learning enables our college to maintain its exemplary learning culture.

I wish all members of the Mount Waverley Secondary College learning community a well-deserved safe and relaxing holiday.  I look forward to joining you in 2026 for another successful year.

Mrs Karen Wade
College Principal

Thank you to all members of the MWSC Junior Campus community. 2025 has been a very busy and rewarding year, and I would just like to thank everyone for their contributions.

Our staff, as always, have done an amazing job in providing our students with a high quality education, as well as every opportunity outside of the classroom that one could hope for. Equally, our students give us the motivation to do so. I am always inspired by the energy our Year 7 and 8 students bring, and the high level to which they contribute to our college community.

I wish everybody a safe and happy summer break, and look forward to another big year in 2026!

Mr Matt Sheehan
Campus Principal – Junior School

As we move further into December and the holiday season are draws closer, and have now completed the Early Commencement Program. This year, our Year 8 students stepped into their 2026 Year 9 classes, while our Year 9 cohort began their Year 10 programs. The Early Commencement Program provides valuable benefits, supporting a smooth transition into the next year level and giving students a clearer understanding of the learning programs they will undertake in each subject next year.

This was followed by the Year End Program, where students participated in a wide range of activities, including excursions to Gumbuya Park, Melbourne Zoo and Luna Park, as well as several school-based programs.

Thank you to the Middle School Leadership Team for their dedicated work with our students throughout the year. Mrs Asha Vazirani (Head of Middle School) and Ms Jo Rogers (Middle School Leader) have worked closely with our Year Level Coordinators – Mr Adam Wheeler, Mr Tristan Kent, Ms Stephanie Xing and Mr Aayush Khosla – to provide guidance and support to our Middle School students. Thank you also to Ms Karen Box for her ongoing support of staff and students.

As the year draws to a close, we begin looking ahead to 2026 and the opportunities for learning and growth that await. I look forward to welcoming students back to the college as they continue their learning journey at Mount Waverley Secondary College. I wish all families a safe and happy holiday.

Facilities and ICT

Thank you to the the Facilities and ICT Team for their work across this last year.  It is clear to see the resulsts of their strong focus on improving the college for our students and staff.  Thanks to Aro, Andrew, Jacob, Steve and Inocentes for their great ICT work.  In Facilities, thank you to Wendy, Dean and Ari for another successful year of improving our buildings and grounds.

Curriculum

Thank you to Mr Tim Peters, our Head of Curriculum for his leadership of this important area.  To our Heads of Faculty – Ms Elizabeth Sutherland, Ms Cassie Morris, Ms Lily Papadopoulos, Mr Robert Cetincic, Mr Matt Hall, Ms Katja Chitters, Ms Cecilia Carlill and Mr Jackson Waters who have all done an amazing job this year in the curriculum space – thank you.

Mr Ian MacLeod
Campus Principal – Middle School 

As another school year draws to a close, I am inspired by the growth, learning and pursuit of excellence all members of our learning community have shown. To our graduating class of 2025, congratulations on your achievements. We look forward to hearing about your future successes.

I want to take this opportunity to thank the Senior Subschool team, our International Student Program team, the Learning Executive, and the Learning Specialists for all their hard work this year. The work you do to support all the members of our learning community is invaluable.

Early Commencement Program

The Early Commencement Program provided an opportunity for students in Years 7-11 to move into their 2026 classes. The program supports students with their transition between year levels, by introducing them to their peers and teachers for 2026, and a chance for the Year 8s to become more familiar with the Senior Campus. I would like to thank all the staff involved with making this program possible.

Results Day Breakfast

Students who completed a Unit 3/4 subject in 2025 received their results last Thursday. On Thursday morning approximately 150 Year 12 students attended a breakfast in the Fishbowl. Providing them with a chance to catch up with each other, their teachers, and watch the final edit of their Year 12 video. Thanks to Mr James Johnston for organising this morning, and to all the staff who attended. Thanks also to the Careers Team who provided support to all our students following their results. Congratulations to all students who received their Senior Secondary Certificate this year. I wish them well in their future endeavours.

Reports

Semester Two reports are now available via Compass. The reports provide an opportunity for further discussions at home around progress and achievement on; Approaches to Learning, Victorian Curriculum Levels (for Years 7 to 10), Common Assessment Tasks and/or School Assessed Coursework, and for Year 9 to 11 students exam results. A special thank you to Mr Andrew Wallace, from our ICT team who has overseen and managed the technical side of the process.

Planning Days

The work to ensure a successful 2026 has already begun. Over the past couple of weeks many of our staff in Positions of Responsibility and Leadership roles have been involved in planning days. These days provide valuable time for our staff to reflect on the year and focus on the work that needs to occur in the year ahead. I want to thank all the staff that were either involved in planning or participating in these days.

Start of Year Programs for Senior School Students

At the start of 2026 Year 12s who have paid and consented will attend a 3 day camp at The Summit from Wednesday 28 January to Friday 30 January.  Year 11s will participate in their Flying Start Program on January 29 and 30. This program will include important information relating to their VCE/VCE VM journey. They will attend Senior Campus based activities on Thursday 29 January, and will spend Friday 30 January at Deakin University. Details regarding these programs have been shared with students and parents/carers via Compass and at assemblies.

I would like to wish all our staff, senior students, and families a safe and relaxing break, and look forward to seeing you all in 2026.

Ms Lauren Kelly
Campus Principal – Senior School 

Year 10 Work Experience

The summer break is the ideal time for Year 10 students to start contacting organisations and arranging their 2026 Work Experience placement.

Work Experience and Structured Workplace Learning are an important part of the career education program at Mount Waverley Secondary College. These opportunities help students explore potential career pathways, develop an understanding of workplace expectations, and make informed decisions about their future education and career choices.

During the Early Commencement Program (ECP) week, students viewed a video outlining the Work Experience process and key steps involved and parents have been sent this information.

Our school is introducing new digital forms to streamline the work placement process for students, parents/carers, and employers. These online forms replace the previous paper versions and can be easily completed using a computer or mobile device.

Students are encouraged to use the summer break to actively seek suitable work experience placements.

Year 12 Offers

VTAC’s December offer round for VCE students is on Tuesday, 23 December 2025 at 2:00pm. You may receive one offer for your highest eligible preference. Offers are emailed and will be available in the VTAC account, and you can accept your offer by following the institution’s instructions. If you don’t receive an offer, there will be more rounds, such as the January round on 13 January 2026.

Before the offer round please review your preferences. Ensure you meet the prerequisites for your desired courses, as this could affect your eligibility for offers in later rounds.

Don’t panic if you don’t get an offer as you may still receive an offer in a later round. Not all offers are released in December.

As always, the Careers Team is here to help, reach out if you have questions or need guidance. However, if you have urgent questions or need clarification about your application or offers, you will be best supported by contacting VTAC directly or calling the institutions you have applied to, as they will be able to assist you during this time.

Merry Christmas to all and we look forward to bringing valuable career education opportunities to our students in 2026.

Mr Phil Newnham and Ms Victoria Tortopidis
Careers Education

Welcome to our last Alumni newsletter for the year.

As the school year comes to an end, we extend our heartfelt best wishes to the Class of 2025 as they embark on the next chapter of their journey. We look forward to celebrating their accomplishments and cherishing their memories with our entire alumni community.

This edition of the newsletter reflects on their remarkable journey throughout the year.

We also wish all our alumni, friends, and families a joyful New Year and a safe, relaxing holiday season.

To view December’s newsletter, click here.

To register your details, click here.

Ms Victoria Tortopidis
Alumni Coordinator 

As my time as College Council President is coming to an end, I want to begin by expressing my deep gratitude to Mrs Karen Wade and the entire school leadership team for their outstanding work. The calmness, competence, and commitment with which you lead the school are truly exceptional. Mount Waverley Secondary College continues to thrive because of your vision, your steadiness, and the care you show to every student.

My family has been connected to this school for over a decade. My husband and I have both had the privilege of serving on the College Council, and both of us, at different times, have had the honour of being President. It has been a meaningful and rewarding part of our lives.

Our connection to MWSC began in 2014, when our eldest son started Year 7. He graduated in 2019, and my daughter started the following year and has now completed Year 12 this year. Over these eleven years, this school has been nothing short of phenomenal for our children. It has shaped them, supported them, and given them opportunities that helped them discover who they are.

Our son was always strong academically but had a real passion for the arts and design. At MWSC he was able to explore that deeply, learning classical, acoustic, and bass guitar, performing at the Australian Institute of Music with the school, participating in school productions and even receiving a Lyrebird nomination. He also had the chance to go to Laos and Cambodia on World Challenge, which was a life-changing experience for him. Today, he has completed Industrial Design at RMIT with First Class Honours and is now working as a Junior Industrial Designer. So much of the confidence and foundation he built began here.

My daughter’s journey was very different. She found academics challenging, especially during the difficult COVID years. What stood out to me was the genuine care this school shows. I still remember a teacher calling me personally just to ask if she was okay. That one phone call made all the difference. It signalled that she wasn’t alone, and it helped us take steps to support her. She received additional coaching in some subjects, and even though academics were not her strength, she flourished in the many other opportunities the school provided; interschool sports, camps, Outdoor Ed adventures including snow camping, skiing, canoeing, rock climbing, surfing and more. She has grown into a confident and capable young adult, and is now pursuing her own pathway working towards joining the Australian Air Force as a Direct Entry Officer. Again, the foundation was laid here.

I share these stories not to boast, but to reassure every parent and council member who still has children at the school: Your children are in an incredible place.

This school is rightly known for its excellent academic results, but what I have seen over the last decade is that it also supports students who learn differently, who have different strengths, and who take different paths. Opportunities abound here for every type of student.

MWSC does more than educate. It nurtures, guides, and grows young people into responsible, resilient adults who go into the world ready to contribute.

I especially want to thank our teachers.   They are the ones who stand at the front of the classrooms every day. They are the ones who inspire, reassure, challenge, mentor, and support our young people.  They are the ones who see our children at their best and at their most vulnerable. Their impact is direct, personal, and lasting.

To Karen and the leadership team, to the staff, and my fellow College Council members, thank you. Thank you for everything you do that often goes unseen. Thank you for the shared commitment to making this school the best it can be.

It has been a privilege to serve. I leave with a full heart, enormous gratitude, and complete confidence that the school is in excellent hands.

I wish the school, the leadership team, and the College Council all the very best for the future.  Thank you.

Mrs Chelsea Eow
College Council President 

Australia Reads is a not-for-profit national initiative that aims to increase reading rates across the country through research, advocacy, and programming. It is a joint initiative of major Australian book industry associations, publishers and Australian authors. Australia Reads believes that reading is key to a healthier, happier, and more connected nation.

In 2026 Mount Waverley Secondary College library staff will present the school community with a different conversation from Australia Reads as we engage in promoting lifelong reading and learning. We also encourage you to subscribe.

Social Media Ban – an opportunity to access new gateways to reading

Many families will be considering and having conversations about the December 10 ban on social media platforms for children under the age of 16.  Restrictions on social media use for Australian children under 16 provide an opportunity to reengage children and teens with reading in their leisure time. So how can we support them to bring books back into their daily lives?

Reading for pleasure has a range of benefits for children and teens – reducing stress and anxiety, boosting cognitive development, and supporting literacy and educational achievement. But more importantly, it’s also just fun!

But new Australian research has shown that children and teen’s leisure time has been increasingly dominated by social media use, at the expense of reading and other recreational activities.  Source: Slater, Rebecca. “With the National Social Media Ban Coming, How Can We Encourage Children and Teens to Get Back into Reading? – Australia Reads.” Australia Reads, 20 Nov. 2025, Accessed 27 November 2025.

On the Junior Campus many students have borrowed books for holiday reading.
Students can log in using their school gmail account for information and recreational reading anywhere, anytime, on multiple devices.

• Wheelers e books.  The books cover many genres and some are available as audio books
• World Book encyclopaedia to access multiple media sources for information. Audio is included.

Ms Stephanie Thomas
Teacher – Librarian, Junior Campus

The Importance of Reading

The importance of reading is highlighted in the Australia Reads: Resources as it discusses different research that examines how reading patterns are emerging in Australia. Through research, advocacy, resources and campaigns, Australia Reads pursues meaningful social change and support for encouraging reading.

Australia Reads: Understanding Australian Readers is a good outline for how reading is being encouraged and supported for students. Mount Waverley Secondary College supports the importance of reading and learning for students. At the Senior campus library, the reading environment has been strengthened and motivated by staff with new genre collections, categories to easily distinguish between fiction and non-fiction books. At recess and lunchtime, many students are studying and reading in the library. Games and puzzles are also available for students to use. The library is a welcoming and comfortable place for all students.

A report about Understanding Australian readers is the first major report in Australia to examine recreational reading from a behavioural science point of view. The report is a collaboration between Australia Reads and Monash University’s BehaviourWorks Australia, and seeks to understand the drivers and barriers to reading amongst Australians aged 16 and older. A short summary of the 15 key findings is listed below:

1. Understanding behaviours helps drive change: How and why do people choose to read? What messaging is likely to be persuasive and effective to get people reading more books and also more often reading them. We should design solutions to help people overcome barriers that prevent them from recreational reading.
2. People want to read more: it is important to help people find new opportunities in their schedules to complete more reading activities.
3. Different approaches for different readers: There is not a ‘one size to fit all’ model in people’s reading behaviours, but there are similar barriers and opportunities that can be addressed.
4. Aim the focus on infrequent readers to have the greatest impact: A reader who currently reads less frequently but has the desire to read more is known by the report as an ‘aspirational reader’. A daily reader would be known by the report as an ‘avid reader’.
5. The book industry is already going well with ‘avid readers’: The most active readers feel comfortable with reading. 
6. Making it easier to search for a book to read: a library is a great place to relax and find a good book and convenient for people to visit and borrow a book when it suits them.
7. Regular reading routines help: Having a regular reading time provides more confidence for reading consistently and regularly.
8. Making the experience of reading as comfortable and relaxing as possible: Aim to sell the positives of reading with a good book instead of other options available like television and entertainment.
9. Make the presence of books ‘more visible’ and open for people: Providing affordable books for people to keep at home, in schools, workplaces, and other public spaces will always encourage reading. Making reading more accessible and appealing.
10. Different reading formats are helpful: An example is listening to an audiobook while travelling to work from home. 
11. Take pressure off readers: People should read more or less frequently depending on their schedule and there is not any requirement to be expected to meet a standard. 
12. There are many ways to be a ‘reader’: Helping people to read is also a good way to become a better reader for your own confidence. Examples are shared reading experiences or reading aloud opportunities
13. Show how others are doing it: Sharing success stories of other people who have integrated reading into their busy schedules may help in showing others that it is achievable and positive.
14. Early reading experiences matter: It is often found that people who didn’t read from early years didn’t have a strong impact on subsequent reading behaviour.
15. Social norms have a powerful influence: If more people are appreciating reading as an activity then more people will feel positively about reading. 

Mr James Glover
Library Technician – Senior Campus