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Newsletter Edition 4 – Thursday 11 September 2025

11th September 2025

In this Issue:

Upcoming Events
Next College Principal’s Report

College Principal’s Report

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As we approach the final weeks of Term 3, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the incredible efforts of our students across what is traditionally the most demanding term of the school year. In particular, our Year 12 students deserve special recognition as they complete final assessments and prepare for their upcoming exams. While many students have a break over the upcoming holidays, our Year 12s will be involved in study, Revision Lectures and Trial Exams on most days. It takes grit and persistence but I am confident that they can do it! Their commitment and focus have been outstanding.

We are pleased to report that student attendance data has significantly improved compared to this time last year—a testament to the persistence and determination of our students and the support of families. Additionally, the recently released Student Attitudes to School Survey results show that our students are increasingly recognising the value of effort, expressing pride in their school, and developing confidence in their learning. These results are well above the state average and reflect the strength of our learning culture.

This term has also been rich with co-curricular achievements and you will be able to read about these in this newsletter. Our school production, Bring It On, was a spectacular showcase of talent and teamwork—congratulations to all involved, and we can’t wait to see more performances at our Annual Song and Dance Night at the beginning of Term 4. Secure your tickets here!

Several sporting teams have reached finals, with our Senior Boys Soccer Team at the State Finals, participation in Basketball, Volleyball, Instrumental Music, Kool Schools, and Debating continues to thrive, highlighting the diverse interests and talents of our students.

Finally, I want to acknowledge the compassion and unity shown by our school community following the passing of our beloved colleague Ms Ajitha Roy earlier this term. The support extended to Ms Ajitha Roy’s family and to one another has been deeply appreciated, I am constantly reminded of what a great school community we have.

As we head into the final stretch of the term, I wish all students the very best. Keep striving, stay connected, and take pride in your progress.

Kind regards,

Tim Natoli

College Principal

PreviousCover PageNext Senior Years Campus – Principal’s Message

Senior Years Campus – Principal’s Message

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As we move towards the end of Term 3, Year 12 students are quickly coming to the end of their 12 years of schooling. For students in VCE VM or students doing an unscored VCE, next week is their final week of school. For the rest of the VCE students, the focus turns towards final exams and achieving the best ATAR score that they can. To assist students with this, Mill Park Secondary College is presenting revision lectures on Monday 22nd and Tuesday 23rd September for English, Health and Human Development, General Mathematics, Biology and Business Management. These will now show on Compass and it is expected that all students attend AT LEAST two of these lectures.

On the following five days, there will also be Practice exams for all Year 12 subjects. Again, these will now show on your Compass schedule. These practice exams are a compulsory part of Year 12. If you cannot attend one of the exams for any reason eg: illness or an exam clash, you should attend the gym on the next available time, up until and including Wednesday 1st October. These practice exams will be marked and returned to students on the first week of Term 4 so that the feedback can be used to prepare for the next practice exam that they attempt.

For the Year 10 and 11 students, there are still six weeks of classwork next term before they also start their end of year exams. A busy time for all.

English Master Class – High Ground

Last Wednesday, Ms Gordon ran a Masterclass for Year 12 English students about the film, ‘High Ground’. It was great to see 44 students attending, which is about 1/3 of the Year 12’s doing English. This should put them in good stead to do their best on their last SAC in Week 9.

Senior Boys Soccer State Final

Last Tuesday the Senior Boys Soccer Team played in the State Finals. They won the first game 3:0, the second 2:1 and the third game 5:0. This put them into the grand final against Brighton. Unfortunately they went down 0:1 but a great effort by all of the students.

Kool Schools

Last Wednesday and Thursday, 26 students and staff participated in the Kool Schools Recording Project where students put together an album of music in a professional studio. The students thoroughly enjoyed the experience and you will hear their music very soon over the PA.

Visiting Author

On Friday 22nd August, a large number of Year 10 and Year 11 students listened to a presentation by Toni Jordan, the author of the Year 11 novel ‘Nine Days’. Students were given an insight into how the book was written and the different characters were developed, ensuring that there was a link between the four different generations represented.

Although Year 10 students have not read the book yet, the presentation generated a lot of interest and I’m sure many of them will now read the novel while still in Year 10. Many Year 11 students who have already read the novel stayed back to get their books signed.

Thanks to Ms Wilson for organising this event with assistance from the English faculty.

PreviousCollege Principal’s ReportNext Middle Years Campus – Principal’s Message

Middle Years Campus – Principal’s Message

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As Term 3 comes to an end, I want to take a moment to celebrate all the great things that have been happening across our school and share a little of what’s still to come.

We celebrated Book Week, and Ms Wilson, our wonderful Library Leader, lined up lots of fun activities and events to enjoy. We also held our Student Agency Conferences—one of my favourite events of the year. It’s always so inspiring to see students reflecting on their learning and setting their own goals.

It’s also been a busy time for our SEAL program. Our Grade 6 applicants for 2026 joined us for a SEAL Connection Afternoon, where they met staff, got to know each other, and had a taste of what’s ahead. The next day was our SEAL Testing Day, which ran really smoothly thanks to the hard work of everyone involved. I’m excited to share that in 2026 we’ll be offering two SEAL classes in Year 7, and we’ll also be introducing a new Principal’s Choice selection process early in Term 1.

Another real highlight this term has been our production of Bring It On in Week 3. So many Middle Years students were part of it, whether on stage or behind the scenes, and their effort, teamwork, and talent made the whole school proud. A big congratulations to everyone involved—it was such a community effort.

Moving forward, subject selection is a big focus. Year 9 students finalised their preferences and VCE/VET Early Start applications, while Year 8 families came along to the Subject Selection Information Evening. These choices are such an exciting step, and it’s always great to see families supporting students through the process.

Our Year 9 students took part in the City School program—a fantastic chance for them to step outside the classroom, build independence, and tackle real-world challenges in an urban setting.

Thank you to our staff, students, and families for the energy, care, and positivity you bring—it’s what makes our school such a strong community.

PreviousSenior Years Campus – Principal’s MessageNext Library

Library

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Book Week

The library was excited to host Book Week which ran in Week 5 with a full program. The aim was to engage Mill Park students with reading and literature by running book-themed activities that were fun and could be enjoyed by both readers and non-readers alike.

Middle Years Campus kickstarted the week with a Book Character Dress up day where students dressed up as their favourite Book Character. It was exciting to see students put in effort into bringing their characters alive. The campus was overrun with dragons, Katniss Everdeens and minions. The creativity was greatly appreciated and it was an exciting way to for students to share their most loved books. A $30 QBD Book Voucher was given to the best and most daring costume.

On the same day, Year 7s were given an opportunity to exercise their creative brains with a creative workshop run by Australian author Antoinette Pellegrini. Students learnt about the processes involved in creating a book which always begins with nurturing inspiration. They were given time to create their own stories by using mapping tools and were able to directly apply the narrative structure concepts they have been learning in their English classes. It was encouraging to see all students be deeply passionate about developing their own characters and stories.

A scavenger hunt had students running across campus to solve a series of clues. The hunt was designed to test both their book and general English skills knowledge. The answers helped them find the title of a mystery book located somewhere in the library. Many students were successful in completing the hunt and prizes were given out to the first three winning teams. The first winning team were rewarded with a $25 QBD Voucher each.

The library also ran Book Trivia where five teams put their book knowledge to the test in a Jeopardy-style book quiz. Students were vigorous in their pursuit for first place with neck-to-neck final scores. All participating and spectating students were rewarded with prizes and chocolates. Book Week concluded with a showing of Disney’s Alice in Wonderland at the Middle Years Library which the students enjoyed with free popcorn.

Senior Campus had the great pleasure of meeting Toni Jordan who is the author of the Year 11 English text, Nine Days. Toni Jordan gave an hour talk to the Year 10s and 11s on her creative writing process and provided the students insight into how she had developed the novel. This allowed the students to attain further contextual understanding on the themes and main ideas of the text. It also demystified the art of novel writing for those who were interested in pursuing their own writing careers. The talk received much engagement from the students who proceeded to ask Toni a lot of interesting questions. After the talk, students were able to get their books signed and have a meet and greet with the author. Toni had thanked the school for the invitation to speak at our school and really appreciated the engagement from the students.

Book week was a happy success with active participation from both students and staff. The library wants to thank all the students and staff who had helped make it a fun and engaging week for all. An extra special thanks for Antoinette Pellegrini and Toni Jordan for taking the time to present to the students. The creative workshop and Author Talk were both highlights of the week.

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Visual and Performing Arts

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Congratulations to all members of our talented production team: the dedicated staff, the exceptional student cast, our skilled dancers, musicians and actors and our dedicated crew and their supportive families. On the 6th, 7th and 8th August, we proudly celebrated the 30th anniversary of our College productions with “Bring It On The Musical” and presented it to a combined audience of more than 2,000 attendees over the course of six performances. The attendees were captivated by this outstanding musical, brilliantly brought to life under the direction of Ms Arsana and music direction of Ms Nagel.

A heartfelt thankyou to our outstanding Director, Choreographer and Stage Manager Ms Arsana whose creative brilliance and dedication have been the driving force behind the production. Her vision not only brought the story of “Bring It On The Musical” to life with cohesion and flair but also inspired every cast and crew member to strive for excellence. Ms Arsana’s unique talent shines through every element of this show — from powerful direction and dynamic choreography to costume design, program, makeup, props, technical and creative projections and the energy of each rehearsal, while bringing every detail to life with professionalism, passion, and heart. 

Thank you to our amazing Music Director, Ms Nagel whose talent and dedication and musical direction brought the score to life, inspiring the band to perform with clarity, emotion, and precision. Thank you as well for the countless behind-the-scenes contributions that supported the team.

Our outstanding staff and student band members and vocal coach played a powerful role in mentoring and bringing each scene to life with the music they performed.

  • Band members Karim, Lara, Sajjal, Amitoz, Ethan, Shivam, Eden, Aishwarya, Zain, Nihita, Suzi, Kevin, Liam, Alex.
  • Band Support: Mr De Leucio – percussion mentoring
  • Vocal Coach: Support and vocal mentoring Mr Webb, guided the singers to build confidence, refine technique, and sing their best in every performance. Support for Front of House Interior Decorating
  • Choreographer/Backstage support/prop painting: Ms Warner-Carlisle for the creative vision, the energetic choreography and positive approach throughout the production and behind-the-scenes magic that kept backstage crew and the team shining.
  • Aaron for the choreography and hip-hop workshop, which sparked creativity and inspired many cast dancers to embrace and recreate his dynamic style. 
  • The production team are very grateful for the support from a wide range of staff and parent volunteers: College Administrative staff support: Ms Charles, Ms Hyland, Ms Serdar and to our Front of House manager: Ms Stoicevski and our front of house team volunteers: Ms Goh, Ms Vargas , Ms El-Mohammad, Ms Sharma, Ms Stephens, Ms Clinton, Ms Charles, Ms Saliba, Mr Dungey, Mr Natoli.
  • Photography: Ms Nichols, Set construction/props: Mr Kneebone and Mr Cahil, Technical support and printing: Mr Barnard and the Wired 4 Sound crew and the student backstage crew.

What an amazing team that created another spectacular production!

VCE & VET Dance Performance Night

On Wednesday 25th June the VCE, VET, and Year 10 Dance students impressed audiences with an outstanding showcase of solo and group performances at the VCE/VET Dance Night. This event was held at the college performing arts centre. The solo and group performances reflected the breadth of skills developed through their studies, including technical control, performance artistry, safe dance practices, and the ability to interpret and communicate expressive intention. Students demonstrated their understanding of choreographic principles, spatial awareness, and timing, as well as the collaborative skills essential for ensemble work.
Congratulations to our VET /VCE Dance teacher Ms Arsana and VCE Dance teacher and Ms Warner- Carlisle for the exceptional coordination of the creative and highly skilled dance performances. We also applaud all our dancers for their effort and energy demonstrated throughout the evening.

What amazing an performance inspired by our talented dance teachers !

VCE Music & Ensemble Night

On Tuesday 1st July, our Music students filled the air with harmony and rhythm at Music Night, delivering an enchanting blend of contemporary music performance; solo, band performances and vocal ensemble performances. They demonstrated creativity and passion, showcasing the talent and refined skill our students have developed through dedication and practice. This event was held at the College Performing Arts Centre. The evening once again celebrated the artistic talent thriving within our school community.

The music night featured outstanding solo and group performances of the talented Unit 1 & 3 VCE Music students. They showcased their performance repertoires and also featured performances from our Year 10 music students and instrumental music ensembles.

The concert provided the opportunity for Unit 1 & 3 VCE Music students to meet course requirements of performing a set repertoire in a live concert setting. It also provided Year 10 and other instrumental music students to perform co-curricular repertoire and gain performance experience. 

We commend all the Music students for their impressive performances and extend our congratulations to Music Coordinator/VCE Music teacher Ms Nagel, Music teachers Mr Gooding, Mr Webb, Mr De Leucio, Mr Pijpers and Mr Siemsen for their guidance and support and Front of House: Ms Arsana.

We also commend all our musicians and singers for the dedication and talent displayed throughout the evening. Congratulations to all performers for their hard work and commitment and parents, friends and staff who supported the event.

VISUAL ARTS Year 10 CERAMICS & SCULPTURE

Year 10 Ceramics and sculpture students analysed the playful sculptures of Deborah Halpern before generating their own designs for a sculpture. Students explored distortion, colour and pattern in their designs before selecting one design and using the hand building technique to form the clay sculpture form. Carving and engraving techniques were then used to refine the exterior of the sculpture and the final stages will involve firing the work after 4 weeks of drying time. Brightly coloured gloss enamel is finally applied to the fired work with an emphasis on childlike motifs and expression of the sculptures unique ‘personality’.

As part of their learning in Year 8 Visual Arts, students have been exploring Abstract Figures through a 3D Expressionism project. Using clay, they designed and sculpted unique expressionist forms, experimenting with texture, exaggerated shapes, and bold personal expression. Each piece reflects the student’s individual style, capturing emotion and movement in a tangible, three-dimensional form. The results showcase both technical skill and creative freedom.

VCE VISUAL COMMUNICATION DESIGN

Our Year 11 Visual Communication Design students have been exploring the concepts of space, place, and time through architectural and environmental design. They have developed skills and knowledge on how space shapes user experience, how place reflects cultural and social context, and how time influences design styles and technologies. Using both manual drawing methods and model making techniques students have applied these ideas to create contemporary designs that also consider materials and sustainability which are visually engaging, and responsive to their intended context.

VET DANCE INDUSTRY DAY

This term VET dance students attended their third and final Industry Day for the year. Industry Day is an AusDance Victoria run event for students enrolled in their Cert II in Dance. Students have the opportunity to take master-classes from leading industry professionals in their elective Dance styles of their choice as well as experience different mock auditions for a taste of what it’s like to have a career in the creative arts industry. Our students left inspired and also exhausted from another massive day of dance.

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STEM

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The theme for science week this year was ‘Decoding the Universe – Exploring the unknown with nature’s hidden language.’ This theme invites students and teachers across Australia to delve into the mysteries of the Universe by exploring the fundamental languages of nature, including mathematics and the ground breaking field of quantum science.

To celebrate science week, activities were available at lunch time for students. Some of these activities included Making sherbet, elephant toothpaste, and liquid nitrogen practical experiments.

Junior Science Olympiad Exam

A few students from Year 8 and Year 9 participated in the Junior Science Olympiad Exam. A special congratulations is in order for the following students: Rudransh, Tung and Matthew. These students received either a High Distinction or a Distinction on the exam. Well done, this is an exceptional effort and achievement!

PreviousVisual and Performing ArtsNext Wellbeing

Wellbeing

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Hello from the Wellbeing Team!

As we are near the end of Term 3, we continue to support every student’s emotional, social, and mental wellbeing across the College.

Students can speak to any member of staff or visit the Wellbeing space before or after school, or during breaks (recess/lunch).

Parents are also welcome to reach out if they have concerns about the child’s wellbeing or have any questions in general regarding social and emotional wellbeing at the school.

We warmly welcome the addition of another mental health practitioner, Souher Mohamad,

Welling team and contacts are:

Groups/Clubs at the College

Breakfast Club

Breakfast Club is Back!

It is up and running every Tuesday and Thursday morning at Middle Years and Tuesday at Senior Campus – it offers a variety of breakfast options including cheese toasties, fruit (apple or banana), and cereal.

It is open to all students and staff and a great way to start the day with a smile, full stomach, and positive mindset.

Girls Group

The girls group is a consistent space of support and encouragement for our female identifying students at both Middle and Senior Campus. Crafts, conversations and a calm space are the keys to this group, growing connections and exploring about what it is to be a girl in 2025. Having members like our school nurse, wellbeing officers and council youth workers to enlighten the space with knowledge and support. This groups happens on Mondays luncthtimes for Middle Years and Friday lunchtimes at Senior Campus.

Library Club – Middle Years Campus

The Library Club is a new edition to the Middle Years Campus Groups. Connecting our Wellbeing and Library staff resources, we have made a varying creative space where students can pop in and collaborate or have a chat in the library at Wednesday lunchtimes. From discussing books and whats on for the week whilst we colour or create, it’s a great way to pickup our moods in the middle of the week.

Stand Out Group

The Stand Out Group is a safe space where students can come to meet and bond with other LGBTQIA+ memebers and allys. Playing games, chatting and talking about key moments in the recent history of this minority group, we explore what its like being a part of the community we cherish so much. Having a group in both campus’ (Middle Years Friday lunctimes and Senior Campus on Thursday Lunchtimes) we aim to reinforce our school pride amongst our students with not only tolerance but also acceptance. 

Wellbeing Co-curricular Programs

When Gaming Meets Gambling

The Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation have various gambling awareness programs for schools, facilitated by Gambler’s Help Northern, including “When Gaming Meets Gambling”. Our Year 7 and 8 students participated in an one-hour session, exploring the blurred boundary between online gaming and gambling. Students were provided with the knowledge and strategies to identify the potential risks and to make online gamer safer, allowing them to make more informed choices.

There are also information sessions for parents/carers that discusses key issues related to gambling and young people, and how parents/carers can help their child develop informed attitudes to gambling. More information can be found here including booking in for an information session.

Brainstorm Productions “The Flipside”

Our Year 8 engaged in a cyber safety and bullying program, “The Flipside”, a live performance facilitated by Brainstorm Productions. It highlighted the importance of personal responsibility, empathy, respect, and resilience in the online world. It helps students to critically think about their online values and behaviour, encouraging help-seeking and positive bystander behaviour.

Teen Mental Health First Aid

Our school is proud to continue another year with Teen Mental Health First Aid training for our year 8 students. The program is designed to equip students, staff, and families with the knowledge and skills to recognise and respond to mental health challenges amongst teens. This including identifying early signs of anxiety, depression, stress, and other mental health issues, and provides strategies to offer or guide someone to professional help.

Student and Parent Information

Wear It Purple Day

On Friday 29th August, at our Middle Years Campus, we joined thousands across the country to celebrate Wear It Purple Day – it is a day that is dedicated to supporting LGBTQIA+ young people promoting a safe, inclusive environment for everyone.

We have the Safe Schools program at the college which recognises that creating a safe and inclusive environment is vital to addressing bullying and harassment and preventing suicide and self-harm.

R U OK Day – Conversation Could Change a Life

On R U OK Day (Thursday 11th September), our school came together to recognise the power of a simple question, “Are you OK?” It’s a reminder to check in with those around us and start meaningful conversations that could make a big difference all year round.

To mark the day, we have a range of fun and thoughtful activities planned during lunchtime, to help students and staff connect and show care for one another:

  • BBQ and live music to grab a bite and enjoy some relaxed company
  • Jewellery making to create something meaningful to keep or share
  • Giant games to plan and connect with friends
  • ‘Chill Zone’ to provide a quiet space to relax and recharge
  • Photo booth to capture the moment with friends
  • Teddy bear gifts (senior campus only) for anyone to purchase a small bear to give to someone as a kind gesture with a note.

We continue to foster working together to build a supportive school community where everyone feels seen, heard, and cared for. For conversation tips and more, visit www.ruok.org.au

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Careers

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