Friday December 12– Friday December 19 – Staff Planning (no classes)
Friday December 19 – End of Term 4
January 2026
Tuesday January 27 – Office opens and staff return
Wednesday January 28 – Year 7, Year 11 & Year 12 Students return
Thursday January 29 – Year 8, Year 9 & Year 10 Students return
February
Tuesday February 17 – College Swimming Carnival (Competitors only)
Reminder
Please ensure you are checking Compass regularly for notifications and updates to events that are specific to your child, to avoid them missing out. It is how you are able to see, consent and pay for all events that affect your student.
If you miss consent and payment deadlines, your child will not be able to participate in the event.
End of Year – Happy Holidays At Wellington Secondary College, we are blessed to have such a dedicated community and this year this has been showcased across all our events. As you browse through this edition, and previous editions of the Journal, and the Vanellus, our school magazine, (the 2025 edition will be available in 2026), take time to re-live some of the many events of the year, but also to marvel at the vast range of student achievement, skill, and talent we have on display here at Wellington Secondary College.
As the 2025 school year draws to a close, I reflect on the great achievements of many of our students, who so often excel in a range of school areas whether they be academic, sporting, or co- curricular. The most recent example being the Year 12 results.
VCE Results Congratulations to all the students who completed their VCE including the students undertaking VCE-Vocational Major this year. Students recently received their individual results, and it is pleasing to inform our community that our students performed exceptionally well. It is with great pride that I announce Gia Hung (Chris) Doanas the 2025 Wellington Secondary College Dux, achieving an ATAR of 99.65. Additionally, there were two other students who achieved an ATAR of 99 or above, placing them in the top 1% of our state. Congratulations to Terry Thai and Andy Bui.
In 2025, our students achieved a Median ATAR of 67.25 and a Median Study Score of 29. Significantly, we are delighted to announce that 34 (14.9%) students achieved an ATAR of 90+, placing them in the top 10% of Victoria. An impressive 29.3% of students achieved an ATAR of 80 or above (top 20% of Victoria) and 46.3% achieved an ATAR of 70 or above. These results reflect not only academic excellence, but also resilience, discipline, and a sustained commitment to learning over many years. Qualities that sit at the heart of The Wellington Way.
To all students in the Senior School, we are proud of you and your results. I thank the teachers, wellbeing and support staff who have worked for many years alongside our young people in the Class of 2025. Congratulations!
Awards Night On Tuesday 18 November, the Wellington Secondary College school community gathered in the Springvale Town Hall for our annual Awards Night. A celebration of knowledge, skill and character, and a chance to recognise the achievements and talents of our students.
Awards Night is one of the most anticipated events on the calendar. It brings together students, staff and families to reflect on the year that has been, spotlighting the effort, growth and creativity that define our learning community. This year’s event was filled with moments of pride, belonging and inspiration.
In my address, I spoke about the importance of allowing young people to explore, create and define success on their own terms. I always encourage families to nurture curiosity and to see success not as a single path, but as a collection of possibilities, shaped by each child’s unique interests and talents.
AM Fogarty Award This award is the highlight of every Awards Night, as it is the highest award the school can bestow, to a student who has demonstrated excellence in their academic, sport and service over their six years at Wellington. It is named after the foundation Principal, the late AM (Gus) Fogarty. I could not have been more delighted to present the 2025 AM Fogarty Award to Sonita So. I sincerely congratulate Sonita, and every other student who received an individual certificate or award on the night.
Mulgrave Country Club – John Milledge Scholarship Program On Thursday 30 October, I attended the presentation of the John Milledge Scholarship award at the Mulgrave Country Club. The scholarship is open to all schools, government and private who reside within the jurisdiction of the Mulgrave Country Club and is awarded to a Year 11 student, entering Year 12. Our nomination was Mary Matar of Year 11. It was fantastic to see her receive her award in the presence of her family. Congratulations Mary, a worthy winner. Thank you to the Mulgrave Country Club for their continued support of our students and community.
International Students – Farewell of Ms Connie On Friday 28 November our International Students hosted a farewell celebration event for Ms Connie Tzelepis. Connie will be retiring at the end of the year and the students that she has worked with over many years wanted to celebrate her. And that they did. There were a few speeches and a short video of congratulations. It was fantastic to witness these students appreciating and celebrating Connie and her time at Wellington Secondary College.
Children’s University Swinburne Graduation On Tuesday 25 November I had the pleasure of attending the Children’s University Swinburne Graduation where eight of our students were presented with awards for participation in this program. Students involved in this program were required to undertake community service-based activities throughout the year and they completed a minimum of 30+ hours of Community Service. Congratulations to Valida Chiew, Ruby Collins, Sereyraksa Eng, Maya Papoutsis, Aarab Shrestha, Konstantinos Tekes, Chrysanthe Tekes and Lily Tran.
Grade 6 to 7 Orientation Day On Tuesday 9 December we welcomed our future year 7s into the college community. We welcomed 238 Grade 6 students who will join Wellington as the Year 7 cohort for 2026. A massive congratulations goes to Mrs Stabile and the Junior School Team for an engaging “Wellington Way” introduction to our latest cohort of students. We look forward to getting to know them a lot better at our ‘Wellington Welcomes You’ program at the start of next year.
Vanellus I am pleased to announce that our annual magazine ‘Vanellus’ will be released early in 2026. This is a great keepsake, and I know as much as it is lovely to reflect on the year at this time; having a copy of the Vanellus is something that you will cherish well into the future. If you are interested in purchasing the 2025 Vanellus they will be available from the general office at a cost of $20, payments can be made via the event on Compass. I sincerely thank the team of staff and students that has put this year’s edition together.
Planning For 2026 Please note the following dates:
Tuesday 27 January – the General Office opens at 8 am and staff return. Staff will engage in professional learning activities in preparation for the upcoming year.
Wednesday 28 January – Year 7, 11 and 12 students commence (Charter Bus operates, Canteen Open)
Thursday 29 January – Year 8, 9 and 10 students commence.
Further specific details for each day will be distributed via Compass as required.
As I sign off for the year, I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a safe and relaxing break. Like me, I am sure you are all looking forward to spending some time with loved ones and perhaps even some overseas travel.
I thank you all for your ongoing support of our community and I look forward to welcoming you all back for, what I know will be, an exciting and action-packed 2026.
As part of their Design Technology studies, Year 7 classes had a unique opportunity to explore the hidden world of the school’s IT infrastructure during a special incursion. The students were taken on an informative tour led by Scott Morgan from the school’s IT team, who offered an inside look at how the school’s technology systems operate. The visit began in the library, where students learned about how the school’s network connects classrooms, offices, and devices across the campus.
Scott explained how data travels through the network, and how the Department of Education’s servers and systems are set up to manage and secure information. Students were then shown the server room, where they saw the equipment that keeps the school online — including servers, switches, and wireless access points. Scott also discussed how internet traffic is monitored and managed, and why tools like VPNs can affect the speed of the school’s Wi-Fi.
This hands-on learning experience gave students a real-world understanding of the complex systems that support their daily use of technology at school. The class came away with a new appreciation for the work that goes on behind the scenes to keep everything connected and running smoothly.
Mr Bushan Sookhareea Languages Curriculum Area Leader
As well as doing the weeding, the Sustainability Champions planted ‘Goodenia ovata’ (a shrub) near the trees in the community garden. When designing an indigenous plant garden, it is important to add different layers (trees, shrubs and grasses) that support wildlife. Hop Goodenia’s yellow flowers, which bloom in spring and summer, attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies, contributing to our local biodiversity.
Ms Bruna Amaral Science Teacher / Sustainability Coordinator
Reducing Waste in Our Community
On the 12th of November, the Sustainability Champions held Wellington’s very first student led conference. This conference aimed to educate individuals on the detrimental impacts of food wastage, create awareness around sustainable practices that can be implemented at schools and build connections between students from the wider community. The Sustainability Champions spent weeks planning this event, from carefully choosing educational and fun activities to communicating with other schools. The local schools that attended on the day were: Brentwood Secondary College, Highvale Secondary College, Wantirna College and Wheelers Hill Secondary College.
Throughout the day students took part in the following activities: 1) listening to the speakers Claire O’Sullivan from Monash City Council and Charlotte Lymbery from BioGro; 2) participating in a design sprint requiring them to design a eco-friendly school canteen; 3) speaking during an intense and exciting debate on controversial issues concerning food waste; 4) making the model of a dish made up from leftover food using arts and crafts; 5) finally conducted a survey of local businesses on Police Road (in front of our school); 6) having a tour of Wellington’s campus.
Both the students and the staff received a lot of positive feedback and it seemed that everyone had a very engaging day. Overall this conference was a huge hit as it successfully spread the message of condemning the wastage of food to individuals from all across our community.
Saanvi Shaker Year 10
On the 12th of November, I had the chance to test out a food waste survey I designed for the ‘Reducing Food Waste Conference in Our Community’ here at Wellington Secondary College (WSC). Students from WSC teamed up with neighbouring schools such as Brentwood and Highvale and headed across the road to survey local shop owners about how they handle food waste and what could be improved. It was awesome seeing everyone dive into real conversations, discovering how our community manages food, and brainstorming ways to reduce the food waste in our local area. Watching one of my ideas turn into something students actually used out in the real world was definitely a novel experience.
Nurali Seyit Sustainability Vice-Captain 2025, Year 12
The Food Waste Debate activity, hosted by Nurali and I, was one of the most engaging and energetic parts of the conference for both students and teachers. The debates featured heated yet respectful arguments that encouraged everyone to think about who holds the most influence over food waste and how meaningful change can be made in our schools and communities. This activity helped everyone demonstrate strong skills such as teamwork, leadership, and public speaking, while also showing just how passionate everyone was about the issues. Overall, the debate was a fun and interactive experience that reviewed important conversations about food waste and inspired deeper thinking to solutions across the school community.
Gianna Lee Sustainability Champion Year 10
Actions for Earth Challenge
This year as Environmental Captain, alongside our Sustainability Champions, we’ve achieved so much together. We’ve run bake sales to support eco-projects, increased the biodiversity of our school grounds, worked on reducing waste, and collaborated with other schools to share ideas relating to sustainability. We held energy, waste and biodiversity audits, promoted sustainable fashion, and encouraged students to choose public transport to cut down emissions.
I also want to say how much fun this role has been. It’s genuinely one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had, and I’m so grateful for the trust and support from everyone. With that, I’m really excited to introduce our new Sustainability Captain for next year: Saanvi Shaker. She’s dedicated, trustworthy, and I know she’ll take this role even further.
On the 20th November, Monash City Council’s Sustainable Officer Salonie Dua Modest came to celebrate our school for taking part in the 2025 Actions for Earth – School Sustainability Challenge. Our efforts placed us in the top 3 participating schools this year! In recognition, we’ve been awarded tote bags, another microbat nest box, mini bins, posters, and a litter picker.
