WELLINGTON JOURNAL – EDITION 2

Upcoming Dates – April/May

College Council
I am delighted to announce the results of our recent Council selection process. An election was unnecessary as the number of nominations did not exceed the number of positions. The College Council members are:

• Parent Representatives: Charni Pilkington (President), Dianne Rickard (Vice President), Manpreet Kaur, Kieron Collins and Jennifer Wyatt
• School Employee Representatives: Bruna Amaral, Simon Coles, Jessica Wallis and myself
• Student Representatives: Chris Doan, Sonita So, Ramita Singh and Tanishka Srivatsan
• Observers: Dan Butler, Eric Du (Treasurer), Brendan Dwyer, Marina Stergiou, Sharon Graham, and Michelle Marsh

I thank new and returning members of Council for supporting our school.

Thank you to the following people who are no longer on the Council.  Jol Alexander, who joined the Council in 2018 – thank you Jol, we appreciate your support over the many years.  Thank you to Jackson Keat for being a staff representative on the Council for the last two years.

I would also like to say a big thank you to Cindy Pilepich for her many years of dedicated service to the College Council. Cindy joined the College Council in 2013 when her eldest child started at the College and has now finished with us, some 11 years later, as her youngest child has now finished school.  Cindy’s contributions have made a real difference, and we are extremely grateful for her commitment.  Thank you for the many council meetings you have chaired, the events that you have officiated, such as the awards nights, productions and all of the other wonderful events you have attended in between.  On behalf of myself and the Wellington Secondary College community, we would like to wish you all the very best.

International Women’s Day
We celebrated International Women’s Day a day earlier this year. Staff and Year 12 female students were invited to a morning tea on Thursday, 6 March, to celebrate International Women’s Day. College Captain Sonita So and Senior School Captain Ajuni Ghai gave an inspiring speech celebrating women.

Three Way Conferences – Tuesday 1 April
Our 3 Way Conferences occurred on Tuesday, and I trust that all conversations were informative and productive. These conferences are a great opportunity for families to connect with their child’s teachers about how their child is progressing and what all of us can do to support them. I encourage students and families to consider the feedback provided by the teachers and look to incorporate any strategies for focused improvement.

Parent/Carer Voluntary Financial Contributions
Thank you to the families that have made payments towards the Parent/Carer voluntary financial contributions. These contributions allow us to support our students above and beyond the funding allocation set by the Department of Education. As a school, we will continue to provide the best available support to our students and these funds allow us to continue to do that.

If you have not made a payment and would like to, please log into your Compass account and click on the link under Payment Centre.

Census
Thank you to Mr Dwyer and his team for completing the Student Enrolment Census at the end of February. The initial count was 1638 students (this is slightly down from the 2024 enrolment). This number includes 117 students who are either International full fee payers or on other special visas. This slightly decreasing number of enrolments is planned and part of the Department of Education enrolment policy and strategy to reduce our overall enrolments over the next five years.

NAPLAN
During March our Year 7 and Year 9 students participated in NAPLAN. Thank you, Ms Stergiou, Mr Keat and Mr Heng, along with all the staffing supporting the administration of NAPLAN. This has been very well planned, and I thank all students for their excellent behaviour and efforts during these tests. I look forward to seeing our students’ results and celebrating their learning growth.

Harmony Week
There was a fantastic array of activities held as part of Harmony Day. There were many events conducted over a two-week period (17-28 March) which celebrated the diverse cultures within our school community. It was a highlight to see so many students get dressed in their cultural dress. I also had the pleasure of participating in the Cultural performance.

School Tours
We have been conducting tours through the College for prospective Grade 5 and 6 parents, and these tours will continue into the beginning of Term 2.

If you know of any prospective families, who might be considering enrolling their child at Wellington next year, please encourage them to book in a school tour so that they can see our great school in action.  School tours dates can be found on our website.

I would like to wish all students and families a wonderful break and look forward to seeing everyone back for the beginning of Term 2 on Tuesday, April 22.

Mr Chris Knight
Principal

Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day at Wellington in 2025 was a heartwarming celebration that brought the school community together in a unique and meaningful way. Instead of the traditional roses, we sold adorable teddy bears and handcrafted cookies by students, offering a sweet alternative to the usual gifts. The cookies, made with care and creativity by Wellington’s very own students, quickly became a hit, showcasing the talent and teamwork within the school.

The sale raised an impressive $680, which will go towards supporting future initiatives at Wellington Secondary College ran by the Student Representative Council (SRC). This thoughtful effort not only provided a fun and memorable Valentine’s Day experience but also helped to fund projects that will benefit the entire school community.

We would like to express our deepest gratitude to all the students who contributed to this initiative, whether through baking, organising, or supporting the cause. Your hard work and dedication have made a real difference, and the success of the Valentine’s Day fundraiser is a testament to the power of collaboration and school spirit. As we look toward the future, the SRC is excited to continue creating opportunities for students to engage, contribute, and make a positive impact on our school. Thanks to your generosity, the future is looking brighter, and we can’t wait to see what other great projects will emerge from this wonderful community.

Ramita Singh
SRC President

888 – Work! Play! Rest!

Year 12 VCE VM students recently visited the historic Trades Hall in Victoria for an insightful excursion on workplace rights and the role of unions. The day began with a guided tour of the Trades Hall, where students learned about its rich history and significance in the labour movement.

A key highlight of the excursion was a seminar on Bullying and Discrimination in the Workplace, where students examined real-world scenarios and discussed ways to foster fair and inclusive work environments. The session sparked important conversations about workplace culture, respect, and legal protections for workers.

To conclude, students gained a deeper understanding of unions — their functions, how they support workers, and their role in advocating for fair wages and conditions. The experience provided valuable insights into future workplaces and inspired many to think critically about workers’ rights and collective action.

Overall, the excursion was both engaging and educational, equipping students with practical knowledge they can carry into their future careers.

Ms Jaclyn Jacobs and Mrs Rachel Biggin
VCE VM Teachers

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Together with teachers Ms. Biggin and Ms. Jacobs, the Year 12 VCE VM class visited the Victorian Trades Hall Union in the city on Thursday, March 13. Together, we travelled there from Springvale station and exited at Parliament station. We paused at the “eight-hour day monument” after the ten-minute stroll to the Trades Hall building.

Our speaker, Josie, warmly greeted us at Trades Hall and led us to the boardroom, where we were all seated. Josie taught us about workplace harassment, discrimination, and bullying in this space. We all shared our experiences in our workplaces, and learned that the Trades Hall Union was a resource available to assist us if it occurred again.

Following the workplace-based PowerPoint, Josie took everyone on a tour of the building, showing us historical spaces like the ballroom and the entrance, which still featured memorials from the World War I era that were more than a century old. Since we were all starving after the tour, teachers and students decided to stroll to Melbourne Central for lunch. We all had a 45-minute break to explore the area in Melbourne Central and returned at 1:30.

\When the clock struck, we all gathered in one location and headed to the station to return home. Everyone was exhausted by this point, and some even dozed off on the train. Around 2:30, we were dismissed from Springvale station, and each of us headed home on our own. It was intriguing to learn how many people experience similar issues and to realise that we are not alone in this situation. We got a glimpse of what people experienced in connection with historical events in the past; I liked viewing the old monuments on the wall.

Fiona Doulgeridis
12V

Wellington Welcomes Head Start

Head Start is a program designed to support students in Years 10-12 by enabling them to participate in a school-based apprenticeship and traineeship (SBAT). This initiative helps students develop essential skills, capabilities, and confidence sought by employers in growing industries while jumpstarting their preferred post-school pathway.

We are excited to announce that Ryan Nguyen (11V) has begun his Head Start journey. Ryan is undertaking his SBAT in Supply Chain Operations at Gre8. We wish Ryan all the best as he continues his studies at Wellington SC while gaining hands-on experience in his apprenticeship.

Students interested in starting an apprenticeship or traineeship are encouraged to visit the Careers Office for more information.

Ms Jaclyn Jacobs
Learning Specialist | Vocational Education and Pathways

International Day of Pi

SuperIP Industry Immersion

We started the day with the beautiful morning sun coating the atmosphere. The place we went to was massive and also modern, and it was very grand start to the day as we walked through the automatic doors as an entrance into the program.

Everyone was allocated to a seat with a booklet, pen, and notebook neatly placed onto the tables in rows. We were taught about legal studies, politics, and how we should pursue our careers and to consider the right path to our lives. We learnt about products like the Apple watch – the programming, and the design. The information was fairly interesting and cleared my thoughts on career pathways that are available. We were also provided with small pieces of machinery to craft our own invention called a “Palet” while explaining how it helps people when put together.

We were given morning tea with pastries like chocolate croissants and lunch with a big chicken sandwich, apple, and a muesli bar.

Overall, the program lasted for the whole day from 8:15am to 3:15pm. The experience was very enjoyable and beneficial for my future career choices. I strongly recommend this excursion if it’s going to continue for the other year levels as it’s a way to connect with friends and IP professionals who were also there to discuss their pathways and experiences.

Lilian Nguyen
11H

Term 1 Reflection

As we approach the end of Term 1,  I look back and am amazed at how busy our international students have been participating in a variety of extra curricular activities.  These included Harmony Week celebrations, our first International Expo, volleyball, tennis and badminton competitions, leadership forums, karaoke, Clean up Wellington Day and many others.

Parents and guardians joined us for a social afternoon tea, education counsellors from Aide, SET, and IDP spoke to our VCE students about pathway preparation for tertiary studies, and all our new students have settled in very well and are enjoying their Wellington experience.

Mrs Connie Tzelepis
Director | International Programs

Student Leadership Workshop

Unit 1 Art Making & Exhibiting | Excursions & Workshops

As part of their coursework for Unit 1 Art Making and Exhibiting students visited the NGV Australia at Federation Square and MUMA (Monash University Museum of Art). Students viewed and documented a broad range of Australian and Indigenous Art and Design works from the Australian collection at the NGV in preparation for their Outcome 3 task which requires them to present information for an exhibition. Students then attended MUMA and viewed their current exhibition and then participated in an artist-led camera-less photography workshop with ‘artist in residence’ Rudi Williams. Students created some fantastic cyanotypes using a range of found imagery.

Mrs Fiona Szabo
Head of Visual Arts | Unit 1 Art Making & Exhibiting teacher

Themed Dress-up Day | First Letter of Your Name

MTC Theatre Excursion ‘Robot Dog’

On Thursday, March 20, Year 9 Drama students travelled to the city to watch the play ‘Robot Dog’ by the Melbourne Theatre Company performed at the South Bank Theatre. Students enjoyed the science fiction comedy show starring a robotic dog controlled and voiced by an actor. The college would like to thank the MTC for allowing us to participate in their Ignite program, which provides discounted theatre tickets to students around Victoria.

Aben Alexander
Performing Arts Learning Area Leader

‘Just Bin It’

I’m Ashley, your Sustainability Captain. I work alongside Nurali, our Vice Sustainability Captain, and an incredible team of Sustainability Champions. Our goal is simple, to create a cleaner, greener environment that everyone can enjoy. To make this happen, we’ve organised various initiatives, including bake sales and the fashion repair event to raise money towards solar panels. These efforts wouldn’t have been possible without Ms Amaral’s support and our dedicated team, and we’re always open to passionate individuals joining us! So, If you’re passionate about sustainability and want to get involved, feel free to reach out to Ms. Amaral—we’d love for you to be part of our team!

A recent initiative was The Bin It Song—a fun and creative way to highlight the issue of litter around our school. It serves as a reminder of the unbelievable amount of rubbish left around the school. We aren’t asking much but Small actions, like putting your waste in the right bin can make a big difference in protecting our school environment. Ultimately, everything we do is driven by a larger purpose: to keep our surroundings clean, safeguard our planet, and create a healthier future for everyone. Sustainability isn’t just a duty—it’s a commitment to building a better world.

Ashley Vaid
11L

My name is Harry, and I’m in Year 9. Today, I want to talk about something that affects all of us & our planet, and that is littering. I recently took part in a music video about littering because I believe raising awareness is important. Every day, we see problems like pollution, extreme weather, and too much waste damaging the environment. But the good news is that small changes can make a big difference. Caring for the planet doesn’t have to be complicated. Simple things like using less plastic, turning off lights when we don’t need them, or even just picking up rubbish can help. If we all make small efforts, they will add up to something huge. The future of our world depends on the choices we make now. So, let’s take responsibility, think about our actions, and work together to protect our planet for the generations to come.

Harry Saini
9F

The reason why I participate in sustainability and the reason I participated in the music video about littering was to spread awareness about our planet. Our planet is facing increasing environmental challenges from climate change to deforestation and plastic pollution. Sustainability is not just an option it’s a responsibility we all share. By reducing waste, conserving energy and supporting eco-friendly initiatives, we can protect our natural resources for future generations. Small actions like using reusable products, choosing sustainable transportation and supporting businesses that prioritize the environment, that makes a great impact. It’s time to rethink our habits and work together to create a healthier greener world. The future of our planet depends on the choices we make today, let’s choose sustainability.

Ava Abou-Eid
9CH

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Enhancing the habitat for Microbats

I had the pleasure of introducing John Harris, a zoologist from Wildlife and Ecology, to the Junior Assembly. I want to highlight the importance of biodiversity. Biodiversity is essential for the processes that sustain all life on Earth, including humans. Without a wide variety of animals, plants, and microorganisms, we wouldn’t have the healthy ecosystems that provide us with clean air, food, and water.

Last year, some members of the Sustainability Champions took part in building nest boxes for microbats. These small but vital creatures play an important role in controlling insect populations and maintaining ecological balance. I’d like to extend a special thank you to Mr. Whyte for his guidance and support in making these boxes. During the presentation by the zoologist, I learnt that a recent survey conducted at Springvale Botanical Cemetery recorded a total of 9 bat species, including Australia’s largest and smallest bats. That is one third of all bat species recorded in Victoria, and only 400m from WSC. Now, we have 10 of these boxes installed on the eucalyptus trees around the school and they will supplement the lack of tree hollows in the area.

Su-Keira Sara
11J

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Clean Up Australia Day

Clean Up Australia Day began in 1989, when Ian Kiernan had the idea to dedicate a day to “cleaning up Australia”. Thanks to him, over 365,000 Ute loads of rubbish have been collected. In honour of this day, on March 4, the sustainability team held a competition. This competition encouraged Wellington students to pick up as much garbage and recyclable products as possible. How the competition worked was fairly simple, you had the entire lunch to see how much you could collect. The team with the heaviest bag would win a canteen voucher. With that being said, congratulations to the winners of this competition, Jordan Jackson, Tiahna Do and Xavier Barrera.

Saanvi Shaker
09J