SCHOOL NEWS

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER: YEARS 11 & 12 FORMAL

The Rupert Clarke Grandstand at Caulfield Racecourse was transformed into a sea of glamour and high fashion last night as nearly 900 McKinnon students gathered for the much-anticipated Years 11/12 Formal. Held in the elegant Promenade Room on Level 2, the evening was a spectacular celebration of our senior school community.

From 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm, the room was buzzing with energy. This year’s cocktail-style event allowed students to mingle freely, catching up with friends across both year levels, making new friends across the cohorts, all the while enjoying a delicious variety of finger food served throughout the night.

The atmosphere was electric from the moment the first track dropped. Between strikes of a pose at the photo booths and the non-stop action on the dance floor, the sense of camaraderie was palpable. It was a wonderful opportunity for our seniors to take a well-deserved break from their studies, dress to the nines, and create memories to last.

A huge thank you to the staff who attended and the Year 11 and 12 student management teams who made such a large-scale event run so seamlessly. It was truly a night where our senior students shone!

Kate Jobson

Head of Years 11 & 12 

PEER SUPPORT

The Peer Support Program is a part of the Year 7 Transition Program and is designed to link Year 7 students to Year 10 mentors in their first term of secondary schooling. For the remainder of Term One, Peer Support will run once a week. Each week, students have the opportunity to develop and build on new friendships but also develop skills such as making friends and how to get involved in the McKinnon Community. 

Week 3 saw the official start of the Peer Support Program for 2026. 120 Peer Support Leaders met with their Year 7 Peer Support groups for the first time on Wednesday morning. Throughout the school we saw students embrace the challenges of meeting new peers and their mentors. It has been wonderful to see Year 7 students step outside of their comfort zone and Year 10 Leaders embracing their new roles with maturity and enthusiasm. 

We look forward to seeing how Year 7 students develop their connection to McKinnon, while Year 10 Leaders develop their confidence and leadership skills over the course of this term!

Phoebe Ponsford

Peer Support Coordinator

TOMORROW MAN/WOMAN

The Tomorrow Woman program has become an integral part of the McKinnon community, especially for the class of 2026, who completed their final Tomorrow Woman session at the end of week 3. This session reflected on the different discussions that had been had throughout all previous sessions, and both finalised and built on key concepts such as female voice and agency that we can take on and utilise in all aspects of our daily lives. 

This session also challenged us to be vulnerable and speak out about both why our voices had been minimised in the past, but also how we can silence our “inner critic" and become a more confident and self-assured version of ourselves. Overall, these sessions allowed all students to voice their perspectives and understandings of a strong voice but also think more deeply about the young women we want to be as we move forward from our time at Mckinnon Secondary. 

Abby Butterworth

Year 12 Student

The Tomorrow Woman workshop aims to shed light on the systemic issues women face in everyday society, creating a safe and supportive environment for open conversation. Throughout the session, we were encouraged to reflect on our own experiences and challenge the expectations and stereotypes that often go unquestioned.

What made the workshop especially powerful was the honesty in the room. Stories were shared with courage, and every voice was met with empathy and respect. The facilitator ensured that everyone felt heard and valued, allowing meaningful discussions to take place.

Rather than simply discussing inequality in abstract terms, the workshop encouraged us to consider how these broader issues influence our everyday lives and relationships. It prompted thoughtful reflection and strengthened our sense of connection with one another. Many of us left feeling more aware, empowered, and confident in the value of honest and supportive conversation.

Victoria Pham

Year 12 Student

On Friday 13 February, the McKinnon Year 12 cohort had an incursion from the Tomorrow Man/Woman group. The session was designed to support us as we move through one of the most challenging and important years of school. Rather than focusing purely on academic results, the presenters in my session spoke about mindset and the struggles of ego with teenage boys. Students shared positives and negatives that come with ego, where they’d like to be in five years’ time and what type of person they want to be. 

Throughout the incursion, students were encouraged to reflect on their own thoughts and attitudes towards ego and emotions. Through this, students were able to freely express their dreams and also their struggles. 

Tomorrow Man/Woman has taught the class of 2026 to be mentally, socially and emotionally resilient over the three years of incursions students have attended. 

Elliot Cockle

Year 12 Student

COURAGE TO CARE 

Earlier this month, our Year 8 students participated in powerful workshops led by facilitators from Courage to Care, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to inspiring young people to stand up against prejudice, discrimination and bullying. Their programs encourage students to move beyond being passive bystanders and instead become “upstanders” - individuals who take positive action when they witness injustice.

Across the sessions on Wednesday 4 and Thursday 5 February, students engaged deeply with stories of courage, compassion and moral choice. Courage to Care’s work draws on real-life experiences and testimonies to show how ordinary people can make a meaningful difference in their communities, highlighting that everyone has the power to act with empathy and integrity.

At East Campus, these workshops help set the tone for our year by reinforcing the importance of inclusion, respect and responsibility. It was particularly special to see the strong community connection, with some facilitators being grandparents of current Year 8 students - a reminder that these values extend beyond the classroom and into our wider community.

We are proud of the thoughtful and respectful way our students participated, and we look forward to building on this experience as we continue to nurture a culture of active citizenship and care for others.

David Machin

Head of Year Levels 8 & 9