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Secondary boys college Est. in 1950
News
Principal's Update 21 August 2026
Dear Members of the Marcellin College Community,
As we move further into Term 3, there continues to be much to celebrate across the College. At the same time, this is an important period of planning as we look towards 2027 and consider how we continue to provide an outstanding Marist education while responding to the changing environment in which schools operate.
Looking Ahead to 2027 - College Fees
Earlier this month, I wrote to families via Compass regarding the proposed new Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA) for teachers and professional support staff in Victorian Catholic schools, and the potential implications this will have for Marcellin College.
In that communication, I emphasised two things that remain very important to us.
First, our teachers and staff are our greatest resource. We support fair and appropriate remuneration and conditions for the people who educate, support and care for our boys each day. Attracting and retaining outstanding staff is fundamental to the quality of education we provide.
Second, we recognise the significant financial commitment families make in choosing Marcellin College, particularly at a time when many households continue to experience cost-of-living pressures.
Balancing these responsibilities requires careful and responsible planning.
While the enterprise bargaining process continues, we must prudently prepare for the significant increase in employment and operational costs expected from 2027. Based on our current modelling, we anticipate that College fees for 2027 will need to increase in the range of approximately 7 - 9%. Final details will be confirmed once our budgeting and governance processes are complete.
As part of our future fee structure, we are also looking to introduce a capital levy of approximately $300 per family. This is in line with most other AGSV and Catholic schools around Australia.
This is an important step in our longer-term planning. Rather than simply incorporating every increase into general College fees, a clearly identified capital levy would enable us to direct a defined portion of family contributions towards the maintenance, renewal and continued improvement of the facilities our boys use every day.
Over recent years, families have seen significant improvements across our campus and our responsibility is to ensure that Marcellin continues to provide contemporary, welcoming and inspiring spaces for learning, wellbeing, faith, sport and community life. A capital levy would help us plan for this investment responsibly and sustainably for both current and future generations of students.
None of these decisions are made lightly. We remain committed to managing College resources carefully, seeking efficiencies wherever possible and ensuring that our decisions continue to balance affordability with the quality of education and opportunities families rightly expect from Marcellin.
Thank you for your ongoing trust and partnership as we undertake this important planning
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An Extraordinary Cross Country Legacy
I would like to finish this newsletter by celebrating an achievement that is truly remarkable.
Our Marcellin College Cross Country Team has once again been crowned AGSV Premiers - securing an extraordinary 26th consecutive AGSV Cross Country premiership.
Twenty-six consecutive titles!
It is difficult to overstate the significance of that achievement. Sporting success over one season requires talent, commitment and hard work. To sustain excellence across generations of students requires something more: culture, expectation, belonging and a willingness from each new group of young men to honour what has come before them while making their own contribution.
Our boys have done exactly that.
Cross Country is a sport that asks much of its athletes. There are early mornings, cold winter training sessions, kilometres of preparation and countless moments when perseverance matters more than talent. Our students have represented Marcellin with great humility, resilience and determination throughout the season, and I congratulate every member of the team.
This extraordinary tradition has also been shaped over many years by Mr John Meagher and more recently Mr Trent Carlson.
John's contribution to Marcellin Cross Country extends far beyond coaching a successful team. He has built a culture in which boys are encouraged to work hard, support one another, challenge themselves and understand that excellence is something earned through consistent effort.
John's own achievements as an athlete are extraordinary. He is a world and Australian record holder, has won gold medals at World Masters Championships and, in 2024, set a world-best M60 track 10,000m time of 33:32.09.
Yet, impressive as those achievements are, perhaps John's greatest legacy at Marcellin can be seen in the generations of boys who have discovered through Cross Country what they are capable of achieving.
Twenty-six consecutive premierships do not belong to one race, one team or one year. They belong to generations of Marcellin students and staff who have passed on a standard and then challenged the next group to uphold it.
There is something wonderfully Marist about that.
Strive for the highest does not mean expecting success simply because others before us have achieved it. It means accepting the responsibility to contribute, to work for one another, to remain humble in success and to leave something stronger for those who follow.
To every member of our 2026 Cross Country Team - congratulations. You have added your chapter to one of the great legacies of Marcellin College.
To Mr Trent Carlson, thank you for your commitment and support of our boys as Teacher in Charge of Cross Country. And to Mr John Meagher, thank you for the extraordinary contribution you have made over so many years - as a coach, mentor, teacher, athlete and example to generations of Marcellin students.
Twenty-six in a row. An extraordinary achievement, and one of which our entire College community should be immensely proud. Below is a feature article from a recent edition of Marcellin Life that celebrates our outstanding Cross Country history. Please enjoy.
God Bless,
Marco Di Cesare
Principal
