Celebrating 20 years of Coeducation

Celebrating in 2026!

This year marks 20 years of coeducation at Mentone Grammar. This milestone invites us to reflect on how far we’ve come and to celebrate the vibrant, inclusive community we’ve become. It’s a time to honour the courage of those who led the way and acknowledge the transformative impact of coeducation on our School.

A World of Change
In 2006, the world was buzzing with advances in communication. The Motorola Razr flip phone was the must-have gadget, Google’s purchase of YouTube marked the dawn of the ‘viral video’, Facebook was exploding, and we were just getting the hang of Twitter (before it was called X)! On a more human level, the UN established the Human Rights Council, and the 2006 International Women’s Day theme, Closing the Gender Gap, called for global attention to equality. NASA’s Stardust mission returned dust from a comet, and the Human Genome Project published its final chromosome sequence, both monumental scientific achievements, and all of this amid the ever-present backdrop of global challenges.

A New Beginning
Amid this whirlwind of change, Mentone Grammar was making the bold move to welcome girls after 83 years as a boy’s school. Much like the 56 brave boys who started in 1923, the 105 girls who first joined us were pioneers, sparking a cultural, social, and educational evolution that would redefine our School.

Over the past two decades, coeducation has broadened representation and enriched conversations around leadership, identity, and equality. Girls quickly made their mark across all facets of school life, strengthening our community with new perspectives.

Socially, the shift redefined traditional gender roles, fostering a more inclusive environment where boys and girls collaborate naturally across subjects and activities. This is strengthened by our Together-Apart-Together model as our single-gender classes from Years 5 – 9 continue to support students through early adolescence, tailoring experiences to their developmental needs.

Coeducation also brought a new energy and balance to creative expression, especially across the performing arts, where music ensembles, productions, and performances have flourished through the diverse talents of all students. The School has become a dynamic space for artistic innovation, built on collaboration and mutual respect.

In sport, our traditionally male-centric program was restructured to accommodate the growing number of girls in cricket, AFLW, swimming, soccer, touch football, and so much more. Their

enthusiasm and competitive spirit have helped shape a culture where athletic achievement is defined by collective energy and commitment.