From the Principal

Hello everyone, 

This week we celebrated Education Support week with a morning tea to say thankyou for the work all ES staff do to ensure each day runs smoothly. 

Education Support include staff in the Office, First Aid, Attendance, Food Technology, Inclusion, Wellbeing, Hands on Learning, Maintenance and technicians in Science and IT. Staff were also recognised for their years of service to Mornington Secondary College. Thankyou for the work you do and your commitment to our Mornington Secondary College community. 

This week, staff and students attended an assembly where I mentioned the many emails and phone calls I receive on a weekly basis from community members. They often begin the conversation by saying they saw our students at a particular venue. They comment on how well behaved our students are and conduct themselves in a very respectful manner. Venue operators often compare schools with the way students behave and overwhelmingly, they say Mornington Secondary students are the most well behaved. Thankyou and congratulations. 

Next week we begin the Attitudes to School survey with all students. Each year students from Grade 4 are asked to complete the survey. The survey is conducted online with the focus being on Learning and Experience at school. The surveys are conducted so each student completes their own survey and it is about the individual's feelings, not what anybody else is feeling. Staff and leadership analyse the results once they are collated and use this information to plan for future curriculum and/or programs. The results will also be shared with the student body in forums and during CONNECT.

I hope you have a wonderful week.

Linda Stanton

Principal

Important Dates

MAY

24/05/23 - 26/05/23 | Year 7 Camp - The Summit

29/05/23 | Year 10 Vaccination

JUNE

01/06/23 - 8/06/23 | Exams and PAT testing

08/06/23 | Year 12 Fancy Dress

09/06/23 | Staff assessment and reporting - Student free day

12/06/23 | Kings Birthday Public Holiday - Student free day

15/06/23 | GAT day

20/06/23 | Course Information Evening

23/06/23 | Last day of Term 2 - School ends at 2.30pm

JULY

10/07/23 | First day of Term 3

Note:  As you will be aware the 9th of June is a student free day to allow staff to complete assessments and write reports. The front office will also be closed on this day as we are performing a network upgrade which will disable phones and the internet for the day.

Middle School

Dear Parents and Guardians, 

We had the college assembly yesterday and a new feature of our assembly is the raffle. Any student who achieved a green post was included in the draw and a winner was selected from each year level. The winners were selected randomly via the raffle wheel.

It really topped off a great assembly which was led by our college captains.

The college has a Literacy and Numeracy focus across all the Curriculum Domains. At Year 7 and 8, Ms Reddy leads the way for the focus to be on multiplicative thinking in Numeracy. Year 8 have a Year 8 World of Maths incursion this Thursday. Across the college writing and reading are encouraged at every opportunity. Reading for understanding is something we can all do to assist our students and children.

Here are a few ideas to help your child increase their reading:

• read engaging texts for significant amounts of time.
• it is helpful if the text is interesting or topic based.
• provide a range of texts which include graphics, images, animations to ignite interest.
• ask questions about the theme or the storyline.
• Identify and discuss vocabulary from the text.
• Reading aloud can be fun too.

Wishing you a great week.

Denise Leggett

Middle School Assistant Principal

Senior School

To students and families of the Mornington Senior School,

As you read this, we have already completed over 40% of this term. In two weeks from today all Year 10 students and 11 VCE ATAR students will commence their mid-year examinations, which is a great opportunity for students to practice studying for multiple subjects at the same time and simulate the conditions they will experience if they choose a VCE ATAR pathway. Our students (and often their parents) have heard ’study/revise’ as something they should do; however they may not know exactly how to do this or what effective study looks like. Year 11 and 12 students have been learning about various study skills as part of the Connect program.

Effective study skills could look like:

• Mind-mapping of key concepts (put a concept in the middle of a page and use links to show off all the different parts of that concept – tip: use colour) 
• Teaching a peer or parent about a concept.
• Spend 5 minutes writing everything you can about a concept you’ve learned in class.
• Cue cards/Quizlets (including word on one side and explanation on the other)
• Answering exam-style questions (and get them checked by a teacher)

As Assistant Principal, Mike Parker, spoke about in an earlier newsletter, these exams are designed to let students show off what they have learned, provide opportunities to celebrate success and knowledge, while practicing and developing vital revision skills. The data may be used in course counselling processes but none of it will contribute to a student’s final VCE or Year 10 score. We wish our students’ luck and ask for nothing more than their personal best, whatever level that is.

Highlights/upcoming events for each year level in the last week:

Year 10 

Within Year 10 we are starting the process to introduce our students to the idea of a VCE ATAR and a VCE VM. What the programs are? What they entail? What are the expectations?

There is going to be a flood of information in the coming weeks for both students and parents as we enter Course Counselling season, and as always, we encourage anybody with questions to contact the college for assistance.

The students were also a part of a presentation last week where the discussion surrounded topics of attendance, uniform and behaviour as we wish to see every student at MSC striving to achieve and be their best. We hope the students absorbed our messages and will dedicate themselves to continue improving and pushing themselves to greater heights while they Dare to Dream.

Year 11

Our Year 11 ATAR students are voting for their peers who show our school values of Achievement, Respect and Community. Students explain why they have voted and every week a random ARC LEGEND is selected. Examples of student comments – 

He has shown achievement towards math, he has managed to stay up to date and even get ahead of his work.

He taught me how ice hockey works and explained it very well even though we don't know each other very well, he also picked up my rubbish in English and put it in the bin for me while we were doing a cutting activity. 

She is always being inclusive towards her peers in class and showing role model behaviour.

These uplifting comments are posted on the Common Room wall for all to see. It is wonderful to see students recognising others who practise our values.

Year 12

As our term continues to roll on, we enter the back end of Unit 3. This is a busy time for Year 12 students. This is a great time for students to ensure their study timetable is up to date and adjusted based on assessments. Study techniques have been shared with students in tutorial sessions and via Teams. These strategies are shared to assist students find the best strategy to help them as individuals. Wednesday after school study sessions continue, and students are welcome to stay back after school and use the study centre if they would like a quiet peaceful place to study. 

For Vocational Major students, the end of term is crunch time for unit completion. It is vital that all VM units undertaken are completed successfully. Students who require support are urged to speak to their teachers. Non-completion of units can have detrimental impact on certificate completion. 

Have a great week.

Nick Evans

Senior School Assistant Principal

Mental health Safety Net: Safe TALK

Over the latter part of Term 1 and early Term 2 we have run a suicide prevention education program for all year 10 students. This is a really important area for our young people. The main focus was on being a first responder, on noticing when someone in your world is not ok and helping them to get help. The program was run through the sponsorship of Mental Health Safety Net, a not for profit organisation based on the Peninsula. 

Mick Simmons, our presenter, is running a community training on Tuesday 30th of May. I would encourage all members of our community to consider attending.

Mike Parker

Assistant Principal

Staff Profiles

Sian Jones

My name is Sian Jones and I have been a secondary school teacher for over twenty years. 

I began at Mornington Secondary College ten years ago when we arrived here from the UK as a Casual Relief Teacher, moving into an ongoing position very shortly after. I am Humanities trained and teach VCE Legal Studies.  My husband Christopher Jones also works at MSC in 

Technology.  

Both my sons have been to MSC with my youngest leaving last year.

This is my fourth year working as a year coordinator with the last two as Year 9 Team Leader.

I enjoy teaching and leading the Year 9s, no two days are the same and I have many ideas to build a great Year 9 program.

Andrew Mock

My name is Andrew Mock and I have been part of the College since starting as a casual relief temp in 2018 and permanent  since early 2019. 

I teach English in my time at MSC, including, very excitingly, I have my first Year 12 class this year. 

This is my third year coordinating Year 9, and I love the role and the connections that are built with students and families. I thoroughly enjoy the added responsibility within the College community. No two days are ever the same in this job and I love constantly evolving and trying to improve slightly every day. 

I am definitely a peninsula local having lived here nearly all my life. 

Away from school, you will find me nearly every Saturday out on the oval at Red Hill playing football or cricket, depending on the season. I love heading into the MCG in football season to watch my beloved Tigers play and was lucky enough to be at the 2017 and 2019 Grand Finals. My family has had an apple orchard in Red Hill since 1960 and I enjoy spending time there in the school holidays helping out picking apples, driving tractors, or taking the truck into the wholesale fruit and vegetable markets in the very early mornings! There is even a Mock St in Burwood where our original farm was located. 

Cassandra Darnett

Hello, my name is Cassy Darnett, and I am a Year 9 Coordinator. 

This is my seventh-year teaching at Mornington Secondary College, second year as a coordinator and the subjects I teach include Food Technology and Science/Psychology. 

I have been teaching for a relatively short period of time- eleven years, as I was previously a registered general nurse, specialising in surgical and emergency nursing. Having worked at The Alfred Hospital for a period I decided to travel basing myself in England, first in Cornwall and then in Bristol and continued nursing. It was in Cornwall where I met my husband and we eventually moved back to Australia after spending eight years travelling around. I now have two teenage boys, two dogs, a cat, and a rabbit. Outside of work I enjoy spending time with my friends, travelling, cooking and walking my dogs. Coordinating brings many rewards, especially making close connections with students.

Staff Professional Learning

Some of our teachers participated in professional learning this week. This session was on Curriculum Differentiation through effective questioning, run by Rebecca Stroud M.Ed (Gifted Education), B.Ed (English Language and Education Literature).

Pathways News

Girls Can Trade Up Mentoring Program

About the program

Our Girls Can Trade Up Mentoring Program provides a network that supports you to grow your career in the direction that suits you. Participating in mentoring has been proven to increase career success as it provides you with encouragement, insight and knowledge.  Sometimes it’s great to get an outside perspective to drive you forward and help you develop your confidence.

Best of all, our service is government funded meaning it’s at no cost to you!

Who is it for?

Women who are looking for a career in the trades, or who have already commenced their Apprenticeship in the trades.

What is the aim of the program?

To support women who are undertaking a non-traditional trade, and provide a network around them to create the best possible chance of success.

Click on the link for further information and details on the upcoming event

Unit 3/4 Creative Art Excursion to National Art Gallery of Victoria Gallery

Our fabulous Art students participated very actively in the Top Arts folio viewing as well as enjoying the Top Arts exhibition and deeply analysing at least two artworks which they will use as inspiration for their own final artworks.

The Art students were commended for being an absolute pleasure to teach and that their thoughtfulness, sensitivity and ability to reflect was outstanding! 

Positive Quotes for the week

Hi Linda 

I have just had some great social media tuition from several of your students at Mornington Library. What terrific young people, and an excellent program to connect generations.

Well done 

Thanks 

Ross

Hi Marietta and Linda,

Thank you so much for the lovely feedback Marietta. Your students were an absolute pleasure to teach. Their thoughtfulness, sensitivity and ability to reflect was outstanding. I had the pleasure of teaching a few students in a Bonjour France class earlier this year as well. On both occasions, Mornington Secondary College students have stood out as incredibly sophisticated thinkers and lovely human beings.

I hope to see you all in the Gallery again soon.

All the best and have a lovely weekend!

Jenny  

Gallery Teacher National Gallery of Victoria180 St Kilda Road Melbourne VIC 3004 T: +61 3 8620 2213 F: +61 3 8620 2555 NGV.MELBOURNE

We acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung People as the Traditional Owners of the land on which the NGV is built. 

Mornington Secondary College 2023 Charity Speak & Share 

"Speak & Share's founding directors are three best mates who have shared the loudest of laughs and have lent each other a shoulder through the hardest of times. Like a lot of us, we too have experienced the pain of losing a best mate to suicide, a family member to a workplace accident, and enduring the separation of our parents. With each others support, we have been able to stand tall through these hard times". 

Mission

Speak & Share's mission is to influence community culture and educate on mental health strategies so that family, friends and the community should never again see any one in Australia suffer from the devastating impacts of mental health.

https://www.speakandshare.com/who-we-are 

Mornington Secondary College is proud to work this year with Speak & Share to educate our staff and students whilst raising much needed donations for a great cause.

Wellbeing News

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram