PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

Dear Parents and members of the MESC Community

Term two is always full of excitement with so many different opportunities for our students. In recent weeks MESC students have participated in camps, excursions, incursions, interschool sport and exams. I am often amazed by the range of events and activities that occur school wide, applaud our students for taking advantage of them and proud of our staff for creating these opportunities.

Our Principal Angela Pollard is currently in China supporting the International Education Division promoting education in Victorian schools. Angela will be visiting Harbin, Changchun, Dalian, Shenyang, Tianjin, Beijing and Shanghai. Education is currently Victoria’s biggest financial export. Angela will also use this opportunity to promote Mt Eliza Secondary College and will return to MESC at the start of Term 3.

Our 2018 mid-year exam period has just drawn to a close. This was a very important period for our students from Year 9 to 12 and included exams in: Year 9/10 Maths, English, Science, Humanities, all Year 11 subjects and the GAT for all students studying a Year 12 subject. The exams serve many purposes including simulating the experience students will need to be well skilled in to perform at their best in VCE exams at the end of their Year 12 studies. It also allows teachers and students to gain knowledge of student performance under exam conditions and gives feedback in regard to student skills and understanding at this point in time. Thus, allowing teachers to plan the next step in student learning. This year we will be utilising mid-year student exam results as an indicator for 2019 course selection. Our leadership team will be examining these results in preparation for course selection interviews and the results will serve as a guide to the appropriateness of subject selection.

As Semester 1 draws to a close we roll into with our new Semester 2 timetable starting on 18 June, having already started on our journey toward 2019 with course selection information evenings being held this week. I would like to thank all the parents and students that attended, as education is not only a journey for the students it is a partnership between the school, the student and their parent. These evenings allowed us to share with those who attended our International Baccalaureate pathway for Year 7 to 9, our new Year 10 program as it becomes part of our senior school and our VCE, VCAL and VET options. Presentations from the evening are available on the college website and course selection interviews will be held on Monday 23rd July. Interview times can be booked on Compass.

I would like to wish all staff, students and their families a safe mid-year holiday period with school holidays starting on 29th June and students returning 16th July. If you are staying in Victoria, keep warm.

Gavan McCabe

Acting Principal