Dear Families, Students and Community Members,

Headstart Whole School Assembly

Last Monday we held our Whole School Assembly in the gym, to officially launch the 2024 academic year for the whole school and our expectations of students for the remainder of the year in this program.

It is really important that, as a strong and positive school community, we are kind to each other, we are there for each other, that we all get along, showing respect to all and support and encourage one another to strive to achieve their personal best. With positive behaviours from all students living our College Values, we can ensure the provision of a safe school environment and positive school culture that supports all students and staff to be the best that they can be.

We hope students enjoy these last few weeks with their new teachers and classes and have started to build positive relationships that will set them up for success when they return next year. Student attendance, work in class, assigned homework and completion of set tasks will count towards their report for Semester One next year.

I hope students are all proud to be students at Mordialloc College and will make the most of the many opportunities and challenges that will be presented to them. We should take nothing for granted and cherish the vast range of experiences that our school provides for our students.

During the assembly we also introduced our 2024 student leadership team forming the new Mordialloc College Student Council, including our new College Captains, Vice Captains and Middle School Captains who all gave their first speech in their respective new roles.

Mordialloc College Student Council 2024 and AGM

We have conducted our selection process for the many student leadership positions on our Mordialloc College Student Council, and these positions have formally been taken up from Headstart. I congratulate all students who went through an extensive application process where candidates delivered a speech to their year level (then a voting process is completed by students and staff), wrote a short application letter, and were interviewed by a panel (for Senior School – Kerry Archer, Alex Brown, and myself; for Middle School – Kerry Archer, Claire Bruce and mysel).

On Monday we held our AGM from lunchtime. It is exciting to be continuing to build upon this relatively new leadership structure to promote and allow for greater student voice, agency, and leadership across our whole school for Year 7-12 students. I would like to thank both Ms Archer for her organisation of the AGM and her leadership of the new student council and the teachers involved in leading or supporting a subcommittee.

At the end of our time together at the AGM each sub-committee now have their first draft of their action plan for Term 1 next year.

We have previously announced the successful candidates in our newsletter of who will form the new Student Council in 2024 and they were introduced to the whole school in our assembly last Monday. I will include again in this article in case anyone missed the previous announcement. We will still have our formal leadership induction assembly with the presentation of badges and certificates mid Term 1 next year.

Senior School

2024 School Captains: Antonio Marques Vaz Serra and Isabelle Vicendese

School Vice Captains: Jaylyn Clarke and James Wilson

Sub-committee Captains:

Community and Wellbeing

Jaylyn Clarke and Claudia Siddall

Curriculum

Jordan Walklate

Facilities and Environment

Dennis Li and Nissar Ali

Promotions and Fundraising

Antonio Marques Vaz Serra and James Wilson

Sports

Isabelle Vicendese and Piri Faid

The Arts

Performing Arts

Caity Ford, Eden Lasbury and Lachlan Welsh

Visual Arts

Brandon Bamford and Charlotte Kypriotis

Middle School Captains 2024

Zoe McPherson and William Flemming

Middle School Vice- Captains

Ava Wilson, Jamie Thai-Chan, and Nathan Krummel

Note: House Captains at Years 7 to 12 are still to be appointed.

Congratulations to all students who were nominated and went through the selection process for these important positions. In addition to these positions, our Year 7 students can still nominate in Term 1 next year, and students in Years 8-12 can nominate this year or early next year, for the House Captain roles and to be on one of the subcommittees. Students across all year levels will be also given the opportunity to join a subcommittee if interested.

New Bell times

We have introduced new bell times effective from Headstart moving from 75 minute lessons to 70 minute lessons. With the further reduction in face-to-face teaching time for 2024 from 19 hours to 18.5 hours in the Victorian Government School Agreement, this has had the flow on effect of requiring the employment of additional teachers. As you will be aware, there is a critical teacher shortage across Australia that is making recruitment increasingly challenging. In this environment, we feel as though the most effective way of continuing the delivery of our curriculum whilst meeting the new face to face requirement is to reduce our lessons from 75 minutes to 70 minutes; this move means that we will not require any additional teachers. This move is not set in stone and will of course be revised if the teacher workforce issues improve in the future.

Lesson Plans on Compass

As of Headstart 2024, you have been able to further support your child’s learning journey by accessing teaching & learning information made available via their daily Compass Lesson Plans. We hope parents have found this to be most beneficial to see what is being covered in each lesson every day to support your child at home and be involved in their learning.

Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholars Program

The University of Melbourne Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholars program is an academic enrichment program designed to support high-achieving Victorian and select New South Wales and South Australian border school students in realising their full potential. The program provides access to events, activities, and resources to give students a head start into university. Congratulations to Celestine Debargue-Tamai a Year 10 student in 2023, who was successful in achieving one of the Melbourne University scholarships into this program which will run for the duration of Celestine’s VCE studies at Mordialloc College. There were over 2000 applications received so a fantastic achievement for Celestine!!

Congratulations to Harry De Mattia

Harry is a former student of Mordialloc College and last week was selected at pick 25 by Collingwood Football Club in the National AFL draft.

We wish him the very best for the future as he follows his dream of playing AFL football.

Valedictory Dinner

Last Tuesday night 21 November we celebrated our Year 12 Valedictory Dinner at Cathies Lane Receptions in Wantirna South. With the final exams completed on Wednesday 15 November, it was an opportunity for parents, teachers, and students to get together in a formal setting to reflect on the past year and recognise the achievements of our Year 12 students, the Class of 2023.

Thanks to Year 12 Coordinator, Mr Tim Randell for his organisation of the event with our Promotions and Fundraising Captains Ava Bridger and Jordan Shenouda. The night included some formal speeches, the presentation of each student on stage with their current school photo and Year 7 photo displayed along with some key messages from each student e.g., where they see themselves in 5 years’ time and who they would like to thank. Our formal academic awards (academic excellence and achievement-endeavour awards) were also given out on the night. Thanks to Vice Captain, Reema Ababneh for putting together the photo powerpoint on the highlights for this year level over the past 6 years and the presentation of some awards voted on by the students.

Please note our more formal academic subject awards and special Year 12 awards for leadership and community service will be awarded to students at our Annual Awards night on Wednesday 13 December.

Positive Social Media feedback

We recently had this positive feedback from a member of the public – “What a Wonderful School”.

“As an ex-student and, now follower of the College on social media, I just wanted to applaud all members of the Leadership Team at this amazing school.

The variety of opportunities provided and the positive celebration of so many students reflects a commitment to inclusion and pathways for all and the building of a strong community.

The photos of students so often reflect their pride and joy in the experience, the learning and achievement.

Your balance of high expectations and opportunities for all is palpable.

Thank you to each of you for what you are doing each day. What a fantastic promotion of public education at its best - a core social centre in the community”

Awards Night

We look forward to our Awards Night, on Wednesday 13 December at the Frankston Arts Centre officially starting at 7 pm. Guests are advised to arrive earlier than this to allow time to find a park; and to then be seated in the main area. Parents of students who are involved in either performances or who are receiving an award, should receive an invitation by the end of this week to purchase tickets to secure your seats at this important event. These students are required for our rehearsal at the venue from 9 am - 1.30 pm on this day and they should make their own way to and from the venue or have their parents drop them off and pick them up. Students not involved in Awards night in Years 8 and 9 will have an alternative program on this day. It is an early dismissal day for all students though at 1.30 pm.

Last few weeks’ arrangements and reports

Congratulations to all students for their positive engagement with our 2024 Headstart program to date. This program is compulsory for all students and will conclude on Friday 1 December for Years 11-12 students, Monday 4 December for Year 10 students with their celebration event and Tuesday 12 December for Years 8 and 9 students.

From Wednesday 13 to Wednesday 20 December an alternative program will run for students in Years 8 and 9 (Years 7 and 8 2023 students). If your child will not be attending during this time, please contact the College. Semester 2, 2023 reports will be available via the Compass Parent and Student Portals on Friday 1 December, by 3.30 pm. Please contact the College if you have any trouble accessing or if you would like a hard copy. I hope parents take the opportunity to discuss the report/s with their student/s including appropriate actions to put in place to address any areas for improvement highlighted.

Ms Michelle Roberts

Principal

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