Acting Assistant Principal Update

Dear Families, Students and Community Members,

That’s a Wrap!

As many of you may already know, our annual production this year was Grease. We had four fantastic, sell-out nights, and there was an incredible buzz around the college last week. The energy and enthusiasm from everyone involved was truly infectious.  I had the privilege of attending the opening night, and I was incredibly impressed by the talent on display.

All the students who participated—both on stage and behind the scenes—should be immensely proud of their efforts. The show was a huge success, showcasing the incredible talent and dedication within our school community.

The feedback from our audience and the wider community has been overwhelmingly positive, and we couldn’t be prouder of the hard work and passion that went into making Grease such a memorable event.

Professional Learning Day - Wellbeing and Inclusion

Last Friday, our staff participated in a professional learning day, which was invaluable as it gave us the opportunity to pause, reflect, and learn how to best support our students. The theme of the day was "Inclusion," with a focus on building staff capacity to address student wellbeing.

We were fortunate to have Colette Davis, Principal of Avenues Education, as our guest speaker. Her key takeaways from the day included:

• Behaviour is a communication of distress.
• Inability to cope and regulate is a skill deficit that we must teach.
• Nip it in the bud: Use strategies early, before you become irritated, impatient, or upset.
• Allow students to save face: Humbling them has no place in our schools.
• Repair relationships: If you speak harshly or overreact, apologise and own your behaviour. Students will respond to your humanity.
• Remind yourself: "If teaching were easy, everyone would be doing it." Teaching in front of a classroom full of students is both challenging and rewarding.

These insights will help us continue to create a supportive and inclusive environment for all our students.

Year 7 SEAL Entrance Exam

Last Friday, we welcomed some of our incoming Year 7 students who sat their Entrance Exam for the SEAL program. Mordialloc College is proud to be part of an exclusive group of schools belonging to the Academy of Accredited SEAL Schools. Our Select Entry Accelerated Learning (SEAL) program is designed for motivated and academically advanced students, offering them a unique opportunity to thrive.

The SEAL program challenges gifted and high-achieving students by providing an enriched learning experience that pushes them to reach their full potential. We focus on preparing students for VCE subject selection and pathways to university, ensuring they are well-equipped for their future academic pursuits.

This year's Entrance Exam was a crucial step in identifying students who are ready to take on the challenge of completing the first four years of secondary school in just three years. We look forward to seeing these students flourish in our SEAL program, as they embark on a journey that will shape their academic and personal growth.

We are excited to welcome this new cohort of Year 7 students and support them in their accelerated learning journey, guiding them towards success in their studies and beyond.

Teaching and Learning Update 

The Victorian Teaching and Learning Model (VTLM) and curriculum are currently being renewed across all schools in Victoria, including Government, Independent, and Private institutions. This state wide change is designed to support teachers and school leaders in focusing on high-impact teaching and learning and making evidence-based decisions to improve student outcomes and wellbeing.

Our staff have been proactive in engaging with the new curriculum rollout, ensuring that we remain ahead of the curve. We've already begun reviewing and enhancing our curriculum and will continue to build upon our strong existing programs to align with these updates.

Our Year 12 VCE Biology class had the privilege of attending a hands-on practical session at Melbourne University last week. The students explored genetics using Drosophila melanogaster (fruit flies), observing wing traits and understanding inheritance patterns. It was an invaluable experience, and our students performed exceptionally well.

Our Year 12 VCE Legal Studies class had the opportunity to visit Parliament last week. Local Member Tim Richardson hosted our students and was impressed by their enthusiasm and curiosity. He noted how engaged they were in learning about our democratic processes and how keen they were to deepen their understanding of the legal system.

Aaron Davis

Acting Assistant Principal