Jeremy Mackinnon

Assistant Principal

Dear Parents and Students,

For a large part of this term, I was Co-Acting Principal with Mr Andrew Chisholm, so I would like to acknowledge and thank him for his work and support during that time. I also want to thank Dr Mel Denney and Mrs Kathryn Grainger for assisting Andrew and me by taking on portions of our usual roles during that time. It was great to welcome Mr Peter Corkill back after a well-earned and deserved leave.

I would also like to recognise the efforts of our students this term. Congratulations to our Year 10s on their first semester at JMSS and completing the exam period. This exam period is such a fantastic learning experience for them, and I hope they reflect on their preparation for each exam to refine their approach to the end-of-year exams. Congratulations to all our Year 11s on completing their Unit 1 studies, which also finished with an exam period. I hope they have all enjoyed their exposure to VCE,  embraced the challenge so far, and continue developing themselves as people and learners. 

And finally, congratulations to our Year 12s, who are halfway through their final year of secondary schooling. It was a very busy end of term for them, so I hope they take the time over the holidays to refuel and reload. Seeing so many of them attend the mid-year BBQ was fantastic, and it was a small gesture from the school to acknowledge their efforts. I want to recognise the local Rotary branch for supplying the food, cooking, and serving for us… what a fantastic organisation and group of people.

There have been a couple of highlights since the last newsletter, namely the Year 10 & 11 Formal and the new initiative of Exam Preparation Sessions. The Formal was a fantastic night for the students to socialise, unwind and celebrate after the exam period. The new venue was great, and everyone handled the freezing weather and challenging car park well! These events are so important for our students, so I’d like to sincerely thank all the staff who attended to make the event possible. The Exam Preparation Sessions were a huge success. Both weeks were met very positively by our students, who gave very high satisfaction ratings on feedback surveys. The sessions provided a mixture of study habits, habits of mind and time to study. Thanks to all the staff for embracing and supporting this initiative and to our Student Wellbeing Coordinator, Mr George Vlamakis, for coordinating the sessions.

Finally, I wish to remind everyone of several important contacts over the holiday period. If anyone is experiencing significant distress, please get in touch with any of the organisations below; 

I hope staff and students can enjoy a well-earned break.

Jeremy Mackinnon

Assistant Principal