Peter Corkill - Principal

Dear Parents and Students

We are at the end of a really busy term. I have been impressed with the work output of our students and the terrific way they have settled into effective routines. JMSS continues to be an impressive and purposeful place of learning. I would like to take the opportunity to thank our parents and our students for the very co-operative and responsible way in which everyone has adapted to the changed traffic conditions around JMSS. At times it has tested people’s patience but everyone has taken due care, as well as the opportunity to pick up and drop of students away from JMSS itself. We hope the situation improves significantly as the year goes on, and significant stages of the large building works at Monash are completed.

Regional Exchange 2017

A huge thanks to the many families who have volunteered to host one of the 24 Year 10 exchange students who will arrive on Sunday 7th and enjoy three busy weeks at JMSS. I know the students are all looking forward to visiting Melbourne and we have a terrific time in store for them. Without your generosity we would not be able to provide this opportunity for these students.

I would like to thank staff members Lisa Horsley, Nalangi Pattiarachi and Amanda Stephens for their work in setting up the exchange, and know that all our students will make them welcome at JMSS during their stay.

Staff Changes for Term Two

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr Neil Carmona-Vickery for his service to JMSS. Neil was one of the inaugural staff members here and was pivotal in helping establish the many e-systems we currently enjoy, our library system and the courses in Technology, including the current Emerging Technologies subject. Neil has been appointed to a Leading Teacher position at the new Monash Tech School. We are in the process of appointing a teacher to take over his classes.

Assistant Principal Mr Andrew Chisholm will be taking Long Service Leave for the first six weeks of term, and I would like to wish Andrew and wife Monique a wonderful time in South America, a well-deserved break to be sure. Mr Mark McTier will take over his duties as Acting Assistant Principal and Dr Mel Denney will take over Mark’s role as Acting Head of Science. I would like to congratulate Mark and Mel on their appointments and am sure they will do a great job.

I would also like to wish Ms Jemma Chaplin and Mrs Jade Bohni all the best for the period of family leave they will soon begin. It is a wonderfully exciting time for them both as well as their families and we wish them all the best for the safe arrival of the new additions to their respective families. Arrangements are in place to cover the work carried out by both Jemma and Jade.

Yerina Ma, Class of 2015 and 2016, 1997 - 2017

It is with great sadness that I inform the JMSS community of the passing of former student Yerina Ma on the afternoon of 27th March, 2017. Yerina has bravely battled cancer for some four years, and was with her family at the Mercy Women’s Hospital when she passed away.

Yerina joined JMSS at the start of 2013, a bright and effervescent young lady who entered freely into all JMSS had to offer. After being diagnosed in 2014, Yerina continued her studies, taking the necessary time away from school to undertake and then recover from treatment. She completed Year 12 in 2016 and graduated into Monash University where she began her studies in Science only a few short weeks ago. She was a wonderful student.

Yerina is one of the bravest people we have met, and one of the most delightful young women that JMSS has had the privilege of counting within its ranks. She had many friends within the graduating classes of 2015 and 2016, who will be particularly affected by this news. Yerina’s funeral took place on Wednesday 29th March at 10:30am at the Korean Church of Melbourne in Malvern. I was genuinely moved by the attendance of so many staff and former students from JMSS. It was a fitting tribute to Yerina as graduating students from the classes of 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 were all present, which speaks to the fine young person she was, who touched so many for the better during her time with us.

On behalf of all members of the current and wider JMSS community, I would like to offer our sincerest condolences to Yerina’s mother Shin, father Seon Chae, sister Yesol and all of her family and many friends. She will be sadly missed, but will live on fondly in our hearts as a source of great inspiration.

Rest in peace, Yerina, you will always be much loved and remembered by all of us at JMSS.

Finally I would like to wish all members of our community a safe and happy two-week break over Easter. I would urge students to take some time out and have a well-earned rest, although if you are behind in any of your studies this represents an excellent chance to catch up. I would also like to congratulate all of our new Year 10 and 11 students who have settled so well into their new school. It has been a mightily impressive start by all of you.

And finally look after one another, stay safe and enjoy your time together. Sometimes it takes the sadness which has characterised this week to bring home how much we mean to those closest to us.

Peter Corkill

Principal