PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

Dear Parents and members of the MESC Community

I would like to commence by offering my congratulations to the graduating Year 12 Class of 2018. This group of young people celebrated the end of thirteen years of school based education last week, formally at their final whole school assembly and Valedictory Dinner, and informally at their Celebration Day. We have sent them into their exam period very well prepared and generally confident that they will be able to do their very best, which is of course the measure of success. The other vital measure of success is related to who they are as people and what they will take with them in terms of personal qualities, into the future ahead of them. These qualities are I believe, the product of a team effort, established and nurtured in the home environment and strengthened and acknowledged in the school setting. This is such an important element of a successful education which is sometimes overlooked by schools.

We are proud of this group and feel that they are symbolic of much that has changed at Mount Eliza Secondary College by way of their attitude to their learning, their willingness to access the extensive additional support provided by our staff, and their leadership and pride in the school.

In recent weeks we have also celebrated the strong artistic and creative tradition of the college, showcasing the works of our senior students across a diverse range of styles and mediums at our recent Art Show. The creative subjects remain an area of excellence for this college and we recognise the work of our students by having it on display in all major areas of our facilities.

It is so rewarding to consider these successes for the college and our students, but I would also like to celebrate the routine successes such as the extremely positive feedback we receive about our students every time they attend an excursion or event, their behaviour on camps and the very high levels of engagement we have with our local community.

In late November all students will commence their 2019 programs. This is important learning time for the students. Teachers are not simply 'filling in time' over this three week period but starting units of work and conducting assessments. Teachers are also reinforcing our strong belief that successful learning requires students who are active learners and who do not simply rely on teachers to provide them with positive achievement. As with everything in life, genuine success comes with effort and whilst this is challenging for some, it is a key element of our approach here at the college. We ask for your support in ensuring regular attendance for your children, as the work undertaken sets them up for the coming year.

And finally and importantly, we have recently received very positive feedback from the International Baccalaureate organisation regarding our progress toward becoming an accredited IB Middle Years Program provider. This is a great achievement for our school, as we will be the only provider of this internationally recognised and rigorous approach to secondary education. The program will commence for all classes in years 7-9 in Jumpstart, at which time the college will restructure into two ‘sub-schools’, the Middle Years Program, and the Senior Pathways Program for students in years 10-12. This represents continued innovation for Mount Eliza secondary College as we work systematically to ensure the provision of contemporary, research based approaches to education.

Angela Pollard

Principal