PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

TERM 2 START

We have indeed had a great start to Term 2 and I hope it continues to be smooth.

Students are looking exceptional in their uniform and I thank you all for your concerted effort to help them.

Please remember the blazer is compulsory for Terms 2 & 3.

We have had a number of random uniform blitzes and this will continue on occasions throughout the term. We will do the same for lateness. It is critical that everyone is at school by 8:30am ready for what is really a busy day of learning.

ANZAC DAY

On Sunday 25 April, Mr Noble was accompanied by Junior School Captains Lani Hammam, Roshan Jivanjee, Hannah Foran and Ilya Zyuzin to the Anzac Commemorative Service at the Bentleigh Cenotaph and, Mr Quinn was joined by School Captains Kampi Nainhabo andStephan Mitzeliotis at the City of Glen Eira and Caulfield RSL Centenary of ANZAC Day service held at Caulfield Park.

These were very moving services paying tribute to those men and women who have sacrificed so much so we can all enjoy the freedom we have!

Lani Hammam (Year 9) and Ilya Zyuzin (Year 9) recited ‘In Flanders Fields’ and ‘We Shall Keep the Faith’ as part of the ANZAC Day ceremony. 

Grace James (Year 12) represented McKinnon beautifully at the Bentleigh RSL when she sang the National Anthem. 

James Vassiliou (Year 12), Andrew Seamer (Year 11), Seung Yeon Jung (Year 10), Jack Sweeney (Year 9) and Phoebe Rodda (Year 9) also performed at Bentleigh RSL for the ceremony.

Yael Greenberg (Year 10) performed the Last Post at the Caulfield Primary School Anzac Day Ceremony on Friday 23 April as well as our most recent General Assembly on Monday 26 April.

Congratulations to all of these students for their moving performances at these events, we celebrate your community mindedness.

These commemorative services are so important and I truly hope we are all collectively worthy of the sacrifices made so we could be free.

‘LEST WE FORGET’

PARENT TEACHER INTERVIEWS

Thank you to all the parents who made contact to show appreciation of the interviews. The flexibility has really been astonishing. Parents from work being added by their child to appointment links and everyone engaging with the teachers who were able to give in-depth feedback in a very private setting. These are lessons learnt from the COVID adversity. I thank everyone involved.

Thank you to everyone for their understanding and co-operation. I hope the guidance and support from teachers will help students to improve and reach their academic potential.

Feedback is very important. With a growth mindset, endeavour, guidance and support improvement is indeed possible.

TOP DESIGNS

We were again represented in the Top Designs. 

Congratulations to Ilya Parakhin (Year 12) Class of 2021 and Rishab Kiran (Class of 2020) who were selected by a panel of expert educators to represent VCE Visual Communication Design in the Top Designs 2021 exhibition at Melbourne Museum, part of the VCAA's annual Seasons of Excellence program. 

Demonstrating incredible resilience, determination and creativity working under the extraordinary experience of a global pandemic, both Rishab and Ilya met and exceeded the array of challenges that affected their timelines and the creation of their final products to produce work of outstanding quality. 

They attended an exclusive launch of the exhibition on Friday 16 April at the museum with their families and teachers, Mr Peter Eglezos and Ms Jessica Rogosic.

CENTRAL AUSTRALIA

Our first ever Year 11 Central Australia tour was one of the best. The students were exceptional and loved the opportunity. The staff were thrilled with their behaviour, attitude and participation. This was the tour that was postponed from last year.  

However, the difference a year makes is quite profound. So we will continue to have Central tours for Year 11s and organize the Tasmania tour for Year 10s. I want to thank the Year 11 Student Management team and the staff who participated and made the tour a possibility.

NEW CAMPUS

The planning and construction continues for our second campus.

This change will be profound for our College and we are very excited. The building will officially open in January 2022 and will be for our Year 8 & 9 students.

Construction is coming along very well and this will indeed be a state of the art facility that we are blessed to call “ours”.

HOUSE CROSS COUNTRY CARNIVAL

The House Cross Country Carnival will be held on Friday 7 May, 2021 - periods 3 & 4. All classes will be cancelled for this event which will take place at McKinnon Reserve (corner of Tucker and McKinnon Roads). All staff and students will attend, and then we will resume class for periods 5 & 6. 

We are using the opportunity to raise money for the Monash Children’s Hospital and everyone is asked to bring a gold coin. Footy colours is the theme and I know this is an easy one to get involved in. 

All students need to either run or walk, and I ask parents to only sign them out if they have a medical condition that inhibits their participation.

I would like to acknowledge and thank Mrs Alice Breidahl for organizing this wonderful event.

YEAR 12 QUIZ NIGHT

It always brings me great joy to see the student led activities. On Wednesday night the Year 12 students ran a very successful Trivia Night and the event was absolutely sensational.

285 students and staff were in attendance and they all contributed to the atmosphere of fun and excitement. Costumes were indeed put together with much effort, thought and good humour.

Student bands gave all the participants an opportunity to enjoy time together and of course this particular cohort love their chance to dance!

I thank the Year 12 Student Managers for their assistance and of course all of the staff who were in attendance.

The McKinnon magic was alive and well at this event! 

Thank you to these students and helpers:

Senior School Council

• Karleen Han
• Kampi Nainhabo
• Stephan Mitzeliotis
• Tara Bajan
• Bridget Chapman
• Adam Hatchuel
• Emmanuel Hontzogloy
• Brij Shah
• Cindy Mao
• Digby Stannus
• Manasi Deshpande
• Stein Shum

AV Team

• Oscar Lanigan
• Myles Kelemen
• Hadyn Collier
• Joel Olesh

Filming

• Andrew Krause
• Ilya Parakhin
• Maskit Matitiyahu

Performers

• Arianne Lindsay & Andrew Seamer
• Lucy Robertson-Reid, Kyla Fanstone, James Radford, Jonathan Pardo & Clancy Brett
• Dana Boudiab, James Vassiliou, Emily Nguyen & Aanya Chopra
• Grace James, Chloe James, Jonathan Pardo, Josh Sacks & Michael Birkett

Correcting answers

• Jack Qiu

FACE MASKS

We are still in the midst of this pandemic and our thoughts and prayers go out to our global family in India. I wanted to remind everyone of the need for face masks to be worn on all excursions involving public transport. Victoria and Australia are in a good COVID situation but we must not be complacent.

Students must always bring a mask if going on excursions.