ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS' REPORT

Michael Kan
Michael Kan
Richard Long
Richard Long
Lachlan Noble
Lachlan Noble
Kellie Felmingham
Kellie Felmingham
Peter Quinn
Peter Quinn

WELCOME BACK

Welcome back to what we hope will be a most productive Term 2. We hope all staff and students feel well rested, having enjoyed precious time with loved ones. Much happened in Term 1 and we thank everyone for their dedication and commitment to excellence.

PARENT-TEACHER-STUDENT CONFERENCES

Thank you to all the families who joined these online conversations. Over 9,000 interviews took place over the two days - this is an impressive number and illustrates our community’s commitment to education and improving student learning. A reminder to parents that McKinnon Secondary College undertakes continuous reporting - as such, assessment feedback (i.e. results and comments) is always available on Compass Learning Tasks.

NAPLAN TESTING

NAPLAN testing will be undertaken by students in Years 7 and 9 at the College on Tuesday 11 May, Wednesday 12 May and Thursday 13 May.  

 

A reminder that Year 7 students will need to report to the front of the Hall, lining up in class groups, by 8:20am on each of the three testing days

 

Year 9 students will need to assemble in class groups at the front of the Hall by 10:50am, just before the end of recess, on each of the three testing days. 

 

We ask students to be punctual, organised and to maintain a mature approach to the NAPLAN tests. Students need to remember to bring a basic calculator on Thursday 13 May for the Numeracy test. Your child may bring a reading novel to the test if they finish early.

 

Results will be sent home to students late in Term 3.  

VCAA GAT

The VCAA General Achievement Test (GAT) will be undertaken by all students completing a Unit 3 & 4 subject in 2021 on Wednesday 9 June. No VCE classes will be conducted on this day. Students are expected to be at school by 9:00AM. 

 

Students must know their VCAA student number, which can be obtained from their Student Managers. Pens, pencils, a sharpener and an eraser are required. An English and/or bilingual dictionary can also be taken into the exam room. No calculators, blank sheets of paper or white-out liquid-tape may be taken into the GAT.

CORRECTION DAY

Friday 18 June is a Correction Day for staff members. Classes will not be conducted on this day, so students should not attend school.  

EXAMS

This semester we will be returning to onsite mid-year examinations for students in Year 9-11. Thorough revision and effort in exams in these middle years lays a strong foundation for success in Year 12. Students should set high expectations for their own achievement and seek advice and support from their teachers. We wish all students the best of luck in their exams.  

 

At home, students can be supported by implementing the following recommendations:

  • Providing a quiet study space at home free from distractions;
  • Encouraging your child to eat well and get plenty of sleep;
  • Encouraging students to limit social engagements around this time, including their use of social media. Students should focus solely on their studies, without distraction from Instagram, sending SMS to friends, etc, then do so when having a break in their study.

DISCUSSING LEARNING WITH YOUR CHILD

When discussing with your child their academic achievement at school and the feedback provided on Learning Tasks (and through Progress Reports and Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences), it is critical that parents and students look beyond grades and scores. We encourage all students and their parents to instead reflect on each child’s academic progress and growth; our intelligence is changeable, and focusing on growth has a very positive impact on student learning. 

 

All students - regardless of year level and the grades they have achieved - should reflect on what new skills and knowledge they have acquired, what feedback and advice they have acted upon and what their next goal will be. 

 

Hard work and a willingness to persist when facing academic challenges are the keys to success for all students, and emphasising learning progress rather than grades/scores is a simple - but powerful - way to support student learning.

OLD McKINNON FOOTBALL TEAMS

Both our girls and boys football teams have again started the season extremely well. We invite the whole McKinnon community to come and cheer our teams on, especially when they have a home game at Packer Park in Carnegie. We are proud of our girls and boys that have joined our fledgling club. Here's to another successful year in 2021!