Principal's Report

As we move into December it is important to recognise the enormous amount of work which is being done by all members of the Koonung Secondary College Community.

Senior School exams have been conducted and I would like to commend the professionalism of the process. Students were well prepared and following VCAA protocols. It was pleasing to see the numbers of students and teachers working together to clarify concepts during breaks.

I would like to thank the Senior School team and staff members who organised the exam timetables and supported students to prepare for and complete their final assessments. The VCE results will be released on December 15 and we send our best wishes to all students who completed a Year 12 subject and their families who supported them. It can be a stressful time but for most of our students the outcomes will ensure that the effort required to meet the challenges will have been most worthwhile. I would like to reassure all students that support and advice will be available to them via the Senior School and Careers team as their results become known.

Year 9 students will be completing their exams on Thursday 7 and Friday 8 December. It is important for them to prepare well and experience this part of their journey towards their educational future.

As usual a fortnight in our College is one filled with many events and activities. We currently have a resilient team of students and teacher, Jane Thornton, participating in the Great Victorian Bike Ride. They have battled extreme heat and now much rain. Each member has trained hard for this event and will end up tired and sore but should be extremely proud of their achievements. They have been truly working outside their comfort zone!

Last Friday evening we conducted the Moonlight Cinema with the local Lions Club. Despite the unstable weather which impacted on attendance, the evening was a success due to the great organisation and attention to detail by the Year 11 Student Leaders and Stuart Kofoed. There was great food and wonderful entertainment provided by the Gorilla Dance Club band who were supported by a number of staff. It was terrific to see the great teamwork between our students and staff and the Lions Club. We have some Lions Club famous Christmas Cakes and Puddings for sale in the General Office for those who are interested.

I have been observing the hard work of members of the parent community organising the Annual Second Hand book sale which will be open for purchase this weekend. The process to get ready was streamlined and efficient. They were operating like a well-oiled machine. This service along with the Second Hand Uniform shop is a terrific support to the school community. It is a sustainable enterprise which creates an income for the College whilst saving money for our families. Thank you to all who volunteer their time. It is greatly appreciated.

I am also very proud to announce that Allira Howe has been recognised as a 2017 ASG National Excellence in Teaching Awards State and Territory Award Recipient.

Allira’s inspiration to become a teacher arose from her love of sport. She is passionate about coaching and wanted to encourage students to participate as much as possible. Allira was also keen to install lifelong habits for health and fitness. This award is recognition for her contribution to the students of Koonung Secondary College, both as an excellent classroom teacher and in her role as a Leading Teacher. Allira aims to develop student leadership both in and out of the classroom, and does this through feedback and by overseeing how students review and prepare for class.

As part of the Leadership program at Koonung, students are involved in a number of internally and externally run initiatives that build on 21st Century learning skills such as collaboration, real-world problem solving and innovation, self regulation and skilful communication.

Allira’s role has been to focus on student voice and build an inclusive culture that values student opinions and gets them to recognise the importance of taking responsibility for their own learning.

Congratulations Allira!

Next Wednesday the College will be celebrating the achievements of many students and teachers and acknowledging the contributions of parents and community members at our Presentation Evening. An enormous amount of work has been completed to correlate academic results and recognise participation in all aspects of our College year. An event such as this takes teamwork and I would like to extend my thanks to the Administration Team and Assistant Principals, who with the Sub-Schools and Domain Leaders have contributed to the organisation of this event.

I would encourage you to attend the Besen Centre on Wednesday 6 December at 7.00 pm to enjoy the celebration. The evening will be hosted by the Student Leaders and will highlight many achievements and include excellent performances for all to enjoy.

I am delighted to announce that our College Magazine, Fossicker 2017, is now available. I wish to thank Samantha King and Stuart Rowe for their wonderful contribution and efforts to bring this to fruition.

Marianne Lee

Principal

From the Principal - Clarification of Uniform Changes for 2018

I know there has been some concern from parents and students regarding the uniform changes identified for 2018 regarding the spray jacket. Some of our students are so outraged that they have begun a petition and there is also a level of confusion and misinformation about, so I think it is important to put the decision in context.

To promote consistency with the school uniform, the College Council has approved the following change to the academic uniform for 2018.

“ The academic and sports uniforms are not to be mixed.

The Spray Jacket - Showerproof with Koonung logo is for PE/ Sport Ed classes ONLY.

The Academic uniform is to be worn with the Koonung blazer as the outer garment when travelling to and from school and at assemblies.

The exception to this rule is when the temperature is 25 degrees or higher. In this case the dress or shirt may be worn as the outer garment, not the jumper.”

Students riding bikes have not been required to wear their blazer to ensure the blazer stays clean.

On wet days we advise that parents and students make a judgment and use appropriate wet weather riding gear. The spray jacket would be a suitable outer garment to protect the blazer. Once at school the full academic uniform must be worn.

It is important to note that the College Council responded to a recommendation from the uniform subcommittee which is made up of representatives from the staff, student and parent bodies. At Koonung there is a strong focus on student agency and processes and forums for discussion to occur. The uniform subcommittee is one example where students can provide a proposal to be addressed. I would encourage students to communicate ideas and concerns via the leadership committees and appropriate means.

This clarification between the academic and sports uniform has come about with feedback from parents and community members noting our uniform was becoming scruffy. Parents were also concerned that students were not wearing the blazer at all and it is an expensive item which they had invested in. The spray jacket was originally introduced as a component of the sports uniform. Changes were made to the uniform rules to allow it to be worn over the blazer when outside on wet days. Unfortunately, a number of students were not cooperating with this rule and standards had fallen, creating the issues above. We also had feedback from staff that it was creating discipline issues which was detracting from learning time. The change is to simplify the process for all.

We look forward to a more consistent approach to the wearing of the College uniform in 2018.

As someone who has joined the Koonung community from a nearby school in 2017 it is important to note that the Koonung Academic uniform is much admired and there has always been an external view that the uniform is worn with pride. It is important we maintain that reputation and consistency with a common sense approach whilst not allowing our community standing to slip through complacency.

Marianne Lee

Principal

Student Achievements

Whitehorse Young Person of the Month Award - Michaela Clare-Cover