Merbein P-10 College Newsletter

Secondary News

English News

Term 3 was a busy term in English with our annual public speaking competition, Speak Off.  For the first time in two years we were able to hold our finals with all year level finalists presenting to their peers, staff and our panel of judges.  The quality of each speech was outstanding and as a school, we are very proud of the efforts of our students for challenging themselves to write, rehearse and present engaging speeches.

Congratulations to all of our finalists and to our winners who are as follows:

 

Year 7s – sell us your new invention:

1st  Pippa Heeps

2nd Hugh Carrington

3rd Thomas Ferguson

 

Year 8 – create your own superhero or villain and tell us your backstory:

1st Zayden Pearce

2nd Cooper Brice

3rd Maxi Brown/Rory Ellis

 

Year 9 – tell us who you would nominate for Australian of the Year:

1st Ella Dingwall

2nd Mariah Pain

3rd Solo Miki

Honourable mention: Will Martin

 

Year 10 – adopt a persona, determine an audience and convince them of your point of view on an issue of your choice:

1st Jack Taylor

2nd Tayla Brown

3rd Shae Zrna/Jay Tulloch.

 

A big thank you to our judging panel of Mr Grimmer, Mr Lee, Mrs McPhee, Mrs Smith, Mrs McClure and Mr Morgan.  

 

This term in English students will be completing a variety of units as well as following their SPaG and library schedules.  A friendly reminder that your child should be revising or completing SPaG units at home and reading nightly as part of our homework routine.  Our Year 10s are on the homestretch to the end of their time with us and as a result we will be preparing them for their future pathway by completing a Language Analysis unit of work as well as an end of year exam.  Our Year 10s will have homework to complete each week in order to assist them to complete all their Learning Tasks to a high standard.

Please do not hesitate to get in touch with your child’s teacher via Compass should you have any questions.  Information about Learning Tasks will be available on Compass in the coming weeks.

We look forward to having a productive term in English.

Vaccinations

The Victorian Health Department would like to improve adolescent vaccination rates. The DISS Clinic can offer free catch up/missed adolescent vaccinations in term 4.

 

Adolescent vaccinations 

  • are usually provided as a school-based immunisation program to students in Year 7 (HPV and diphtheria-tetanus-whooping cough) and Year 10 (meningococcal ACWY).
  • due to COVID-19 interruptions to school-based learning in the last two years, there are a number of  Victorian students in Years 7-12 who may have missed these important vaccines. This puts students at an increased risk of illness including cervical cancer and other HPV related cancers and diseases for which they are being vaccinated against.

BYOD Expectations for Secondary Students

Merbein P-10 College is proudly a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) school and as such we utilise technology to complement and add to student learning in all subject areas. 

 

This term, many students have not been regularly bringing their devices to class and this is impacting on their learning opportunities.

 

We request that you please support us by ensuring that your child has a working device that is charged and brought to school every day.

 

If a BYOD requires repair, families need to arrange it themselves. It is important that repairs are undertaken in a timely way, so that students’ learning is not negatively impacted. If the repair will take some time, or if a student does not currently have access to a device, students are encouraged to collect and complete an application form to be a part of the College’s netbook borrowing scheme.  This form is available from the Front Office.

 

If you have any questions about our BYOD Program, please contact Laura McPhee.

 

Expressions of Interest - Instrumental Music Lessons

School Uniform

All students of Merbein P-10 College are expected to wear full school uniform that bear the College logo every day. The uniform must be worn to and from school, at lunchtime and recess, and on all school excursions. At all times the manner in which the uniform is worn will reflect pride in the College. This means that, the uniform: 

  • will be clean and in a state of good repair,
  • worn without non-uniform garments being visible (only plain white or plain black shirts are acceptable to be worn under the school polo top or shirt, not hoodies).
  • School shorts and pants, should be completely black however minimal branding (Adidas, Nike etc). Black football shorts are not suitable school uniform.
  • Hats and beanies are not to be worn inside.
  • Students may wear the official school sports shirt to or from school if they have P.E. session 1 or 5. No other sports clothes may be worn to or from school, or at recess or lunchtime.
  • Parents/guardians are expected to inform the College through a written note, email or phone call of any temporary variation to their child’s uniform. The note should contain a reason, date and an expected date of return to full school uniform

School Phone Policy

Students who choose to bring mobile phones to school must have them switched off and securely stored during school hours in their locker. If students are caught on their phone between 9am-3:17pm the following actions will occur:

 

1st Offence -phone is confiscated and stored in the main office. Phone will be returned to student at end of the day

 

2nd Offence- phone is confiscated and stored in the main office. Parent will be required to collect the phone.

 

3rd Offence- phone is confiscated and stored in the main office. Parent will be required to collect the phone. Student will be required to hand their phone to the front office each morning or leave their phone at home for a period of time determined by the Principal/Assistant Principal

 

4th Offence- meeting with the Principal and a suspension may be applied

 

Please contact Mr Morgan if you have any queries regarding the phone policy.

 

Doctors In Secondary Schools Program

Our Doctors in Secondary Schools program is available for all secondary students to access free (bulk-billed), confidential health care at school. This is a fantastic service which students can access for any of their health care needs including asthma/anaphylaxis plans, catch-up immunisations, mental/emotional health and any other medical concerns no matter how big or small. Students can see the school doctor for any reason that they would see their usual GP.

The rooms will be open every Wednesday during the school term from 9am – 2pm. Students can make appointments by contacting Yvonne in the general office or they can ask a teacher or wellbeing staff member to make the appointment for them – the only details required to make an appointment will be the student’s name and date of birth.

Parents are welcome to attend appointments if the student wishes.

 

 

School Wide Positive Behaviour (SWPB)