Principal Team Report

Principal Team Report 

Dear Mullauna Community!

Welcome to our final edition of Links for the year – and what a year it has been!

Class of 2024 – Wow!

Last things first – our magnificent Year 12 Class of 2024! What a journey it has been for them. Together they have faced and overcome extraordinary challenges over their years of secondary education at Mullauna. Each and every one of them has faced these challenges in their own way to make it through to the end of their Mullauna experience, and now stand on the threshold of the exciting start of ‘life after school’. As we teachers looked through the individual class results, read each student’s name and their associated results, and replayed their stories in our conversations, we were reminded of the trials and tribulations that our students (and their families and friends) had faced, the hurdles on their personal paths, their highs and lows, and their successes. For some, success is the high ATAR that we celebrated publicly yesterday; for others, the success is simply being there to the end and achieving their personal best. We know that this is not always acknowledged and celebrated in the same way, but we also understand that it is no less worthy. We applaud all of our graduates, and we hope all of our families have done so at home.

One highlight that comes without an ATAR is the successful introduction of our first VCE Vocational Major course. These students and their teachers Nik Smith, Tamsin Davidson, Hamish McLeod, Kathy Halpin and Amanda Leahy, along with Head Start coordinator Michael Harvey, have led the school in the development, delivery and completion of this new option for students to pursue a more vocational pathway while remaining a Mullauna student.

While we appreciate and applaud the efforts of all of our Year 12 teachers (not to forget  the Year 7, 8 , 9, 10 and 11 teachers who laid the foundation for the critical final year), along with the Wellbeing, Inclusion and Pathways teams, it is the significant personal relationship with Year Level Coordinators and Sub-school Heads that keep the cohort working together. For the Class of 2024, the final two years, the critical VCE ones, they were guided by Rebecca Kimm, supported by our new Head of Senior School, Kim Watson. It has been Rebecca Kimm’s work in this space and with this cohort in particular that influenced our decision to introduce the three-year looping appointment of Year Level Coordinators in our two Sub-Schools.

We look forward to catching up with all of the Class of 2024 at our Welcome and Awards assembly and alumni afternoon tea on Tuesday 11th February 2025.

2024 – an excerpt from our Magazine

The 2024 Mullauna Magazine is once again a superb celebration of our school community for another year. My thanks to Wayne Howell for his work in creating it, and to Abbey Dixon for the stunning photograph that is the front cover. It’s the result of experimentation with a macro lens and having fun – a great representation of this year and our college’s beautiful setting. Our year began with an outdoor event: our inaugural Welcome to Country assembly and smoking ceremony. This was shared with our neighbours, Mitcham Primary School. Over 1,300 students and staff gathered on our outdoor courts to say ‘wominjeka’ to the new school year.

Thanks to strong enrolment growth, our college now educates over 600 students representing more than 460 families. Our International Student Program’s enrolment is approaching 35. Interest in the college remains strong, indicated by another bumper Open Night in May and many regular tours of prospective families. This growth in population has enabled us to welcome new staff and to create new leadership roles, like the Leading Teacher Head of Senior School to lead an expanded team of three Senior School Year Level Co-ordinators. It has also allowed us to offer new subjects, like Computing in the Senior School in 2024, and the new VCE Vocational Major moving into Year 12. Our very successful and expanded Subject Expo included the introduction of Specialist Mathematics and Literature in Senior School offerings for 2025.

Just like Abbey’s image, this year saw the Leadership Team guiding staff focussed on the fine detail, the proverbial ‘nitty gritty’ of our work, and the school subsequently blooming. Of particular note is the work of two new School Improvement Teams (or SITs) that guide the work on our Annual Improvement Plan, and also the work of teachers in their Professional Learning Communities. To support learning and inclusion in our classrooms, we appointed new Teacher Aides, increased our Administration Team, and expanded our Laboratory Technician time to five full days per week. Our focus remains on the ‘learning & teaching’ in classrooms, and I thank our teaching staff for their inspirational work with and for our students.

We have also focussed on further improving our grounds and facilities. The year began with the much-anticipated move into the new F Block centre of eight classrooms and a presentation space. The Wellbeing Team is enjoying its new spaces in the Administration Wing. D1 has been converted into a conventional classroom (with E1 up next for renovation). The VCE Common Rooms were reorganised and re-equipped, and the designing of our two-storey STEM building continues. Other improvements included landscaping the front gardens, new screens and signage, and a coat of paint for the exterior of the Administration Wing. Our next building project, hopefully soon to be approved by the Department, is a self-funded refurbishment of the first floor table tennis area of the Stadium into three classrooms, primarily for PE, Health and the VCE VM.

Our students were engaged in the usual wide variety of classes and programs. These ranged from the ever-successful Art Show, and sports and debating teams, to exciting new ventures like Voice lessons in our expanded Instrumental Music team, and the BJR German Exchange Program. We continue to celebrate our students’ many achievements in the foyer display, especially Lauren Baker’s ‘Spirit of Anzac Prize’ trip to Türkiye in July. Our SRC now has Year 7 class representatives, ensuring that for the first time, every year level is represented in this key student body. The SRC contributed to our Staff Professional Learning Day, analysed student voice data, and developed a student survey to inform teacher practice. Special thanks go to our 2024 School Captains Alexia Anemikos, Camryn Dixon, Jack Fortington and Keira Pontefract; it has been a delight to work with these outstanding young leaders.

Liesl Coulthard and her dynamic team of parents on School Council continued to support us, as did our shiny new Parent & Community Association (the P&CA). Its signature event was the ‘Comedy for a Cause’ night in September, which raised almost $2,000 for the school. My thanks to Elisabeth Waycott and her team for their passionate efforts. We also continue to build our links with past Mitcham High School students; they made a significant donation to the college with a student scholarship and enjoyed a private tour of the school on Open Night.

This year of success through learning together has been enabled by the efforts of our people, new and old! I wish to highlight:

• the many staff who have taken on responsibilities beyond the classroom, taking charge of programs, leading faculties, or guiding students as year level co-ordinators.
• our administration team, led by our Business Manager, Nat Rieger.
• the Leadership Team of Leading Teachers (Daniella Taglieri, Nik Smith, Jacqui Brush, Trevor Barkla, Tamsin Davidson and Kim Watson) and our Learning Specialists (Monique Chisholm and Naomi Jallais). Next year we add Anthony Cotton, Ana Ruuska and Flora Moraitis to the team.
• my two assistant principals Jeff McMillin and Michael Bray, without whom I would be lost!

As always, we have staff to farewell:

Retiring is a stalwart of the Physical Education team, Kevin Collins, after 47 years of faithful service to state education including at Mitcham HS / Mullauna SC. Queen of the kitchen (and Belle of the Presentation Ball) Lisa Larmour has left to pursue new challenges and opportunities. Earlier in the year, Nathan Hughes was appointed as an Education Improvement Leader (EIL) in the Outer East Area, which will continue for 2025, and Meredith Harding retired after having made a significant contribution to our college as a Maths and Science teacher (especially in Chemistry and Physics), and most recently as co-Head of the Science faculty. Steph Sloan has taken the decision to resign in order to pursue her studies and work, and Nele Keller will return to Germany after three terms supporting the German program both here and at Rangeview Primary School. We wish them all well!

Here’s to 2025, when the focus on improvement continues – hopefully still with a sense of fun!

Preparation for 2025

Enrolments are strong, with six classes of Year 7s and a total student cohort close to 650 for the first time in many years. This will include 35 International Students on site for the start of the school year.

As a college, we are preparing our 2025 Annual Implementation Plan with new improvement targets, to ensure continued success for all of our learners at Mullauna, both student and staff!

A reminder to students to prepare themselves thoroughly for 2025 by:

• Firstly, having a relaxing break – enjoy your well-earned summer holiday – stay safe and well!
• Complete any tasks set for the holidays, especially for VCE – a reminder that work not submitted at your first class will lead to an account ability session on the first Wednesday afternoon.
• Read – your set texts and also for enjoyment!
• And in the week before school starts again:
  • Ensure your uniform, books and laptop are ready to go for your first day back.
  • Look over your notes from this year to refresh your 2024 learning.

Key policy reminders for 2025

1. Uniform and Dress Code

The Student Dress Code policy will be uploaded to a separate Compass Newsfeed next week. Some key points:

• Girls pants – must be navy blue in colour, straight leg – not black
• Shoes – must be plain black leather shoes or runners – no tags etc. / not skate shoes
• Senior School students (Years 10-12) must be in full academic uniform every day – students must bring PE uniform as required and get changed.

2. Reminder of the Department of Education policy on Mobile Phones, ear buds etc.

A reminder that the Department of Education has in place a mobile phone ban that requires students who bring mobiles phones to school to have them switched off and securely put away during school hours.

The Department has reminded all schools to ensure this ban is in place and enforced from the start of the 2025 school year. The ban applies equally to all government schools right across the state. This helps ensure that school is a learning environment free from unnecessary distractions and disruptions.

By ensuring mobile phones are kept away at recess and lunch times, students can interact with each other face-to-face, without the distractions and social pressures that mobile phones can cause.

We ask for the support of all our families, staff and students in continuing to support the implementation of this policy in our school. This policy also includes wireless earphones/earbuds.

Emergencies: In the event of an emergency or if you need to immediately contact your child, we ask that families contact the school office who will pass on a message as required.

School mobile phone policy: A copy of our school’s mobile phone policy, which implements the government’s mobile policy in line with our local context, is available on the college website.

4. Student medical conditions and medication – please organise these over the break

We work hard to maintain up-to-date action plans, health support plans and response procedures for all of our students with chronic health conditions. We ask that all families ensure that up-to-date medications and health details are provided to the school at the start of the next school year.

5. Expectations

Starting a new year of learning in new classes and with new bell times, means stepping up and meeting new expectations. In the final Friday Newsfeed next week, we will highlight again three key policies and attach them to ensure all families are fully informed of them.

Student Expectations & Agency – spells out our key expectations for our students, parents and staff to maximise student learning growth.

Home Learning – clarifies expectations and spells out how parents can play their critical part in supporting student learning.

Student Dress Code – spells out our revised expectations for student uniform. A great way to reduce student stressors is to ensure they are following the dress code.

We ask that parents read and discuss the new policies with their children, and help their children to get ready for school next year by ensuring they:

• Understand the new policies, especially the Student Expectations & Agency policy – we will achieve much better outcomes if every child is ‘ready for learning’ every day;
• Complete any set homework tasks – especially VCE students;
• Undertake revision to refresh their knowledge and understanding prior to the new school year commencing;
• Have all the necessary books and class materials;
• Have and wear the correct uniform items in a manner befitting our college and community.

  And finally, we take this opportunity to thank our students for their engagement and hard work, our parent community for your support, and to wish you all a very merry Christmas and joyous festive season, a safe and relaxing summer, and a great start to the new year!

Harry Ruff, Jeff McMillin and Michael Bray

The MSC Principal Team

Coming key dates:

Friday 20th December – college closes for the summer break

2025 Term dates

Term 1 - 28 January (students start 29 January in government schools) to 4 April

• Monday 27th January – Australia Day public holiday in-lieu of Sunday 26th
• Tuesday 28th January – all staff return / General Office re-opens
• Wednesday 29th January - Year 7s and Senior School students (Years 10, 11 and 12) commence.
• Thursday 30th January - Years 8 and 9 students commence.
• Wednesday 7th February – Parent & Community Association meeting
• Monday 3rd & Tuesday 4th February – Yr 12 Camp at University of Melbourne
• Thursday 6th & Friday 7th February – Yr 7 Camp at Toolangi
• Thursday 13th February – Yr 7 Family Welcome BBQ & Instrumental Music Night, 6pm start
• Tuesday 25th February – School photos

Term 2 - 22 April to 04 July

Term 3 - 21 July to 19 September

Term 4 - 06 October to 19 December