Dear fellow members of the JMSS Community,

This newsletter represents my last as Principal of John Monash Science School, prior to retirement after 45 years of teaching in secondary education. For those interested, the list includes Murrayville High School, Bonbeach High School, Frankston High School, Jerudong International School - Brunei, McKinnon Secondary College, Cheltenham Secondary College and John Monash Science School. It has been an amazing journey, meeting and working with so many fantastic teachers and school leaders, and of course probably thousands of students, with many still in touch. I have learnt a great deal from each setting, working with fantastic teachers and school leaders, all of which set me up well to lead the establishment of John Monash Science School, of which I am rightly immensely proud, as indeed we all should be.

JMSS is a special place in which to learn, to teach and to work. The culture we have created, put simply championing collaboration and togetherness over competition and division, has been at the core of our success. Humans naturally compete, it is part and parcel of our DNA. But it’s only worth doing if the benefits outweigh the costs. And in this case, they definitely do not. A culture of competition has both winners, and then, by default, losers. That tag has NO place in schools, and it was reasonable to conclude that if we did nothing, we would by default allow such a negative and potentially toxic culture to emerge.

I believe this thinking was very much on the money. The culture of inclusion, collaboration and sharing we have created makes it clear that everyone matters, everyone can make their contribution, and no-one would be left behind. This is the JMSS we see today, it is the JMSS I am most proud of, and it is the JMSSthat has over 1500 students applying for one of 200 Year 10 places each year. Long may this culture remain strong and grow, and it will take everyone at JMSS to buy into its growth from now on.

There is no doubt JMSS has had both national and international influence through its growth, its wonderful science programs and the regular multiple opportunities it avails its students. JMSS currently holds theChair of the International Science Schools Network, now comprising 33 member schools across the globe. I hope to continue in this role should the group be happy for me to do so – I will know the answer at the next ISSF event being held in Bangkok, Thailand, in January next year.

The Australian Science Schools Network (ASSN) needs a school from both Tasmania and New South Wales to make it complete, and there is every chance that in time, the Australian Science Fair event, which has been exclusively held at JMSS, might travel annually to different sites around the country. My very sincere congratulations go to Mel Denny, Fiona Bui, Shane McLean, Anna Zonneveld and the whole science team for their outstanding work in organising and running the recent Australian Science Fair. The event featured an amazing series of opportunities and experiences for our own students and teachers, and also for those from our interstate partner schools and Principals. The Science Fair and Exhibition again featured the creativity and experimental acumen of our young scientists, and a huge crowd of parents and family members came along to see the work for themselves. I was particularly impressed with the enthusiasm of all of the young presenters, both from JMSS and our partner schools.

However at this time there is no doubt my mind is turning closer to home at JMSS. With over 1500 applicants for 200 places in Year 10 each year, a number which is growing annually, it is clear Victorian has a ‘supply and demand’ problem, should the government wish to acknowledge it. I believe DET should look at opening another specialist science school elsewhere in Melbourne, perhaps a second campus of JMSS.Whether this happens or not is anyone’s guess, but it is clear that the demand for specialist science education is definitely growing. Colleagues in many South-East Asian destinations, such as Singapore, Thailand and Japan, speak of multiple such schools in these jurisdictions. These countries are deliberatelypopulating their STEM pipeline by exposing students to STEM at a young age, and are reaping the benefits.STEM subjects and the thinking processes they champion are at the heart of many of the occupations of the future. Perhaps it is time Australia’s education system reconfigured itself to meet this challenge.

For my part I do want to enter into tertiary study, no doubt with specialist science education at the core of my work. I will undertake this at Monash, so hope to keep in touch with JMSS, only at a distance the school is comfortable with. And no doubt I will lend a hand in the North Eastern Region when called upon, perhaps helping new Principals get used to their role. But that is for the future.

I also look forward to working with our Alumni, numbering well over 2500 as we speak. Many of these students are still studying, but many have also completed their studies and are now working, mostly in STEM. I see this as an outstanding resource for our own Work Experience Program. It would be fantastic for some of our past students to have our current students working with them, perhaps preparing our students for potential work into the future. There is no doubt in my mind that the JMSS Alumni Association has enormous potential to provide a wonderful network for former students, but also for current students as well.

As the year draws to a close, I would like to sincerely thank a number of people:

My close colleagues in leadership at JMSS, Andrew Chisholm, Jeremy Mackinnon, Corey Goodes and Mel Denney, and to Sally Cheah-Johnson and Alison Galloway, founding Assistant Principal and Business Manager respectively, for their hard work, guidance, insight and passion for JMSS;
Our staff, both past and present, for their untiring and inspiring work on behalf of our students, our staff teams and our school. You have all been inspiring to work with and for;
Our students. You are all simply remarkable. It is humbling to see what our graduates are all doing now: leading the way in science and technology. And our current students will no doubt follow in their footsteps;
Our parents and guardians, who nourish our students with unconditional love and support, celebrating their successes, guiding them through the challenges, and picking them up and getting them back on their feet when things don’t go so well. They say ‘it takes a village to raise a child’, and the JMSS Village gives enormous support to all of our young people;
Our School Council, who has guided, supported, steered and encouraged our way forward from the humble beginnings in 2009. We have been fortunate to have so many passionate Monash colleagues, parents, staff and students to guide our journey from humble beginnings, through the Covid epidemic, and into more prosperous times now;
Our Regional and Education Department colleagues, whose support and guidance have been invaluable over the many years we have been on campus;
Our Monash University colleagues and leaders, whose encouragement, support and generosity have all been invaluable over the past 15 years. Long may this continue.

I look forward to staying in touch and hope to be able to visit from time to time. I wish the new Principal and administration all the very best as they guide JMSS though the next stage of its development, surely an exciting time ahead. This school will always be front of mind and heart for me. It has been a special time, and an even more special privilege, to have been trusted to start and then lead JMSS. May it continue to be a beacon for specialist science education long into the future, and continue its mission to transition its graduates into productive careers in STEM, for the betterment of Australia and the planet we need to take care of. Thank you for the privilege of leading this very special organisation.

I leave you with yet another article regarding the extraordinary endeavours outside of school of one of our students, this time Lottie O’Hare, in Year 11 in 2024 and entering Year 12 next year.

Best Regards

Peter Corkill

Principal

Lottie O’Hare, Year 11 2024

Lottie was recently nominated for the Arts Award at the Frankston Youth Empowerment Showcase Awards and attended the ceremony. There were a number of talented nominees and we are proud to inform everyone that Lottie ended up winning the award.

She earned a monetary prize for her contributions to the arts within her community, and has since been nominated for Young Citizen Of The Year, yet another example of Science and the Arts working closely together. Here are a few photos of the event:

Expanding the classroom

what our students have been doing in class and out in the field

Year 12 Biology