PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

Reminder: This is the last week of Term 1

Friday April 4th: 2:30pm Dismissal for all students

What an eventful and busy week 8 and 9 we have had at Mortlake College. House Athletics Sports, Division Swimming (both Primary and Secondary), Primary District Athletics, Harmony Day, VCE students at Deakin University and students in Year 5-6 attending Camp at Sovereign Hill. Our last week of the school term is equally as busy with our Primary Students attending the District Athletics, Student Learning Journey Interviews, and rehearsals for our college production – Spamalot.

Thank you to the families and friends who joined us last Tuesday as spectators for the House Athletic Sports. It was very heartwarming to see so many families, staff and students enjoying this event. The weather was perfect, and the oval looked amazing. A huge appreciation to Amy Lodge who led her team in preparing and running this day so magnificently.

We love having families join us to celebrate and engage in different activities, and we also understand that this can be difficult for some. We aim to create many different opportunities for you to engage with your child’s learning at Mortlake College. Please continue to attend when you can – we love having you all! Our next two important dates are: Student-Parent-Teacher Learning Journey Conference this Thursday and our Open School Community Day on Wednesday April 30th.

Student-Parent-Teacher Learning Journey Conferences

A reminder that our end of term Parent-Teacher-Student Conference Day is taking place this Thursday, April 3rd, between 1 to 7pm. Interviews will be held at school, and you can check the interview location for relevant teachers at the office. Student Term 1 Reports (Focusing on their “Attitude Towards Learning’) will be available on Sentral this Wednesday, April 2nd. If you need assistance downloading your child’s report, please contact the office.

Interviews are a valuable chance to start a conversation about how your child is working and behaving in their class subjects, and to discuss ways that they may be able to improve their learning.

PLEASE NOTE: There is no school for students on this day. We do welcome our students to be part of this conversation with their parents. Bookings for our Parent-Teacher-Student Conference Day are open on Sentral, and I would encourage families to make a booking if they have not already done so.

Please contact our Office if you are having trouble making a booking.

School Review at Mortlake College – Term 2

The Department of Education (DoE) conducts reviews of schools every 4 years. This rigorous process is conducted by the Victorian Registration & Qualifications Authority (VRQA) and the evaluation is completed with support from a DoE appointed external reviewer as well as external challenge partners.

The school review supports each school to differentiate its improvement journey by building on current strengths and assisting it to respond to challenges. It emphasises continuous improvement and affirms that every student, no matter their background or circumstance, has a right to learn in a school committed to improvement. It maintains that every school can continue to improve.

Mortlake College and the review:

welcomes school community participation
embraces the input of experts from both within and beyond the college through staff, student and parent focus groups
includes classroom visits
breakdown of school-based data
forges links between evidence, school review, and strategic and annual planning
seeks multiple perspectives, engagement with the whole school community and being -open to challenge for improvement
celebrates strengths and achievements

The result of this is the development of the next School Strategic Plan (SSP).

I will share regular updates about the School Review in our newsletter. As a school we look forward to this process to set our future goals and continue to be the best school we can be. If you have any questions about this process, please feel free to contact the school to speak with me.

Our School Review Dates are:

Thursday June 5th
Wednesday June 11th
Wednesday June 18th

Annual Report to the Community

Reflections of 2024

An important role of the principal is to complete the Annual Report. This is a mandated document required by the Victorian Registration & Qualifications Authority (VRQA) and school council must endorse this report, which was shared at the AGM last Tuesday. Once this report is endorsed by the VRQA it will be placed on our College Website.

School Council Elections: Full Content

Our 2025 School Council Election process is complete.

Congratulations to our newly elected councilors: Jenna Clark, Tess Lamont, Amy Lodge, Molly Goddard and Jack Fowler.

This team will support our current school council members who are: Bruce Goddard, Rachel Robertson, Chloe Jewell, Brooke Baker, Anne DeManser and our minute taker; Carmel Bourke.

We would like to thank our outgoing councilors who have contributed to our school in so many ways: Nigel Boyden, Leigh Clark and Christina Wendt.

School Council plays a key role in Victorian Government schools. At Mortlake College we have a long history of very successful and active governance teams who have helped establish the broad direction and vision for our school. Successive councils have carried out their key roles and in doing so every year enhanced the educational opportunities of our students.

School Council Meeting – Tuesday March 25th:Full Content

Last Tuesday our School Council met and discussed/endorsed the following:

Reports from: The Principal, Student Rep, and Finance and Building and Grounds Committees.
The following policies were shared: Anaphylaxis, Asthma, Communication with Staff and the School, Traffic Management, Child Safe Code of Conduct, and the Aboriginal Learning, Wellbeing and Safety Action Plan.
Data from the School Council Self-Assessment Tool was shared and discussed in the meeting
Data from the Framework for Improving Student Outcomes 2.0 continua of practice self-evaluation was shared and discussed
The concern of no safety fence between the College and Tea Tree Lake was discussed and possibilities shared
Discussion and updates with the Activity Centre and building works taking place across the college.
The following dates were approved: VCE Careers Expo Day: May 2nd, Community Meals on Wheels May 19th to 23rd, VCE Theatre Studies Excursion to Melbourne May 21st and the Mortlake College School Production (Spamalot) June 23rd to 27th.
Next Meeting is Tuesday May 6th.

2026 Student Enrolments

Yes, it is that time of year when we start to prepare for next year’s Prep and Year 7 enrolments. Please promote our Open Day (see flyer below) and private personalised school tours can be made with myself by calling the College on 5599 2204. We will be sharing it on our Facebook page and website in the coming days, please feel free to share and forward on to extended family members or friends. If you have a child starting school next year, please come along, we love having current and new families join us. You are welcome to collect an enrolment pack from the office and return this as early as possible, as this assists us with sorting our numbers nice and early.

Mortlake College Open Day: We will be holding an Open Morning and community connection breakfast on Wednesday April 30th. This is an amazing opportunity to meet with all families and staff as we share together the innovative and exciting opportunities that Mortlake College has to offer.

Families who are interested in enrolling their child at Mortlake College in 2026 will receive enrolment packs and provided personalised tours with the school principal.

Current families will be able to explore our valued learning sessions.

This morning will be busy and enjoyable, and I’m looking forward to seeing lots of families – new and existing – at this event.

Parent Payments

Thank you to all parents who are up to date with Parent Payments or on a plan. Your contributions make a remarkable difference to our school and the programs/resources we offer. Please be familiar with the Parent Payment Policy as all extra curricula activities are offered on a user pay basis. We will ensure families are aware of all extra curricula activities well in advance to give you an opportunity to budget for these events and activities.

We would appreciate as many payments as possible finalised by the end of Term 1.

Attendance

If your child is sick or absent, you are required to notify their school as soon as possible on the day of absence using one of the following methods:- Online: log the absence directly using the Sentral platform.

- Phone the school office and let the staff know your child’s name, class, date of absences and reason on 5599 2204

- Email the school and provide the staff with your child’s name, class, date of absence/s and reason.- Return attendance letters to the classroom teacher.

The Department of Education requires parents to provide the school with an explanation for all student absences. This may include bereavement, dentist, family holiday, illness, medical and medical appointments, or religious/ cultural observance.

Building and Maintenance Work

Building and Maintenance works within/around the Activity Centre will start back up again today. Please be careful when moving/parking near this building area. Building works will be taking place within the school till the end of the Term 1 holiday break.

Important Upcoming Dates

Please continually check Sentral and the newsletter for important dates, student information, and highlights of events.

Important dates for Term 2:

School starts back on Tuesday April 22nd
Friday April 25th is a Public Holiday (ANZAC Day)
Wednesday April 30th: Mortlake College Community Breakfast and Open Morning
Thursday May 1st: Public Holiday (May Races)
Wednesday May 7th: Mortlake College House Cross Country
Monday May12th to Friday May 16th: Careers Week Activities for Secondary Students

As we approach the end of Term 1, I want to express my sincere gratitude to our students, staff, and families for their hard work, dedication, and resilience throughout this term. We have achieved so much together, and I am incredibly proud of the learning and growth that has taken place within our school community.

Over the Easter break, I encourage everyone to take the opportunity to relax, recharge, and enjoy the holiday break. Remember to take time for yourselves, your families, and the things that bring you joy.

As we look forward to Term 2, I am excited about the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead, especially with our School Review. Let's continue to work together to create a positive and supportive learning environment for all.

Wishing you all a very happy and restful holiday break. I look forward to seeing you all refreshed and ready to continue our journey in Term 2.

Linda Mooseek

Mortlake P-12 College Principal

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