Dempsey's Digest

A New Term, Term 4! 

How wonderful to be at the start of a new term of learning and growing! I’m not sure if it’s just the sunny days or the fresh air of the hills, but our Preps seem to be sprouting rapidly as they head to the end of their first year of school. Meanwhile, our Year 12s are definitely on the home stretch and we look forward to celebrating with them towards the finish line of a demanding and yet hopefully rewarding year. Please pray for our Year 12s as written exams commence on 29 October. 

This week, it has been a delight to announce the appointment of our new Head of Primary and Head of Secondary roles. After a thorough process, the board is delighted to announce Malcolm Pirie as the Head of Primary for 2025 and Emma Allison as the Head of Secondary for 2025. I am very confident in these leaders and so excited for what they will bring to their respective roles. Please pray for them as they prepare for 2025. 

Emma is undertaking an interim role during this term, as Karissa Esselbrugge is on leave. Emma is serving as our interim Assistant Principal, until the end of the year. In 2025, we are letting go of the Assistant Principal titles and replacing them with 'Head of' titles, so the Executive Team joining me next year, will look like this;

• Director of Kindergarten – Gillian Birkett
• Head of Primary – Malcolm Pirie
• Head of Secondary – Emma Allison
• Head of Student Services – Karissa Esselbrugge
• Business Manager – Rob Lichtendonk
• Director of Ranges TEC – Ric Thorpe

I truly believe that God has called and prepared these people for leadership at MECS, for this time and place. Please pray for the team and for our whole teaching staff. 

Last Term

It was good to note that the end of Term 3 finished on such a high note for many students and staff. A highlight for me was definitely the Year 6 Billy Cart races and follow up Auction. It was wonderful and a great sense of community was present.

Work Break

Following the holiday break, it was great to get our staff together for our work break (student free days). In this time we got excited together about our developing Teaching and Learning Framework which will provide us with new language as a school, across all areas of curriculum, learning and general school life! Look out for references to being; 

• Truth Discerners
• Purposeful Learners
• Justice Seekers
• Welcoming Advocates
• Awe Dwellers
• Community Builders
• Creation Keepers

Here at MECS, the fact that we are a Christian School means that we don’t get to get away with ‘just’ covering the basics of the Victorian curriculum. No! We have an obligation, a desire, a hope to build that curriculum around a deeper framework, grounded and reflective of the gospel. We are interested in what God has to say through His word, about all areas of school life. Watch this space, it’s exciting! 

Michelle Dempsey

MECS Principal