McKinnonNEWS

ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS' REPORT

EXAMS

YEARS 10 & 11

Students in Years 10 and 11 have recently commenced their end of semester exams. This is a great opportunity to consolidate key skills and knowledge and provides the experience of working under exams conditions. We wish all senior students the best of luck with these important assessments. 

 

YEAR 9

As part of their senior school induction program, Year 9s will return to the McKinnon Rd Campus to complete their exams. This is taking place on Friday 22 November. All Year 9 students will undertake an English and Maths exam and are required to be at the McKinnon Rd Campus no later than 8.50am.

 

Please remember that all students must be in full school uniform when completing their exams. Students MUST NOT wear PE uniform.

PATHWAYS INTERVIEWS

Years 8 and 9 students are currently undertaking their end of year interviews which include a deep reflection on their yearly attitude and progress towards their studies, goal setting and confirmation of their 2025 course.  Parents and caregivers are encouraged to review their child’s interview by referring to the “Insights” tab on compass.  

BOOKLISTS FOR 2025

Campion Education is again the booklist provider for McKinnon Secondary College.  

 

Senior School (Years 10 - 12)

Most senior school students have had their courses for 2025 confirmed. Once this has been done, families can start organising their booklists. Orders need to be completed online through Campion Education via this link. Campion has updated their online systems, so you now need to obtain a verification code to access their site. The 4-digit code 42TF will then allow you to view McKinnon’s resource lists.  

 

Orders need to be placed by Friday 29 November to ensure home delivery before the end of the year. Campion has again included a set-charge to cover the packing and home delivery costs.

 

Junior School (Years 7 - 9)

Information about 2025 booklists for the Junior School will be shared with families in the coming weeks.  

 

Sustainable School Shop

For families interested in buying/selling second-hand books, information about the Sustainable School Shop is available here. Please remember to check the edition of the book on the booklist before purchasing any second-hand texts as it is crucial that students have the correct edition.

YEAR 10 (2025) - PHASE II OF OUR CHROMEBOOK PROGRAM

All Year 9 parents have been emailed instructions for purchasing a new Chromebook for their child. This is a very important process and ensures students have a reliable and up-to-date computer, but also a device that connects seamlessly to our network and is within its 3-year extended warranty. Some students’ devices are starting to process more slowly and showing signs of 'wear and tear'. We do not want these issues to adversely affect student learning, especially as they enter the Senior School next year. Organising an upgrade now is the best option, rather than leaving it until next year. The new model has improved features, such as a faster processor and better battery life.

 

If students in other year levels need a new Chromebook, the ordering details are as follows:  

McKinnon’s Chromebook program plays an incredibly important role in delivering an effective and engaging curriculum to our students. Its success relies on all students using a standard platform and we thank all families for their ongoing support.

CHROMEBOOK DONATIONS

If your child has upgraded their Chromebook and their previous device is still in good working order, McKinnon is in regular contact with organisations that donate second-hand laptops to disadvantaged groups. So, if you are not going to use the old Chromebook at home, this is a great opportunity to help support the education of other young people - simply bring the old Chromebook to our IT Office and we will organise the rest.

UNIFORM

Please ensure your child continues to come to school in the correct uniform at all times. We expect students to wear the uniform with pride and it is an important part of our school culture. Please note: blazers are optional in Terms 1 & 4; however, when travelling to/from school, students wishing to wear an outer garment must wear the blazer (rather than the College jumper).

COMPASS - PARENT/CARER LOGIN DETAILS

Parents need to ensure their Compass username/password is secure and confidential. As student absences can be approved online through the parent portal, it is not appropriate to share your username and password with your child. If you believe your password is not secure, it can be changed by logging on to Compass, clicking on the ‘cog’ icon (top-right corner) and selecting ‘Change My Password’. Given the importance of Compass for communicating with families, it is also worth going to ‘Update My Details’ and checking that all contact details (email and mobile phone) are correct.  

SENIOR SCHOOL END OF YEAR PROGRAM

Following Years 10 and 11 exams, our Senior School students will be undertaking an end-of-year program to provide them with support and guidance and help them build strong foundations for a successful 2025. Full summer uniform is expected. 

 

Details of the program are as follows:

 

Years 10 and 11 Reflection Day (Friday 22 November)

Students will attend one lesson for each semester 2 subject. Exam results will be returned during this time and teachers also give detailed feedback on how students can improve their performance in future assessments and studies.

 

VCE/VCE VM Orientation Week (Monday 25 November to Friday 29 November)

Classes for 2025 begin in this vital Orientation Week. Students attend their subjects for next year and engage in rigorous classroom activities designed to promote the key content and skills required. Formal classes for all Senior students conclude on Friday 29 November.