Mount Ridley P-12 College

From the College Principal

Dear Parents and Carers,

 

Welcome to the 2025 academic year. It is my pleasure to extend a warm welcome to both returning families and staff, as well as those who are joining our learning community. I trust that you have enjoyed a restful summer break and are prepared for the enriching experiences that lie ahead. Our commitment to providing a diverse array of opportunities remains steadfast, empowering students to explore and cultivate their interests and talents. I look forward to the contributions each student will make throughout the year. Our Animating Principle for 2025, "Be Honest, Build Trust," underscores the importance of integrity and mutual trust in all our endeavours and will form a sound foundation for our teaching and learning programs.

 

The staggered start has allowed students to smoothly transition into their routines and learning. Our Year 7 students and their families have benefited from targeted preparation through the Ready to Learn Interviews. Years 1 and 2 students completed assessments last week, and Prep students will have theirs on Wednesdays throughout February. A great deal of effort has gone into preparing for the launch of this academic year, and I acknowledge the hard work and dedication of our teaching and support staff.  Their efforts in organising curriculum programs, administrative systems, resources, and facilities are truly appreciated.

 

Thank you to our parents and carers for preparing their children for a successful start. A reminder that The Uniform Group is our uniform supplier (Craigieburn Retail Outlet, 71 Potter Street Craigieburn, open Monday-Friday, 9am – 5pm, and Saturdays, 9am – 4pm), and Campion Books in Thomastown supplies secondary school books and stationery. Centrepay, BPAY, and Compass Billing are available at the College. Families experiencing financial hardship are encouraged to contact Ms. Nancy Wain, our Accounts Manager, in the Main Administration Office.

 

The MRC newsletter, which is published three times per term, is one of our main communication tools used to provide important updates and stories about current events. To ensure you don’t miss out, please check out the newsletter available on our website and the Parent Portal, COMPASS. Please make sure we have your current email address so you can receive the direct link to each issue. If there have been any changes to your residential address, email, or phone numbers, notify the Main Administration Office immediately so we can update your contact information.

 

This newsletter includes our Communication Directory to assist you in contacting the College. Key roles are distributed amongst various MRC staff to ensure prompt attention to all matters. The Communication Directory is also available on our website under the "Contact" tab and is updated regularly.

 

New MRC families have received COMPASS Parent Portal login details. If you've misplaced your username or password, please contact the Main Administration Office. COMPASS is our primary online communication tool and is often used for important and urgent announcements.

 

This year sees Mount Ridley College (MRC) having 417 students in the Early Years; 557 students in the Junior Years; 721 students in the Middle Years and 1196 students in the Senior Years Mini Schools. As always, the College’s operational structures ensure that staff teams can work with designated groups of students in order to cater for their individual learning needs.  MRC has 315 teaching and support staff for this purpose. 

 

In the year ahead, we look forward to seeing further expansion of the College’s facilities and implementation of various curriculum projects.  These include:

  • Extending our Language program to include the introduction of the Punjabi Beacon School program in which students study the Punjabi language content as well as being further immersed in the application of its vocabulary, listening, writing, and speaking skill in Humanities classes.  In Year 10, Punjabi has also been added to the College’s current Italian and Japanese languages programs for students to select from.

  • Additional recreational and passive areas will continue to be strategically added across the College to meet the needs of year level and mini school students.

  • Our purpose built Student Advocacy Hub adjacent to DICE is currently being furnished and will allow for the improved delivery of student projects.  In conjunction with this, the upcoming Student Leadership camp will set the agenda for student involvement in this year’s teaching and learning programs.

  • Planning for a Year 11 student learning hub will take place with students having input into its design and scope.

  • In May, a group of students and staff will be travelling to Italy on an 18 day cultural immersion tour.  This will be followed by another group of students and staff traveling to Japan in September for a sister school immersion experience and cultural learning program.  It is always exciting seeing our students taking up these opportunities to gain a taste of daily life in an overseas country.

  • The College is also expanding its formal partnerships with various business organisations for the purpose of providing students with mentorship, entrepreneurial and industry experiences.

This is the first newsletter since the release of the 2024 VCE results and Tertiary entrance offers in which I am able to confirm our students’ achievements. Up from last year, 99% of our students satisfactorily completed their VCE.  Ayesha Usmani obtained the title of Dux of the College, with an ATAR  score of 92.95.  Our 2024 student VCE results once again outperformed those of our neighbouring government schools. 

 

From a pathways perspective, 95% of students received a first round VTAC offer into University or TAFE, whilst the remaining students have confirmed employment, apprenticeships, traineeships, are seeking employment or taking a gap year. Such achievements would not have been possible without the dedication of our staff and support of parents and families. Collectively, they worked to provide our Year 12 students with the best possible learning outcomes.

 

As we begin the new year, I want to remind you of some important information regarding student attendance, student safety, uniform requirements, mobile phone usage, and canteen services.

 

Student Attendance:

The Department of Education (DE) has clear policies on student attendance. Regular attendance habits are crucial from an early age. Poor attendance places students at risk academically, socially, and psychologically, limiting their future choices. The "It's Not OK To Be Away" initiative highlights DE's focus on improving attendance in all Victorian schools. We encourage families to ensure children arrive at school on time and schedule external appointments outside school hours. Extended holidays during term time are also discouraged. Attendance procedures are outlined in this newsletter, detailing the College's processes for late arrivals, early departures, absences, holidays, and student departures. In case of an emergency requiring you to collect your child unexpectedly, please call ahead so we can have them ready. In a large school like ours, unplanned arrivals can cause delays. We appreciate your cooperation.

 

Pedestrian Safety:

Student safety is our top priority. We urge all students to use designated school crossings and obey the instructions of crossing supervisors, especially when crossing Aitken Boulevard at the traffic lights. Please model safe pedestrian behaviour for your children, as they learn from our actions. We also remind parents that staff are on yard duty from 8:40 am until 3:20 pm. For your peace of mind, please consider these times when dropping off and picking up your children. We understand the traffic congestion around the school, particularly during peak hours, and appreciate your patience and cooperation in ensuring the safety of all our students.

 

Uniform Dress Code:

MRC has a uniform dress code for all students, encompassing clothing, footwear, and headwear. The uniform is designed to promote a sense of belonging, equality, and pride in our school community. Students are required to wear the uniform during school hours, while traveling to and from school, and during school activities outside of school hours. The College Principal is responsible for the implementation of the Dress Code, which will be enforced by all teachers. For Term 1, students are required to wear the summer uniform. The sports uniform should only be worn on your child’s designated sports day, which can be found on Compass.

 

Mobile Phone Policy:

As per the Victorian government's ban on mobile phone use in schools, MRC has a strict mobile phone policy. All mobile phones brought to school by students must be switched off and stored securely in lockers (or with their relevant Mini School) during the school day. Any student using a mobile phone during school hours will have it confiscated.

 

Canteen Services:

The Prep – Year 4 (Early Years) Canteen and the Years 5 – 12 Canteen menus are available on your Compass newsfeed and on the College website under the ‘OUR COLLEGE’ tab. You can register for online lunch ordering through Boccafoods at https://boccafoods.com.au. Please ensure you update your child's year level and mentor class on the Boccafoods website at the start of each year. A reminder that the College offers a priority pick-up service for Years 7-12 students who place a lunch order.

 

Annual privacy reminder for our College community

Our College collects and uses student and parent personal information for standard school functions or where permitted by law, as stated in the Schools’ Privacy Policy and the Schools’ Privacy Collection Notice.

Our Photographing, Filming and Recording Students Policy Photographing-filming-recording-students-policy-MRC_2024.pdf describes how we collect and use photographs, video and recordings of students. The policy also explains when parent consent is required and how it can be provided and withdrawn. 

All schools are required to collect specific consent from parents/carers in relation to the use of images of children:

  • Within the physical college environment;

  • Within the school community; and 

  • Beyond the school community/publicly, i.e. the College’s website and social media accounts.

Student photographs will be taken in March this year.  Specific details will be released on Compass in coming weeks.

Consent is required for the following:

  • Local Excursions:  Throughout the year, there will be times when the teachers would like to use the local area for short walks to reinforce and extend classroom teaching (e.g. Outdoor Education); or walk students to a local sports carnival or event. We seek permission for your child to participate in these short local walks as they occur throughout the year.  Parents will be advised ahead of time that an activity is planned.

     

  • Sunsmart – provision of sunscreen:  Terms 1 and 4 are Sunsmart terms.  Sunscreen will be available during outdoor PE classes, camps and during outdoor sporting events.  If your child has an allergic reaction to sunscreen, please notify your child’s classroom teacher immediately.

     

  • Head Lice Inspections:  If a child is suspected to have head lice, a staff member will physically check the child’s hair to see if any lice or eggs are present. In cases where head lice eggs are found, the person inspecting the student will inform the student’s class teacher and a written notice will go home to parents, including advice on how to safely treat the head lice.  In cases where live lice are found in the hair, the parents will be contacted and the student will be required to be collected from school.  The law requires that a child with head lice may only return to school once appropriate treatment has been undertaken. The College is aware that this can be a sensitive issue and is committed to maintaining student confidentiality and avoiding stigmatisation.

     

  • House Sports Carnivals: In the cases where these events are off site (and not covered through the local excursion approval), permission is required to transport students to the venue. The cost of these events is included in the Essential Items which are payable prior to the commencement of the school year.  Information will be sent home prior to the events, informing parents / carers of the dates, times, locations and special requirements.

In today's digital world, we're streamlining the process for obtaining consent for these important items outlined above. On Monday, February 17th, you will receive a request via Compass to provide consent for the following:

  • Use of student images (three specific scenarios)

  • Local excursions

  • Provision of sunscreen

  • Head lice inspections

  • House sports carnivals

It's crucial that you respond promptly to this request, indicating your consent or non-consent for each individual item. If we do not receive a response, we will assume that you do not consent.

 

If you are unable to access Compass, please contact the College as soon as possible so we can assist you.

 

We ask parents to also review the guidance we provide on how we use Microsoft 365 safely at the school and what parents can do to further protect their child’s information. If after reviewing the guidance, you have any questions or concerns regarding your child using Microsoft 365, please contact the College.

 

For more information about privacy, refer to: Schools’ privacy policy: information for parents. This information is also available in ten community languages: Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Dari, Gujarati, Mandarin, Somali, Sudanese, Turkish, Urdu, and Vietnamese.

 

A friendly reminder regarding student insurance and personal property:

The Department of Education does not provide personal accident insurance or ambulance coverage for students. Therefore, if your child is injured at school, including during travel to and from school or on excursions, you as parents/carers are responsible for all medical expenses, including ambulance fees and any other transportation costs, if you do not have appropriate coverage in place. We strongly recommend that you consider obtaining student accident insurance and ambulance coverage if you do not already have it.

 

Additionally, please be aware that the Department of Education does not insure personal property brought to school by students. The school cannot accept responsibility for any loss or damage to personal items. Therefore, it's best not to bring valuable items to school unless absolutely necessary.

 

I am looking forward to working with our staff, students and families and sharing many achievements with you throughout 2025.

Kind regards,

 

 

 

 

Lino Pagano 

College Principal