Principal Team Report

Dear Mullauna Community,

Welcome to the mid-term Links! We’ve had a fabulous week at Mullauna, with highlights being:

Instrumental Music lessons began for our Year 7s – see below for more information.
Glamming up for photo day on Tuesday. It was reassuring to hear the compliments form the photographers about the students’ positive engagement in the process.
Tuesday afternoon’s first rehearsal for Mama Mia – here we go again!
Staff re-engaging with their PLC work on Tuesday afternoon, building on their learning and collaboration of last Tuesday’s professional learning day.
The first meeting of our new VCE Vocational Major team, led by Kathy Halpin in the newly created VM Leader role. This brings together the VM teacher team and relevant college leaders like Kim Watson as Head of Senior School.
O’Neill House sweeping the pool at the Swimming Carnival, taking out both the House Spirit and the overall House Cup awards. Congratulations to O’Neill House and the House Captains: Grace Walton, Victoria Halpin, Louis Tang and Liam Roddis. See Facebook for more information and photos.

In the meantime, SACs (School Assessed Coursework) have well and truly commenced for our VCE students. Is this a good time to remind the community that next weekend is the long weekend – Monday 10th March is the Labour Day public holiday.

Year 7 Instrumental Lessons Began This Week – thanks to Peter Brodie and his team

Congratulations to all students who gained a place in the Instrumental Music Program. Lesson times will appear on Compass. Check these carefully as some may happen halfway through the period. If your lesson is at the beginning of the period there is no need to go to the subject room first, just go straight to the Music Centre. Hire instruments will be allocated during your first lesson. We still have some positions on Flute, Trumpet, Trombone, Euphonium, Alto and Tenor Sax. Get your green application forms in as places are limited.

Mama Mia rehearsals started Tuesday

Just a reminder that rehearsals for Mama Mia begin last Tuesday. They are held in the PAC from 3:15 - 4:30pm.

Our thanks to the staff team of Peter Brodie, Jacki Baldry, Omar Moustafa, and our director Cody Riker. More staffing team appointments will follow soon.

Our 2025 Annual Improvement Plan (AIP) and the School Improvement Teams (SITs)

Our two SITs have commenced their detailed planning for leading the school’s improvement strategies for the year.

One SIT focusses on the Learning & Teaching aspects for the program. It is led by Michael Bray with Jacquie Brush, joined by Tamsin Davidson, Trevor Barkla, Monique Chisholm, Ana Ruuska and Anthony Cotton.

The other SIT focusses on Wellbeing & Engagement. It is led by Jeff McMillin and Daniella Taglieri, joined by Kim Watson, Flora Moraitis, Ana Ruuska, Nik Smith, Helen Bowker and Erin Briedis.

Student Lunchtime Activities

Our thanks to the many staff who offer students additional activities, especially at lunchtimes. Two of these are:

Kathy Halpin offers the Games Room Tuesday Lunch
Join us in E2 at lunchtime on Tuesdays for board games and card games.
Paula Waller offers the Art Club, which is also back for 2025 - Yay!!
See you in D4 on FRIDAY LUNCHTIME. Bring your lunch and enjoy being creative. Come and do your own ARTY thing, or be led by our Art Captains: Sienna, Bryn and Claudia.

REMINDER: German exchange programs – Information Evening at MSC at 6.30pm on Wednesday 5th March

We are very excited to announce that the exchange program linked to our Sister School Partnership with the IGS Kaufungen in the state of Hesse in Germany (shared with Vermont SC) is back after the pause due to Covid restrictions. School staff have briefed the Year 9, 10 and 11 German classes about this opportunity. This is a reciprocal exchange, involving hosting for three weeks and travel for four weeks, accompanied by staff and located as a whole group rather than spread.

Please refer to the information sheet attached to last Friday's Newsfeed for more information. Please register your intention to attend the Information Evening with the general Office on Mullauna.sc@educaiton.vic.gov.au

REMINDER: Year 7 thoughts for parents/carers

I am impressed by how quickly our Year 7s are settling to secondary life here at Mullauna. I would like to thank their teachers, their Year Level Coordinator, Anthony Lam, and the Head of Junior School, Flora Moraitis, for their work in guiding them so far. There are several tricks for parents to improving your child’s transition and at the same time maximising growth in learning and wellbeing:

Get involved in the Music program. The musicians are a smaller community within the college, and the Music Centre is an engaging space where Year 7s can learn to mix with senior students and develop their skills at a different rate from the classroom. Research shows there is a direct correlation between music participation and academic performance, as well as huge social benefits and skills like time management, persistence and resilience - and lots of exciting events to look forward to.
Keep involved in your child’s learning - check Compass and the diary for home learning and key dates etc. Checking the diary will help to reinforce its use and value, and checking Compass will keep you informed about their school work and ensure you don’t miss any excursion consents or important messages. And above all, engage your child in conversations about their learning, as this demand to explain their learning will improve their recall and understanding.
Help them to get organised and manage their Home Learning and Homework. We need them to step up from their primary school habits and start to establish the routines that will see them through to their final year. A short break when they get home after school should be followed by the aim of completing any set tasks before dinner (leaving the after-dinner time for expansion in coming years). Planning ahead will allow them to manage other after-school activities like sport, scouts etc.
A critical part of Home Learning is wide reading / reading for pleasure, along with practising their instrument, revising their times tables etc.
Help them to manage device use at home, including restricting where their devices can be used (the bedroom is never recommended) and when; experts recommend ceasing device usage no less than 30 minutes before going to bed.
And to round it all out, they should be exercising (a local team sport is always a great option), maintaining hydration (especially in the hot weather), accessing good nutrition and above all, getting plenty of sleep. A tired student is never ready to learn.

Wishing you all the best for the second half of Term 1!

Harry Ruff, Jeff McMillin and Michael Bray

The MC Principal Team

Community

February 2025

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