Dempsey's Digest

Sport Days

Last week was a fantastic celebration of our students who shine in their ability to be sporty and shine, they did! But, to my delight, it was so much more than that. On Tuesday 7 May we had our Secondary Athletics carnival. The stunning weather certainly aided the vibe of the day, but I was so encouraged by the way our students were interacting with each other. There were high fives of joy, shouts of “keep going, you can do it” and more. I just loved it. 

The same was replicated on Wednesday 8 May with the Primary Sports Carnival, again with a cracker day to support the strong sense of community and belonging. The students were buzzing with excitement as they supported each other in new experiences and the teachers did a great job of modelling discus, long jump and high jump! What fun to give things a go in a supportive environment. Some students came home with ribbons across their chests, others came home with no ribbons, but I’m guessing a belly full of laughs, exhausted limbs and a sense of joy in community. That’s also winning!  

The way our staff interacted with our students over both carnivals and with each other was so heartwarming to observe. I can tell you, our teams go the extra mile to ensure that your child is seen and heard. Don’t ever doubt that! 

New Kinder Director

We are very pleased to announce that we have appointed Mrs Gillian (Gill) Birkett to the Kindergarten Director role, commencing in Term 3. Gill is currently the Kindergarten Director at Hillcrest Christian College in Clyde and has had a long interest and passion for Christian education. Wendy and I have met with Gill together and we look forward to what she will bring to the MECS Kindergarten. She is a warm and engaging educator and strives for best practice in teaching and compliance. We are confident that she will lead the Kindergarten beautifully.

At this time, I would also like to thank Wendy Mason for stepping back into the Kindergarten Director role. Her love for our Kindergarten and our staff has been a tremendous blessing.  

Faith in our Future event

You might be aware, that at the moment, our school’s freedom to continue to employ Christian teachers, is under significant pressure. This is due to the very controversial recommendations that were made to the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) on 21 March, 2024. If these laws were to be enacted, this would pose some serious challenges for MECS and all other Christian schools across the country.

A wonderful group called 'My Christian Schools' are hosting Town Hall events, all over Australia and we are encouraging all MECS parents to attend this event, at Waverley Christian College on 22 May, 2024, at 6.30pm for a 7pm start. Details of how to register, are below.

Faith In Our Future: Melbourne - My Christian School

VM Students

This week I had the pleasure of meeting with our Vocational Major students in Year 12. These students have chosen the Vocational Major as their pathway towards VCE at our MECS campus. We also offer a Vocational Major option at Ranges TEC. The VM class have been looking closely at leadership styles and interviewed me around my approach to leadership. Their questions were well thought out and displayed maturing levels of self-awareness and confidence. It was a real pleasure to spend time with our potential leaders of tomorrow. 

Think about working at MECS...

You might have noticed that there are a few roles being advertised at MECS. These include the following; 

• Business Manager
• Accounts Officer
• Well Being Officer
• Attendance Officer
• Piano Teacher
• Learning Assistant
• Science Teacher

We’d love your help to tap someone you might know on the shoulder and encourage them to apply. I can certainly testify to MECS being a great place to work and serve. Maybe you are the right person for one of these roles? 

To find out more about each position, and to apply, visit https://www.mecs.vic.edu.au/employment/