Acting Principal Update

Dear Families, Students and Community Members,

I hope that this newsletter finds you well after a wonderful Cup Day Public Holiday. You will be pleased to hear that our Year 12s have thrown themselves into their VCE examinations in a mature, focused way: I didn’t expect anything less from them! As we come to the ‘end of 2024’, we have been putting wheels in motion for 2025, which starts on Head Start, 25th November 2024. 

Mordialloc College Student Council

This fortnight, Year 7 to Year 11 students took part in applying for our 2025 Mordialloc College Student Council’s Year 12 and Middle School Leadership positions. 

Congratulations to all of our candidates who presented to students in assemblies; there were some incredible speeches. For Leadership positions, the speeches were then followed by individual interviews, and a student vote. We wish the candidates all the very  best in the process; results will be released before the end of next week.

Mordialloc College in the Community

We pride ourselves on being a community school and so it was a real pleasure to support  Chelsea Yacht Club’s annual Season Opening Day on behalf of the college.

The event was well supported by members of our community including Mark Dreyfus KC (MP for Isaacs and Attorney-General of Australia), and Tim Richardson (MP for Mordialloc), however, I have to admit that the main attraction for me was seeing Year 8 student Charlotte jump into a boat and sail off into the horizon! I have no ‘sea-legs’ so yet again, I am amazed by what our students are capable of, and what fabulous activities they engage in when they are out in the wider school community.

Years 9-11 Exams and Whole School Head Start program. 

As we move towards Head Start, a reminder of some pertinent pieces of information:

• Years 10 and 11 exams start on Wednesday 13 November and run until Thursday 21st November; there are no scheduled classes running for Year 10 and 11 students during this time as they should be studying at home for their examinations. If students do wish to revise on site, there will be quiet spaces provided in the Hub; students arriving early for exams should sign in at the Compass Kiosk in the Front Office. 
• Year 9 SEAL will have examinations Wednesday 13 November until Thursday 21st November in English, Hums, Maths and Science; Year 9 SEAL students must still attend their usual classes during the exam period (except when an exam is scheduled). 
• Year 9 mainstream classes will have examinations for Maths and Science. Year 9 mainstream students must still attend their usual classes during the exam period. 
• All students in Years 7-9 present a Student Led Conference to celebrate their achievements for this year before moving up to the next year level in our 2025 Head Start program. The SLC day is Wednesday 20th November; families and students will receive notification of their appointment time and an explanation of the requirements and expectations for these conferences soon. Please note if parents are not able to make the online scheduled appointment, it is still compulsory for the student to complete the SLC online with their allocated teacher. 
• All students from Years 7-11 begin our 2025 Head Start program from Monday November 25th. We will be following our new timetable for 2025 and students will have the opportunity to work with their new teachers in their new year level. 

It is expected that all of our current Year 7 to Year 11 students attend Head Start. 

The Senior School team uses this time to review student achievement, effort, and homework completion for our senior students, ensuring students have made the correct subject selections and that they are on track for a successful 2025. 

In the Middle School, there is  pre-testing and formative assessment that supports the development of instructional groups, and all work completed during this period may count towards students’ assessments for 2025.

As was communicated in my last newsletter (October 24th), Head Start 2025 logistics are as follows:

• For Years 11 and 12 (2025) students, Headstart will run from Monday 25th November to Friday 6th December.
• For Year 10 (2025) students, Headstart will run from Monday 25th November to Tuesday 10th December. Students who require Progress Interviews will be on site Wednesday 11th December to Friday 13th December; these students will be contacted later on in Term 4. 
• For Years 8 and 9 (2025) students, Headstart will run from Monday 25th November to Friday 13th December
• An alternative program will be in place for Years 8 and 9 (2025) students during the last week of school from Monday 16th December to Friday 20th December.

 I hope that you all have a wonderful fortnight.

 Rachael Stone

Acting Principal