College News

Principal's Update

Dear Families, Students and Community Members,

 

Staff Service Awards

On the afternoon of Friday 3 June, we held the Mordialloc College School Service Awards. This is an annual event we have held since 2016 to celebrate and recognise staff who have spent a considerable part of their career to date at Mordialloc College. It is a most worthwhile event sponsored by College Council. This year we had six staff  recognised. Staff receive an award for 10, 15, 20 or 25 years of service to Mordialloc College. All recipients  receive a framed certificate, with any staff serving 25 years or more eligible for a small gift. This year we had Sehenaze Peerbux and Karen Barker receiving a 15-year service award, and Bryony Lowe, Jane Jamieson, and Demis Danoudis, a 10-year service award. 

 

Facility Development Update 

Our Senior School Team and Year 12s are now fully moved into the refurbished Senior School Centre, with further work to still happen in this building, in response to student feedback. Landscaping works for the Senior School courtyard and our Central courtyard are also being planned for the summer holidays and throughout 2023.

 

The builders contracted for our Wellbeing Centre will now begin work on June 27 and will work over the holiday period into July, with the centre hopefully being ready mid to late Term 3 depending on the availability of building materials. Work continues on our four new outside courts, after a hold up due to the poor weather. At this stage, an update on the completion to at least have the asphalt surface for PE classes and student use at recess and lunch is still to be confirmed. It was originally planned to be ready by Term 3. The final blue plexipave layer is still on track for the September holidays. 

 

Mordialloc College has also been allocated $716,627.00 in minor capital works funding for the replacement of our first-floor balcony in our main two storey building at the front of the school. This will also include a new wall and windows on the ground floor underneath the balcony. We will be working closely alongside the Victorian Schools Building Authority (VSBA) for the duration of this project. We will know more about the anticipated timeline and commencement date for this project later in the year.

 

Senior School Online Information Session

All current students in Years 9 and 10 have had the opportunity to hear about the subject selection process for 2023 and the new Senior Pathways offerings at our school in Year Level Assemblies and Mentor Classes. On the evening of Wednesday 15 June all Year 9 and 10 parents and students received a very important information email via Compass from Assistant Principal Andrew Moffat. This included a recording of our information session for parents and students entering Year 10 and 11 in 2023, allowing families to watch this at a time that suited their schedules and giving them the opportunity to send in any questions for the Senior team to respond to. In addition, the Year 10 and Senior School subject selection handbooks were also sent out, with a summary MC Pathways flowchart highlighting the two pathways students can now take - VCE (University Pathway) and VCE (Vocational Major). These pathways are explained in a lot more detail in the handbooks, and I have included a copy of the MC Pathways flowchart here: 

 

Our two Pathways leaders are also supporting students with their Pathways decisions. Jane Jamieson is working with our Year 9 students and Emma White with our Year 10 students. Even though students’ “preselections” are due this week, all students in Years 9, 10 and 11 will have a dedicated course counselling session with a member of the leadership team early next term where their final subject selections for 2023 will be decided upon in consultation with their parents. Further information will follow from the Senior School team about the scheduled appointments occurring on these dates:

 

Current Year 9: Thursday 28/7 

Current Year 9 SEAL students: Tuesday 26/7

Current Year 10 and Year 10 SEAL: Friday 22/7 

Current Year 10 VCAL students: Tuesday 19/7

Current Year 11 Students: Tuesday 19/7

 

Reporting

We have had a positive start to Semester Two classes last week. A reminder that Semester One reports will be available on the Compass parent and student portals on Friday 24 June. I encourage all parents to discuss the report with their student/s over the holiday break and put appropriate actions in place to address any areas for improvement highlighted. If there are any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher by phone or email.

 

Advance Notice: Online Parent Teacher Interviews for Years 7-12 will be held in week 7 of Term 3 on Thursday 25 August 10 am - 6.30 pm. Further information to come next term.

 

Production Trivia Night 

Last week we held the trivia night offsite at the Mordialloc Bowls Club. Thanks to all parents and staff that were able to attend to support this event. Thanks to Mara Sears and Claire Bruce for all of their planning for the trivia night and thanks to former student, Lorenzo Mortimer for being our MC on the night. A huge thank you to all the local businesses who donated a vast array of gifts and products for prizes and raffles on the Trivia night. Mara and the team have raised over $1000 to support the staging of our Production this year. One of the staff teams was the winner on the night. Many prizes were given out in the raffle and the second and third placed teams also received prizes. 

We look forward to our Production, Matilda the Musical, to be held in Term 3, staged during week 6 over several nights in the Performing Arts Centre at school. Tickets will go on sale early in Term 3. Thanks to our staff leading the production this year, Cameron Young and Bella Barker. They are assisted by Mara Sears and Claire Bruce leading the backstage crew, with Peter Adams providing support in the construction of our props. We also have two former students from 2021 returning to assist with our rehearsals after school, Lorenzo Mortimer, and Tahlia Peacock. It is so wonderful to see former students wanting to stay connected and giving back to their school.

 

Student Attendance and Educational Outcomes

Daily attendance is important for all children and young people to succeed in education and to ensure they do not fall behind both socially and developmentally. Studies show that absence does affect learning growth and that there are no safe number of days. A child missing one day a fortnight will miss four weeks in a year, and more than a year of school by the time they are in Year 10. It is important that children develop regular attendance habits at an early age. In addition, a student who is half an hour late each day misses the equivalent of 16.6 days of learning each year. This is not acceptable. It is not ok to be away or late without a medical certificate! School participation maximises life opportunities for our young people by providing them with education and support networks. School helps children to develop important skills, knowledge and values that set them up for further learning and participation in their community. If you are having difficulty getting your child to school, please contact the Wellbeing Team at the College to discuss strategies that may assist you. 

 

Runners Up State Finals

Congratulations to our Year 8 Boys Basketball team who were runners up in the recent State Championships. An outstanding achievement!  Thanks to expert coach, Andrew Potter See article later in this newsletter.

 

Staffing Update

We have a few staff leaving and some new staff joining our college this semester or next term. 

  • Our new Director of STEM this year, Alex Myer, who came to us from WA, has, unfortunately for us, been headhunted by a national STEM education company. She will be leaving at the end of this term. Her leadership position is being covered internally for the rest of the year. Maria Bitzios will take over as the Learning Area Leader for Science and Simon Belluzzo will lead eLearning across the College and Digital Technologies.  We still need to find a teacher to cover the teaching load Alex has, and this job is now advertised and will close in the holidays. 
  • We have appointed two new youth counsellors, Michael Barbas who will work full time at the College and Harry Lee, who will work three days a week. We are very excited to be able to add a couple of additional members to our Wellbeing team to support our students. 
  • Julie Chambers and Mick Haber are both going on Long Service Leave for all of Term 3. We have employed Prakhar Verma who is coming from Sweden to cover Julie Chamber’s load with some of Julie’s classes going into current staff member, Shane Galloway’s load for the term. We are still looking for a replacement for Mick Haber for Term 3. We have been fortunate to have Kat Doros back from family leave to cover part of the load and she may continue depending on whether we can find a full-time staff member or not. Unfortunately, there are very few Maths/Science teachers around. There are critical teacher shortages in general across the state. 
  • Peter Walters, a current staff member, will be taking over Julie’s leadership of Maths/Numeracy improvement for Term 3.
  • Bella Barker and Madeline Hatton will be sharing Year 9 YLC duties for Term 3 while Mick is on leave.
  • Angela Ziagas, an experienced teacher from Bentleigh SC, has been appointed to an ongoing Maths/Science position teaching Discovery in Year 8 and is replacing Laura Gorman who is on family leave. 
  • Beth Hogan, Middle School Assistant, returns from family leave in Term 3, and we will be farewelling Kirsten Roe who replaced her in this short-term position. 
  • We have a new Director of Middle School starting from Term 3. Brendan MacFarland is an experienced leading teacher from St Albans SC and lives locally, so is delighted to have secured this leadership role with us. Brendan will be teaching PE, Health, and Humanities. 
  • Andrew Moffat, our current Assistant Principal overseeing Senior School, International Students and Facilities, has been appointed to an Assistant Principal role at University High School starting Term 3. Andrew has been in his role here for five and a half years and is looking for the next challenge to continue to build his capacity in a very different learning environment. This is an AP 3 position (thus a promotion from his current AP 2 role). Andrew has made a significant contribution to our College during his time here and he will be missed by everyone – staff, students, and parents. We wish him the very best with this career move. Given the timing I am not advertising the substantive AP role state-wide to replace Andrew, until Term 3 for a Term 4 start. With Tracey Bastin’s experience in leading Senior School at her previous school, she is going to take over a large part of Andrew’s AP portfolio in the short term and Daniel Williams our current Director of Middle School, has been appointed Acting AP overseeing Middle School and Wellbeing for Term 3. Marina Walsh is going to take over overseeing Facilities and OHS, with some redistribution of aspects of  her current portfolio to Daniel. 

Winter Uniform Reminder

I would like remind students of their responsibility in relation to uniform. The College expectation is that all students will be in the correct winter uniform, and that this uniform is worn correctly (shirts tucked in, ties done up properly) just as it would be expected in any workplace. This also means no hoodies worn under or over your jumper.  The only year level permitted to have a hoodie are the Year 12s who have a special final year top that is approved by College Council each year. In relation to school shoes, these need to be black polishable leather lace up shoes with a heel. Black sneakers in any form are not allowed. Our uniform is a very important part of the image we project of our college community and therefore I expect all students to wear their uniform correctly and with pride to, from and at school. I would ask parents to reinforce these expectations at home.  Please ensure your child is ready to return at the start of Term 3 in the correct winter uniform. If you require support in its provision  please contact our Wellbeing team. 

 

Year 12 Formal

After not being able to hold a Senior Formal for a couple of years now due, there is much excitement and anticipation in the lead up to the Year 12 Formal this year, to be held this Friday 24 June at the Southern Golf Club. This is a significant milestone event for our Year 12 students. Thanks to Year 12 Coordinator, James Nicklen, and Acting Director of Senior School, Tim Randel,l for their planning of this with the Promotions and Fundraising student leaders, Alessia Gantzos, Isabella Siddall and Aston Hewet.

 

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday break and enjoys spending time with family and friends. I will be on Long Service Leave for the first three weeks of Term 3 and Marina Walsh will be Acting Principal in my absence. I will be back on Monday 1st August.

 

     Michelle Roberts

Principal