PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

KUMMARGEE GROUPS CHALLENGE 

The Kummargee - Rise Up challenge held its last challenge for Year 8 students last week, where their teamwork, communication and investigative skills were tested. 

From navigating their way through an "explosive minefield" whilst blindfolded, being quick on the buzzer in a Geography based Kahoot quiz, researching their group's area and its Indigenous roots, through to a non-verbal communication coin toss relay, the Groups Challenge has many varied activities. 

The burning question at the end of the day is whether Year 8J has done enough to hold on to their lead at the final challenge? We'll have to wait and see... 

A big thank you to all the teachers involved, particularly Matthew Shaw and Paul King who oversaw the event.

COURAGE TO CARE

On Tuesday 31 October we welcomed back the Courage to Care team to run a trial of their new Upstander Program with a Year 9 class.  

The team of volunteers, including a Holocaust survivor, discussed ways in which young people can make a positive difference in society by countering the dangers of racism, bullying and discrimination.  

The students heard personal stories of resilience and empowerment, and trialled new resources and activities that Courage to Care will use as they roll out their program across the state. 

I thank the team and volunteers from Courage to Care for sharing their programs. And we look forward to welcoming them back next year.

PERCUSSION NIGHT 

Congratulations on a wonderful Percussion Night held last Friday. Many parents and friends came to enjoy the musical offerings of our talented McKinnon percussion students. Our dedicated young musicians worked so hard during the last few months to make this Concert very successful. 

A highlight of the concert were the performances by our senior students Sasha Finn 11D, Michael Du 10D, Daniel Howe 10G and others. In addition, incredible passion and talent was shown by Joshua Golembo 9E, Sabrina Vitiello 9F and all the other students from the East Campus team. 

Thank you to Mr Serebrianik and Mr Golovko for their support of these students.

VCE MUSIC PERFORMANCE NIGHT

Congratulations to the students involved in the 2023 VCE Music performance night. The music works presented were a reflection of their ability to transform notes on a page into melodies that resonated with the audience.

Well done to JJ Braithwaite 10B, Anthony Kostelac 11G, Bella Livne 11I, Arnav Mahajan 10J, Katelyn Nguyen 10L and William Pendlebury 11K. 

Thank you to Ben Browne and all of our dedicated music teachers and mentors who have guided and inspired our students. Their expertise and unwavering support have played a crucial role in shaping the talents of our students. Thank you also to the AV media team once again for their support. 

YEAR 8 BOYS CRICKET

Congratulations to the Year 8 Cricket team for winning the SMR Final last Monday. They defeated Cheltenham Secondary College in game one and then Frankston High in the Final. There were many contributors across the day and thank you to Tanish Singh 8M for leading the team with such style. We look forward to the State Quarter Final on Thursday 16 November.

Thank you to Mr Hoskin for guiding the team to the win!

YEAR 8 BOYS VOLLEYBALL STATE CHAMPIONS

On Wednesday 8 November, the Year 8 Volleyball Boys won the SSV State Final, beating Victoria University Secondary College, 2-1 in the grand final. 

Congratulations to these superstars and good luck in the upcoming Australian Schools Cup competition in December at the Gold Coast. 

Thank you also to Liam Adlington for helping and guiding the team to secure this achievement.

THISTLELONIAN AFTERNOON TEA/ REUNION

On Saturday 28 October we celebrated two very special events. The first was an afternoon tea for the Class of 1973 who were celebrating 50 years since graduating. It was so wonderful to see so many ex-students and to be able to show them our new campus. Special thanks to Mr Martin West and our student saxophone quartet who played so beautifully for our attendees, JJ Braithwaite 10B, Michael Liu 10J, Tonya Mikhaylova 11J and Amelie Villella 10P.

We then celebrated into the evening when we brought together 11 year levels for our Annual Thistlelonian Grand Reunion. There was a fantastic atmosphere, and we truly enjoyed seeing old friends reconnect and reminisce about their days at McKinnon.

The spirit of the McKinnon alumni community makes these events so special. Thank you to the staff, committee and volunteers involved in making the event so memorable.

You can view a few photos here or view all photos via or on our Thistlelonian website.

EXAMS

Exams are underway and are being undertaken with care and determination by our students. I am confident they are well prepared and are doing their best. Remember students should avoid late night study, take regular breaks, eat nutritious foods and carefully review study notes. I encourage students to trust that the work they have done over the year will hold them in good stead.

SCHOOL CAPTAIN STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE

Well done to Kate Nguyen 11J who has been elected as the student representative on the captain selection panel for 2024. 

I trust all panel members will make the best decisions about selections of school captains for 2024. 

PARENT INFORMATION EVENING

All parents and carers are invited to our final parent evening for the year, focusing on the topic of ‘Young People and Drugs: Separating Facts from Fiction’ hosted by 360 Edge.

Date: Thursday 16 November

Time: 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Location: McKinnon Secondary College, East Campus Gym

This 90-minute session promises to provide invaluable insights into understanding and addressing the challenges of drug and alcohol use among young people.

For more information and to confirm your attendance, please RSVP here