From the Principal
Hello everyone,
I hope you have had a wonderful week.
Today I would like to invite you to two events.
The first one is a parent information session with Kirsty Lush from Real Schools. Mornington Secondary College has formed a partnership with Real Schools to assist with building a Restorative School community. Our positive culture has been built using the philosophy of Real Schools, and affective statements when managing behaviours.
Please click on the link to hear Kirsty Lush https://youtu.be/1U89yAU3wI4
The session begins at 5pm, Tuesday 4th April in the Conference room. Please join us to learn more about restorative practices.
For catering purposes please contact Ashlie Porteous at the General Office prior to Monday 3rd April.
The second event is our annual ANZAC day march.
Mornington Secondary College staff and students march up Main St, Mornington every ANZAC day.
Students must be in complete school uniform. This year, we would like to invite you to march with us. We will assemble outside the Mornington Police station at 9am, Tuesday 25th April.
You are also welcome to join our whole school community at the College on Monday24th April at 11.30 for our annual ANZAC day service. Our College Captains organise the service and each year our invited guests are extremely impressed.
Please contact Ashlie Porteous at the General Office prior to Wednesday 5th April, if you would like to attend.
I hope your Parent/Teacher interviews are going well.
Wishing you a lovely weekend.
Linda Stanton
Principal
Important Dates
March
30/03/23 | Parent/Teacher Interviews - Online
April
06/04/23 | Last day of Term 1- Finish 2.30pm
24/04/23 | First day of Term 2 - ANZAC Day Commemoration Service
25/04/23 | ANZAC Day Public Holiday
Middle School
Dear Parents and Guardians,
As I write this, many of you are participating in the parent teacher interview conversations. Personally, I find it a really uplifting experience to be able to discuss with you the best way to support your child to do their best at school. It is a good opportunity to look at your child’s learning strengths and areas for growth.
We have primary school visits taking place throughout the year and this week we will see grade 5 students from Benton’s Junior College and Mornington Park Primary and next week, we have students from Mornington Primary visiting.
Our Year 8 campers have recovered from their action-packed experience at Philip Island camp last week. Ms Rattue said it was so good, that no-one wanted it to end.
As it is the last week of term next week, there will be assemblies and celebrations for all year levels. The Easter raffle for each year level will be drawn at the whole school assembly.
Term 2 commences on the Monday 24 April and ANZAC Day is a public holiday on Tuesday 25 April.
Wishing you a wonderful week.
Denise Leggett
Middle School Assistant Principal
Senior School
Senior School Update week 10
Just 3 sleeps to go until the end of daylight savings, which might make it easier to get up in the mornings. As senior school students approach the end of term, it is an excellent time to reflect on their growth during 2023 and to think about their short- and long-term futures. Term 2 will see students explore their future pathways. The activities students participate in will inform the official course counselling process in early term 3. I want families to be aware that the learning behaviours (attendance, classroom behaviour, being a positive Mornington SC role model, ability to work independently and in groups) student demonstrate in terms 1 & 2 may impact on their access to certain pathways. Our coveted VCE Vocational Major (VM) pathway will be application & interview based for 2024 and given the complexity of juggling 3 different learning environments, only students who have demonstrated a strong capacity to self-manage, are always respectful to everyone, and who have demonstrated help-seeking behaviours, will be considered for the VCE VM program. In preparation for term 2, it is important for all Mornington Senior students to finish term 1 strongly.
Year 10 highlights and focus - The attendance awards for March will be run next week and we look forward to acknowledging our students with high rates of attendance. The next focus for Year 10s will be looking to achieve personal bests across all subjects so they have a solid understanding of where their strengths lie before course counselling starts.
Year 11 highlights and focus - Most of the VCE ATAR cohort had a Maths SAC this week and have now completed school based assessments in all of their studies. The object now is to use the results as a base and strive for continued growth. Developing effective in school routines and out of school study habits is an essential part of Year 11. Our VCE VM students should be working hard to meet all outcomes across their literacy, numeracy, personal development and work-related skills subjects. All VCE VM students should be taking part in structured workplace learning or be finalising their placements. Mandated supports will be put in place from next term to assist students those who haven't obtained a work placement. These supports will take place at school on the day that students have allocated for their work placement. Work placements are an important part of VCE VM at Mornington
Year 12 highlights and focus - Halfway through Unit 3 and we are seeing our students settling into their studies. Special provisions have been completed for those Year 12s who have applied, and we await VCAA's response. Any changes to current provisions will be emailed to parents and staff.
VCE ATAR students are reminded to ensure they are completing their study at home. VCAA recommends three hours a day of additional study outside class time. Mornington Secondary College schedules four, one hour tutorial sessions a week, so if used well, these can count as study time. We also run after school study sessions on Wednesday, with VCE teachers in attendance and students are welcome to study after school every day of the week if this assists them. Students have had study techniques shared with them to assist. This can be found in Microsoft Teams. We encourage students to study smart and not burn themselves out with ineffective techniques. Every student is different, we have provided a multitude of different strategies to assist, including study timetables to help balance study, work and social commitments.
Attendance continues to be a focus for our Vocational Major and VET students. Please ensure that your child is at school and when off site at VET, for the whole day. This is essential to meet the requirements for the program. Any work missed at school must be caught up at home.
Nick Evans
Senior School Assistant Principal
Western Desert Indigenous Women
Wednesday 22nd March the Year 7 and Year 12 students were extremely lucky to attend an incursion presented by a group of six Western Desert Indigenous women. Some of the women live in such a remote part of Western Australia that it took three days travel, by car, to reach Perth airport.
The women presented a slide show of how they each manage and care for the land. The women who are rangers, from several different areas in Western Australia, look after "Women Sacred Sites" along with caring for the environment via re planting and controlled burn offs. The rangers also care for Indigenous wildlife in the outback including a program of translocation, making sure that our endangered animals do not become extinct in other states of Australia.
All of the women who visited today are Western Desert rangers, and as part of this program have the opportunity to continually learn different skills that will help them in the outback, for example 4WD driving, first aid and land management. The women also spend time educating children and young adults through school visits in their communities.
Our students were very interested and had many questions. It was a rare opportunity for our students to be able to meet and hear about the Indigenous women of Australia and learn all that they do for our land and animals.
The women were visiting as part of a pilot leadership program to develop their leadership, confidence, and public speaking abilities with the aim of strengthening the voice of indigenous women and Indigenous rangers throughout Australia. The Thin Green Line and Indigenous Desert Alliance offer a sincere thanks to the school for helping the women on this journey.
Being able to participate in this pilot project was incredibly empowering for this group of women. It’s easy to see how their involvement in this project will have a huge impact on their capacity as leaders, both professionally and within their communities back home. Creating pathways between communities and rangers is crucial for the success of conservation efforts, and programs like this are the future of conservation and community development. It is hoped that with enough funding and support it can be run on an annual basis.
The women later presented in front of the Lord Mayor of Melbourne and other dignitaries at Federation Square, where they spoke fondly and proudly of their visit to Mornington Secondary College.
We are very grateful that these women visited Mornington Secondary College and thank Kylie Wiersma for organising the event.
7E Marble Run Challenge
The challenge was for each learning team to design and construct a marble run using the provided materials, the winning team would have the slowest moving marble.
We had two teams taking equal first place with 13 seconds.
Melbourne Now Exhibition - Ian Potter Centre (Federation Square)
Year 11 Art Making and Exhibiting students visited the Melbourne Now Exhibition held at Ian Potter Centre at Federation Square as an introduction to Australian artists.
The exhibition is held to celebrate local art and design, including fashion, jewellery, painting, sculpture, architecture, ceramics, print making, publishing and more.
Our students were treated to a tour and lecture. They were extremely lucky to have one of the Indigenous artist show their artwork and answer any questions.
Year 12 History Excursion
On Tuesday 21st of March, the Year 12 History (Revolutions) class, accompanied by their teacher Rasita Ramsaran and Coordinator Victoria Milner, took a trip to the National Gallery of Victoria to strengthen their knowledge of the French Revolution, our Unit 3 area of study. Our day began with a scenic walk from Flinders St Station to the NGV. Our students exuded school pride as they confidently strolled the streets of Melbourne’s CBD wearing their Year 12 jackets.
We were met by an education guide for our scheduled program called ‘Bonjour France’ where students were invited into several galleries exhibiting art dating back to the late Middle Ages to the 18th Century. Students were introduced to art concepts of impressionism and surrealism and educated on the origins of these concepts and its emergence in the mid to late 19th Century France. Our students were initially shy to engage in discussion, but once they saw the 18th Century French art, their confidence emerged as hands were raised to answer questions and readily flaunt their knowledge of this period.
Thereafter, our impeccably behaved Year 12 History cohort explored the three-level galleries independently, using this time to appreciate historical art in its raw form and selecting a piece of 18th century artwork ready to share in class the following day.
Thoroughly exhausted from our gallery tour, students were dismissed for a leisurely lunch where some dined on dumplings and honey chicken while others opted for more familiar cuisines, such as McDonald’s.
Following lunch, we explored the State Library, soaking in the scholarly ambience that culminated from tertiary level students who were engrossed in their studies. Despite running short of time, our knowledge-thirsty students were in awe of the State Library and expressed keenness for a second trip.
Overall, the day concluded without any complications or emergencies. We returned to Frankston Station in time for students to catch a bus or to be picked up. Victoria Milner and Rasita Ramsaran are proud to endorse our Year 12 History cohort’s impeccable behaviour, immaculate uniform, and their eagerness to learn more about 18th Century French art.
Thank you for reading all about our history/art adventures!
Rasita Ramsaran and Victoria Milner.
Southern Metropolitan Region Swimming Championships 2023
On Monday 27th March 14, students represented the school at the Southern Metropolitan Swimming Championships which were held at the Harold Holt Swimming Pool in Glen Iris. All members of our swimming team represented the school with distinction, and we had many highlights throughout the day.
Cian Andrews had a massive schedule of events throughout the day and performed admirably demonstrating what a versatile and talented swimmer he is. Cian placed third in the 16-20 boys 200m freestyle, 4th in the 16 years boy’s breaststroke, 3rd in the 16 years boys 50m freestyle, 3rd in the 16 years boys 50m backstroke and second in the grueling 16-20 Years boy’s individual medley!
Rebecca Smith also had a massive day at the pool winning both the girls 18-20 years 50m butterfly and 50m freestyle events. Rebecca also won a silver medal in the 18-20 years girls 50m backstroke and third in the girl’s 16-20 years individual medley. As the gold medalist in two events Rebecca will represent the school at the State Swimming Championships to be held at Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre on Friday 28th April.
We also had Jimmy Tiller placing 2nd in the 14 Years boys 50m breaststroke, Will Griffiths placing 5th in the 14 years boys 50m butterfly, Maddy Munday placing 4th in the 17 years girls 50m breaststroke and the 16-20 years girls 100m freestyle. Sean McKenzie placed 5th in the 17 years boys 50m breaststroke and 4th in the 12-20 years boys 100m backstroke, Heath Tiller placed 4th in the 12-20 years 100m freestyle. Our 12-14 years boys medley relay team consisting of Heath Tiller, Jimmy Tiller, Will Griffiths and Bailey Barrett have placed just outside the medals in 4th place.
After a little confusion at the marshalling area our 15-16 years boys medley relay team consisting of Ryan Sleep, Fletcher Cook, Xavier Brown and Cian Andrews missed their event. Lady luck did shine down on the team as they were able to swim two races later in the 17-20 years medley relay placing 5th. The last race of the day was the 18-20 years boys freestyle relay where we were represented by Cian Andrews, Nathan Turco, Xavier Brown and Mat Mingkhwan who placed a valiant 6th.
The team was an absolute pleasure to take to the SMR swimming championships and they should be congratulated for their team spirit and commitment to representing the school in exemplary fashion.
Our school grand aggregate team score was 111 point which placed us 10th out of 46 schools competing at the SMR Swimming Championships. Good luck to Rebecca Smith in the state finals!
John Walker
College Sports Coordinator
Clubs at Mornington Secondary College
Breakfast Club
Monday, Wednesday and Friday - 8am to 8.45am
A huge thank you to The Lions Club - Mornington.
The Lions Club donate not only their time of a morning, but have also donated a dishwasher to the Breakfast Club along with a monetary donation of $600.
This will be a great help.
Art Club
Lunchtime - M8 - Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
Come and draw, paint, sculpt, catch up on homework or just relax.
Ceramics Club
Lunchtime - M7 - Thursday and Friday.
Chess Club
Lunchtime - LC3 (Egg) - Years 7-9 Wednesdays - Years 10-12 Friday.
Fit Club
Lunchtime - Monday, Wednesday and Friday
Students need complete an expression of interest form available from Mr Doherty - Year 8 Coordinator office.
Games Club
Lunchtime - Learning Centre - Tuesday - Year 7 students
Mathematics Support
Lunchtime - Learning Centre - Year 7-10 and VM - Thursday
Students can come with their homework, or any questions that they have with class work.
From Term 2 - Languages Movie Club in MX1 Monday lunchtimes.
Lunchtime - MX1 - Monday
First movie: Pippi Longstocking in German over 2 weeks.
Das Doppelte Lottchen over 2 weeks
Japanese Ghibli movie over 2 weeks
Rainbow Club
Lunchtime - LC3 - Monday
Mornington Lions Annual Charity Book Fair
15th and 16th APRIL 2023
Saturday and Sunday 9am to 5pm
@"The Studio"
Cnr. Nepean Hwy and Wilsons Rd, MORNINGTON
Entry - Gold Coin Donation.
All proceeds raised to support the community.
Books $2.00
Donations contact Aileen M: 0413 507 000
The Mornington Peninsula L2P Learner Driver Program
The Mornington Peninsula L2P Learner Driver program, funded by TAC, currently has vacancies available for young people, particularly in the Westernport and Southern Peninsula areas, who may need some assistance in getting their driving hours up to enable them to get their driver’s licence.
The Learner Drivers are assessed as to suitability but would usually not have access to a supervising driver or an appropriate vehicle to enable them to gain the required driving experience. They must have a Learner’s Permit, and be between the ages of 16 and 21. These young people will be provided with a fully licensed, trained mentor to take them driving in Shire-provided cars.
For further information contact Clare McLeary at clare.mcleary@mornpen.vic.gov.au or visit the Shire website here: TAC L2P Program - Mornington Peninsula Shire (mornpen.vic.gov.au).
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