Dear Families, Students and Community Members,

Facility Development Update

After a lengthy delay due to soil issues, we can now see significant progress being made with the construction of our multicourt stadium. Structural steel erection, timber framing, external cladding and the commencement of roofing has all been happening over the past fortnight. However, the completion date has now been extended to October/ November instead of September.

School Service Awards

On Friday June 2 in the afternoon we held the Mordialloc College school service awards. This is an annual event to celebrate and recognise staff who have spent a considerable part of their career to date at Mordialloc College. It was a most worthwhile event sponsored by School Council. Thanks to Nicky Hersey, School Council President and Susan Cullen, parent member, for attending to support the event. Last year, in our first year of running, we had twenty-one staff receiving awards for 10, 15 or 20 years of service to Mordialloc College. This year we had four staff. All received a framed certificate, with any staff serving 25 years or more eligible for a small gift. Staff presented include: Penny Trumble, Karen Barker and Sehenaze Peerbux for 10 years service, and Melinda Smith for 25 years!!

Senior School exams

Last week all Year 11 students completed their Semester One exams and begin their Unit 2 studies this week. This week Year 10 students are sitting their exams. On Wednesday, all students studying a VCE unit 3 & 4 sequence sat the GAT (General Achievement Test). Thanks to the senior school team – Jo Greenhalgh, Tim Randell, Rachael Pierce and Joe Shanahan for the organisation and efficient running of these exam weeks.

Homework Guidelines

The College believes that to promote student engagement with their learning, some homework should be set and done regularly under the coordination of the teacher. The work completed at home by a student is a vital and necessary extension of the class lessons to enable them to consolidate and reinforce the work covered during the day. This is best done some hours after the lesson and when the student is alone. Students’ work at home is divided into two categories:

HOME STUDY: students should independently follow-up on class work to ensure that work is understood and relevant facts are committed to memory as a foundation for future learning, and

HOMEWORK: which is a task set by the teacher or the completion of work not finished in class.

Home study should be done each night. Consistent study through the year is essential for success in the senior years and the habit of home study must be set in the middle school years. The student planner (diary) is an important tool for students to plan their work commitment and for parents as a means of communication between teacher and parents.

Time spent in home study will vary with individuals and the following amounts of time are a guide to the time the student should spend on home study and homework most nights of the week.

Homework Hours:

Year 7 - 1 hour

Year 8 - 1 hour

Year 9 - 1.5 hours

Year 10 - 2 hours

Year 11 -2.5 hours

Year 12 - 3 hours

If parents are worried about too much homework or lack of it they should contact the relevant Year Level Coordinator in Years 7-12.

Home-study provides further opportunities for parents to participate in their child’s education by:

Providing suitable conditions for study. Students need a quiet place, with adequate equipment (table, chair) and lighting.
Taking an active interest in the work set. Check the student planner (helping your children to use it systematically to record tasks to be done). Use the student planner as a means of communication between individual teachers and your home.
Taking note of due dates (put them on your house-hold calendar too) and see that the work is actually done.
Getting to know your children’s work habits. Pace of work varies from person to person. Some students work better in the morning, others at night. Make allowances for these individual preferences.
Helping your children to find a suitable balance between the time spent on school work, sport, entertainment, part-time job, household chores and other activities.
Encouraging your household to work co-operatively. Parents and students need to realise each other’s needs and to work together to achieve family ambitions and goals.
Students should be aware of the world around them so they should be encouraged to read widely, including the daily newspapers.

Work Submission Policy

At Mordialloc College we are focused on high expectations in everything we do. We want every student to achieve their highest potential. It is important that every student demonstrates a sense of pride in their academic work. As such, we expect every student to aim for his or her personal best in everything they do, and demonstrate self-respect for and pride in their work. Each student is responsible for completing every task on time and to the best of his or her ability. In line with our emphasis on high expectations, we have a Work Submission Policy for all year levels and I have included a link to this policy here. Directors of Sub-Schools, Year level coordinators and teachers regularly reinforce this with our students, and I ask that you reinforce this at home as well.

Winter Uniform Reminder

I would like to 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. 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.

WINTER: (Terms 2 and 3)

Boys

· Grey school trousers

· Long sleeve white school shirt and school tie

· Green Middle School Jumper (Years 7-9)

· Grey Senior School Jumper (Years 10-12)

· Plain black, grey or white socks

· Polishable black leather, lace up shoes

(not suede or sneakers)

· Black College Blazer OR Black polar fleece jacket and/or vest with school logo

· Black Rain Jacket with school logo (optional)

· Black or bottle green scarf—outside use only

Girls

· “Black Watch” tartan skirt or grey tailored slacks

· Long sleeved white school shirt and school tie.

· Plain bottle green, black or white socks or black tights—NO LEGGINGS

· Polishable black leather, lace up school shoes

· Green Middle School Jumper (Years 7-9)

· Grey Senior School Jumper (Years 10-12)

· Black College Blazer OR Black polar fleece jacket and/or vest with school logo

· Black Rain Jacket with school logo (optional)

· Black or bottle green scarf—outside use only

Michelle Roberts

Principal

VCE and VCAL Parent Information Night