Principal's Report
Presentation Night 28 November – Celebrating Success
Our exemplary 2017 Captains, Ashleigh Hammond, Courtney McKenzie and Nell Crosset lead the Presentation Night proceedings on a warm Tuesday night with professionalism and care. Their welcome to 2018 Captains Isabelle Carney, Ky Luong and Claudia Junge, speeches and acknowledgment of award winners illustrates that the future is in safe hands. Our 2018 Captains are excellent role models and leaders for all students with their diverse passions in the arts, Student Representative Council, rowing, sport and the life of the college overall.
Thank you to all who contributed to the success of the 2017 Presentation Night. The evening was a celebration of the learning, personal best, creativity, sporting achievements and engagement of our students. We celebrated our award winners and our quiet achievers. The girls who may not have received an award but who know they have given their very best throughout the year.
Thank you to all of our staff who contributed on the night, but more importantly for their contributions every day teaching the girls, building confidence and wellbeing.
The 28th November also saw the Exhibition of work by our Year 9 and 10 Design Technology students. The work displayed from Jewelry, Interior, Fashion, Textile and Costume Designers was inspiring. Many thanks to Jo Jepsen, Hazel Etheridge, Carol Busetti and Oliver Hull for the outstanding quality and display of the girls’ work. Thank you to Jo Jepsen our Technology expert and leader.
Early 2017 VCE Success!
The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) have shortlisted Ashleigh Hammond and Lillianne Lords’ films for their annual celebration of the very best VCE films, “Top Screen”. We wish the girls every success to make the final cut. To make the short list in itself is a great achievement. Thank you to Roger Dunscombe our Year 12 Media expert and teacher.
Congratulations to Jo Jepsen who has four students shortlisted for VCE Top Designs! Well done to Sarah Betts, Emma Croker, Lilly Oshlack and Meshi Seymour-Pessah. We wish our students every success for the next two stages of selection for the Top Designs exhibition.
Further Student Success
Congratulations to Casey Trinh of Year 7 who won an Endeavour Award for her Peace poster in a competition held by the Lions Club. Casey is an excellent student who deserves every success.
Swinburne University held a Lego league competition on Sunday 19th November. The girls exceeded their expectations for success with their robotic programing and project designs. Enormous thanks to Wendy and Tony Keen, Catherine Walkear, Lisa Cardamone, Emily Shaw and Sarah Lerpeniere for devoting their Sunday to this excellent STEAM initiative.
Health and Wellbeing of Young People
On Tuesday Federal Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, released new national guidelines on physical activity, sedentary time and sleep for children. The Guidelines recommend limiting sedentary screen time as recent studies have shown that Australian children are spending 20% of their time using screens during the week and 30% on weekends. The University of Wollongong early childhood expert, Professor Tony Okely, led the project to update the guidelines for the Department of Health. Sleep plays an essential role in adolescent growth and development. Professor Okely pointed to the issue of children using screens before sleep, highlighting research that shows screen time in the bedroom can impact sleep duration as well as quality. Excessive screen time has been shown to lead to structural and functional changes to the brain’s emotional, processing, executive attention, decision making and cognitive control. Screens are a part of our working and recreational life but setting boundaries, especially around sleep is essential for overall health outcomes.
Thank you to our students, parents and staff for your ongoing support to ensure MGC is a centre of personal best in learning and wellbeing for every person in our community.
Kind regards,
Karen Money
Principal