PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

REFLECTIONS, AWARDS and CELEBRATIONS

Welcome to the 2021 school year!

It is with great excitement that I, and all the staff at Mount Eliza Secondary College, welcome you all to what is an energetic and fruitful start to the year. A warm welcome is extended to the newest members of our wonderful MESC community, our Year 7 families and students, whom we had an opportunity to meet on the first day of high school at drop off and later on in Banksia Hall. It was also terrific to catch up with parents at the symbolic popping of (non-alcoholic) champagne as everyone settled in to a morning of meet and greet.

The entire college attended a whole school assembly where expectations of our students as learners was clearly outlined. Everybody has a role to play in 2021, after a very disruptive 2020 – teachers have the responsibility to prepare lessons that are stimulating and engaging and students have the responsibility to display positive learning behaviours of collaboration, enquiry and focus…these goals are real and need to be visible every day!

Part of the goal for 2021 is to support students with their learning growth as per our Annual Implementation Plan of ‘Student learning, catch up and extension’.

With funding from the Department of Education, the Tutor Learning Initiative (TLI) will commence shortly to support students who require learning assistance and the Middle Years Literacy and Numeracy program (MYLNS) will also build the literacy and numeracy skills of students who are at risk of falling below standard. Parents will be notified should their children be selected for these programs. Our High Ability programs have begun in earnest and students are eager and enthusiastic for opportunities to enrich their school experience…..’Happy…Smart…Prepared’

Staffing in 2021:

We welcome the following new staff to the College and wish them all the best as they start their journey at MESC:

Ms Bianca Bajkiewicz – Visual Arts
Ms Samantha Blair – Steiner/Science
Mr Jie Cai – Maths
Ms Chloe Li – Biology/Science
Ms Avis McInnes – Indonesian/English
Mr Ryan Sewart – Maths
Ms Divya Singh – English
Mr Lachlan Williams – Business Management
Ms Sarah Hayes – Performing Arts
Ms Anke Jankuloski – Integration
Mr Ewan Little – Integration
Ms Angela Morrow – Food Tech Assistant
Ms Sunita Singh – Maths

And…returning from leave:

Mrs Ashleigh Bell – Leadership – Senior School

Mr Robert Benson – Physics/Maths

Mrs Brooke Davies – Year 7 Leader – Food/PE

Travelling to and from school, safety and staff carpark:

We are in a very busy precinct, with bus drop offs, college frontage getting very congested, notwithstanding a heavy degree of pedestrian foot traffic as well. As such, we respectfully request two things:

For students, please walk your bikes as you are approaching the College, a local primary school and indeed, a pedestrian crossing

For parents, please avoid using the staff carpark and to avoid congestion, please arrange to meet your son/daughter further down the road, or a side street nearby. These measures, if actioned properly, will keep everyone safe. The school crossing is always staffed and to be used in accordance with council rules and expectations

Tours

School tours are currently operating in Covid safe conditions – booking details are available on our website or you can email or contact the General Office directly. If your friends are currently looking at secondary colleges for 2022 and beyond, we await their contact with us.

Please contact Mrs Heather Hiam on hhiam@mesc.vic.edu.au or Mrs Elise McNeil emcneil@mesc.vic.edu.au to make a booking for a tour, or call 9787 6288 to confirm your place on one of the school tours.

Masks

Can I please reinforce the urgency of all our students arriving at school with a mask – the College emergency supply has now whittled away to low numbers and we hope that this request is heeded because, as of Wednesday, 17th of February, stock will be reserved for urgent requests only.

As the authorities are grappling to contain the latest outbreak, washing hands regularly, coughing and sneezing into elbows and getting tested if there are any signs of illness helps us, and the community around us, stay well. At the same time, being aware of the latest information about the virus and responding swiftly to decisions made by the Chief Health Officer and announced by the Victorian Government and the Department of Education ensures that we maintain the healthy and safe environment we have created. Thank you to all parents and students who have responded so well and have provided masks for their son/daughter.

James Barut

Acting Principal