PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

Dear Parents and members of the MESC Community

Dear Parents and community members

I thought I'd share a few frequently asked questions that come our way, regarding education in general and Mount Eliza Secondary College in particular.

Is Mount Eliza Secondary very different from other schools?

In some ways it is not. Most secondary schools have very similar facilities and offer similar programs. They generally accept and work with every student who wishes to attend, and offer extra curricula opportunities to cater for individual student interest and skills.  However, there are aspects of our school which are a genuine point of difference.

In terms of results MESC is consistently one of the top performing government schools.

At MESC whilst setting high expectations for positive behaviours, we are also very much focused on academic and general excellence and success and measure our effectiveness as teachers by considering the learning growth shown by our students. Programs like IDEEA lab are also unique to the college, and are based on our commitment to ensure students have the life skills and general capabilities very much in demand by employers.

Is a larger school a better option?

Interestingly, smaller schools like MESC provide a very similar range of programs and options as the larger schools. The major difference with a smaller school is that students can genuinely be known as individuals. There is also a much greater sense of calm and stability with a smaller school as students understand the values and expectations of the school, and respond positively to the relationship building that can occur between students and staff.

What happens when students behave badly or break school rules?

The approach at MESC is always to work with students to restore damage done through unacceptable behaviour by taking responsibility for the consequences of their actions. Our initial focus is always on restoration - of relationships, of feelings and of property. We expect our students to use the support available to acknowledge their mistakes and accept help to grow personally. When this approach does not work we will consider suspension and on very rare occasions expulsion. A suspension is generally used to send a strong message to our community that certain actions result in a loss of the right to be at school. In resolving conflicts we listen to the views of all parties without prejudice, and do all we can to maintain respect for everyone.

What is the difference between government and private schools?

Apart from the high costs, there is very little difference in terms of the curriculum and opportunities offered. Some private schools have very small class sizes but there is no evidence to suggest that class size has any significant impact on student learning success. Private schools can be less tolerant of students who struggle, and will typically offer more of a 'one size fits all' approach to teaching and learning. Like all schools, private schools have a range of teachers of differing quality and enrol students from families with variable values and expectations.

What can I do to support learning success for my son or daughter?

A great deal! Parents are the major influencers of their children, even though during the teenage years it may not feel this way. Family values and routines play a critical role in forming and reinforcing the attitude to learning that young people bring to school on a daily basis. Having high expectations for your children in terms of completion and quality of work is also important, as is trying to talk to your children about their learning. That is one of the major reasons why we use Compass - it provides parents with key information to use as the basis for these conversations.

As always, your questions and feedback are welcomed at MESC and I encourage you to make contact at any time. Learning success requires a strong home/ school partnership!

Best wishes for a safe and enjoyable term break.

Angela Pollard

Principal