Principal's Update

Dear Families, Students and Community Members,

Welcome to the 2023 school year and a special welcome our Year 7 students and any new students at other year levels who either joined us during Headstart towards the end of last year or are joining us this year for the first time. I hope everyone had an enjoyable holiday break with family and friends and I look forward to a positive and productive year ahead.

This year we have 218 Year 7 students starting with us, which will make a Middle School of 658 students and, with 242 students moving into Year 10 from Year 9, we now have a Senior School of 576 students and our total school enrolment of 1234 students. We had to knock back 40 out of zone applications for Year 7 for 2023 as we have reached our enrolment capacity.

We look forward to all students taking a positive attitude into 2023, staying focused on achieving their personal best and always striving to improve. I am proud to be the Principal of Mordialloc College and I hope that everyone is proud to be a part of the Mordialloc College community. I am looking forward to the year ahead and hope that all students make the most of the opportunities and challenges that are presented to them.

I hope you have had the opportunity to read the letter I emailed via Compass to all parents on Monday regarding our expectations for the year for creating an orderly environment focused on learning and a supportive school community underpinned by respectful relationships, where all students can experience success.

Excellent Year 12 Results and DUX 2022

I am pleased to report that Mordialloc College students in 2022 achieved an excellent success rate in completing their VCE studies.

Some of the highlights include:

14 students achieved an ATAR in the 90s (12.5%) of the cohort, 20 students in the 80s which is 17.9% of the cohort, (30.4% of the cohort above 80) and 22 students scoring in the 70s which is 19.6% of cohort, and 50% of cohort above 70. Thus, 50% of our cohort were in the top 30% of the State!
A median study score of 30
82.7% of our cohort applied for a tertiary placement with 100% being successful

This is a truly outstanding set of results and a credit to all staff and students who have all worked so hard to achieve so much, not only last year but over the course of the six-year journey for these students.

In addition, congratulations to all our Year 12 VCAL students for completing all course requirements and receiving offers to complete diplomas, traineeships and apprenticeships.

All of our Year 12 students can all be very proud of their achievements.

Special mention must go to our very high achievers who scored in the 90s. I was able to contact 13 out of the 14, so cannot mention one student without their permission.

Congratulations first to our DUX for 2022, Aaliyah Zaph achieving an ATAR of 99.45, an absolutely sensational result. Aaliyah is in the top 1% of the state. Aaliyah also scored a perfect score of 50 for Health and Human Development. She plans to study a Bachelor of Fine Arts at Melbourne University.

I would also like to congratulate the following students:

In the top 3% of the state: Tristan Cox for achieving an ATAR of 97.3 - he plans to study Neuroscience at Melbourne University; Max Telfer achieved an ATAR of 97.25 - he plans to study Computer Science at Monash University; and Tim Whitford for achieving an ATAR of 97.05 - he plans to study Science at Monash University.

In the top 4% of the state: Jade Goodman achieved an ATAR of 96.1 and she plans to study Science at Melbourne University.

In the top 5% of the state: Tamsyn Russell achieved an ATAR of 95.55 and plans to study Commerce/Science at Monash University.

In the top 7% of the state: Tom Krivacevic achieved an ATAR of 93.35; Lachlan Tomlinson achieved an ATAR of 93.35 and plans to study Commerce at Monash University; Beth Rowland achieved an ATAR of 93.3, Indiana Tsiros an ATAR of 93.25 and plans to study Arts at Monash University, India Thomas achieved an ATAR of 93.25 and plans to study Journalism or Psychology.

Jeneya Tran achieved an ATAR of 92.95, in the top 8% of the state, and plans to study Law at Monash University; and Emma Schultz scored an ATAR of 90.1, in the top 10% of the state.

On a subject level we achieved some excellent results far exceeding the state average. This includes for English, Biology, Business Management, Product Design, Food Studies, Japanese, Physics, Visual Communication and Studio Arts.

While we celebrate individual student success stories, it is important to remind everyone that your final ATAR score does not define you as a person. In the end it is a rank for tertiary admission. It won’t necessarily determine where you will go in the future or how happy you will be. All students should feel proud of their efforts and be satisfied they have given their personal best.

Positive Start

We have had a smooth first week to date, with Year 7 and 12 students commencing on Tuesday to undertake a special program for those year levels; our Year 8-11 students except for Year 11 VM resumed on Wednesday, with Year 11 VM to start on Thursday.

The first day for our Year 7 students involved rotations between ICT set up, developing their class codes of cooperation aligned to our four core values, relational activities to get to know their new classmates and home group teacher, locker allocation and getting organised e.g. how to set up all their exercise books for their various subjects, starting to look at their first project for the year, Me in the LC, and the last lesson for the day was a Sport class.

Our Year 12 students spent their first day hearing from some of our high achievers from last year, rotating through some activities including Turning the dream into a reality – focused on goal setting, study timetables and time management/organisation, relational activities and writing a letter to their future self that they will get back at the end of the year. This was facilitated by our senior teachers and leaders. Students also had their locker allocated and an introduction by Mr Randell around our expectations of our senior students and the use of the Senior School Centre.

At the start of the day, it was fantastic to welcome back some of our high achievers from Year 12 last year who participated in a panel lead by Mr Randell to share their strategies for achieving their personal best with the current cohort of Year 12s. Some of the questions covered included: How important are your peers in Year 12? How important are your teachers in Year 12? How important are connections with other people when you are in Year 12? What are the most important study tips you can give to this year’s Year 12s? What is the most important piece of advice you would give to Year 12 students about having a balanced life?

Some of their advice included: regular completion of practice exam questions and getting feedback from your teachers, taking on feedback and re-writing answers or paragraphs for improvement, making use of the former students who come in to tutor onsite afterschool (this is free for students with the College paying the tutors), privilege time on the work you find most challenging not what you find easy, take regular breaks, focused study on what matters most, utilise your study periods and before and after school time in the senior study centre well, don’t let one disappointing SAC mark get you down, set goals for your pathway beyond school, take the time to build a strong relationship with your teachers and make the most of the support offered by teachers in and out of class time, talking to parents about what you are learning, little and often (don’t need to write an essay every time for feedback) instead regular submission of paragraphs for English to get feedback, take time out to enjoy the activities you like to do, you can lead a balanced life of schoolwork/study, work and sport or social activities.

Ultimately there is no substitute for effort in Year 12. Students need to be prepared to work to their Personal Best consistently over the year to achieve their goals. You get back what you are prepared to put in. Utilise the support of our fantastic Year 12 teachers and Senior Coordinator team, support each other through the highs and lows, stay positive, make the most of all opportunities presented and, of course, enjoy the final year together of secondary school.

Thanks to our students from last year - Aaliyah Zaph, Indiana Tsiros, India Thomas, Jeneya Tran, Aston Hewet and Alessia Gantos - for giving up their time to take part. We look forward to seeing them return, along with some other students from 2022, throughout the year to act as tutors to support our senior students.

Thanks to our Year 7 Coordinators, Jo Hannan and Daniel Mayadas, and Director of Senior School, Susan Cochrane, and Year 12 Coordinator Tim Randell for their organisation of these programs and to the staff involved in leading the sessions for the day.

Building Program Update

We are getting very close to a handover of our new basketball/netball outside courts. This was scheduled for 10/2, however there is now a one week delay due to availability of one of the contractors and therefore the handover is now on 17/2. Students will have access to the new courts from Monday 20 February.

Student Pick Up and Drop Off

Please be aware we don’t have enough car parks for parents to enter the school grounds by car. This includes the car park out the front of the main building and the very small carpark near the current Year 7 centre (near the railway line). Please arrange to collect your child offsite. A popular pick-up spot is the carpark off Governor Road, with students exiting the school near the Discovery Centre and crossing the creek via the bridge just outside our school that runs into this carpark.

Welcome to new and returning staff

We have several new staff starting with us this year:

Kerry Archer - Biology/Science
Quinn Daly - Art/Visual Comm
Kellie Goebel – VCE Psychology/English
Hayley Gregory - Middle School English & Hums
Allan Thompson – Senior Maths/Physics
Jasmine Vermeer- English/Hums
Melanie Wong – Senior English
Miranda Wilson – VCE Geography/Hums
Anna Davey – VCE Legal, History, Hums
Belinda Wilson - Daily Organiser & Timetabler
Brigitte Podessor - Language Centre Coordinator and EAL teacher
Megan Champ - returning from Family leave 0.6 French / Hums
Kathy Papas – Senior Maths
Nick Elmes- Maths/Science and numeracy tutor
Jo Langhorne - Careers and VASS 0.6
Cameron MacLeod - Bayside Region appointment Careers and Pathways - Headstart Employment Engagement Facilitator
Sonia McAllister - starts 13/2 teaching Year 8 and 9 English and Humanities
The following staff started during Term 4 or in Headstart: Kate Denman- Accounting/Business Management/Humanities; Rachael Stone - Assistant Principal; Ann Gauld - Food Technology; Maria Antoniou – Learning Specialist - Director of Numeracy Improvement and Maths LAL; Susan Cochrane - Leading Teacher - Director of Senior School and VM Coordinator; Helen Liapis 0.6 – Mathematics and numeracy tutor; Cheryl Lim - Mathematics; Nathalie Foos 0.7 - French and Sarah Robinson returned from family leave 0.6
As mentioned in my letter on Monday, we congratulate our Assistant Principal Marina Walsh for being appointed as Acting Principal of Kyabram P-12 for 2023 and wish her every success in this role. Simon Cummins has been appointed as Acting Assistant Principal for 2023 and we are working through the recruitment process to employ a Food teacher to take over Simon’s teaching load (Alex Douch, one of our well-known casual relief teachers, will be covering these classes until an appointment is made). We are also working through the selection process for a Youth Worker to replace Kristin Whitman, who was successful in getting a position much closer to her home at the end of the year and also a new ES position - Senior School Assistant.

Introducing the College Leadership Team

Please don’t hesitate to contact us here at the College if you need to speak to someone.

Principal – Michelle Roberts
Assistant Principal – Rachael Stone (oversees Teaching and Learning)
Assistant Principal - Tracey Bastin (oversees Senior School)
Acting Assistant Principal – Simon Cummins (oversees Middle School)
Director of Senior School Years 10-12 – Susan Cochrane
Director of Middle School (includes 6-7 transition) Years 7 - 9 – Brendan McFarland
Director of STEM / eLearning and Data Analytics – Simon Belluzzo
Director of Numeracy Improvement Years 7-12 (includes Maths LA leader) – Maria Antoniou
Director of Literacy Improvement Years 7-12 (includes English LA leader) – Jamie Towsey
Learning Specialist – Instructional Coach – Teaching and Learning Year 7 & 8, Co-teaching and coach to new staff and PLCs – Bryony Lowe
Learning Specialist – Instructional Coach – Teaching and Learning 9 & 10, coach to new staff and PLCs (includes MEX, I&E, Pathways and Study Skills) – Aaron Davis
Learning Specialist – Instructional Coach - VCE Achievement, Teaching and Learning 11 & 12, coach to new staff, PLCs, and small groups of VCE teachers – Sally Mitchell
Director of Student Engagement (includes House system, Student Voice, Agency and Leadership, and My Mentor programs) – Simon Cummins
Director of Wellbeing and Counselling Services – Di Douglas
Business Manager – Yvonne Aird

Introducing the Year Level Coordinators

Senior School – Tim Randell Yr 12; Alex Brown Yr 11; Georgia Davey Yr 10 and Bella Barker Assistant Yr 10 Coordinator
Middle School – Mick Haber Yr 9 and Blake Murray Assistant Yr 9 Coordinator; Andrew Potter Yr 8 Coordinator and Claire Bruce Assistant Yr 8 Coordinator; Jo Hannan and Daniel Mayadas Yr 7 Coordinators
Vocational Major (VM) Coordinator – Susan Cochrane
International Students – Brigitte Podessor

Introducing the Learning Area Leaders

Maths – Maria Antoniou
English – Jamie Towsey
Humanities – Kate Duggan
Science – Maria Bitzios
Health/PE – Matina Rodrigues
The Arts/Technology – Kathryn Bevan
LOTE – Miku Nonaka
EAL – Brigitte Podessor
VM – Susan Cochrane

Uniform and Jewellery

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 like to congratulate the majority of students who have started off the year in a positive way in the wearing of the correct College uniform and I thank all parents for your support with this. A reminder that all students should be wearing polishable black leather lace up school shoes with a heel, not suede or sneakers. Socks should be plain white or grey with NO logos.

For PE and Sport, a reminder that students are required to be sunsmart and wear a broad brimmed or bucket hat when participating in outdoor activities.

All students must also be using the official Mordialloc College green school bag available from Dobsons.

A reminder of the rules outlined in the College uniform policy regarding jewellery. Jewellery is not to be worn apart from a wristwatch and a plain stud or sleeper for students with pierced ears. Piercing of other body parts must not be visible.

College Council Elections

College Council elections are approaching. Further information will be in the newsletter next week and nominations forms available from Reception. Please give some thought to contributing to the College by participating in College Council – there are generally two evening meetings per term, and it can be very rewarding. College Council decides, to a large extent, the policies and direction the College takes and is therefore a most important part of the College community.

Michelle Roberts

Principal