EMC Community Connection

Principal Introduction

Dear parents, carers and students, 

 

Term 2 has been a wonderful reflection of the depth and breadth of opportunities on offer at EMC. With our community given the opportunity to engage in;

  • Central Australia Camp
  • Tasmania Camp
  • Careers expo and supermarket and Expo
  • Course Counselling
  • Leadership programs
  • Sporting competitions
  • College production rehearsal – Legally Blonde
  • PAC Showcase
  • VCE drama performances
  • Supporting community stakeholders
  • Community projects run by the VCE Vocational Major Students
  • Guest speakers and presenters
  • Resilience project, Blurred Minds Proactive policing unit, Flourish Girl, man Cave
  • Access Monash events for senior school students
  • Implementation of the GAT
  • Reconciliation Week
  • IDAHOBIT day
  • One Love antiracism training and activities

This work is going to grow in Term 3 as students start developing new ideas and activities including an EMC Podcast and a senior school debating program, it is an exciting time as student start planning events and activities for other students.  Most importantly these opportunities are fundamental in assisting our college community to see our values in action. We are a very proud community and our performances across a broad range of activities demonstrate our pride and reinforce our success. 

 

At Elisabeth Murdoch College we are striving to build values-based education moments into everything that we do. It is just as important to build a positive and strong character in every student as it is to experience success academically. It is important that as a community we continue to support our students to not only know our values and what they mean but live these values through their behaviour and actions every day. Our new College values were generated by the community for the community.

  • Respect – Act as you would like to be treated
  • Empowerment – Brave enough to play your part
  • Aspiration – Try your best
  • Courage – Step outside of your comfort zone
  • Honesty - Do what is right

As a school community we have spent some time focusing on the value of Respect. I will often speak to students about having Respect for yourself, Respect for others and Respect for our environment. If we really want to succeed, if we want to be excellent in what we do, it starts with everyone developing the attributes that underpin a positive character, ensuring that our students your children, understand what respect is, and cultivating respectful relationships across our entire community. I am not too sure how each person defines respect, however at our College it is making sure that you act like you would like to be treated by seeking to first understand, then to consider and finally to act in a way that shows care, understanding and kindness.  

Exiting from the pandemic we have seen / witnessed and experienced moments where people were committed to understanding different perspectives and this has led to a profound positive impact on the College and the outcomes for young people in our care. Clearly demonstrating the power of respect and empowerment. 

 

For many adults respect is often found in the use of manners and being polite. Many will speak of having strong morals and instilling these in the next generation, how we present and how we engage with others is a reflection of our character and is guided by our understanding of what is right and wrong and often reflected in our use of manners. In an ever-increasing world where young people are connected through social media, the skills of engagement and respect can be underdeveloped if we don’t purposefully engage our young people in the building of the respectful muscle. 

As adults we have a responsibility to teach respect, and as a community we must work together to ensure that every child understands their role and responsibilities and through development of activities and discussion about respectful behaviours we can create a kind, caring and successful community of learners. 

 

I recently had the opportunity to discuss the idea of legacy with a small group of students. Highlighting the idea, that the students that have gone before them have created the school that now exists, it has been their commitment to building a respectful community, to build outstanding learning environments, and outstanding relationships that has in turn created aspirations in our current students around pathway success and career success. This legacy is to be respected and students current and future should be working hard to further build on these successes and make sure that our community is given the best opportunities for success. Reiterating that our success is built on a culture of respect for self, others and our environment. I believe that we all have a need to be accepted, respected and a need to belong, how we respect each other plays a significant role in acceptance and belonging.

 

“The principle here is that a new generation owes a measure of thanks to every member of the previous generation. Our elders planted fields and fought in wars; they advanced the arts and sciences, and generally made sacrifices on our behalf. So by their efforts, however humble, they have earned a measure of our gratitude and respect.”

 

This week we welcomed back four Alumni (past students) who spoke to the students from the THRIVE network of School on leadership and shared their pathway to success. The Alumni were so incredibly proud of their schooling and the skills and attributes that have brought them success. 

  • Tom Schaede-Director of Coastal Cladding
  • Brittny Kirkman-Bachelor of Nursing specialising in anaesthetic nursing
  • Holly Walker-Bachelor of laws and Master of Laws in Human Rights Law
  • Kassie Boorer -Scholarship to Oklahoma University to play basketball and Degree in Primary teaching

Each Alumni spoke with gratitude and appreciation of the opportunities, relationships with staff and the support that they were given throughout primary school and secondary school to enable them to access their pathway to success. They are outstanding examples of how we are able to capture students passions and dreams and turn them into outstanding careers. Our Alumni are highly motivated to continue to give back to our community to help build aspirations and connections to ensure that our College continues to build a culture of success and respect.

 

As a principal I have been so incredibly lucky to work within a community for the past 23 years, that has demonstrated the power of teamwork, collaboration, and respect. The past four years (pandemic impact and recovery) have created a new chapter in our history creating new opportunities and challenges, as we start to truly understand the impact on a young person’s social development, and more so than ever the purposeful development of our values are underpinning our success.  This new opportunity for parents / carers and teachers to work together and ensure that students are purposefully engaged in discussions about our college values is an exciting one. Together we need to consider the behaviours and actions that support the EMC community to build a strong culture of respect into the future, and ensure that every student is able to experience success and access their pathway of choice. 

 

If you are interested in developing your child’s strengths, I can recommend some reading from Dr. lea Waters – The Strength Switch. It is a wonderful resource to help parents and carers in developing a strength based approach to parenting and build strategies to help your young person flourish in a challenging time. 

 

I am incredibly proud of the school we are creating and the manner in which parents and carers are supporting us to make sure that every student has the opportunity to THRIVE. 

 

Wishing everyone a safe break and I look forward to Term 3 as we continue to strive for excellence in learning and personal development. 

 

Kind regards, 

 

Dean- Principal