McKinnonNEWS

ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS' REPORT

Michael Kan
Michael Kan
Richard Long
Richard Long
Lachlan Noble
Lachlan Noble

WELCOME BACK

Welcome back to what we hope will be a most productive Term 2.  We hope all staff and students feel well rested, having enjoyed precious time with loved ones. Much happened in Term 1 and we thank everyone for their dedication and commitment to excellence.

PARENT-TEACHER-STUDENT CONFERENCES

Thank you to all families who attended this event.  Almost 10,000 interviews took place on the day - this is impressive and illustrates our community’s commitment to education and improving student learning. A reminder to parents that McKinnon Secondary College undertakes continuous reporting - as such, assessment feedback (i.e. results and comments) is always available on Compass Learning Tasks.

CENTRAL AUSTRALIA TOUR 2019

Congratulations to all staff and students who participated in the tour to the Red Centre for 12 days. Year 10 students had a great time and this was certainly a memorable experience. Thank you to the staff who attended and made this opportunity possible.

NAPLAN TESTING

NAPLAN testing will be undertaken by students in Years 7 and 9 at the College on Tuesday 14 May, Wednesday 15 May and Thursday 16 May. A reminder that Year 7 students will need to report to the front of the Hall, lining up in class groups, by 8:20am on each of the three testing days. Year 9 students will need to assemble in class groups at the front of the Hall by 10:50am, just before the end of recess, on each of the three testing days. We ask students to be punctual, organised and to maintain a mature approach to the NAPLAN tests. Students need to remember to bring a basic calculator on Thursday 16 for the Numeracy test. Your child may bring a reading novel to the test if they finish early.

 

Results will be sent home to students late in Term 3.  

VCAA GAT

The VCAA General Achievement Test (GAT) will be undertaken by all students completing a Unit 3 & 4 subject in 2019 on Wednesday 12 June. No VCE classes will be conducted on this day. Students are expected to be at school by 9:00AM. Students must know their VCAA student number, which can be obtained from their Student Managers. Pens, pencils, sharpeners and erasers and an English and/or bilingual dictionary can be taken into the exam room.  No calculators, blank sheets of paper or white out liquid/tape may be taken into the GAT.

CORRECTION DAY

Friday 14 June is a Correction Day for staff members. Classes will be not be conducted on this day, so students should not attend school. The only exception is Year 9s who have exams in the morning.

EXAMS

Mid-year examinations are fast approaching, with all students in Years 9 - 11 finalising assessments and revising. Thorough revision and effort in exams in these middle years lays a strong foundation for success in Year 12. Students should set high expectations for their own achievement and seek advice and support from their teachers. We wish all students the best of luck in their exams.  

 

At home, students can be supported by implementing the following recommendations:

  • Providing a quiet study space at home free from distractions;
  • Encouraging your son or daughter to eat well and get plenty of sleep;
  • Encouraging students to limit social engagements around this time, including their use of social media. Students should focus solely on their studies, without distraction from Instagram, sending SMS to friends, etc, then do so when having a break in their study.

DISCUSSING LEARNING WITH YOUR CHILD

When discussing with your child their academic achievement at school and the feedback provided on Learning Tasks (and through progress reports and parent-teacher-student conferences), it is critical that parents and students look beyond grades and scores. We encourage all students and their parents to instead reflect on each child’s academic progress and growth; our intelligence is changeable, and focussing on growth has a very positive impact on student learning.

 

 

All students - regardless of year level and the grades they have achieved - should reflect on what new skills and knowledge they have acquired, what feedback and advice they have acted upon and what their next goal will be.

 

Hard work and a willingness to persist when facing academic challenges are the keys to success for all students, and emphasising learning progress rather than grades/scores is a simple - but powerful - way to support student learning.

ANZAC COMMEMORATIVE SERVICES

On Wednesday 24 April, Mr Quinn was accompanied by Junior School Captains, Louisa D'Ambra, Andrew Thompson, Alice Connolly, Arjun Jivanjee and Sophia Diegelmann to the Anzac Commemorative Service at the Bentleigh Cenotaph.

On Sunday 28 April, Mr Long was joined by School Captains Erika Phan and Xavier Verdnik at the City of Glen Eira and Caulfield RSL Centenary of ANZAC Day service held at the McKinnon Memorial Gardens.  We thank our student leaders for their involvement in these important events. 

OLD MCKINNON FOOTBALL TEAM

Our football team has started the season extremely well with a thumping victory over St Kevins on Saturday 6 April. The McKinnon community gathered in great numbers to see our 2018 premiership flag being unfurled and flown over our home ground at Packer Park in Carnegie. We are proud of our girls and boys that have joined our fledgling club. Here's to another successful year in 2019!