Principal's Message

Below is an excerpt of my final assembly speech to our Year 12 students.

Good afternoon parents, staff and students and a special good afternoon to our graduating class of 2019. 

Look at you all – I am so proud of you!

Many of you may not know but during the year I have been giving the students in Year 12 study tips. Every few weeks I send out some new tips and hope that our students take the time to read them and embrace them.

So, Year 12 VCE students, because our lovely VCAL students have already finished, I would like to share with you a few final study tips as you move into SWOT Vac.

1.  Reach out to your teachers for feedback

Every year the teachers wait at school, hoping you will come in and seek feedback on your practice exams. They get frustrated that you do not use them as well as you should. So I urge you book a time for 1:1 or 1:small group assistance.

2.   Sleep for 8-10 hours a night

I can see you going – yeah right! I am fine, I can function on not much sleep. Well you don’t!

When you do not get 8-10 hours your memory is impaired, your mood is lower and then you find it harder to motivate yourself to learn and to take in what you need to learn.

Don’t go to bed late and sleep in. Get your bodies in the rhythm of sleeping at night so you are not still sleepy in your exams.

3.  Tell your parents very clearly how they can help you.

At this time your parents are finding it really hard to know what to do and how to help you. Be clear with them what you want. Each of you will want something different. My son Sean wanted to just be left alone and not nagged about anything. My daughter Anna used it as a good excuse to get out of chores for a month. My son Paddy just wanted to make sure I had plenty of his favourite food in the fridge. And, you know what? I happily went out and purchased loads of goodies and cooked his choice of meals – I did this with such pride. The best way to manage your parents is to talk to them about what you need!

So Year 12s, the final day of your exams and your valedictory celebration will arrive all too quickly.

I know many of you have already arranged your valedictory outfits in preparation for the big event.

And, like you, I look forward to seeing you on this night, to see you so excited about your futures and relieved that the tensions of Year 12 have finally passed.

However, between now and then (well after tomorrow) there is so much to do.

Lots of people will say to you don’t worry.

I am going to say to you – persist. Persist for you - so that you can look back and say. “I gave it a red hot shot!”.

Before I finish Year 12s I would like to thank all of you for your contributions to our school over the past 6 years. You have been a terrific cohort and we will miss you.

Finally, as you formally leave MFG I want you to know that once you have been a MFG student you will always have a place here.

Year 12s - remember to Keep Looking Forward and finish well – no, not well…brilliantly!

You can do it!

MFG Mobile Phone Policy

Attached is our school’s ratified Mobile Phone Policy for 2020.

In summary:

• MFG understands that students may bring a personal mobile phone or similar device to school, particularly if they are travelling independently to and from school.
• This policy applies to:
  • All students at Matthew Flinders Girls and,
  • Students’ personal mobile phones or similar devices brought onto school premises during school hours, including before school, recess, lunchtime and after school until the student has left the school grounds.
• A student must not have a mobile phone or similar device in a class during normal school times even if the phone is switched off.
• At MFG students are required to store their phones in their locker and locked securely using their own lock. Students are required to purchase a lock for their locker and a plastic container to store their phone inside.
• Ipads and other personal devices must have their notifications turned off.
• Students who use their personal mobile phones inappropriately at MFG will be issued with consequences consistent with our school’s existing student engagement polices.
• Exceptions - There are minimal exception to this policy. All exceptions need to be negotiated and approved, in writing, by a Principal.
• Exclusions - This policy does not apply to out-of-school-hours events, travelling to and from school, students undertaking workplace learning activities and SBAs, e.g. work experience and students who are undertaking VET.

This policy will be communicated clearly to students at an assembly on 25 November 2019.

Child Safe Policy

Ms Michelle Crofts 

Principal of Matthew Flinders Girls Secondary College