Executive Director's Welcome

It has been a wonderful Term 1 at MITS.  We have been so pleased to see our students – across MITS and our Partner Schools – working hard, making the most of the opportunities that they have in Melbourne, and living our MITS values of Respect, Courage, Culture and Care.

A few weeks ago, we were excited to welcome Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney to our classroom.  Minister Burney talked of the power of education, and also shared information with the students on this year’s Voice Referendum.

As we look towards Term 2, we are excited to be preparing for the opening of our newest MITS Boarding House, at 371 Church Street.  This new house will have 38 new beds for MITS students, and once it opens MITS will be able to provide boarding to 100 young people: a strong, proud, connected community.

We are planning to open the new boarding house on Saturday 27 May.  On that weekend, we will make a number of changes to our boarding structure:

• (fellas) All of our fellas from Year 8 to 12 will move into the new boarding house at 371 Church Street.  The staff team looking after the fellas will be the same: Kelly Bailey will continue to be Boarding Manager and Tom Mitchell Assistant Boarding Manager.
   
• (girls) Our Year 8 to 12 girls will move across two houses: 139 Richmond Terrace (where they live currently) and 364 Church Street (the former house for fellas).  139 Richmond Terrace will be home to Year 8 and some Year 9 girls, and 364 Church Street will be home to some Year 9 girls, and all Year 10, 11 and 12 girls.  Again, the staff team looking after the girls will be the same: Catherine Wood as Boarding Manager, and Chloe Lane and Faith Gamarra as Assistant Boarding Managers.  We will welcome some new staff to help with the running of the two houses.
   
• (Wellington Street) After four and a half years, we will close our Wellington Street Boarding House.  All girls who currently live in that house will move into 139 Richmond Terrace and 364 Church Street.
   
• (Lockington Year 7) Our Year 7 Boarding House will continue unchanged.  All Year 7 students will continue to live at Lockington (16 The Vaucluse) with the team led by Boarding Manager Emily Altieri and Assistant Boarding Manager Taylor Bailey.

This term we have been particularly happy to welcome so many parents and family members to MITS to stay in our Family Accommodation on Richmond Hill, and to be a part of life at MITS.  If you would like to visit your child in MITS, please do let us know: we would be delighted to have you stay!

Term 2 will be a very exciting time for MITS and our students.  We are looking forward to sharing news of the boarding house opening with you and to shaping it as another home-away-from-home for our students.

For now, we wish you a very happy, safe and restful Easter break.

Ed Tudor

Executive Director