SCHOOL NEWS
FINANCE
QUARTERLY INSTALMENTS
Just a reminder that if you have set up quarterly instalments for school fees, the final instalment will be 14 August 2017 (Years 7, 8 & 9) and 21 August 2017 (Years 10, 11 & 12).
Please contact the Finance Office if your credit card details have changed.
NATIONAL SCIENCE WEEK AT MCKINNON SECONDARY COLLEGE
Science Week runs from Monday 14 to Monday 21 August. This week is celebrated around the country with many wonderful events and activities. This year at McKinnon there will be a lot going on. In classes, students will examine the science of toys, marble run constructions and paper engineering. Several special events, lunchtime activities and competitions have been organised. We want everyone to get involved and have some fun. Here is the program:
School Events Program
Monday 14 August
YEAR 9 C & D Planks Engineering incursion Periods 1 and 2
YEAR 9 E, F & G Planks Engineering incursion Periods 3 and 4
YEAR 9 L & M Planks Engineering incursion Periods 5 and 6
ALSO on Monday 14 August
30 Year 10 and 11 students attending STEM workshops at QUANTUM
Tuesday 15 August
YEAR 9 A, B & K Planks Engineering incursion Periods 1 and 2
YEAR 9 H, I & J Planks Engineering incursion Periods 3 and 4
Wednesday 16 August
Year 11 and 12 Biology students attend seminar in Theatre Periods 5 and 6
(Dr Mark Norman: Chief Environmental Scientist at Parks Victoria)
Thursday 17 August
YEAR 8 I, J, K, L & M Science Survivor Periods 1 and 2
YEAR 8 A, B, C, D & N Science Survivor Periods 3 and 4
YEAR 8 E, F, G & H Science Survivor Periods 5 and 6
Monday 21 August
YEAR 7A to H reptile show in Theatre Periods 1 and 2
YEAR 7I to N reptile show in Theatre Periods 3 and 4
Tuesday 22 August
Year 12 Chemistry Pharmacy Workshops with Monash Pharmacy Outreach
Lunchtime Activities
Monday 14 August
- Bubbles in the Canteen Courtyard and the Hall precinct.
Tuesday 15 August
- Competition Judging: Baked goods, Kinetic Sculptures and Medieval Machines in T1
Wednesday 16 August
- National Science Film Festival Winners Part One in the MERC
- Oculus Rift in T2 (email Mr Van Pelt to sign up)
Thursday 17 August
- Meeting of students interested in developing an animal care group in T1
- Oculus Rift in T2 repeat (email Mr Van Pelt to sign up)
Friday 18 August
- National Science Film Festival Winners Part Two
- Oculus Rift T2 repeat (email Mr Van Pelt to sign up)
- Rocket Firing on the oval at 1pm (weather permitting)
In School Competitions
Students can participate in a number of in-school competitions.
COMPETITION ONE:
‘The Great Science Bake Off’
Around the world people are baking science goods, cakes, muffins, cookies and patty cakes. Bring yours into T1 before school (after 8am please and before 8:30am) on Tuesday 15 August for lunchtime viewing and judging. Pick up after school.
Judging based on (in order of importance)
- Creativity
- Accuracy of the science
- Decorating technique
Important: Make sure your cake is identified with your name and your science teacher’s name.
COMPETITION TWO:
A Kinetic Sculpture
Make a sculpture that is at least 20cm tall and has at least two parts that move in the wind. That’s what makes it kinetic - it moves. But watch out, wind can also knock it over. So, make sure the tower is sturdy enough to stand up in the wind. To be sustainable, make it out of used/recycled materials. It will be tested in front of a fan on low speed.
Bring yours into T1 before school (after 8am please and before 8.30am) on Tuesday 15 August for lunchtime viewing and judging. Pick up after school. Judged on:
- Creativity
- Effective, stable, kinetic movement.
- Selection and use of materials
COMPETITION THREE:
A sustainable message
This year the message for National Science Week is sustainability. Write a poem, short story or design a poster that contains a sustainable message, of your choosing, to the McKinnon community that will encourage all of us to think and act more sustainably.
Hand in to your science teacher by 3:10pm on Friday 18 August. Judged on:
- Creativity
- Presentation
- Effective communication of message
Science Week Community Activities: Events in Melbourne
There are many great events going on all around Melbourne during National Science Week.
Look up National Science Week and go to the events section to find out more. Here are just a few things on:
Market of the Mind
A free event from the CSIRO
With live ice-sculpture, inside-out people and virtual reality science, Market of the Mind has it all. Prizes to be won at our science sideshow. See the funny side of science and trial some tantalising technology!
Friday 11 August, 5pm to 9pm
Queensbridge Square, Southbank
Blood: Attract & Repel
A free part exhibition, part experiment, Blood: Attract & Repel is a powerful collision of arts and science that has received great reviews. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 12pm until 4pm until October at Melbourne University, Building 189.
Swinburne University have a number of astronomy free public lectures and events to celebrate science week.
Zooniverse
Get together with the family and become part of the growing number of citizens involved in public science research at Zooniverse. You can be part of some truly wonderful projects.
PROJECT ROCKET
A couple of weeks ago, ‘Project Rockit’ came to our school and conducted workshops with our Year 7 Students. The overall feedback was very positive as you will note by the following report written by three of our Year 7 students.
On Thursday 20 July Project Rockit paid a visit to the year 7 students. Project Rockit is an organisation which focuses on many hard and difficult topics that a lot of secondary school students have experienced. The topics of bullying and self-esteem are very relevant and topical for teenagers today.
First of all, the Project Rockit presenters introduced themselves. This meant that the year 7s were able to feel more comfortable opening up about their insecurities and troubles when dealing with bullying. When it came around to student’s sharing their stories, a lot of emotions were expressed when telling the presenters about their experiences. Project Rockit then gave examples on how to deal with the hate and move onto more important things.
Overall, it was a great experience and worth the time, with the year 7 students leaving the presentation feeling more confident and less insecure. It definitely helped a lot of kids struggling with any hardships to overcome those problems and move on with everything else. Project Rockit left with a certain legacy, having to do with an inside joke which will not end for a long time.
Sophia Diegelmann, Tasmia Rashid and Mia Taufa.
We as a school community, value the contrition that Project Rockit makes and the positive impact they have on the wellbeing of our students.
Susan Wilken
Community Health Liaison
Health Learning Area Manager