Principal's message

This is the last week of exams for our students undertaking a Unit 3 & 4 study.  This means that by the end of the week they can take a deep breath, begin to enjoy this lovely weather and end their time as a student of MGSC. 

At the start of next week all of our students from Years 7 to 11 will move up to the next year level and commence their 2020 classes. This essentially means that the work will be more challenging and we hope engaging for the students. It is also a time when students will be placed in classes with students they may not know.  In doing so they will be feeling a little uncomfortable. I would like to reassure parents and students that whilst they will be feeling unsettled that this is part of building resilience.  It is tempting to take the easy path and stay with what and whom you know, but there is nothing like the reward that comes with overcoming adversity or challenging circumstances. As parents, you will be there to support your daughters and help them to negotiate this period.

It has been a terrific year in relation to the student leadership profile of our school. I would like to thank the two School Captains, Amethyst Parlanti and Ruby Crofts and the SRC Captain, Libby McQuiston.  Together they have displayed the essential qualities of leadership such as ethical decision-making, compassion, and independence.  I know that they will go on to contribute to so many other areas of society and I wish them well.

I have great pleasure in announcing our 2020 School Captains, Ailish Byrne and Ava Jaconelli and our SRC President, Isla McAllister.  I am confident they too will be amazing leaders. Further details in relation to the student leadership roles are listed in this newsletter.  My congratulations to all.

The days until the end of the year are ticking down and sadly, this is the last week for Geoff Perks at MGSC as he is taking leave for all of 2020 and considering whether a life of leisure might entice him to retire. Geoff commenced his teaching career in 1990 and joined the MGSC community on 24 January 1994. I arrived the following year in 1995 and can recall being very impressed by Geoff’s passion for drama and performance and the gentle and humorous way in which he built friendships with staff. 

Whilst I was not here from 2005 until 2016, I feel very fortunate to have been able to be return to see that Geoff’s passion for teaching has never wavered for a moment. He still makes almost instantaneous connections with his students and often comes to student reunions to catch up with his former students who remember him fondly. 

Geoff is a wonderfully creative, genuine, and professional human being. I hope that he keeps in touch with us here at MGSC over the next year in between travel and his other passion, sailing. In contrast to Geoff’s love of the performing arts, he is not a fan of farewell functions and so there will be no fanfare at this stage. Indeed, it is not really time to say farewell just yet. I hope he will forgive me these words of thanks on behalf of the MGSC Community.

Kind regards

Linda Brown

Principal