PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

As we come to the end of another year, I feel there is much to celebrate.

In 2019 we have been designated as an ‘Influence’ school by the Education Department, reflecting the fact that we are a high performing school, and also one which has shown continued improvement across the last three years. This is something to be very proud of, as very few secondary colleges across the state, and certainly none in our local areas have this status. It has come about through a relentless focus on the development of the quality of classroom teaching and learning, and our staff are to be congratulated for their dedication and willingness to continue to learn as professionals.

We are also very proud to celebrate our Authorisation as an International Baccalaureate World School. We are now the only government school in Victoria delivering the Middle Years Program, and this allows us to provide an internationally recognised standard of teaching and learning, which is firmly focused on the global perspective that is so relevant and necessary for young people heading toward the world of work.

Our VCE students have just received their results, and I would like to congratulate Violetta Minzenmay who is our Dux with an ATAR score of 97.55. We also had 27% of our students with an ATAR of 80+ and almost half received an ATAR of 70+. Well done to the class of 2019 and their teachers.

I would also like to take this opportunity to alert you to some important changes to the way we work, which will commence next year.

The Victorian Government has introduced a total ban on mobile phones commencing from the beginning of the 2020 school year. Whilst we have not allowed phones in class for some time, this policy includes recess and lunchtimes. We know that this will be a challenge for some of our students, and seek the support of parents by not contacting students between 8.45am and 3pm. In the case of emergencies, the office will convey messages to students, and other matters such as making pick up arrangements can be sent as messages and viewed by students when they finish class. As is already the case, all students will be provided with secure locker storage including combination locks. If students are seen using phones during the school day they will be confiscated and available for collection at the end of the day. This will also be the case for a second confiscation, but for the third, a parent must collect the phone. The full policy is available on the college website under Publications/Policies/Mobile Phone Policy.

We are also introducing a Learning Redemption Program which will run each Monday afternoon from 3pm until 4pm. Student feedback has indicated that students struggle in their senior years of schooling, because the firm expectations and rigid time lines that are expected, are not experienced in the earlier years. This program will allow us to continue with high expectations for learning effort, and will mean that any student who has:

not used class time productively,
who has submitted work of a quality which is not their best
who has not submitted work required
or whose work is submitted late will attend the Learning Redemption Program on the Monday of the following week.

A team of teachers will be on hand to support them, and class teachers who have referred students to the LRP will attend at the beginning of the session to ensure students are clear about what is required.

This is not a detention but an opportunity to keep on track, and students not referred to the LRP can elect to attend and use the session as a Homework Club.

Further details about the program are available on the website under:-

Publications/Policies/Learning Redemption Program.

And finally, I would like to draw your attention to our Parent Payment letter which is included in this newsletter. It is from School Council parent members and details the levies for the college, the reasons why they are in place, and the ways we use the money collected.

Thank you most sincerely for your support throughout the year. The best way to ensure positive outcomes for our young people is through this partnership.

Best wishes for the holiday season.

Public schools are not fully funded by the government

17 December 2019

A letter from parent representatives on School Council

A regular discussion item at School Council meetings is the payment, or non-payment of annual college charges by families.

We understand that this is an expensive time of year and we would like to acknowledge and thank those families who pay their compulsory Essential Student Learning Items fees and who decide to contribute to the College Council Items, in any capacity. Those of you who are making payments on a regular basis through a payment plan, or have approached the college for assistance due to hardship are also acknowledged.

Whilst ‘free education’ may possibly have been available in the distant past, it certainly is no longer the case, and we would like to explain why.

The annual operating expenses for running MESC total close to 2.2 million dollars and include;

classroom and program budgets
services not funded by the government such as First Aid and Wellbeing Support
cleaning costs beyond the funded amount
maintenance and grounds management.

This does not include staff wages. The Victorian Government contributes most of the cost of wages but less than half of the operating costs mentioned above. The shortfall must be found by the school.

Essential Student Learning Item Levies

These are compulsory levies for items, activities or services that the school deems as essential to student learning in the standard curriculum.

For students in years 9-12 we place a deadline on payment for elective subjects as it is necessary for us to confirm numbers in each of the electives in order that we can allocate teaching staff appropriately. This staffing is in place from the commencement of Jumpstart and we encourage parents to contact the college if personal circumstances are difficult, in order that students are ensured a place in their chosen programs.

College Council Items

These College Council requested levies are critical to providing us with the money to employ a maintenance person, provide first aid assistance, employ a Student Wellbeing Coordinator, maintain the grounds, develop Banksia Hall for performances, update old furniture, paint the college, purchase lockers, replace carpet and update learning spaces to improve their suitability for students, amongst many other things. Whilst these levies are optional we strongly encourage families to consider support for the services outlined which are provided for all students.

Voluntary contributions

These contributions allow us to put funds aside for longer term projects such as new signage, outdoor equipment, drinking stations and building works outside of the scope of annual expenditure. We are extremely appreciative of families who choose to provide support in this way.

The Essential Student Learning Item levies, College Council Items levies and Voluntary Contributions are the only means we have to meet the annual operating expenses. If we do not receive sufficient funds to pay for all these costs through parent support, then put simply, our students miss out and those who do pay are subsidising those who don’t.

We work very hard to minimise the costs for families, and will always arrange payment plans or other options to support families to contribute.

We hope this clarifies both government expectations and the need for the support we request, and creates a better level of understanding for all members of our community.

More importantly, we hope the majority of families who are contributing, are assured and satisfied that they are providing both a valuable education and a quality environment for their child, six and a half hours a day, five days a week.

We welcome feedback so please feel free to contact our Business Manager Brenda Barker, if you would like further clarification or more information about your school’s funding. The DET Frequently Asked Questions information regarding parent payments can be found on our website.

Regards

Lisa Massey [College Council president], Andrew Gill, Greg Cunnington, Nick Moses, Lisa Ingerton, Georgina Blennerhassett, Melissa Goulis, Stephen Baker, Linda Rickard and Donna Bragg

Parent representatives of Mount Eliza Secondary College Council.

Educated for excellence

Prepared for life

Angela Pollard

Principal

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