PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL

SENIOR CENTRE

On Monday 20 August we gained access to our new Senior Centre.  Twenty-three State of the art rooms, a Year 12 Common Room, four Science labs, numerous offices, a Wellbeing Centre and of course a Study Centre.

This has been an enormous project for our school and to see the joy it provided to so many staff and students was very rewarding and humbling.

I am very grateful for the advocacy we have received from our local Member, Nick Staikos.  His support has been invaluable.

Obviously, the work is still in progress with landscaping to be completed. We hope to have the official opening in Term 4.

I would like to acknowledge and thank Michael Kan and our facilities team, H2o our architects and Devco our builders. I also thank all the staff and students for their patience and understanding during these difficult months.

PARENT SURVEY

The Parent Survey is aligned with the Framework for Improving Student Outcomes and the Attitudes to School Survey and will provide schools with actionable insights in key elements for school improvement.  250 families have been randomly selected to participate in this survey and this is an important part of accountability for our school.

The 2018 survey is being conducted online by ORIMA Research Pty Ltd and only takes 15 minutes to complete. The survey can be accessed via desktop computer, laptop, tablet or mobile at any convenient time within the fieldwork period from Monday 6 August to Sunday 26 August, 2018.

Feedback of this kind allows us to reflect on our community opinions and gives us an opportunity to celebrate the positives and to address any concerns.

I thank the families who have already completed the survey. To the families who have not completed the survey as yet can you please do so by Sunday 26 August.

We appreciate your co-operation and support.

WINTER CONCERT

Our annual Winter Concert is to be held at the Robert Blackwood Hall on Wednesday 29 August.  Rehearsals are well and truly underway. This is always an impressive occasion and a highlight on the school calendar!

I encourage parents, grandparents and friends to attend and celebrate together the showcase of musical talent of our students. Tickets are on sale via the link on the McKinnon Secondary College website: www.mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au

I thank the music team for their efforts and look forward to a very successful event.

RUN McK

Congratulations and thank you to all involved in Friday’s event!  We saw the value of community come alive! So many staff, students, parents and local business owners joining together for a worthy cause! Our motto is Wisdom and Service and service was alive. We shone on Friday to assist the Monash Children’s Hospital!  I was so proud of our combined efforts!!! 

I would like to acknowledge and thank Mr Andrew Hemsley, Myles Kelemen (Year 11) and the Senior School Council for their wonderful efforts in putting together such a tremendous event.

There was a lovely speech at the opening ceremony by Taylah Miranda and Dr Rupert Hinds, the Head of the Gastroenterology Department at Monash Children’s Hospital. Taylor received care at Monash Children’s Hospital’s Cancer Centre and completed treatment in November last year. She is now at University and planning on becoming  a doctor because of her experience.

Guests included Damian Hardwick a parent and the Coach of the Richmond Football Club, Peter Hitchener, Channel 9 newsreader and Shaun Burgoyne from the Hawthorn Football Club.

I would like to applaud the following for their unwavering support for the event:

Rotary Club of Bentleigh, Old McKinnon Football team, Junto – who are always so generous, Interact Club and the Senior School Council, Jump N Play Castles, Budget, Think Photobooths, Carman's, United Fitness, Marque Monkeys, Melbourne Orthodontic Group, Tomato Timing, Wizard's T-Shirts, Subway, Something Sweet Gelato, Ultimate Bubble Soccer, Cielo's, Charlie's Cookies, Palace Cinemas, Coles, Will's Batch, Pancake Parlour, Jaspers Pizza and Pasta and House of Nicholetta Jewellery.

Michael Koletsas (MC) for the day and the following are the bands who performed throughout the day:

Chloe James and Grace James

Naomi Kricheli

"IDK"

Yoing

Yeah the Twelvesp

Nth Rd

Temple Hounds

Stand Out

Duck & Cover

The Bolshevix

Donations are due to the Finance Office and I hope people dig deep for a very worthwhile cause. We will announce money raised soon. Monash Medical Centre is our local community hospital and it is a pleasure to support them.

We thank them for the service they provide and the hope and care given to so many children and families in need.

The following is a link to the names of all students and teachers who participated on the day.

NATIONAL SCIENCE WEEK

August 6 - 10 was National Science Week.  The Science Faculty celebrated in a number of ways.

On Tuesday 14 August our special guests for the day were Professor Jim Bishop AO, serves as Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health and Ageing, Professor Bishop also serves as a Director of Beyond Blue Limited. Professor Gab Kovacs a professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Monash University and Dr Lev Kats, a group leader in translational haematology at Peter MacCallum.  It was a pleasure to be able to host these inspiring leaders in their field. 

I would also like to acknowledge and thank the following teachers for their participation and input into the Science Week programs:

Mr Delmar Zachest and Mr James McLaughlan who ran the workshops for the Year 10 Biology sessions with Professors Bishop and Kovac and Dr Kats.

Ms Emily Nicholls who organised Assistant Professor Kaylene Simpson to run the workshop for the Year 12 Biology students.

Ms Karen Romari who organised all of the additional experiments.

Mr James Van Pelt who ran Oculus Rift sessions.

Mr John Liakakos who ran the robotics workshop.

Mrs Harriet Barrow who organised and ran the Olympiad Examinations.

Mr Yuriy Verkhatsky who organised the Girl's in Physics breakfast at Monash Uni.

Mr Matthew Shaw (honorary Science member for the week) who organised Science Survivor. 

Other Science teachers who supervised at least one of the many lunchtime activities during Science Week.

Thank you to all the non-science teachers who gave up their own subject time and attended PLANKS, Survivor and Australian Animals with their classes.

Congratulations to the Science Learning Area Manager, Ms Sweeney and her dedicated team for organising such a wonderful week for staff and students.

VTAC INFORMATION EVENING

Thank you to the Year 12 parents who attended the VTAC Information Night this week. Some critical dates are fast approaching for our Year 12 students. I wish them all the best with their decisions. I am very grateful to Mr Lachlan Noble, Mr Eddie Mest, Mr Delmar Zachest, Ms Pip Andrieux, Ms Kath Cozens and Mr Chris Hudd for the guidance they provided.

HELP DESIGN McKINNON SECONDARY COLLEGE’S NEW ADDITIONAL CAMPUS

The 2018-19 State Budget allocated $4.1 million for early works on a second campus for McKinnon Secondary College. We are at the start of the planning process with many steps to work through, including site acquisition, and we are happy to have K2LD Architects on board to develop the Master Plan. Now we want to hear from you to help shape the design for the new campus.

The following workshops are on 11 September:

• Student workshop @ 1:30pm – 3:00pm
• Teacher/staff workshop @ 3:30pm – 5:00pm
• Parents/school council workshop @ 6:30pm – 8:00pm

Visit engage.vic.gov.au/McKinnonSC from 27 August – 16 September to complete an online survey or register to attend a workshop.

For further information, please visit schoolbuildings.vic.gov.au or email vsba@edumail.vic.gov.au. 

CONGRATULATIONS

Stefan Simic (Year 11) who came equal first in the Year 11 Division of the Australian Geography Competition. Stefan will receive his award at the GTAV (Geography Teachers Association of Victoria) Annual Conference on Sunday 26 August. This is a wonderful achievement.  Well done Stefan!

CONGRATULATIONS

Clancy Brett (Year 9) who has achieved a milestone in a youth member’s Scouting journey. Clancy from the 5th/6th Moorabbin Central Venturer Unit has earned the Australian Scout Medallion.  He attained the top award in each of the five Sections in Scouting reflects initiative in tackling this challenge, sustained effort over many months and tears, plus self-discipline, teamwork and leadership. This is truly a wonderful achievement.  Well done Clancy!