Peter Corkill

Principal

Dear Parents, Students and Friends of John Monash Science School,

I trust this newsletter finds you all safe and well. With the regular Updates to Community I have found my communication with you all much focussed on the issues impacting JMSS due to life in the Covid19 era, so it is refreshing to hit the keyboard with other news. 

Our new students have already made a wonderful start to their schooling at JMSS. The Year 10 Camp was a terrific success, despite our inability to actually stay onsite here at Monash on both nights. My congratulations again to Mr Anderson and all the staff for their hard work, and to the students who engaged so willingly with every activity and met all of the challenges on the camp, especially in getting to know as many people as possible and giving everything a go in the true JMSS tradition. The Year 12 Camp was again an enormous success. Again a huge thanks to Mal Anderson and the many staff who attended for ensuring the students had a memorable time. It has certainly launched them into their studies in fine style. It was indeed great to be able to sneak that event in, despite the lockdown which almost prevented it from happening.

New Staff at JMSS in 2021

Nine new members of staff have joined the school, adding to the rich mix of teaching and support staff already at JMSS. We are certainly fortunate to have these people aboard. Welcome to JMSS!

School Council Elections

As our School continues to grow it is important we are able to draw on the experience, expertise and energy of members of our parent community to continue to guide JMSS through the next stage of its development. 

We have THREE vacancies for positions on School Council.The election is already in process, and all parents interested in casting a vote may do so by following the information sent to all families via Compass. A huge thanks to the five candidates who have presented themselves for election or re-election: Mr. Satheesh Kumar Pacchiappan, Mr. Trevor Nathan, Mr. Lin Zhao, Mrs. Andrea Jordan and Mr. Alan Dormer. Prospective voters can read their personal statements on our website prior to voting.

Retiring Council Members

On behalf of Council I would like to sincerely thank members who are vacating their positions on Council after such outstanding service to JMSS.

• President Mr. Stephen Duggan is stepping down after some 10 years on Council in this role. Steve’s contribution to steering our school through its early years has been pivotal in seeing JMSS move into a consolidated period of ongoing success, and achieving the high status it occupies now on the education landscape in Victoria;
• Mrs. Esther Harris has been on Council for the past year after several outstanding years’ service as President of the school’s Parents and Friends Association;
• Mrs Yael Cass has been a wonderful parent representative on Council for the past three years;
• Mr. Satheesh Kumar Pachiappan has served the Council so well for the past two years as a Parent Representative and is standing for re-election;
• Caspian Huyn has been a student representative on Council for the past two years whilst in Year 10 and 11.

I would sincerely like to thank all of these people for their dedication, passion and time on Council. You have all made us better by your energy, wisdom and genuine care for our school.

Peter Corkill

Principal