Term 1 is always a busy term for Mooroolbark College but it is also one of the most enjoyable for students. It has been a pleasure welcoming our new Year 7s into the College and watching them quickly settle, going from being timid and quite reserved to confident and highly engaged young people. It is also wonderful to see our Year 7s join the SRC, enjoy all aspects of the Year 7 camp, participate in the annual Swimming Carnival and take part in the summer interschool sports. I appreciate the number of Year 7s who say hello to me as I wander around the College.
This term has also seen the Independent Reading Program relaunched for Years 7 and 8. The College has a wonderful feel as you walk through the classrooms at the start of period 1 and 2 with all Year 7s and Year 8s reading, which is then followed by reflection writing. With Mooroolbark College undertaking a whole school approach to literacy, the focus on reading is important because a person’s pathway and options in life increase due to improved understanding of content in all subjects resulting in good reading and comprehension skills. Reading is important because it develops the mind. Understanding is gained when thinking about what has been read, through predicting and inferring meaning. This is what students are doing when they are writing about what they have read.
On Friday 24th March, the College had its second General Assembly for the year. I would like to thank Iris Kennedy for starting the assembly with a wonderful musical performance. Our College Captains, James Petrella and Lisa Lin and our Yellow House Captains, Chloe Neagle and Chloe Shade, spoke about resilience. The ability of our Captains to talk to our student population continues to develop and grow. I took the opportunity to read to the school one of my favourite books, “Oh, the Places You’ll Go”, by Dr Seuss. It is a wonderful commentary on resilience, choice and overcoming life’s challenges. Each time I read it, I find a different message in it. If you have it tucked away in a bookshelf at home, I encourage you to take it out and read it as a family.
The Annual General Meeting of the Mooroolbark College Council was held on Tuesday 21st March. I want to thank Tania Kempton (Parent Representative) for her service to the College community on the Mooroolbark College Council for the past two years and Kellie Wright (Community PTCA Representative) for her contribution in 2016.
The 2017 College Council is made of the following representatives:
Parents Members:
Mrs Carol Wells – President
Mrs Jenny Brown – Vice President
Mr Peter Phillips – Vice President
Mrs Julie Medlin – Treasure
Mr Keith Hocking
Department of Education and Training Members:
Mrs Ann Stratford – Executive Officer
Ms Rachael Williams – Joint Secretary
Ms Samantha McIntosh
Mrs Jenny Roache
Mr Andrew Dingey
Community Members
Mrs Mandy Hocking (PTCA Representative)
Mrs Beth Rose
Mr Ben Donald- Wilson (SRC President) – Joint Secretary
Mr James Petrella/Ms Lisa Lin – (College Captain Representative)
I hope everyone has the chance to take a break over Easter with both family and friends.
Ann Stratford
