Principal’s Report
We have had a busy start to Term 4. This week we have enjoyed the company of the Grade 5 students from our local primary schools as part of the All Rounder Day. Providing primary aged students a high school experience is an important part of their transition program. Simply being in a big school and moving from one classroom to another is an important way of preparing them for the next part of their educational journey.
On Thursday 19th October, the annual Year 7 Showcase Night and Literacy Bake Off was held at the College. It was a wonderful way for our Year 7s to celebrate and share their work with parents/guardians and teachers. I was very impressed with the level of knowledge and degree of confidence that many of our Year 7s showed when talking about their work. The Showcase Night is also an opportunity to celebrate literacy and it was wonderful to see so many cakes entered in the annual Literacy Bake Off.
Classes have finished for our Year 12 students and as a whole school we said goodbye to them at the General Assembly on Monday 23rd October. This group of Year 12 students are a kind and compassionate group of young adults who have demonstrated enormous commitment and genuine care for each other throughout the year. I want to congratulate them on their maturity during the celebration period. Their behaviour and respect for the College was outstanding. With exams already commenced, we wish them all the best in either their pursuits for further study or their pathway in to work.
As part of the General Assembly, the 2018 College Captains were introduced to the student body. Congratulations to the new captains and I look forward to working with them in 2018.
College Captains:
Angus Fern & Tiani Welch-Phillips
House Captains;
Red House: Hayden Watkins & Stephanie DeVincentis
Blue House: Nicola Johnson-Clarke & Georgia Boundy
Green House: Jana McConnell & Brad Menheere
Yellow House: Keeley Hocking & Alanah Fischer
With Year 11 exams commencing on Wednesday 8th November, I would like to remind our Year 11 students on the important role these exams have in preparing them for 2018 and their final year of study. Exam results count for up to 70% of a student’s final VCE grade. The ability to do one’s best in an exam environment requires individual students to know what study methods work best for them, how to pace themselves in an exam, how to overcome exam nerves and how to perform under the pressure of time constraints. To learn these skills practice is required so that students can try new study habits and techniques, have practiced pacing themselves through an exam and developed strategies to overcome exam nerves.
On Monday 6th November, the College will be running an alternative program for students. Normal timetable classes will be replaced with educational activity based classes.
Please don’t forget to the support the College’s PTCA BBQ at Bunnings in Chirnside Park on Tuesday 7th November. There will be the opportunity to earn House points by buying a sausage. I want to acknowledge the work of Peter Phillips, PTCA President, the PTCA volunteers, the parents, staff and students who have volunteered their time on Tuesday.
Finally, no we didn’t forget an edition of the Mooroolbark Messenger. The newsletter has now gone monthly and will be published on the first Friday of each month. You can keep up to date on our website or by liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Mooroolbarkcollegeofficial/ to see what activities are occurring around the College. Formal communication will still be communicated through Compass Newsfeed, so please log on regularly to keep up to date.
Ann Stratford
Principal