MWSC College News – Issue 2

Star Performers

The VCE Season of Excellence is managed by Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority. The Season showcases work produced by outstanding VCE students who completed performing or visual arts, technology, design, or research studies in 2023. Events are presented at Melbourne’s major cultural venues, alongside associated education programs. Three of our 2023 students (who completed Unit 3&4 studies last year) have been invited to exhibit their works in their respective areas. This is a fantastic achievement and a credit to our Arts Program and staff who work tirelessly to promote the Arts across our school.

Congratulations to Ethan L, who has been selected to exhibit his VCE Visual Communication Design work in Top Designs 2024 at Melbourne Museum. This year, only 92 works were selected for the exhibition from over 1,000 applications. Selected works exemplify the innovation, skill and creativity that can be achieved within the Victorian Curriculum. Top Designs will run from Saturday 23 March until Sunday 14 July at the Melbourne Museum, 11 Nicholson St, Carlton.

Congratulations to Anne F, who has been selected to exhibit her VCE Art Making and Exhibiting work in Top Arts 2024 at the NGV. Top Arts 2024 features the most exceptional work from students who completed the new VCE Art study designs in 2023. The exhibition promises a fascinating survey of the curious, creative, and innovative spirit of young artists. Top Arts will run from Saturday 14 March until Sunday 14 July at the National Gallery of Victoria,180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne.

Congratulations to Madeleine D, who has been selected to perform their Drama solo at Top Class Drama 2024 at Melbourne Recital Centre. This year, 102 top performing students were invited to audition for Top Class Drama, and only 25 students were selected to perform. Selected performers exemplify the skill and creativity that can be achieved within the VCE curriculum. Top Class Drama takes place at Melbourne Recital Centre – 31 Sturt St, Southbank – on Friday 19 April 2024 at 10:00am and 6:00pm and Monday 22 April at 2:00pm.Tickets are now available via the Melbourne Recital Centre.

Communication is Vital

Mount Waverley Secondary College has a commitment to provide all the care and support necessary for each student to do their best and achieve the highest possible learning outcomes.  It is important that when families have concerns about their children, they contact the relevant staff members immediately to ensure a quick supportive response.  I encourage families to maintain open communication with staff members to ensure each student is provided with optimal support.

The most appropriate staff members to talk to when you have specific concerns are the classroom teachers, then Year Level Coordinator, then Sub School Leader or Head of Sub School prior to contacting one of the Campus Principals.  These are the staff members who have a thorough understanding of the needs of the students in their care:

Year Level Coordinators

Year 7         Ms Danielle Robertson, Mr Patrick Thompson
Year 8         Mr Jackie Chan, Ms Eliza Yates
Year 9         Mr Aayush Khosla, Ms Stephanie Xing
Year 10       Mrs Juliz Mathew, Mr Adam Wheeler
Year 11       Mr Tristan Dunkley, Mrs Sunita Sewani
Year 12       Mr Chris Bamford, Mr Andrew Morton

Junior School Leader                           Mrs Danielle Mott

Head of Junior School                         Mrs Debbie Sekula

Acting Middle School Leader             Mr Liam Wall

Head of Middle School                         Mrs Asha Vazirani

Acting Senior School Leader              Mr James Johnston

Acting Head of Senior School             Ms Jo Rogers

During the last few weeks, I have observed classrooms and I have been very impressed with how focussed the teaching and learning activities have been and have noted that our teachers and students have a lovely rapport in the classroom.  Teachers and students are clearly demonstrating our motto ‘Community, Choice and Engagement’.  I am particularly pleased to report our new Year 7 students are making a very smooth transition to the college.

Our college is a safe and caring learning community, and our students and staff believe that Mount Waverley Secondary College is a very special place which offers magnificent learning opportunities.

Dutch Educators Visit

On Monday 19 February 22 educators from the Netherlands came to visit our school to learn about how we are making our learning ‘visible’ to our students. The visitors toured our campuses, visited classes, and heard from our leaders about our Explicit Instructional, Student Learning and Student Wellbeing Models.  They were able to spend some time with our College Captains over lunch and gave very positive feedback on what they had observed in our learning community.

Thank you to all the students and staff who were involved in this visit, which was arranged through a connection with Professor John Hattie from The University of Melbourne. We enjoy hosting international colleagues as we can learn so much from each other’s experiences.

Community Involvement

Research clearly indicates that if parents are involved in their child’s education, they enhance the learning outcomes for their students.  I would like to thank all the parents who have already volunteered to be involved in our learning community.

2024 MWSC Secondhand Uniform/Book Shop

Thank you to all our wonderful parent volunteers who have been running the MWSC Secondhand Uniform/Book Shop this year. The shop is open on selected Wednesday mornings between 9am – 11am on the Senior Campus (refer to Compass posts for actual dates).  For any queries regarding textbook and uniform availability please email pnf@mwsc.vic.edu.au

Ritchies – Community Benefits

I encourage all parents to patronise Ritchies Supermarkets and access a Community Benefits Card or you can download the Ritchies Loyalty App on your phone, nominating Mount Waverley Secondary College as your preferred beneficiary.  Each time you shop at Ritchies you will be actively contributing to your child’s education by helping us continue to provide quality resources throughout the college.

MWSC Alumni

In 2024 we are continuing to build our MWSC Alumni (past students and staff association). There are three ways our alumni community can stay in touch.

They can register to receive a monthly MWSC Alumni newsletter, join the MWSC Alumni Facebook page or join the Mount Waverley Secondary College LinkedIn Group.

Student/ Parent/ Teacher Conferences

Our virtual student/parent/teacher conferences for the year will be held online via Webex on Wednesday 27 March from 1.00pm-7.30pm.  Further information will be sent out closer to the time.

COVID-19 transmission measures

There is at present an increase in community transmission of COVID-19 in Victoria.You can help us keep our school as safe as possible by taking 2 important steps:

1. Ensure your COVID-19 vaccinations are up to date. Information on how and where to get vaccinated is available on the Get vaccinated webpage.
2. If your child shows symptoms of COVID-19, please ensure they stay home and get tested. The easiest way to test is to use a rapid antigen test (RAT).

You can buy RATs at supermarkets, pharmacies, and other retailers. If your child has symptoms but tests negative, please ensure they stay home until they no longer have symptoms.

If the RAT test result is positive, please ensure they stay at home for at least 5 days and until there are no more symptoms. Thank you for your support – these steps will help us all stay well.

Mrs Karen Wade
College Principal

Year 7 Camp

Well done to all our Year 7 students for their participation in the Phillip Island Adventure Camp last week. Students and staff braved uncertain conditions and had a wonderful time getting to know each other and having some fun in the sun. A particular thanks goes to our Junior School Leader, Danielle Mott, and our Year 7 coordinators for their preparation and leadership. I would also like to extend my thanks to all staff who gave up their time to go along. Only through the willingness of our wonderful staff are we able to make these events happen.

Year 8 Challenge Program

While the Year 7s were at camp, our Year 8s had the chance to test their resilience and courage with our annual Challenge Program. Students got the chance to dance, climb, improvise, touch reptiles, and many other challenging activities. I would like to commend the students for participating in the right spirit, and being so encouraging of their peers as they tested their limits.

Monash Tech School

We are now quite a way into our Monash tech School visits for 2024. Our students are so fortunate to have access to these world-class facilities and to undertake such an engaging program. Well done to all students who have attended already. We have received such wonderful feedback from our hosts about your conduct and attitude. To those students who have not yet attended, we hope you are looking forward to the experience.

Community expectations

We have received a handful of reports recently of some of our students not upholding all our school values on their way to and from school. We ask that all parents/carers take the time to discuss with their child/ren the importance of respect for property, safe crossing of the roads, and appropriate conduct on public transport.

Mr Matt Sheehan
Campus Principal – Junior School

Well done to all Middle School students on their great to start to the 2024 year as we have settled back into timetabled classes. It’s been pleasing to hear positive feedback on how students have approached their learning during these first few weeks. Looking forward our Year 9 students will be engaging with the Morrisby Careers Program and completing NAPLAN testing in the coming weeks.

School Photos

Arthur Reed Photographers have completed our first photo day with a catch-up day to be scheduled for Monday 26 February. They are busy processing the photos already taken. Parents are encouraged to use the online portal which allows them to view and order photos.

Community expectations

We have received a handful of reports recently of some of our students not upholding all of our school values on their way to and from school. We ask that all parents/carers take the time to discuss with their child/ren the importance of respect for property, safe crossing of the roads, and appropriate conduct on public transport.

Student accident insurance, ambulance cover arrangements and private property brought to school

Parents/ carers are reminded that the Department of Education does not provide personal accident or ambulance cover for students. Parents and carers of students, who do not have private health insurance or ambulance cover, are responsible for paying the cost of medical treatment for their injured child.

Private property bought to the college by students, staff or visitors is not insured and the Department is not responsible for any loss or damage. This can include mobile phones, calculators, sporting equipment and cars parked on school premises.  It is recommended that parents/ carers consider insurance policies that can be purchased from commercial insurers.

Mr Ian MacLeod
Campus Principal – Middle School

School Assessed Coursework (SACs)

Students completing the VCE ATAR pathway will have started their assessment tasks. A SAC calendar has been shared with students and parents/carers to support students with planning and preparing for these tasks. There are strict requirements regarding attendance and procedures for these tasks that students and teachers must follow which was explained as part of our Senior School Information Night, as well via announcements sent out via Compass.

Tips and strategies to support your child in VCE

The jump into VCE is always a big one and at times students and their families can feel overwhelmed and anxious. Please ensure that your child talks to their teacher if they are having difficulties with the work or the Year Level Coordinators if they are struggling with the demands of VCE.

Some of the top tips to assist in VCE success include:

• Create a study timetable and stick to it (for Year 12 students this should be 3 to 4 hours a night)
• Find a place to study and set it up
• Don’t study with a mobile phone or devices – they can be a distraction
• Practice applying your knowledge – not just remembering it
• Use mind maps, tables and graphic organisers to summarise the main points
• Use the expertise of teachers – they are always happy to assist you
• Keep a good work/life balance – make sure you get enough sleep, exercise and social time. If you have a part time job, be mindful of spending too much time working at the expense of study time.
• Study time includes revision of work covered, not just homework.
• Make sure that you regularly complete homework and revise.

The Year Level Coordinators are here to support your child. Please encourage your child to see them if they are struggling with getting on top of their study.

Communication at the college

Supporting senior students through their chosen VCE pathway is a team effort and requires a partnership between the college, students and parents.

While our staff make every effort to respond to parents in a timely manner it can sometimes be difficult given the size of our school community. All staff, including those in Subschool, have a teaching allotment and may not always be available via phone. Email is usually the best way to reach our staff, or a phone message can be left if necessary.

Compass is used as our primary method of communication with parents/carers. Please check this regularly and ensure your email address and other details are up to date. Compass is used to report on student progress for CATs and SACs, provide information about attendance, notifications regarding excursions and other upcoming events at the college.

Community expectations

We have received a handful of reports recently of some of our students not upholding all of our school values on their way to and from school. We ask that all parents/carers take the time to discuss with their child/ren the importance of respect for property, safe crossing of the roads, and appropriate conduct on public transport.

Student accident insurance, ambulance cover arrangements and private property brought to school

Parents/ carers are reminded that the Department of Education and Training does not provide personal accident or ambulance cover for students. Parents and carers of students, who do not have private health insurance or ambulance cover, are responsible for paying the cost of medical treatment for their injured child.

Private property brought to the college by students, staff or visitors is not insured and the Department is not responsible for any loss or damage. This can include mobile phones, calculators, sporting equipment and cars parked on school premises.  It is recommended that parents/carers consider insurance policies that can be purchased from commercial insurers.

Ms Lauren Kelly
Acting Campus Principal – Senior School

Information Evening

It was great to see lots of parents/carers attend our Senior School Information Evening on Tuesday! We covered several topics, including VCE terminology, SACs and Special Provisions. If you were unable to attend, you should have received an email with the slides from the presentation or you can email any questions to the relevant Year Level Coordinators. There will be more information evenings later in the year for both SEAS and VTAC applications.

School Assessed Coursework (SACs)

Many students have already started sitting SACs and we’ve had reports of lots of excellent work with some very organised and well-prepared students, so keep up the good work!! The best way to be prepared for SACs is to ensure all classwork is completed in a timely manner. If students have any concerns, please ask them to get in touch with the relevant subject teacher.

Year 12 Jackets

Keep your eyes peeled for the Class of 2024 jackets which will be distributed (to those who ordered and paid last year) in the coming days.

Reminders

• When emailing staff, please ensure that you include your student’s full name and mentor group. This will allow us to follow up with you or your student more efficiently.
• Once a student has finished classes for the day, students can go home. However, students cannot leave and return in the middle of the day, even if they have a study period or a no cover.
• If your student has their Ps, they need to read and sign the ‘Driving to School’ policy (all students received an email regarding this policy).
• Uniform focus: jewellery – as per the uniform policy, jewellery is not to be worn apart from a watch and, for students with pierced ears, a pair of silver or gold plain studs or sleepers. The uniform policy is available both on the college website and in the student planners on pages 27-28.

Ms Jo Rogers
Acting Head of Senior School

Lions Youth of the Year 

On Sunday 19 February, our College Captains, Georgia K and Madeleine D, and Deputy Captain, Pria T, all participated in the Lions Youth of the Year competition at the Ashwood-Mt Waverley Club. The competition consists of an interview and public speaking components.

Each student spoke with passion and confidence about their chosen topics: ‘Social media threatens democracy’, ‘The most important learning is done outside the classroom’ and ‘The objectification of female superheroes’.

Students were also asked to respond to two impromptu topics without any preparation time – a difficult task for anyone, and particularly in front of an audience. Students were asked to discuss whether or not ‘AI will threaten the way we think’ and ‘what event impacted them most in 2023’.

Congratulations to Madeleine D who won best public speaker, and Georgia K who won the Youth of the Year award for the Lions Club Ashwood-Mt Waverley. Next month, Georgia will compete with other young leaders in the regional final.

The three students did a brilliant job of representing the College and themselves. It is great to see the glowing self-confidence of students who have stepped out of their comfort zone and overcome a challenge. We wish our students all the best on their journey as young leaders

Mr Thomas Grant
Acting Head of Student Voice

Now that we are 4 weeks into term –  students have started to settle and are feeling comfortable with the transition to their new year level. Please remember that as a parent/carer you can refer your child for support through the student wellbeing team. We also offer parenting advice if you want to speak about some challenges your child may be having or seek some general advice.

Junior Campus contact:  Ms Aisha Paternott – pai@mwsc.vic.edu.au

Senior Campus contact: Ms Irine Sojan – sie@mwsc.vic.edu.au or Jason Mann mjs@mwsc.vic.edu.au

Alternatively for students in any year level – you can contact me on gpd@mwsc.vic.edu.au

See attached some information on State Schools Relief and the financial support they offer. If you need any help with accessing these resources please speak with Aisha or Irine.

Please also note the information attached regarding an opportunity for all students to partake in The Cognition Study – a new research study conducted by the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute. More information is available in the documents attached including a short video.

• COGNITION_Poster
• COGNITION_Study_Student_Family_Invitation_Letter

Information about HPV Vaccination

The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine used in Australia, Gardasil 9, is safe, effective, and protects against nine types of HPV that cause almost all cervical cancers, other HPV-related cancers and genital warts. However, in Victoria, repercussions of COVID-19 school lockdowns and other health related barriers associated with the pandemic has seen HPV vaccination coverage decline across the state, putting young Victorians at greater risk of cervical cancer, other HPV-related cancers and diseases in the future. The Cancer Council have developed a digital toolkit with information, content and resources on HPV and the HPV vaccine https://www.hpvvaccine.org.au/

Monash Immunisation Program will be coming out to our school to vaccinate the Year 7 cohort against HPV this year. All other students who have missed this vaccine can access this vaccine at any of our community immunisation sessions.

Bookings for these sessions can be found here:  https://www.monash.vic.gov.au/Community/Children-Family/Immunisation/Immunisation-bookings-and-updates

If you have any questions about any of the above, please email immunisation@monash.vic.gov.au

Mr Paul Graham
Student Support and Resources Manager

RMIT is offering a school holiday program for young women in aerospace and defence. It is open to Year 7 – 12 students.

Please read below flyer for full details and application dates.

Mr Phil Newnham
Careers Education Manager

Welcome to the first issue of the Mount Waverley Secondary College Alumni Newsletter for 2024. These newsletters will be published on a term basis instead of monthly.

In this edition, discover exciting updates about the upcoming school tour reunions hosted by the college. Delight in revisiting cherished memories and perusing nostalgic photographs from years gone by.

Your contributions and insights (stories, memories, and photos) has enhanced this newsletter. Keep them coming.

To view February’s newsletter, click here.

To register and get the newsletter along with all the latest news events sent directly to your email, please click here.

Ms Victoria Tortopidis
Alumni Coordinator

Looking for Volunteer Language Assistants

We are looking for native German speakers in the MWSC learning communities who can assist our Year 12 students with their speaking practice in preparation for the end-of-year oral examination.

Eligibilities

∙        Native speaker of German

∙        Available during school hours. Days, times, and location (on-site or remote) are negotiable.

∙        Has a current Working with Children Check

If you are interested, please contact me at chi@mwsc.vic.edu.au

Ms Katja Chitters
Head of German