MWSC College News – Issue 9

Off to the Olympics

Congratulations to our Alumni, Emily Whitehead, Class of 2018, for being selected to join the Gymnastics Olympic Team representing Australia at the Paris Olympics. We are incredibly proud of her achievement and wish her the best of luck in this exciting journey.

Star Performer

Congratulations to Izak Bibile, Class of 2023, on receiving an Athletics Scholarship to Loyola University Chicago. This scholarship from a top-ranked university marks an exciting new chapter in the next phase of his life. We wish Izak all the best for the future.

Year 9 Explore Program

Our Year 9 students thoroughly enjoyed the Explore Program based in the city last week. For many of our students they have not had the opportunity to explore the CBD. I would like to thank Mr Liam Wall Middle School Leader and his team for organising this event and all the teachers who volunteered to take part in this program.

Regional Cross Country 

Well done to all our students who competed at the regional cross country last Thursday 13 June. Thirteen students have now qualified for the state competition which is the most competitors we have sent to the final round.

Congratulations to the following students who will compete at the State finals in July;

Special thanks to Mr Gwynne and Mr Jay Newport our Sports Leaders and Mrs Sally Robotham for accompanying our students on the day.

GAT Exam

Over 400 students undertook the two-part General Achievement Test last Tuesday 18 June. This is a huge logistical task, and I would like to thank Mr James Johnston Senior School Leader for overseeing this event. Special thanks to our Chief Supervisor Mrs Trish Reid and her team of supervisors for their efforts. Our examiners again commented on the excellent behaviour of our students and the way they conducted themselves.

End of Semester 1

It has been a busy time with a lot to get through.  I would like to thank all the teachers for the great work achieved last semester.  Special thanks to the teachers who prepared their students for mid-year examinations.  Many extra classes were held (some out of hours) and this demonstrates the dedication of the staff at this school.  Semester 2 classes began last Monday 17 June.

Semester 1 Reports

Semester 1 reports will be available via Compass shortly.  Please make the time to discuss your student’s progress with them, both areas of strength and areas for improvement.  Congratulations to those students who achieved excellent results this semester.

VCE Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences

Parent/Student/Teacher conferences are being held remotely for VCE students on Thursday 18 July (Week 1 – Term 3). These interviews will be conducted via Webex Meetings. Please note these interviews relate to Semester 1 subjects only. As there are only 30 spaces for each teacher, if you can’t make an appointment, please don’t hesitate to contact teachers via email if you would like further feedback. On Thursday 12 September we will be holding a whole day of interviews for Years 7-12 students.

Happy Holidays

Have a well-deserved break everyone and enjoy time with your family and friends. A reminder that we will have a 2.30pm dismissal next week Friday 28 June. Term 3 begins on Monday 15 July.  Stay well, take care and I will see you next term.

Mrs Karen Wade
College Principal

Well done to all staff and students at the Junior Campus for a wonderful semester of teaching, learning, and extra-curricular activities.

We have again thrived in and out of the classroom, with our students not only demonstrating their application to their learning, but also embodying the college values in all of their interactions.

Integrity

The Junior Sub School team should be commended for the ‘Upstander’ culture they have developed with students at the Junior Campus. Regular assemblies have had a focus on being an upstander, as opposed to a bystander, and we frequently have students coming forward to speak up about issues that may concern them or their peers. We value our safe and supportive learning environment, and it is wonderful that this is being driven by our students.

Learning

Semester reports will be available in the coming weeks, and it is a wonderful time to celebrate the excellent academic achievements of our students. We are very privileged to have a school in which learning is greatly valued.

Excellence

Even more important than the high level academic results, is the efforts of our students in self-improvement. This is seen in the classroom and beyond, with students applying themselves to all of their endeavours.

Accountability

A normal part of secondary schooling is students testing boundaries and learning about decision-making. Every day is a new start for our students, and we pride ourselves on the ways in which students are supported to take accountability for their conduct, and seek to improve. The manner in which our students engage in meaningful, reflective conversations (even when things might have gone awry) is truly impressive.

Respect

One of the great assets of our school is the diversity we have on display. As the college vision statement says, ‘Mount Waverley Secondary College is a proudly diverse learning environment where everyone is empowered to strive for growth and excellence.’ We regularly celebrate a range of events that highlight our diversity. We are immensely proud of the respectful ways in which our students recognise and celebrate diversity.

Nurturing

Whether in the classroom, in the yard, on the sporting field, on the bus, or in any other forum, I am constantly reminded of the capacity of our students to show care, compassion, and empathy to each other.

We wish all students a restful holiday break, and hope that they come back recharged and ready for Term 3.

Mr Matt Sheehan
Campus Principal – Junior School

Students in the Middle School have started Semester Two including moving into new subjects this week.  Well done to our middle school students for completing their exams across last few weeks.  As we move towards the term break it is worth reflecting on the first half of the year which has included learning across the eight learning areas as well as sport, excursions and competitions.

Explore Program

Last week our Year 9 students travelled into the CBD for the Explore program where they spent three days exploring Melbourne.  This included a wide range of activities including a tour to the MCG, a scavenger hunt and visit to the Big Issue.

Work Experience

This last week of term will see our Year 10 students on Work Experience which provides an opportunity for them to better understand the world of work.  This is a great for our students to explore future career options and better understand how business and organisations operate.

Semester Reports

Semester reports will be available in the coming weeks, providing a range of feedback to students and parents alike. Well done to all students who have applied themselves throughout the semester, especially those who have reflected on assessments, taken on board feedback and applied suggested strategies for improvement.  It is important to remember that some students’ self-esteem is affected because they feel they have let others down even when they have worked to the best of their ability.

How do we encourage genuine positive self-esteem in our young people at this time? One way is to provide unconditional positive acceptance, while encouraging an appreciation of individual special abilities and worth. This involves showing that you do care and respect their skills across a broad range of activities, not merely judging them based on their behaviour or academic success.  It is important for students to focus on achieving their personal best in all facets of their lives.

I wish all families a safe and restful break and look forward to welcoming students back to the college on Monday 15 July to commence Term 3.

Mr Ian MacLeod
Campus Principal – Middle School

Well done to our senior students. Term 2 has been a busy one both in and out of the classroom. Students have been participating in subject field trips and excursions, sport round robin days, music and drama performances to name a few. The opportunities our students get in and outside of the classroom is truly amazing and can only happen thanks to the support of our amazing staff.

Congratulations to our Year 12s who have reached the halfway mark for the year. We continue to be proud of the hard work and perseverance you are demonstrating this year and encourage you to use the break to recharge, reset and prepare yourself for term 3.

General Achievement Test (GAT)

On Tuesday 18 June over 400 students completed the GAT. This is an important assessment undertaken by all VCE students. The test is used to assess literacy, numeracy and writing competency, as is also part of the statistical moderation process for VCE study scores. The exam supervisors commended our students on their excellent behaviour which is always excellent to hear. I would especially like to acknowledge Mr James Johnston for all his hard work behind the scenes preparing for the day, as well as all members of the Senior School.

VCE Parent/Student/Teacher Interviews  

Interview will occur on Thursday 18 July in the first week back next term between 4pm and 7pm. These interviews provide an opportunity for VCE teachers, parents and students to meet early in the semester to discuss how students are progressing and areas for improvement for Semester Two. Bookings will open Wednesday 26 June and close Tuesday 16 July.

Year 12 Wellbeing Day

On Wednesday 12 June, Year 12 students participated in a Wellbeing Day. Guest speaker Mr Eric Agyeman provided a motivational and inspirational speech by sharing his personal story of hardship and resilience. Students then opted to participate in a range of activities including, a wildlife incursion, pot painting, sports, board games or a movie. At lunch students engaged a sausage sizzle and a hot jam donut. Thanks must go to the Wellbeing Team for organising the day for our students, the teachers and the subschool team for their support on the day, and Mrs Narda McLennan for her help with cooking the sausages.

Semester Reports

Next week Semester One reports will be released. Whilst teachers provide feedback on CATs and SACs via continuous reporting throughout the semester parents/carers and students will gain an overview of student learning progress via the semester reports. The reports will provide feedback on Approaches to Learning, performance against the Victorian Curriculum for 7-10, results for each Outcome for VCE, and an overall result for each subject.

I would like to encourage both students and parents/carers to use this as an opportunity to reflect on Semester One and consider areas of success and opportunities for improvement that could be a focus for Semester Two.

Thank you to all our teachers for their work over the last couple of weeks in completing these reports, finalising CAT/SAC results and comments, and marking exams.

Ms Lauren Kelly
Campus Principal – Senior School

Year 12 Wellbeing Day

On Wednesday 12 June the Year 12’s spent most of the day focusing on their wellbeing. In the morning they attended a motivational and inspirational speech from Mr Eric Agyeman. He shared his personal story of hardship and resilience. In period 3 and 4, students opted into a variety of activities including, watching a movie, wildlife incursion, board games, pottery exercise and sports. All of the activities were really well received, especially the students who attended the wildlife incursion and were able to touch lizards and snakes. At lunch the students were treated to a sausage in bread and hot jam donuts, which were great on a cold winters day.

REACH Workshops

Reach workshops provide safe and supportive spaces for students to discuss and share their experiences, successes and challenges. They aim to improve resilience and self-belief, enhance social and emotional skills and improve connections among the peer group.

Year 7 – On Tuesday 18 June, our Year 7 students attended the Connection workshop delivered by the Reach Foundation. The Connection workshop encourages positive self-expression and normalizes individual differences within the group as they share their experiences of high school so far.  It builds awareness of behavior and its impact on others, and how it can affect individuals in different ways. They also focus on building awareness of the impact of ‘crossing the line’ both online and in the ‘real world’. It explores the reasons behind negative words and behaviours to identify the impacts upon others. The workshop aims to build empathy, support connections and create positive impacts on the group as a whole.

Year 9 – On Wednesday 19 June, our Year 9 students attended the Peer Dynamics workshop delivered by the Reach Foundation. The workshop explores judgement, confidence and group dynamics and the impact judgment has on individual confidence and peer dynamics. By recognising the need to create safe environments, this workshop empowers individuals to ask, “What role do I play in creating the class environment?”   “Am I making it better or worse through the choices I’m making?”

Gambling harm reduction program from Gambler’s Help

This week our Year 11 and 12 students attended workshops delivered by EACH. There are over 1300 sports betting TV on free to air TV every day, the Gambler’s Help education sessions are an opportunity for students to understand the risks and realities of betting. Young people are overrepresented statistically and with the increase in online sports betting they are starting to bet younger than ever before. Statistics suggest 1 in 4 year 10 boys are currently betting on sports and it’s important to help them understand Australians lose more betting and gambling than any other country partly due to the normalisation from a young age.

Push-Up Challenge

The Push-Up Challenge is a free mental health and fitness event focused on pushing for better mental health for all Australians from the 5th to the 28th of June. You can complete 3,249 push-ups (or alternative exercises) over 24 days, representing the 3,249 lives lost to suicide in Australia in 2022. You can also adapt the challenge to your abilities and do half the amount, 1625.  Make sure you download the app to keep track of your push-ups. There are many alternative exercises that you can complete such as squats, sit-ups and tricep dips, so don’t feel pressured to only do push-ups! Good luck to all of those participating, let’s push for better mental health together!  Many students and staff at MWSC are participating in the Push-Up Challenge and we wish them well for the rest of the campaign.

Mr Paul Graham
Student Support and Resources Manager

VTAC Information for Year 12 Students

VTAC has announced that course applications for Year 12 students will open at 9am on Saturday 29 July. There will be a VTAC information session delivered by the Careers Team during this period to both Year 12 students and their parents. Please look out for this date to be published.

Year 12 students are encouraged to book a meeting with Careers to discuss options after Year 12 including:-

• Take a gap year
• Seek full time work
• Study at TAFE or University
• Apprenticeship or traineeship
  

Year 10 Future Options – Call out for Guest Speakers

Mount Waverley Secondary College is inviting guest speakers from our parent/carer community to address our Year 10 students during the Future Options event on Tuesday 30 July, commencing at 1:30pm.

This event aims to equip students with essential information ahead of their VCE course selections in August. A key component will be a 45-minute careers seminar conducted by industry professionals.

Each session will be repeated once, accommodating groups of up to 25 students. We are specifically interested in speakers with expertise in psychology, design, creative industries, and those who began their careers with a Commerce or Business degree.

All guest speakers are required to have a valid Working With Children Check. If you believe you can contribute, please contact careers@mwsc.vic.edu.au

Mr Phil Newnham and Ms Victoria Tortopidis
Careers Education

Welcome!

Our numeracy newsletter articles aim to bridge the gap between the classroom and your home, helping you to support your child’s numeracy understanding in a fun and engaging way. Numeracy goes beyond just addition and subtraction. It’s about applying maths concepts to solve problems and make sense of the world around us. Through these newsletter articles, we hope to provide families with some helpful hints and tips to increase their numeracy skills.

In our previous article in the 24th May college newsletter, we focussed on numeracy activities that could be done over the long weekend. With the end of the financial year coming up, we are looking at numeracy ideas with the sales and taxes with this article.

End of Financial Year Edition

Tax

The end-of-financial year, most people will be getting ready to lodge their tax returns. Now is a great opportunity to help your child gain an understanding of the tax system in Australia and the tax they pay on items with the goods and services tax (GST). If they have a part-time job, they may also be paying taxes out of their wages.

The government uses this money to provide important services and infrastructure, like roads, hospitals, and even schools – put simply, tax improves our quality of life and it is important for children to be aware of how it works, and where the taxes go.

Real-World Applications:

• Budgeting for Taxes: Set aside a portion of your income (even a small amount) throughout the year to “practice” paying taxes. This helps families understand the concept of paying taxes from their earnings.
• Tax Time Savings: Research tax deductions (including donations to charities) and credits that might be applicable to your family. Discuss how these deductions can reduce the amount of tax you owe. Involve your child in the research and calculations (age-appropriately).
• Next time you order a pizza, discuss percentages as you divide it up or the GST you have paid on it. Calculate the percentage of the pizza each person gets. You can extend this to other situations like calculating tips at restaurants.

Here is a link to a great online tool with information and activities for your students:  https://taxsuperandyou.gov.au/parent-toolkit/explore-tools

Sales

The end-of-financial year sales are here, and it’s a great opportunity to combine saving money with some fun numeracy practice for the whole family. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Mission to find the best bargains:

• Unit Pricing: Compare unit prices (price per weight or volume) of similar items across different brands or shops. This helps you find the best deal, regardless of package size. You will find these at many supermarkets on the shelf price

• Percentage Discounts: Work together to calculate the actual savings based on the discount percentages. Let your child practice multiplying the original price by the discount as a percentage (written as a decimal) to find the amount saved.

Shopping List Strategy:

• Budgeting: Set a budget for your shopping trip together. Discuss needs vs. wants and prioritise your purchases.
• Price Matching: Explore stores that offer price matching. Research the lowest price you can find and use it to negotiate at other stores with a price-matching policy. This involves subtraction to see how much money you can save.

Making it Fun:

• Turn it into a Game: Create a shopping list scavenger hunt. Find specific items within their budget and have them calculate the total cost as they go. The one who comes closest to the budget wins.
• Reward System: Set a reward for staying within budget or finding the best deals.

Remember:

These activities don’t have to be complex.

• Start with age-appropriate challenges and gradually increase the difficulty as your child’s skills develop.
• Most importantly, keep it fun and engaging.

By incorporating numeracy into your shopping trip, you’ll be helping your child develop valuable math skills while saving some money for the family!

Mrs Tijtje Keatley and Ms Cassie Morris
Learning Specialists 

2024 College Production 

Mount Waverley Secondary College proudly presents “Mamma Mia! – The Musical.”  

“Mamma Mia tells the story of Sophie, a young woman on a quest to discover the identity of her father. The mystery brings three men from her mother’s past back to a Greek island paradise that they last visited twenty years ago.  Sophie learns that sometimes you must take a chance and risk everything in order to achieve your dreams.”

Performances will be held in the MWSC Unicorn Theatre on the following dates and times:

• Wednesday 24 July at 7pm
• Thurday 25 July at 7pm
• Friday 26 July at 7pm
• Saturday 27 July at 1.30pm (Matinee)
• Saturday 27 July at 7pm

Ticket sales available now via Trybooking.   We hope to see you there! 

Emily Whitehead – Class of 2018

Congratulations to our Alumni, Emily Whitehead, Class of 2018, for being selected to join the Gymnastics Olympic Team representing Australia at the Paris Olympics! We are incredibly proud of her achievement and wish her the best of luck in this exciting journey. Go Emily!