MWSC College News – Issue 15

Welcome back to Term 4

Welcome back to a new term of learning.  Learning doesn’t just happen by accident it is through careful planning and preparation that teachers provide students with high quality learning experiences.  These experiences, both inside and outside the classroom are a vital part of the way we educate our students.

This is a busy term with students completing their studies for 2024 whilst starting to think about next year.  As we move through this term students will undertake a range of learning activities and assessments as we finish the school year. The Early Commencement Program will see our students start their 2025 classes on Monday 25 November as they begin their next chapter of learning at the college.

Japan Study Tour returns 

Twenty students and three teachers spent 22 days in Japan recently on a study tour. The students were fantastic and took everything in their stride. They represented the school with pride and learnt a lot more about Japanese culture, history and language. Thank you to Ms Ayako Yasunaga and Ms Michelle Lukaczynski who organized the tour and Mr Ian MacLeod who represented the college and supported the group. I know that our students had an amazing experience.

Central Australia Tour 

Forty-three students attended the Central Australia Tour which ran at the end of last term and into the holidays. They had a wonderful time visiting places such as Uluru, Kings Canyon and Coober Pedy. I heard that the students were wonderful and worked together as a team supporting each other and their teachers. I would like to sincerely thank my wonderful staff Ms Jo Siketa, Mr Adam Wheeler, Mr Mitch Waterman, Ms Francine Camino, Mrs Linda Davies and Ms Stephanie Xing who gave up their holiday time to attend the tour.

Premier’s Visit

Last week we had the pleasure of hosting the Premier of Victoria Jacinta Allan, Deputy Premier and Minister for Education Ben Carroll, Parliamentary Secretary for Children Nathan Lambert MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Education Nina Taylor MP and MP for Ashwood Matt Fregon on the Junior Campus, as they launched public consultation on age limits for social media. The findings from this process will then shape a new social media safety program – Safe Socials. This program will be delivered in schools as a resource for students, teachers and families about how to navigate and live with social media.
Special thanks to my four wonderful Junior Campus Captains Dhineli, William, Advika and Henry who chatted with our visitors regarding their thoughts on this important issue.

Star Performer

Congratulations to Salma A in Year 8 who won the gold medal in the Australian Fencing Circuit in Perth over the school holidays. Salma became the youngest athlete fencer to win first place in Open National. The Australian Fencing Circuit is an open-age tournament organised by the Australian Fencing Federation for men and women in all fencing weapons.

Music Gala Concerts

I had the privilege of attending the Music Gala Concerts last week. A lot of work goes into organising a night like this when there are so many students and different ensembles involved.

I would like to sincerely thank Mrs Tijte Keatley our Music Director and our 2 Music Captains, Vivian and Alannah who helped organise the event. Congratulations to all of our instrumental music students and music staff; Mr Tom Frost, Mrs Melissa Knowles, Ms Sherilyn Lee, Mr Lee Jones, Mr Oscar Jenkins-Wing, Mr Damien Maughan, Mrs Keryn Lientschnig, Ms Misa Murphy, Mr Tim O Connor, Mr Lewis Pierre-Humbert and Mr Joseph Yu. The quality of musical performances on the night was outstanding.

Thanks also to all the students and staff who worked tirelessly behind the scenes in support of our exemplary Instrumental Music Program.

Best wishes to our Year 12 students

Over the holiday break some Year 12 revision classes ran, and I would like to thank my dedicated Year 12 teachers for providing this opportunity to their students.

Congratulations to all Year 12 students who are now nearing the completion of thirteen years of school.  This is a magnificent achievement.  I would like to thank our Year 12 students for their contribution to our learning community which has allowed Mount Waverley Secondary College to maintain its well-deserved, outstanding reputation.   Special thanks to Madeleine and Georgia for the magnificent job they have done as our College Captains and congratulations to Farah and Pria for their great contribution as Deputy Captains.

These senior students have been excellent role models, clearly demonstrating great leadership skills whilst maintaining a focus and dedication to study.

I have enjoyed meeting our Year 12 students throughout the year and have been impressed with their dedication to study, support of their peers and positive relationships with their teachers.  Thank you to all of the staff who have supported our Year 12 students throughout their time at our college.  I encourage our Year 12 students to always believe you can achieve your dreams.  Never give up when life throws up a challenge.  That is the key to success.  Keep striving towards your goal and you will reach it. I wish each and every Year 12 student all the best as they enter the next exciting phase of their lives.

Mango Fundraiser

Please support our college fundraiser by ordering a tray of mangoes for $30 per tray (approximately 7kg of fruit, number of mangoes per tray varies with size).

• Orders must be submitted by 3pm on Tuesday, 24 October 2024.
• All orders are via Trybooking link:https://www.trybooking.com/CVKIR
• Families will be notified of the time and venue to collect orders. Delivery date will be confirmed in mid-November for an early December collection).

Funds from the drive will go toward student-led initiatives to improve the college grounds.

Professional Practice Day

For Semester 2, 2024, the Department of Education and Training has provided schools with the option to hold each teacher’s allocated professional practice day on the same day for all staff. This is to enable the most effective and efficient use of this day. As a result, we have scheduled our professional practice day for Monday 4 November, the day before the Cup Day public holiday. Students will therefore not be required to attend school on this day.

Social Media Safety  

Parents and carers play an important role in supporting their children to be safe online and on social media. You can help your children safely navigate their digital world and educate them to avoid harmful online experiences. You can explore websites, games, apps and social media together and set some rules and boundaries.

Your support and guidance can give your children the knowledge to make sound decisions online and confidence to ask for help when they need it. It is also important to stay informed about online safety.  The Department of Education recognises this important issue and has developed fact sheets about supports to help keep students safe online and what to do if they are involved in an online incident.

The fact sheets contain links to evidence-based information on supporting positive and safe online experiences, signs a child or young person might need support, what to do if something unsafe happens online, and where to reach out to for more support.  To access the fact sheets, refer to the Safe Socials webpage. The fact sheets are available in 19 community languages.

The government is also launching public consultation on age limits for social media. You and your children can share your experiences to inform proposed changes via an online survey, before 5 pm on Friday 1 November 2024. For more information on the survey and to take part, refer to Proposed changes to social media age limits on the Engage Victoria website.

If you have any queries about this information, you can contact the department by email: bullystoppers@education.vic.gov.au

School Saving Bonus

As shared with you previously, parents and carers of every child enrolled in a Victorian government school in 2025 will receive the one-off School Saving Bonus $400 support. In the coming months, the Department of Education will send you 2 email communications for each of your children enrolled in Victorian government schools.

By Friday 18 October 2024, please ensure that your child’s 2025 enrolment is completed and that your contact information is up to date.

The 2 emails from the Department of Education will:

1. Confirm your email address between mid-October and late-November.
2. Provide you with your unique $400 School Saving Bonus code by the end of November.

If you do not receive a confirmation email from the department by late-November, please check your spam or junk folders and contact the college if needed.

You can read more about the School Saving Bonus on the Department of Education website, with key information now available in 14 different languages.

Thunderstorm Asthma

Grass pollen season, which typically runs from October to December each year in Victoria, brings an increase in asthma and hay fever symptoms. It also increases the risk of thunderstorm asthma. For people with asthma or hay fever, especially those who experience wheezing or coughing with their hay fever, thunderstorm asthma can be sudden, serious and even life threatening.

Mount Waverley Secondary College will implement a range of measures to keep our school community safe as the risk of thunderstorm asthma increases. Many of our staff are trained in asthma first aid, and we will monitor the VicEmergency app to receive thunderstorm warnings, and, where appropriate, keep students indoors when weather forecasts identify greater risk.

During the season, there are some things you can do to prepare and protect yourself and your family:

If your child has ever had asthma, talk to your doctor about what you can do to help protect them from the risk of thunderstorm asthma this pollen season, including updating your asthma action plan. Taking an asthma preventer properly and regularly is key to preventing asthma, including thunderstorm asthma.

If your child has hay fever, see your pharmacist or doctor for a hay fever treatment plan and check if you should have an asthma reliever puffer. These are available from a pharmacy without a prescription.

If your child has hay fever and experiences wheezing and coughing, it is important to make sure they don’t also have asthma. Speak to your doctor about an asthma action plan.

Where possible, avoid being outside during thunderstorms from October to December, especially during the wind gusts that come before the storm. Go inside and close your doors and windows. If you have your air conditioning on, turn it to ‘recirculate’.

Protect yourself this pollen season – managing asthma and allergies matters.  For more information, speak to your doctor. You can also visit the Better Health Channel website.

Mrs Karen Wade
College Principal

Year 8 Events and Activities

The last few weeks have been very busy on the Junior Campus. Our Year 8 students were involved in two significant programs: the Kinglake Adventure Camp and the Personal Best Project. The camp was a great opportunity for students to test their physical and mental limits, getting outside their comfort zone in a safe and supportive environment. Students were able to spend some time with friends new and old, and explore the beautiful landscape of Kinglake. 

Back at school, students were engaged in a program designed to help them better understand themselves and their passions. This program is deliberately timed to support their transition to the Senior Campus in year 9. Student complete a session conducted by our Careers team, designed to help them understand their own motivations and future pathways. They also participated in a Gratitude, Empathy and Mindfulness session facilitated by our Wellbeing team, which challenged them to think about their own lives, and show their appreciation for their classmates. The focal point of this program, however, was the chance for students to present their final Personal Best projects that they have been working on since last term. It was wonderful to see students sharing new skills with their peers, and in some cases getting others involved.

Coming Events

We are looking forward to hosting two of our favourite annual events in the coming weeks.  On Tuesday 29th and Thursday 31st October, we will host our Year 7 Band program concerts.  These are a great way to celebrate the achievements of our students through their classroom music program during 2024.  On Thursday 14th November is our annual Night at the Museum, where we invite our college community to see a display of learning from our Year 7 Humanities classes.  Please mark both afternoons in your calendar and look out for more details coming soon.

Mr Matt Sheehan
Campus Principal – Junior School

Welcome back to a new term of learning.  Learning doesn’t just happen by accident it is through careful planning and preparation that teachers provided students with high quality learning experiences.  These experiences, both inside and outside the classroom are a vital part of the way we educate our students.

This is a busy term with students completing their studies for this year while starting to think about next year.  As we move through this term students will undertake a range of learning activities and assessment as we lead up to our final examination period for middle school students.

As the year has progressed students in Year 10 have started to look towards VCE, making subject selections for their next step in their journey through the college.  With their final set of exams the last chapter of their Middle School experience at the college.

The Early Commencement Program will see Year 9 become Year 10 and our Year 10 moving into Year 11 and the opportunity to start their VCE program.  This program is an important step forward for all students in starting their 2025 studies.

I would encourage all Middle School students to take every opportunity provided by teachers to put themselves in the best possible position complete the year successfully.

Senior Campus Student Wellbeing Hub

We have repurposed three classrooms on the Senior Campus to become our new Student Wellbeing Hub.  Thes spaces have been designed to best support student wellbeing at the college now and into the future.

Holiday Works

The Facilities and IT Teams have achieved some great things over the school holidays, these teams are constantly working to maintain and improve our college.  As always, the term break provides a great opportunity for a range of works at the college.

The ICT Works undertaken included:

• Replaced photocopiers
• Display screens installed to provide information to students
• Deployment of Vivi system
• Reimaging computers and laptops across the college
• Server maintenance and updates
• Software maintenance and updates
• Disposal of old ICT equipment to ICT Recyclers

The Facilities Team work on a wide range of tasks as outlined below:

• Installation of new seating and garden beds works on the JC
• Updating wooden seating on SC
• Fencing installed near A12 for the outdoor classroom area
• Shade sail cleaning
• Removal of front of room computer boxes and repairs
• Remodelling of VCE Centre Admin area works
• Various electrical and plumbing works across both campuses
• Tree removal works on SC
• Air conditioning works and servicing across the college
• Blind installation across the college

Thank you to our ICT and Facilities Teams for this great work to make our college better.

Mr Ian MacLeod
Campus Principal – Middle School

We look forward to welcoming students to Term 4.  We trust you had a restful and relaxing term break with family fun time and much needed sleep ins.  We hope that this term, with the warmer weather and longer days, is most fruitful for all students.  I would like to congratulate the students on a smooth and positive start to this term and would like to draw your attention to a few items.

Uniform

This term we transition into the school summer uniform.  Students had a two-week transition period which finished on Friday 18th October after which we expect all students to wear their full summer uniform to and from school.  Please see our uniform policy located on the MWSC website for further clarification of appropriate uniform clothing items, shoes, jewelry and hair colour.

Mobile Phones

As per the Department’s policy, mobile phones should be kept in lockers throughout the duration of the school day.  Students are expected to place their phone on silent and in their school bags upon entering the school gates.  Their bags should be securely locked in the lockers and students can take their phones out once they have exited the school gates.  We expect all our students to follow this expectation.

Lockers

Students should ensure that they lock their bags securely int heir lockers for the duration of the day upon their arrival.  If there are any issues with student lockers or if students do not have a locker, they are to inform their sub school so that this can be resolved.

Term 4 Middle School Important Information and Dates

This term will be a short term with respect to 2024 course work due to Semester 2 exams.  We encourage students to ensure they keep up to date with their course work and CAT’s.  We also would like to encourage our students to communicate with their teachers regularly if there are any issues with their academic progress.

Thursday 24^th October – Year 10 Immunisations
Tuesday 29^th October – VCAA Exams commence
Monday 4^th November – Student Free Day
Tuesday 5^th November – Melbourne Cup Day Holiday
Monday 11^th November – Year 10 Exams commence
Wednesday 20^th November – Year 9 Exams commence
Thursday 21^st November – Year 10 and 9 Exams conclude
Friday 22^nd November – Student Free Day
Monday 25^th November – 2025 Early Commencement Program (ECP) commences
Tuesday 10^th December – 2025 ECP concludes
Wednesday 11^th December to Friday 13^th December – Year 9 Year End Program

Ms Asha Vazirani
Head of Middle School

It has been a busy start to Term 4. The term started with a visit from the Victorian Premier, Ms Jacinta Allen, along with the Education Minister Mr Ben Caroll to discuss the announcement of safe socials. Our Junior School Captains did a fantastic job sharing their thoughts on the impact of social media.

Our Year 12s are in the last formal days of classes for the year. We wish our Year 12s all the best as they complete their exams and embark on the next phase of their life.

Central Australia Trip

At 5:15am on Wednesday morning 43 year 11 students and 6 staff set off for our annual Central Australia Trip. Both students and teachers have told me it was one of the best trips they have ever done. Our Year 11s particularly enjoyed it given they had missed out on other camp experiences in Year 7 and 8. The highlights of the trip were Kings Canyon, Uluru, Field of Lights and all the fun and laughs shared along the way. I am told even the long bus rides to get from place to place were enjoyable. A massive thank you to Ms Jo Siketa, Mr Adam Wheeler, Mr Mitch Waterman, Ms Francine Cimino, Ms Linda Davies and Ms Stephanie Xing for giving up their holidays so that our students can have this wonderful experience.

Declan Fay and Red Frogs Presentation

As the Year 12s approached their final days of secondary schooling they had the opportunity to listen to Mr Declan Fay, a writer, comedian and storyteller. He is passionate about helping students reach their potential, and letting them know that it is okay to “stuff up” and make mistakes, as long as you learn from them. Our students got a lot of laughs out of his presentation and some great takeaways as they enter the next stage of their life.

Red Frogs provide programs to high school students to educate, equip and empower students to confidently make positive life choices and be a voice of change within their culture. We hope this presentation provided our students with an opportunity to reflect on their choices as they enter their end of secondary school celebrations.

Music Gala Concerts

Congratulations to Mrs Tijtje Keatley and the music staff on two fantastic concerts. It was great to see the growth the bands have shown since first hearing them earlier this year. It is a massive task organising such a night, particularly with two separate concerts occurring.

Year 12 Graduation

Tuesday next week our Year 12s will have an onsite Celebration Day to recognise the achievement of completing their secondary schooling. We will also mark this momentous occasion with a Graduation/Valedictory dinner on Wednesday 23 October. It is very exciting to have this event back on the calendar.

VCAA Exams

VCAA exams have begun with many students already completing performance and language oral exams. The written exams will kick off on October 29, with the English exam first up. Students will be completing exams up until November 20. We wish the students all the best in their exams.

Home Study

As we move toward exam time, not only for our year 12s but also our year 9 to 11 students, home study will be an important part of their preparation. We ask that our parents support the students by providing them a quiet place to study, participating in helping quiz students on exam content, and engaging in discussions about their exam preparations.

Ms Lauren Kelly
Campus Principal – Senior School

A Celebration of Achievement

In a milestone moment, our Year 12 students gathered for their final assembly to receive their graduation gowns and caps. The excitement and pride were palpable as each student donned their gown, preparing for the group photos to capture this special moment forever.

After formal group shots, the students embraced a joyful tradition—throwing their caps into the air in celebration. The collective cheer and smiles were a perfect send-off, symbolising both the end of their school years and the beginning of new adventures.

We look forward to celebrating with them next week at the Year 12 Valedictory Dinner and Graduation, where they will receive the Year 12 Certificates in their gowns.

Ms Jo Rogers
Acting Head of Senior School

This September, one of our Year 11 Vocational Major students, Dean S, took on the challenge of the WorldSkills Australia Regional Automotive Mechanics Competition, held at the Box Hill Institute. Competing alongside around 20 other pre-apprenticeship students, he demonstrated remarkable skill, focus, and perseverance through a full day of hands-on tasks covering essential automotive mechanics.

Participants faced a set of tasks related to the five courses in a vehicle: engine management; cooling system; brakes, steering and suspension; engine mechanical; and vehicle service and electrical check. Dean was required to rewire a vehicle’s electrical systems, tackle brake and cooling system maintenance, and handle intricate suspension systems. Each competitor had just one hour to perform this range of complex tasks, from changing burnt-out headlights and jump-starting a battery to testing the brake rotors and refreshing the coolant. The competition was designed not just to assess technical skill but also the ability to work under intense pressure—qualities essential in the automotive industry.

Dean took on each challenge with precision and efficiency, ultimately achieving the highest score among the students. As a result, he now stands as one of the potential contenders for the National Automotive Mechanics Competition in Brisbane in 2025. His achievement was acknowledged with a brand new set of spanners, a prize recognising the hard work and skill he brought to the day.

We are so proud of Dean’s outstanding performance, and we look forward to seeing him continue to excel in his automotive career. Well done, Dean!

Ms Jo Rogers
Acting Head of Senior School

Our Unit 4 VCE Drama students recently travelled to Box Hill Town Hall and completed their solo performance exams, each delivering an impressive 7-minute piece that demonstrated their creativity, dedication, and passion for Drama. These performances were the result of months of hard work, as students devised original scripts, created compelling characters, and fine-tuned their pieces through intensive rehearsals.

Exploring a wide range of themes, theatrical styles and conventions, the students showcased their versatility, bringing both dramatic and comedic moments to life through their solos. Their commitment to their craft was evident in their performances, as each student pushed themselves to perform to the best of their abilities.

As they move forward, we wish our students all the best in their future performance endeavors. Their dedication and talent will undoubtedly lead them to exciting opportunities ahead. Well done to all!

Mr Matthew Weekes
VCE Drama Teacher

As the ‘Numeracy for Families’ newsletter is a new addition to MWSC, we seek feedback from families about the current content and suggestions about new content moving forward. Please complete this short 2-minute survey if you are able: https://forms.gle/GP392C45N3Kkovxz9

As we are now in Spring, we are looking at numeracy ideas that you can enjoy while you are outdoors.

Enjoying Numeracy Outdoors

Start planning your outdoors activity by looking at the Numeracy with weather. You could use a weather app to read the different data in the app (temperatures, rain predictions for percentage chance of rain and the estimated amount, wind direction and gust). Look at the weather forecasts and analyse accuracy. How is the weather looking for Christmas at the moment?

While walking or hiking, you could measure distances by pacing to estimate distances between landmarks), read maps to also measure distances and calculate travel times. You could estimate walking or running speeds and calculate distances traveled or use a compass or map to navigate through unfamiliar areas.

You might be pottering around in the garden instead during Spring and could measure plant growth, calculate mulch quantities, and plan garden layouts.

Whatever you are doing outdoors, pay attention to the world around you. You could count different species of plants, animals, or objects in nature. There is a Australia wide bird count happening late in October that you could investigate! You could even estimate the number of leaves on a plant and Identify patterns in nature, such as the arrangement of leaves on a plant, spirals on ferns.

Remember:  These activities don’t have to be complex. Keep it fun and engaging!

Mrs Tijtje Keatley and Ms Cassie Morris 
Learning Specialists

Eastern Metropolitan Region Athletics Championship

On Wednesday 9 October, our 24 students who won an event at division headed off to Rieschiecks Reserve in Doncaster to compete in the EMR Athletics Championships. The weather was perfect, as was the performance by our athletics team. Every single student ran and jumped and threw as hard as they possibly could, and in the end 6 of our students made it through to the ultimate event, the State Championships. Congratulations to all, especially the following who won or qualified for State Final;

On Saturday 7th September, 20 students and three teachers from MWSC embarked on a 3-week study tour to Japan. The trip began with a flight from Melbourne to Narita, followed by two days in Tokyo where we visited Shibuya Sky, a baseball game at Tokyo Dome, Teamlabs, and Odaiba. Next, we traveled to Hakone, stayed at a traditional guest house, visited Mt. Hakone, saw Mt. Fuji, and tasted black eggs from the local area.

In Osaka, we did our first homestay, attended school, and participated in a cultural festival. We explored Kyoto’s bamboo forest, Fushimi Inari, and Himeji Castle before reaching Hiroshima, where we visited the Atomic Bomb Museum, Peace Park, and took a day trip to Miyajima Island.

Our final homestay was in Natori, where we experienced regional Japanese life and attended local middle schools. Afterwards, we returned to Tokyo and went to Asakusa, Disneyland, Harajuku and Meiji Shrine before heading home to Melbourne on September 29th.

The trip greatly enhanced our understanding of Japanese culture through diverse experiences and homestays, creating unforgettable memories and friendships.

By Julia R, Jovine N and Eva R (Year 9)

Out of 50+ registrations for the Senior Campus, 37 students completed the challenge.

We congratulate the following on reading at least 10 books for the year (several read many more!)  All have received a certificate from the Premier of Victoria, and a book prize from the college library.

Thanks everyone for your commitment, especially the Year 12s who have consistently participated in the challenge throughout their time at Mount Waverley Secondary College.

Mrs Robyn Whitelaw
Resource Centre Manager – Senior Campus

Class of 2023, we invite you to join us to celebrate your 1 Year Reunion!

This is the perfect opportunity to reunite with friends and share your experiences of the past year.

Light refreshments and drinks will be provided.

Don’t miss your first MWSC Reunion event!

Click below for tickets.

https://www.trybooking.com/COTJV

Ms Victoria Tortopidis
Alumni Coordinator