MWSC College News – Issue 4

Mount Waverley Secondary College alive with the Sound of Music!        

This year the college has an amazing 305 students participating in the Music Program.  They are committed to a gruelling training schedule which results in these students showcasing their incredible talents in the 3 concert bands, 2 stage bands, 3 string orchestras, 3 guitar ensembles, 2 choirs, 1 improvisation ensemble, a jazz combo, percussion ensemble and various chamber ensembles. In addition to this we have added a soul/funk band to MWSC in 2025. We also have 2 string orchestras and 2 concert bands, a choir and a guitar ensemble that are part of our Year 7 classroom music program giving every one of our Year 7 students an opportunity to experience playing in a band.

Forty-five of our students who play in the Symphonic Band and Stage Band will also be touring New Zealand later in the year with staff, to give them an international perspective.

Our learning community looks forward to attending and enjoying many performances provided by these students through the year.  This fantastic music program is a tribute to the hard work and talent of our dedicated instrumental and music teachers.

Music Soirees a Great Success

Congratulations to all the students who performed in the Music Soiree nights this week. Students from all year levels were involved and I know that the parents, students, and staff in the audience appreciated hearing their wonderful performances.

NAPLAN Testing

Well done to all the Year 7 and 9 students who sat their NAPLAN tests across the last two weeks. Special thanks to Mrs Lilian Jian who oversaw the organisation of this assessment program.

Harmony Week

This week we celebrated Harmony Week on both campuses. Australia is one of the most successful multicultural countries and our cultural diversity is at the heart of who we are. It’s important to celebrate our country’s diversity and ensure that we are inclusive, respectful and create a sense of belonging for all Australians, from the traditional owners of the land to our most recent arrivals. Many activities ran on both campuses across the week. On the Junior Campus students used virtual reality to visit different places in the world and on the Senior Campus we had a Bollywood dance performance by some of our students. Thank you to the Wellbeing Team and student leaders who organised these special events.

Communication Policy

There are several documents relating to email and other communication at the college between staff, students and parents. The Communication Policy (https://www.mwsc.vic.edu.au/our-college/college-documents/#policies) sets out a number of requirements and expectations.

The Communication Policy focuses on the following:

• Building positive relationships between home and school and the community based on mutual respect and trust that results in success for all students.
• Ensuring the wellbeing of students and improvement of their learning outcomes.

The Communication Policy aims to:

• provide a framework for effective communication
• create co-operative teamwork and partnership between school, parents/carers and students and the community
• assist the best learning outcomes for students
• ensure that the college values are reflected through effective communication

Effective communication encompasses the exchange of ideas, where people feel they have   been heard and their opinions valued, and where information is clear and accurate. Communication needs to be related to student performance, wellbeing, and behaviour, as well as school related issues. Communication should be respectful, timely and relevant, allowing for open and honest interaction.

This policy refers to the following forms of communication:

• voicemail/ telephone conversations
• emails
• official letters
• student planner
• college website
• newsletters
• Compass

All members of our learning community should respond to emails within 2 days. Emails should not be sent or responded to after 8 pm in the evening or on weekends – this applies to emails between students & teachers and teachers and parents.

Student/Parent/Teacher Conferences

The focus for students at Mount Waverley Secondary College is to achieve their very best and to continually improve their learning. An important part of this focus is the partnership between school and home, between teacher and parents/carers and student. Parent/student/ teacher interviews play a key role in this partnership where all parties meet to discuss the student’s achievements, progress, and strategies for improvement.

As per the notice that went out on Compass, Parent/student/teacher conferences for semester one is scheduled for Wednesday 2 April between 1pm and 7:30pm. Please note Wednesday 2 April is also a scheduled student free day. No classes will be running on the day. These conferences will be held online via Webex links. Interview appointment times will be opened to parents on Friday 21 March.

These interviews provide our students with an important learning experience where they can reflect upon and evaluate their progress and join in partnership with their teacher and parents to plan for ongoing success. For these reasons I recommend everyone is involved in this process.

Uniform Changeover Time

Winter uniform starts in Term 2 which includes the long sleeve shirt and tie, although for the first two weeks of term there is a changeover period where the students can wear either summer or winter uniform.

Please ensure that your students have the correct college uniform which is only supplied by PSW located at their state-of-the-art retail outlet at 342 -350 Springvale Road, Glen Waverley (behind Officeworks).

End of Term 1 – Start of Term 2

Students will be dismissed at 2.30pm on Friday 4 April and we will look forward to their return for Term 2 on Tuesday 22 April.

Mrs Karen Wade
College Principal

NAPLAN Testing

Our Year 7 students did a great job at navigating NAPLAN over the past few weeks. While they are experts at participating in these tests from primary school, managing this process as a secondary school student is an extra challenge. Well done to all of the students for their organisation, and the way they conducted themselves throughout this process.

Campus Tours

Throughout this term, we have a number of Campus Tours running at the Junior Campus. The purpose of these tours is to allow prospective students and families to see our learning community on a normal school day. While we understand that this can be a distraction for our students and teachers at times, we value the opportunity to welcome new members to our college community. If you know of any families who may be considering enrolling at MWSC, please steer them to our website for bookings.

Year 7 Goal-setting

On Thursday 20th March, the Year 7s students participated in their Goal-Setting Program for 2025. The students were supported to set SMART goals (specific, measurable, actionable, realistic, and time-bound) around our college motto; ‘Community, Choice, Engagement’. These goals will soon be visible to our parent/carers via Compass, and students will check in on their achievements as the year progresses. We encourage discussions regarding these goals at home over the coming days.

Junior Campus Activities and Events

One of the great strengths of our wonderful Junior Campus, is the opportunity to be involved in a range of activities, events, and clubs. Just over the last couple of weeks I have seen (amongst others):

• Rotary Interact Club
• Harmony Week activities
• Headspace Stall
• Various sport trainings
• Baking Club
• Pi Reciting competition
• Footy Tipping
• Cultural events
• Dance Club
• Run Club
• Origami Club
• Writing Club
• Breakfast Club

Mr Matt Sheehan
Campus Principal – Junior School

Working well in Middle School

Students have settled into the year and the routine of college life very well across the Middle School.  Classrooms have been very productive with students experiencing a wide range of learning activities and Common Assessment Tasks.

A wide range of activities outside the classroom including lunchtime activities, Round Robin Sports and House Swimming Carnival have all had students involved outside the classroom.  With rehearsals for our college musical underway and our instrumental music there is plenty happening to keep students actively engaged both inside and outside the classroom.

NAPLAN

NAPLAN happened across the last two weeks for our Year 9 students.  Students had 4 NAPLAN tests including numeracy, reading and writing.  These tests provide a snapshot on a student’s progress.  Results will  be available later in the year to students and parents.

ID Cards

Student ID cards have been distributed to students.  Our ID Cards have the Public Transport Victoria (PTV) logo which enables students to access students passes or concession fares on public transport.  Students need to ensure they carry their ID Card with them when travelling on public transport as valid proof of concession entitlement.  With the addition of the PTV logo to our ID cards students no longer need to arrange, pay and carry a dedicate PTV School Student ID.

Mr Ian MacLeod
Campus Principal – Middle School

As we approach the last couple of weeks of a busy and productive term, I would like to congratulate our Senior Students on how well they have worked with their peers, their teachers and the Senior Subschool this term. It has made for a very positive start to the year. Most students will have SACs and Assessment Tasks due in the next couple of weeks. I encourage them to keep up the hard work, and to continue to seek support from their teachers, peers, Year Level Coordinators or Wellbeing if they need assistance.

Parent Student Teacher Conferences

Term One Parent Student Teacher Conferences will occur on Wednesday April 2nd. There are no scheduled classes on this day to enable students to attend. The conferences will take place virtually using Webex between 1pm – 7.30pm. Bookings will open to parents/carers today (Friday March 21) and will close at 9am on Monday March 31.

Harmony Week

This week both campuses celebrated Harmony Week. This is a nationally recognised week dedicated to celebrating the rich cultural diversity in Australia to promote values such as inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging. Events were held at lunchtime for students on the Senior Campus including; VR Headsets and Henna, Board Games, Outdoor sports, and a Bollywood dance. Thank you to the Wellbeing staff for running these events, and the students and teachers for their participation.

Music Soirees

This week instrumental music students from 7-12 were given the opportunity to practice performing to an audience. Across two nights students learning strings, guitar, piano, vocal, brass, woodwind and percussion performed in either small groups or as soloists. It was fantastic for the school community to be able to celebrate the hard work these young musicians had put into learning their instruments. Thanks to our wonderful instrumental teachers, Mr Lee Jones, Mr Oscar Jenkins-Wing, Ms Melissa Knowles, Ms Keryn Leintschnig, Mr Damien Maughan, Mr Timothy O’Connor, Mr Lewis Pierre-Humbert, Mr Joseph Yu and our Director of Music Mrs Tijtje Keatley for all their work in ensuring the nights were a success.

VCE Drama – Top Class

Wednesday 12  March, VCE Drama students were given the opportunity to attend the Top Class performances. This excursion gave students the opportunity to view the Victorian A+ solo performances from 2024. As they will have to present their own solo performances later in the year this excursion provided them with a valuable learning experience to draw inspiration from. Students were also able to attend a performance of Robot Dog, an intercultural sci-fi-comedy that they will be studying as part of one of their Outcomes this semester. Thanks to Ms Madeleine Kerr and Mr Matthew Weekes for organising this event, and accompanying the students.

Year 12 Product Design – Monash Makerspace

Students studying Unit 3 Product Design visited the Monash University ‘makerspace’ to learn about new technologies available for product design and manufacture. The excursion allowed students to learn about new materials being used to create products, as well as the advantages and disadvantages that makerspaces offer designers. Thank you to Ian Shaw for organising this valuable learning experience for his class.

Proposed Year 11 Central Australia Trip

The college has tentatively booked a 9-day trip to Central Australia starting in the last few days of term three and in the first week of the term break. An online information evening was held on March 11, with information also sent out via Compass. There are still places available for interested students. Expressions of interest will close on March 31.

Ms Lauren Kelly
Campus Principal – Senior School

GRIP Leadership Conference

On Wednesday 5 March, twelve Year 11 and Year 12 students from MWSC, were lucky enough to attend the GRIP Leadership Conference, at the Melbourne Convention Centre!

At this conference, we started off by building a foundation of knowledge – learning about key values of leadership like inclusiveness and taking key action, and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs in relation to the needs of students in the school environment. We considered various methods of problem solving, as well as the importance of ensuring that every member of the school feels like they can contribute.

After a tea break, we split off into elective workshops – our students, depending on what was more relevant to their role or current projects, could pick either “Creating School Events that Everyone Can Connect To”, or “Creative Ideas for your School that Aren’t Events”. These different electives gave students a wide range of tools to help with their projects, and also helped us connect with students from other schools to collaborate on ideas.

We reconvened after a lunch break to our other choice of lecture – students could choose between the workshop “Being a Leader who Supports Others”, or “Tackling Something at our School that Feels Impossible”. Again, these workshops allowed us to get a vast range of knowledge that we then collected in one place as a group at the end so we could report back to our wider leadership groups about everything we learned. 

Overall, GRIP was an interesting, interactive and informative convention that allowed us as leaders to enhance our skills and add more tools to our toolkit to help be the best student representatives we can.

by Cate F
Deputy College Captain

Parenting Spotlight: Monash Youth Services

Euneva Youth Space

• Having a hard time in school/bullying
• Self esteem and confidence issues
• Feeling anxious or stressed
• Work on ways to help you deal with your problems
• Concerned with your own or someone else’s drug or alcohol use
• Feeling down or depressed
• Difficulties with friends or family
• Want to talk about your sexuality
• Not sure where else to go for help

Managing worry and anxiety…

As we reach the halfway point of Term 1 it is common for students to start to worry about their academic performance as CATs and SACs commence. Here are 3 ways caregivers can assist students to manage situations where there is discomfort and uncertainty.

1.      Normalise Anxiety: Reinforce to your child that anxiety is a part of life and that it is perfectly OK to feel anxious and that it is a normal part of life. Instead of trying to eliminate anxiety, help your teenager to understand that everyone experiences, and it is something they can learn to manage. Encourage open conversations about their feelings without judgement.

You might say to your teen… 

‘I know you’re feeling anxious about the upcoming exam, and that’s completely normal. Your anxiety shows up because you care about your exam. Everyone feels that way before big tests, but we can work together to manage it.’ 

2.      Encourage Problem Solving Skills: Instead of solving problems for your student, guide them to think through situations and come up with solutions. This not only boosts their confidence but also equips them with strategies to handle anxiety-inducing situations.

You might say to your teen…

 ‘What do you think might happen if you don’t finish your homework on time?’ ‘What steps can you take that would result in the best possible outcome?’

3.      Model Calm Behaviour: By modelling calm behaviour during stressful situations, you can set an example for your teenager to follow. Utilising deep breathing, maintain a calm tone and demonstrating patience shows your teen that it’s possible to approach challenges with a calm mindset.

By letting your child know that you also get stressed and where possible being open about your regulation strategies and problem solving, you can communicate to them that the discomfort can be managed, and solutions can be found.

Mr Paul Graham
Student Support and Resources Manager

This week we held the annual music Soiree’s across two evenings. These concerts feature students of all year levels, a variety of instruments, and a huge array of musical genres. This is a great opportunity for our students to practice performing in front of an audience whether they are beginners or advanced on their instruments and it was wonderful to see so many students brave nervousness to take part.

This was also the first opportunity for music leaders to assist with the running of a music event and they excelled. Music Leaders assisted in all areas of both evenings from stage management to lighting to MCing the event. Thanks to this committed group of students.

A big thank you also to the college community who came along to support the concert. It is an important part of these young musicians’ learning journey to play to an appreciative audience.

We hope to see you at music events throughout the year.

Mrs Tijtje Keatley
Music Director

The Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge is now open and Mount Waverley Secondary College is excited to be taking part!

The Challenge is open to all Victorian children from birth to Year 10 and aims to help young readers develop a lifelong love of reading.

It is not a competition; it is a personal challenge for children to read a set number of books by 5 September 2025.

Children from Prep to Year 2 are encouraged to read or ‘experience’ 30 books with their parents and teachers. Children from Year 3 to Year 10 are challenged to read 15 books.

All children who meet the Challenge will receive a certificate of achievement signed by the Victorian Premier and former Premiers.

This year, the Challenge is celebrating its 20th anniversary with the theme ‘20 years of words and wonder’ and a year of special activities. For details, follow the Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge Facebook

Since it began in 2005, more than 4.5 million young readers have taken part and together read more than 63 million books!

To read the Premier’s letter to parents, view the booklist and for more information about the Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge, visit www.vic.gov.au/premiers-reading-challenge

You can also contact our school’s Challenge coordinator at wry@mwsc.vic.edu.au at the Senior Campus; tho@mwsc.vic.edu.au at the Junior Campus with any questions.

Happy reading!

Ms Robyn Whitelaw 
Resource Centre Manager – Senior Campus

April School Holiday Events

Discover upcoming events at universities over the school holidays. Register early. For further details click here.

Year 7 & 8 Careers Lunchtime Drop-in Question Time – Junior Campus

This week Careers hosted another Careers Lunchtime Drop-in Sessions for Year 7 and 8 students to “ask me anything” about career and pathways. There were questions about studying Psychology and the Sciences before students engaged with Career Exploration activities. Last session for the Term is on 1 April.

Year 10 Work Experience

Students are actively seeking Work Experience placements for Work Experience (30 June – 4 July). Information can be found on Careers Corner. The team is here to assist with questions, resume writing and advice on where to start looking.

Year 12

During the year, the Careers team will meet with all Year 12 students to assist them in planning their pathways. Please make a booking at a time that suits you by going to Careers Corner. You may have a clear idea of your destination or you might feel uncertain about your future. The Careers team is here to help you with whatever you need.

Mr Phil Newnham and Ms Victoria Tortopidis
Careers Education

FINAL REMINDER
BOOKINGS CLOSE THIS SUNDAY

Alumni School Tour

First tour of the year is quickly approaching.  It will start at 9am from the main reception of Senior Campus and concludes with a morning tea. Bookings essential. Don’t miss out.

Class of 1975, 1985 Reunion

Thursday 27 March 2025

We are also happy to include students from the following classes:
1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974
1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984

 Click here to book your ticket.

Ms Victoria Tortopidis
Alumni Coordinator

Volleyball

by Mizuki Morishita

On Thursday 27th February, there was a volleyball trial tournament. I was chosen to play in the Team A with the MWSC students MWSC.  There were four schools that came to compete in the volleyball round robin finals.

I am in the volleyball club in Japan so I am confident in playing. However I was worried about whether I could communicate well because I was playing in a new situation, with different people, and in a different environment than usual.

Once the match started, we were able to connect the ball well and even spike the ball, and we had many rallies, and when we scored a point, we all celebrated together, and it was great fun.

Everyone on the team was proactive in communicating with me and explained things to me very kindly, so I no longer had to worry. Even during breaks between matches, I was able to practice and play with everyone and we was also very enjoyable. I think the team’s sense of unity was much stronger than during practice, and we were able to fight as a team.

On the way back to school, I was able to talk a lot with the friends that I had made, and it was a very fulfilling time.

There were no differences in how volleyball is played in Australia and Japan, but I was surprised that the tournament was held in such a big gymnasium.  I think that this volleyball trial tournament will be a great memory for me.

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How I spent my weekend

by Minami Saino

It has been a month since the exchange students arrived in Australia. In this article, I would like to write about how I spent my weekend with my host family. I went to a market with my host family and other exchange students last weekend. The name of the market is Fitzroy Market. This market is held every weekend and there are many people there. There were second hand clothes, hats, books, CDs, a bakery and a cafe. I enjoyed looking at lots of different clothes and we had a great time shopping. I also loved the place because of the atmosphere there. It was fun to see so much graffiti art.

On Sunday I went out with a group of friends that included MWSC students and the other Owa exchange students. We went to an escape room and I was really looking forward to it because I had never done it before in Japan. However, I was nervous because it looked a little scary. It was a little difficult for the five of us to escape from the room, but it was very interesting to solve the problems. In the end, I was happy to escape. After that, we walked around the city. I had ramen for lunch. It was the first time for me to try Australian ramen. I found it interesting because it tasted a little different from Japanese ramen. It was a very satisfying day.

I have also been to many other places with my host family since I arrived in January. I especially love the beaches and cafes in Melbourne. I hope to visit many more places during the rest of my stay.

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Great Ocean Road

by Ririka Yamaoka

Over the Labour Day weekend (8-10 March ), I went on a two-night, three-day trip. My host family and Mikoto’s host family went to a place called Apollo Bay. It was about a three-hour drive from Melbourne.

As soon as we arrived, we had lunch. I ate souvlaki. It was my first time trying it, so I was happy to challenge myself with a new food. After lunch, we went to our accommodation. The place was very clean and felt like home. After that, we went to look for souvenirs. I bought a coaster, which was very cute.

When we returned to our rooms, we all went to the beach. It was my first time visiting a beach in Australia, so I was very excited. We played on the beach for about two hours. The scenery was beautiful, and I had a great time.

After dinner, before going to bed, we looked at the stars. Unlike in Japan, the stars were incredibly clear and beautiful, which surprised me. On the morning of the second day, we got up early to see the sunrise. The combination of the sea and the sunrise was stunning. After watching the sunrise, we went to the Great Ocean Road.

There were many large rock formations, which were very impressive. After that, we visited Cape Otway. The scenery was breathtaking and beautiful.

That night, we had fun spending our last night together, playing pillow fights and singing karaoke. On the way back, we visited a chocolate factory. I bought lots of souvenirs, had lunch, and then we returned home.

Seeing the unique landscapes of Australia, going to the beach, and sightseeing in various places made for an amazing trip. It became a great memory and a special experience for me.