MWSC College News – Issue 4

Mount Waverley Secondary College alive with the Sound of Music!        

This year the college has an amazing 250+ 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, 2 guitar ensembles, 2 choir, 2 improvisation ensembles, jazz duo, percussion ensemble and various chamber ensembles. We also have 2 string orchestras and 2 concert bands, guitar, and percussion ensembles, 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.

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.

Stage Band to Perform at Hamer Hall

Congratulations to our Stage Band who have been selected to perform at the NEVR Regional Music Concert at Hamer Hall in May. This is a very competitive process and to be successful demonstrates the high quality of this ensemble’s performance.

Chicago High School Edition

Congratulations to all the students who were successful in becoming a cast member for this year’s college production of Chicago the High School Edition.

Leads and Supporting Cast: 

VELMA KELLY: Madeleine D
ROXIE HART: Beatrice L
BILLY FLYNN: Christopher D
AMOS HART: Aryan J
MATRON MAMA MORTON: Neave M
MARY SUNSHINE: Vidushi W

THE FIVE MERRY MURDERESSES:
ANNIE: Tessa G
LIZ: Kiska A
KATALYN HUNYAK: Heidi M
JUNE: Charlize M
MONA: Paris B

Featured Ensemble:

MASTER OF CEREMONIES: Harshitha J
FRED CASELY: Ethan L
SERGEANT FOGARTY: Sebatian V
GO-TO-HELL-KITTY (The new ‘Murderess’ on the block): Sania M
HARRY (Murdered by Go-To-Hell-Kitty.): Alistair M
AARON (Court appointed lawyer for Katalin): Jessica T
JUDGE: Greta G
COURT CLERK: Xavier F

Dance Specialists:

Viola H, Ivanka P, Melissa J, Isabelle W, Harshitha J, Tessa G, Kiska A, Heidi M, Charlize M and Paris B

Ensemble:

Chrissa H, Eloise D, Jacob G, Imogen M, Alex M, Michael S, Esther S, Poppy R, Sunny Z, Avneet A, Charvi J, Shubhi P, Charlotte J, Caelan G, Victoria B, Crow A, Bee K, Ada v, Vanessa L, Christine Y, Yuna C, Ewan C, Amelie C and Chloe C

Rehearsals have begun and we can’t wait to see the performances at the end of July in our very own MWSC Unicorn Theatre!

Communication Policy

There are a number of 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 on Thursday 30 March between 1pm and 7:30pm. These conferences will be held online via Webex links.  Thursday 30 March is also a scheduled student free day. No classes will be running on the day.

Please note the following dates and times:
Monday 27 March at 9am – Conference bookings are due to close.
Tuesday 28 March by 4pm – Confirmation email to parents/carers to be forwarded, noting selected conference times and Webex teacher links.

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 Thursday 6 April and we will look forward to their return for Term 2 on Monday 24 April. (Tuesday 25 April is the ANZAC Day public holiday).

Mrs Karen Wade
College Principal

Year 8 Round Robin

On Thursday 21 March our Year 8s had the opportunity to head out and participate in round robin sports against our local secondary schools. Well done to the students who tried out for, and participated in the various teams. Extra special congratulations to the Year 8 boys’ baseball team who progressed through to the next round, joining our four Year 7 teams in their recent success.

NAPLAN

Over the past two weeks our Year 7 students have been participating in the NAPLAN testing. We thank all of the students and teachers as we worked through a range of technical issues relating to the provision of the online testing. Results will be available to families later in the year.

The 5Rs

The three sub-schools across the college have been working on a shared approach to classroom management. The initiative, known as ‘The 5Rs’, seeks to clearly outline the approach taken by teachers when dealing with behaviour in the classroom that is not conducive to learning. This has been shared in recent year level assemblies and staff meetings. This positive and restorative model makes the teachers’ process transparent and predictable to students, and has been quite successful in its implementation. Feel free to contact any member of the Junior Sub School team if you have any questions.

Plagiarism

Students are reminded that plagiarism and using the work of others without acknowledging it is not permitted. Plagiarism involves the act of taking and using the thoughts, writings, inventions or creations of another person and passing it off as one’s own work. Not only is plagiarism a breach of copyright laws, it is also unethical.

Plagiarism can include:

• Copying – reproducing another person’s words, with or without the knowledge of that person
• Not acknowledging ideas of information in a bibliography or through referencing
• Knowingly allowing one’s own work to be copied by another.

At the school level teachers make students aware of what behaviours constitute plagiarism and provide students with strategies that scaffold independent learning.

There are consequences for students who have been found to have plagiarised work. Consequences for Years 7 to 10 can include the classroom teacher, Year Level Coordinator and/or Subschool Leader meeting with the student, a penalty in grading applied and this will depend on the severity of the task and parents/carers notified and the issue is noted on Compass.

In VCE subjects, the issue is dealt with in accordance with the VCAA and VCE policy requirements.

Getting to Know…Mr Patrick Thompson

How long have you been at MWSC?
This is my third year.

What is your role at MWSC? Previous roles?
Classroom Teacher and Year 8 Coordinator.

What do you like to do outside of school?
Basketball, hiking, going to the beach in summer and the snow in winter.

Favourite thing about working at a school?
Working in a team environment and helping young people.

If you didn’t work in a school, what would you be doing?
I would be doing something overseas.

What kind of student were you at school?
Annoying but harmless.

Mr Matt Sheehan
Campus Principal – Junior School

Student Parent Teacher Conferences and reporting and feedback via Compass

Student Parent Teacher Conference bookings opened last week. These will take place virtually via WebEx on Thursday 30 March between 1pm and 7.30pm. Information has been sent to families via Compass. Teachers are also working on putting all assessment activities, CATs and SACs on Compass. The feedback provided relates to the skills and knowledge demonstrated by the student and suggestions for further improvement.  This provides parents/ carers with an opportunity to support their child at home and be aware of upcoming assessment. Please check Compass on a regular basis.

Year 11 – Careers Expo

The Year 11 Careers Expo will take place on Thursday 4 May at Caulfield Racecourse.  Students who have registered and paid will receive more information shortly.

Plagiarism

Students are reminded that plagiarism and using the work of others without acknowledging it is not permitted. Plagiarism involves the act of taking and using the thoughts, writings, inventions or creations of another person and passing it off as one’s own work. Not only is plagiarism a breach of copyright laws, it is also unethical.  Plagiarism can include:

• Copying – reproducing another person’s words, with or without the knowledge of that person
• Not acknowledging ideas of information in a bibliography or through referencing
• Knowingly allowing one’s own work to be copied by another.

At the school level teachers make students aware of what behaviours constitute plagiarism and provide students with strategies that scaffold independent learning.

There are consequences for students who have been found to have plagiarised work. Consequences for Years 7 to 10 can include the classroom teacher, Year Level Coordinator and/or Subschool Leader meeting with the student, a penalty in grading applied and this will depend on the severity of the task and parents/carers notified and the issue is noted on Compass.

In VCE subjects, the issue is dealt with in accordance with the VCAA and VCE policy requirements.

Mrs Julie Cain
Campus Principal – Senior School

Ms Lisa McKiernan
Head of Senior Pathways

Mount Waverley Primary School – Leadership Workshop

On Wednesday 15 March a group of 32 Year 6 leaders from Mount Waverley Primary School visited the Senior Campus for a leadership workshop which was run by a group of Year 11 and 12 leaders. The workshop focused on teaching the Year 6 leaders how to generate ideas and how to implement a proposal for change in their school.

A huge thanks and congratulations must go to the MWSC leaders involved in this program, especially Stanley L, who did a wonderful job leading the session. The Year 6 leaders were particularly fond of an ice-breaker game at the beginning of the session.

It is great to see our leaders working within their local community and to continue to strengthen our close ties with Mount Waverley Primary School. A real highlight of the day was seeing how excited the Year 6 students were to be involved with a local secondary school and getting to enjoy working in small groups with some senior leaders as mentors.

Thanks must go to Ms Amy Walk, the 2023 Student Leadership Coordinator, who attended the session and helped support the students on the day.

Mount Matters

Over the past two weeks it has been great to see Mount Matters return across both campuses. Students have begun meeting in year level groups to discuss their ideas of school improvement and key issues relevant to their specific year levels.

Groups have already begun thinking about ways to implement their new ideas. It is great to see such a unique student leadership initiative happening across our school. Mount Matters is a student-led, run and managed program that aims to not only improve the school, but build leadership skills for a variety of students. Mount Matters provides a great example of student agency in action!

A big thank you must go to Mr Tom Frost and Ms Amy Walk who are helping oversee the program on both the Junior and Senior Campuses respectively.

Mr Jacob Myers
Head of Student Voice

The importance of sleep…

While we know sleep is essential for good health, research shows that many children and young people are not getting enough sleep on school nights. This can affect thinking, concentration, memory, reaction times and mood.

Research shows about 12% of primary school-aged children, a quarter of 12 to 15 year olds and half of 16 to 17 year olds don’t get enough sleep on school nights. The recommended amount of time to sleep for primary school-aged children is 9 to 11 hours. For teenagers, it’s 8 to 10 hours.

Signs that your child is not getting enough sleep can include:

• low mood and irritability during social interactions
• reluctance or arguing about getting off devices and going to bed
• falling asleep during the day
• difficulties waking up for school and sleeping in late on weekends to catch up
• changes to communicating or interacting at home.

You can help your child to improve their sleep by:

• establishing a regular sleep pattern and consistent bedtime routine
• supporting them to avoid using electronic devices such as smartphones before going to bed and in bed
• encouraging your child to exercise and spend time outside in daylight, steering clear of vigorous activity in the hour before sleep
• encouraging them to wind down and relax before going to bed.

If your child is still having trouble sleeping, has persistent problems with low mood, excessive daytime sleepiness, restlessness in bed, severe snoring or waking unrefreshed, despite getting adequate length of sleep, they should see a doctor.

For more resources have a look at the Better Health website: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/sleep-hygiene

Mr Paul Graham
Student Support and Resources Manager

Term 1 has been a busy one for music at MWSC. With 250 students beginning private/small group lessons, and 16 ensembles beginning to rehearse. All Year 7 students have been through trial lessons for the instruments offered in the classroom program, and they have logged preferences in readiness for instrument distribution and lessons to begin in Term 2. All year 7’s will also participate in an ensemble as part of the assessment for Classroom Music. More details regarding this will come out early next term.

Junior Campus Lunchtime Concert

On Wednesday 8 March, the Senior Stage Band and the Jazz Duo traveled to the Junior Campus to participate in a lunchtime concert for the Year 7 and 8’s. The weather was kind, despite the initial forecast, and the concert took place under the shade sails for the Junior Campus Community to enjoy. Thanks for everyone that came along to enjoy and support these students.

Greg Clarkson Workshop

The Senior Stage Band participated in a workshop with saxophonist Mr Greg Clarkson. Greg plays in many leading jazz bands around Melbourne including Darryl McKenzie Jazz Orchestra and sessional work with leading ensembles such as Aussie Pops Orchestra. He is also well known as a music educator and tutor for the Victorian State School Spectacular.

Greg worked through advanced ensemble concepts with the group and the students were privileged to have the opportunity to work with him. Bands always benefit from working with others to gain insight.  Thanks to Greg for coming along and taking this ensemble.

Soirees

On Tuesday 21 March and Thursday 23 March around 50 students had the opportunity to perform for families and friends in the annual MWSC Soiree Concerts. These concerts, featuring Year 7- 12 students on many instruments and varied repertoire are a great opportunity for students to demonstrate their hard work and dedication.
Thanks to Ms Melissa Knowles and Mr Timothy O’Connor for their assistance in organising these concerts and to all the families who came along to support these students.

Music Leadership

The Music Leaders at the College play a large role in supporting and helping to organise music events at the college. These students who were selected through a process of a written application and interview, have assisted in running all of the music events so far this term. They are a credit to the music department at the college.
Thank you to the team for all their work this semester.

Mrs Tijtje Keatley
Music Director

Junior School Round Robin

Our Year 7’s had their first taste of Round Robin sports on Thursday 9 March. Our students were super excited to head out representing the school in cricket, volleyball, tennis, baseball and softball. If this day is a sign of things to come, it seems like we have some super athletes amongst us. Out of the 8 teams who competed on the day, a staggering 4 made it through to Eastern Metropolitan Region (EMR) Finals.  Our Year 8’s then had their turn on Tuesday 21 March. Despite some heavy rain in the forecast, we managed to finish just in time before the skies opened upon us! Well done to all students who showed such fantastic teamwork and sportsmanship.

Congratulations to the following winning teams and coaches;

• Year 7 Baseball team coached by Ms Murphy
• Year 7 Boys Volleyball team coached by Mr Sheehan
• Year 7 Girls Tennis team coached by Ms Gwynne
• Year 7 Boys Cricket team coached by Mr Shaw
• Year 8 Boys Baseball team coached by Ms Murphy

Year 8 Boys Cricket Team

The dates for Mount Waverley School Reunion Tours have been confirmed.

Term 2 – Class of 2003 (20 years) – Friday 26 May

Term 3 – Class of 2013 (10 years) –  Friday 11 August
 
Booking information will be available in April’s Alumni Newsletter and our socials. Stay in touch!
 
Register here to join the MWSC Alumni Community.

Ms Victoria Tortopidis
Alumni Coordinator

Last week from the 7 – 14 March, all Year 7, 8 and 9 German languages students at Mount Waverley Secondary College took part in the Education Perfect Global Languages Championships. This competition is an international event where students can compete at their own pace and ability level. It is designed to help boost their personal learning journey.

In Australia there were 1,028 schools which competed in the German language and MWSC came 26^th overall. We would especially like to acknowledge two Year 8 students Rebecca A and Luca M as they have been extremely motivated and engaged in this global competition. For their great achievements they have won a Bronze Award.

Gut Gemacht!! Well done everyone who participated.

Ms Katja Chitters
German Teacher