MWSC College News – Issue 5

Term 2 – Welcome back

I hope everyone had a relaxing and enjoyable holiday. I am excited to have started my tenth year of service as your College Principal at Mount Waverley Secondary College this term. It is inspiring for me to be part of a learning community where teachers, parents/carers and students are passionate about doing their best and join as a supportive team to unite in a spirit of cooperation and success.

Please find a short video message  from The Hon. Ben Carroll MP Deputy Premier and Minister for Education that speaks to parents and carers about the importance of the second school term for learning, along with a few helpful reminders.

Mount Waverley Secondary College’s Exemplary Sporting Program

We are very proud of our many sporting teams who represent our college admirably during competition against other schools.  People regularly comment on our students’ excellent behaviour and good sportsmanship.  Our sports program is going from strength to strength, and this is a tribute to our families who encourage in their children a love of sport and doing their best. Congratulations to all our students who participate in our college sports, district sports, zone finals and state finals, we are proud of the high participation rate of our students in sport.

I would also like to thank Mr Jay Newport and Mr Danny Gwynne, our Sports Coordinators, who oversee sporting programs across the college, and all of the staff who give up their time to coach and run practice sessions for sporting teams. 

State Swimming Success

On Friday 19 April, our champions of the pool headed off to MSAC to participate in the State Championships. It was another successful day, with our college scoring 3 gold and 2 silver medals.

Congratulations to Aleisha C of Year 10 who became a three-time State Champion on the day. She won the 50m,100m and 200m freestyle events. Aleisha set a new state record in the 16-20 100m freestyle with a time of 58.45 seconds and won a silver medal in the 50m butterfly.

Zach C of Year 9 also competed on the day and came 2nd in the boys 50m freestyle, which was a fantastic achievement, as it was his first time competing in the state competition.

Thank you to Mr Jay Newport for accompanying our students on the day.

Top Class Performer

On Monday 22 April Madeleine D presented her 2023 Year 12 Drama solo performance at the VCAA Top Class Concert at the Melbourne Recital Centre. Top Class is an annual concert series coordinated by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) showcasing outstanding performances by VCE and VCE VET students from schools across the state.

This year, 102 top performing students were invited to audition for Top Class Drama, and only 25 students were selected to perform. Congratulations Maddie!

The Victorian State School Spectacular

Congratulations to Ananya H and Shion M of Year 11 who have been selected to perform in the State School Spectacular later in the year. Ananya will be a Principal Vocalist and Shion will be a violinist in the Orchestra. The Spectacular will be performed twice on Saturday 14 September at John Cain Arena, followed by a television broadcast in December. Rehearsals have commenced for this year’s production which will showcase more than 3,000 Victorian government school students in a performance of music, song, dance, skating, circus, puppetry and backstage areas such as audio, lighting, vision and stage management.

ANZAC Sub School Assemblies

Last Wednesday 24 April we held three sub school assemblies to recognise the importance of ANZAC Day. I spoke to the students about the history of the day and one of our College Prefects Jacky Q shared reflections of an interview he had with a Vietnam veteran.

Mr John Haward President of the Box Hill RSL was our special guest and John gave an address about his time serving as a soldier in the Vietnam War and how he was conscripted for military service. John also read the Ode of Remembrance and Mr Joseph Yu our Head of Brass then played the ‘Last Post’ and ‘The Rouse’ on the trumpet as we observed a minute’s silence.

ANZAC Day is a day for all Australians, regardless of religion, racial background, or place of birth. It is a day to commemorate the bravery and self-sacrifice of past and present generations of Australians, so that Australia can be a place of freedom for all. Lest we forget.

Uniform Changeover Time

Just a reminder that all students should now be wearing winter uniform, which includes wearing the college tie. Please ensure that your students have the correct college uniform which is only supplied by PSW.  PSW is now located at 342 -350 Springvale Road, Glen Waverley (behind Officeworks).

Ritchies – Community Benefits

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

Mrs Karen Wade
College Principal

It has once again been a whirlwind start to term two. Year 7 students welcomed in the term with sessions presented by ToolBox Education. These sessions were designed to support students in their emotional regulation, and it was wonderful to see the students participating in such a great way. If you haven’t already, please encourage your child to describe the session, and the new strategies they learned. Year 8s have a session with the same provider in the coming weeks.

Next week we have our final handful of classes heading out to Monash Tech School to participate in the incredible immersive program to which out students get access. This is always an excellent opportunity for our students to see the latest technology, meet industry professionals, and collaborate with their peers in a different setting.

Our biggest highlight of the term so far was definitely coming together as a campus for our annual ANZAC Day Assembly. This year we heard from Year 12 Prefect Jackie Q, who is a cadet, and took the time to interview a Vietnam Veteran about his experiences. We were also very appreciative to have John Haward, President of Box Hill RSL and a Vietnam Veteran himself, share his experiences. His main message was one of resilience, camaraderie, and the importance of mateship.

Every Day Counts 

Did you know:

• Patterns of late arrival at school or missing classes are early warning signs of disengagement?
• Missing one day of school each week adds up to two months per year?
• Each day of absence has an impact on skill development and important social connections
• Poor attendance may be associated with future unemployment, criminal activity, substance abuse, and poorer health and life expectancy?

Top tips:

• We want to work in partnership with parents – act early if you have any concerns by contacting your child’s school and asking for advice and support
• Remember that every day counts
• There is no safe number of days for missing school – each day a student misses puts them behind, and can affect their educational outcomes and their social connectedness
• Talk positively about school and the importance of attending every day
• Open and prompt communication with the school about all absences is a good idea
• Avoid making routine medical and dental appointments during the school day or planning family holidays during the term
• Seek help from the school if you are concerned about your child’s attendance and wellbeing. We want to work in partnership with parents to support student attendance and wellbeing

Smile Squad

Smile Squad six month fluoride varnish visit

The Link Health and Community Smile Squad team are heading back to our school to complete six-monthly fluoride varnish applications for those students who have provided consent. Fluoride varnish applications help make sure students have the best chance of preventing tooth decay, so we’re excited Smile Squad are coming back.

Consent for this fluoride varnish application was provided when students’ initial consent forms were returned. However, if anyone has changed their mind and do not wish to receive a fluoride varnish application, they can contact Link Health and Community directly to let them know. Please contact the Smile Squad team via:

Phone: 0419 249 158
Email: linksmilesquad@lchs.com.au

The Smile Squad team look forward to visiting soon.

Mr Matt Sheehan
Campus Principal – Junior School

Welcome back to Term 2

Welcome back to all students and parents to our second term of learning for the year.  This term always proves to be a busy term with sport, excursions, production rehearsals to name a few of the things that will be happening across this term in the middle school.  Our Year 9 students will be undertaking their first set of exams in core subjects.  This is then closely followed by the Explore Program.  Our Year 10 students also have exams plus a week of Work Experience in the last week of term.  Students will also receive a semester report, which will provide an indication of their progress and also help with future learning.

Every day counts

Did you know:

• Patterns of late arrival at school or missing classes are early warning signs of disengagement?
• Missing one day of school each week adds up to two months per year?
• Each day of absence has an impact on skill development and important social connections
• Poor attendance may be associated with future unemployment, criminal activity, substance abuse, and poorer health and life expectancy?

Top tips:

• We want to work in partnership with parents – act early if you have any concerns by contacting your child’s school and asking for advice and support
• Remember that every day counts
• There is no safe number of days for missing school – each day a student misses puts them behind, and can affect their educational outcomes and their social connectedness
• Talk positively about school and the importance of attending every day
• Open and prompt communication with the school about all absences is a good idea
• Avoid making routine medical and dental appointments during the school day or planning family holidays during the term
• Seek help from the school if you are concerned about your child’s attendance and wellbeing. We want to work in partnership with parents to support student attendance and wellbeing

Holiday Works

Across the holiday period the ICT and Facilities Teams were busy improving the college.

The ICT Works undertaken included:

• Preparation for wireless projection
• Server updates and maintenance
• Reimagined classroom desktops and notebooks
• Projector maintenance across both campuses
• Upgrade and improvements to Helpdesk system.
• New notebook rollout
• VR units for Wellbeing
• Solar panel for JC ad SC – cabling for connection to internet
• Update network switches for wireless projection
• Tidying up ICT accounts – staff and students
• VCE Parent-Teacher interview set up

The Facilities Team also worked hard across the break with the focus on the following:

• Fumehood servicing
• Furniture delivery and removal
• Grounds maintenance
• Electrical works
• Air conditioning servicing
• Painting works including the VCE Deck

Thanks to the ICT and Facilities Team for this work.

Major Project Update

Fire Services Updates

An upgrade of fire services across the Senior Campus is in the planning phase.  Work will continue with contractors expected on site in the second part of this year to undertake these important safety works.

Mr Ian MacLeod
Campus Principal – Middle School

Welcome back to term 2. It was fantastic to see our Year 11s and 12s return from school holidays refreshed and ready to go. I hope the parent/teacher/student conferences at the end of term 1 provided useful feedback and information moving forward.

At the end of term 1 I spoke to each year level about the importance of not giving up, and how sometimes before we experience success, we need to fail. I reminded them that many well known people had experienced failures or setbacks, but it was their perseverance and resilience that enabled them to experience success. I think this quote from Albert Einstein sums it up nicely, “If you’ve never failed you’ve never tried anything new.”

ANZAC Day

On Wednesday 25 April, VCE students attended an ANZAC Assembly to remember the service men and women who have made sacrifices for our country. Jacky Q, a Year 12 Prefect and Cadet, did a wonderful job of sharing his learnings following an interview with a Vietnam Veteran. We also heard from Mr John Haward, President of the Box Hill RSL, who shared his experience of being in the Army, and the importance of mateship.

Georgia K and Maddie D our College Captains, did a great job hosting the assembly and we were also lucky enough to have Mr Joseph Yu (one of our instrumental teachers) play the Last Post and Rouse on an actual bugle.

Summer/Winter Uniform Transition

This week was the last week that students could wear summer uniform. The expectation is from now on that students are in full winter uniform, including ties. If a student is unable to be in full uniform they should bring a note from home, report to the VCE Office and obtain a uniform pass.

Year 11 Careers Expo

On Thursday 2 May, the Year 11 students and teachers will attend the Careers Expo at The Melbourne Exhibition Centre. It is a wonderful opportunity for students to gather information from a wide variety of tertiary institutions, attend VCE Seminars and learn about the different options available to them post secondary school.

Every day counts

Did you know:

• Patterns of late arrival at school or missing classes are early warning signs of disengagement?
• Missing one day of school each week adds up to two months per year?
• Each day of absence has an impact on skill development and important social connections
• Poor attendance may be associated with future unemployment, criminal activity, substance abuse, and poorer health and life expectancy?

Top tips:

• We want to work in partnership with parents – act early if you have any concerns by contacting your child’s school and asking for advice and support
• Remember that every day counts
• There is no safe number of days for missing school – each day a student misses puts them behind, and can affect their educational outcomes and their social connectedness
• Talk positively about school and the importance of attending every day
• Open and prompt communication with the school about all absences is a good idea
• Avoid making routine medical and dental appointments during the school day or planning family holidays during the term
• Seek help from the school if you are concerned about your child’s attendance and wellbeing. We want to work in partnership with parents to support student attendance and wellbeing

Ms Lauren Kelly
Acting Campus Principal – Senior School

Welcome back to Term 2!

We trust that you have had a wonderful Easter break and enjoyed some much-deserved time to rest, relax and catch up with family and friends.  We look forward to welcoming you back for an exciting Term 2.  There are many events that will be taking place this term in the Middle School, so be prepared as it is going to be a busy term.

A few reminders from us to ensure this term is positive and runs smoothly:

Uniform

The transition period for wearing summer or winter uniform has come to an end this week and all students are expected to be in their full winter uniform as of next week. Combinations of summer and winter uniforms are not permitted.

Students are expected to wear their school uniform to and from school, they are to bring their PE uniform in a separate bag and change prior to their PE class.
If for any reason you are not in the proper full school uniform, please bring a note from home and come to the Middle School office for a uniform pass. The uniform points system that was implemented in Term 1 2024, will continue to be implemented this term.  All points accumulated in Term 1 will carry over to this term.

Lockers

All students should now have a designated locker, please ensure that you use your lockers to store your bags and personal belongings in a safe space.  Bags will no longer be permitted in the classrooms.

If you do not have a locker, please see your coordinators as soon as possible at lunchtime so that a locker can be allocated to you.  You can bring your own combination lock or alternatively purchase one from the front office.  You will have to carry your bag with you until lunchtime.

Mobile Phones/Ear Pods

As per DET policies, mobile phones are not to be visible on school grounds.  Once you come into the MWSC gates please ensure you keep your phones in your bag which are then to be placed in your locker, this also applies to your ear pods.  The mobile phone policy will be followed through with in the event of visible phones or ear pods on school grounds.

Attendance

Please ensure that absences are recorded on Compass on the day and for extended absences please inform the Middle School Office so that appropriate support can be provided.

Late to School

If you are running late to period 0 or period 1 classes, please ensure you go to the front office or the Middle School Office to get signed in before going to your class.

Northern Hemisphere Program

On Wednesday 8 May, the online information evening on the Northern Hemisphere Program will be held.  This session will provide information on the application and selection process of Northern Hemisphere VCE subjects for our current Year 10 students.  Further details on logging onto the session will be sent closer to the date by the Senior School.  As always, if you have any questions, issues, or concerns please do not hesitate to contact us at the Middle School Office.

We look forward to a great term together.

Ms Asha Vazirani
Head of Middle School

Toolbox Education

Toolbox Education has been proactively teaching Mount Waverley Secondary College students’ evidence-based psychological tools through fun, engaging, and relatable workshops for the past few years. Most recently they have presented to the Year 8 students on emotional regulation and to the Year 9 students on how to disengage from the negative ‘mental movies’ they play.

They are really excited to share that they have just opened Toolbox Clinic.   A private psychology practice that specialises in working with children, teens, young adults and parents. Located in Murrumbeena, Toolbox Clinic is currently accepting new clients with regular ongoing availability. In-person & telehealth appointments are available. Call (03) 7018 0023 to book in an appointment today.

Toolbox_Clinic

Mr Jason Mann
Mental Health Practitioner

Literacy tips

With Literacy demands being such critical skills for navigating our modern world (as well as many of the assessments students complete), teachers and students at Mount Waverley Secondary College have a big focus on developing Literacy skills in our classes.

We will be sharing some tips for how you can support Literacy at home in the Newsletter – for this issue, here are some ideas for developing reading skills.

• Fostering a culture of reading by sharing the novels and articles that you are reading, discussing what your child is reading, making trips to the library together, or setting some routines and habits for reading at home.
• Asking your child to talk about the English novel they are studying or other texts/articles they’ve looked at in class recently – even if you aren’t familiar with the text yourself, engaging students in conversations about these texts will help develop their overall understanding or help them identify gaps in their knowledge. Ask them to tell you about some key ideas, moments, or themes in these texts.
• Improving summary skills – asking your children to identify the key ideas in a passage/chapter they are reading for homework, or articles they’ve read; strong readers are continuously summarising and synthesising what they read.
• Having conversations about the bias or validity of media that we are consuming – helping students to develop critical thinking and evaluate the media that they encounter.
• For younger students, developing their reading fluency by getting them to read aloud to you – this helps with students becoming more confident readers, as well as thinking about sentence structures and pronunciation.

Through strategies like these, students continue to develop these critical Literacy skills that transfer outside of the classroom!

Learning Specialists

State Swimming Finals

The Victorian State Finals were held on Friday 19 April at MSAC. Zach C of Year 9 and Aleisha C of Year 10 represented Mount Waverley Secondary College.
Aleisha got off to a flying start coming first in the girls 16-20 200m freestyle. She then followed up with an agonisingly close 2nd place finish in the 50m butterfly. Unfazed by the result, Aleisha went on to set a new state record in the 16-20 100m freestyle with a time of 58.45 seconds claiming yet another first place finish.

Zach C was up next in the 14 boys 50m freestyle. As the 50m Freestyle is known as a splash and dash, Zach chose to do just that, producing a stellar performance to claim 2nd place!

Aleisha was back on the blocks for the 16 girls 50m freestyle and in typical Aleisha fashion, had another first place finish. Aleisha’s final event for the day was the 400m freestyle. Finishing the way she started, Aleisha kept consistency and claimed another first place finish. Congratuations to both Zach and Aleisha on your achievements!

Aleisha also competed in the Australian National Age Championships from 8 – 14 April for the Nunawading Swimming Club. Her results were shared with us as follows:

• Silver – 100 Freestyle
• 5th – 50 Freestyle
• 7th – 200 Freestyle
• 20th – 400 Freestyle
• 16th – 50 Butterfly
• Silver – Victorian State 4×50 Mixed Medley Relay
• Silver – Club 4×50 Medley Relay
• Bronze – Club 4×100 Medley Relay
• 4th – Victorian State 4×50 Freestyle Relay
• 7th – Club 4×100 Freestyle Relay

Aleisha also achieved 3 Australian Olympic trials times and as a result she will be going to Brisbane from 10th-15th June to compete and gain experience at that level of competition.  Well done Aleisha!

Mr Jay Newport
Sports Coordinator – Senior School

Becoming a British Consul General for a day (CG4D)

At the start of February this year, I applied for the opportunity to become a British Consul General for a day in celebration of International Women’s Day. I answered questions about what diversity means to me, and the competition closed on Friday 23 February. Two winning applicants between 16-22 years of age are chosen every year.

On Tuesday 9 April, I navigated through the bustling city shops, and I managed to find the building. It was located on 90 Collins Street. I pressed the button for the 17^th floor, and a man joined me in the elevator. To my surprise it turned out to be the Consul General himself, Mr Stephen Lysaght.

The schedule for the day was quite packed, so as soon as I put my stuff away, I was introduced to Amelia, the other applicant winner from St Columba’s College in Essendon. One of the things I vividly remember was feeling a bit out of place at first. The sensations of nervousness rushed over me, but I tried to keep my mind focused for the day.

The day began with a Citizenship Ceremony. The process was quicker than I had anticipated, nonetheless it was quite an exciting experience for me to witness because I’ve never come across this type of ceremony before. We then moved rooms to talk a little bit about Scottish Development International (SDI) with Ms April Kelly, the SDI Country Head and Inward Investment Lead. The Scottish government is currently striving to grow the Scottish economy in a sustainable way. More specifically in terms of businesses applying environmentally sustainable practices, in order to align with Scotland’s mission to reach net zero emissions according to the Paris Agreement. It was a good opportunity for me to learn more about renewable energy, with a focus on offshore wind, and utilising Scotland’s resources to be part of investment and trading for the economy.

The time flew by fast and by the time more meetings were finished, we had a short period to have informal catch ups with some of the staff from the Consulate. I had a brief conversation with Ms Tanya Williams, another member of the Consulate who had equipped herself with a variety of skill sets from different jobs she had undertaken during her lifetime; similar to that of her peers from the office. Her insight about letting one’s passion drive them to find a suitable career, was one that I value deeply. It resonated with me, and I do think it resonates with a lot of individuals especially young people in feeling lost and unsure in making these decisions.

I think the highlight of the day was seeing all these people from different backgrounds, and yet they share a common ground in wanting to help people. It was really inspiring to witness an atmosphere full of passion to change the status quo, especially the transformation towards a green economy.

As the day unfolded, whether it was talking about Consular and Crisis for British citizens seeking temporary refuge, a crash course in diplomacy and politics or a meeting with the Victorian government to maintain the good efforts of international relations, they too, shared the same message. The job comes with a great responsibility, and I am in awe of the staff ‘s teamwork and dedication to help those in need.

I do feel that at the end of the event, my heart was full. The out-of-place feeling I had felt at the start of the day had disintegrated. I might not be able to understand the many, many, many abbreviations they use in their meetings. But I may know a thing or two about the difference between trade and investment, or the absurdity in the McDonald’s theory of conflict prevention. I do know for sure that I left feeling inspired, and full of hope. A hope that a change for the better, no matter how small, can happen. And it can only happen together.

Thank you to each and every one of the staff members of the Consulate that I’ve had the honour of meeting throughout the day. Mr Stephen Lysaght (British Consul General), Ms Catriona Boyd (Deputy Consul General) and Ms Philippa Campbell (Chief of Staff) in particular for their warm welcome as soon as I stepped inside the building. I say this with my deepest gratitude to all, thank you for your kind and encouraging words too. This experience is definitely one I will never forget. I hope to see you all soon in the near future!

I’d also like to thank Mr Grant as Head of Student Voice for introducing me to the event through the Leadership classroom. And last but not least, Amelia, my lovely “coworker” for the day! It was fun being Consuls General with you.

By Fathya P (12J)

Recently for Year 9 Journalism, we got the incredible opportunity to produce our own live radio show on SYN FM. We travelled into R.M.I.T. in the city with our class to learn all about presenting on air, on live radio. When we reached the radio station we were greeted by one of the workers from SYN, who took us into the live studio and told us exactly what was going to happen. From when we would go live, to how we would transition from section to song, we learnt all about putting a show together. Throughout the entire session, the SYN Radio crew were incredibly helpful and made us feel much more confident.

Then, back at school, in groups of three or four students, we planned and practised our show. We got a date and time for going on air and then, as a small group, we again went into the city by train to the SYN radio station to perform our radio show live. 

When the clock clicked over to 10 o’clock, the big moment had arrived. The lights turned red and the microphones beeped.  We were on live on air and ready to talk! From 10:00am till 11:00am we chatted and laughed about all different topics whilst on live SYN radio. The entire experience was incredibly rewarding, from laughing with each other on live radio to singing along to the songs in between them, I enjoyed every second of this experience. 

By Gemma H 9C

Mamma Mia! – The Musical

Mount Waverley Secondary College’s 2024 production of Mamma Mia!-The Musical is well underway with rehearsals.
The cast has dedicated themselves to 2-3 rehearsals a week, practicing until 5pm in the evening. We’ve been working hard on choreographing some amazing dances, learning lines, and running through the numerous famous ABBA songs that make up the entirety of the musical.

Alongside the cast, backstage crew have been working tirelessly behind the scenes to measure up and source some wonderful costumes, organize props and sets, and make sure everything will run smoothly when it comes to the performances. We are incredibly excited to be a part of such a wonderful show, and adamantly look forward to sharing it with all of you!

Hope to see you in the crowd!

By Maddie D (12D)

Alumni News

The School Tour Reunion tickets for past students of Class 1994 and 2004 is opened through the try booking link below. We would love to see you. We are also pleased to extend a warm invite to include past students from other classes as listed below.

Class of 1994, 2004
Friday, 21 June 2024
(We are pleased to extend a warm invite to include past students from classes of 1990, 1991, 1992 and 2000, 2001, 2002)
https://www.trybooking.com/COTIV

Ms Victoria Tortopidis
Careers Education and Alumni Coordinator