PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

PREMIER OF VICTORIA VISIT

We were delighted to welcome Premier of Victoria Jacinta Allan and State Member for Bentleigh Nick Staikos MP to our McKinnon Road campus on Wednesday. 

We toured the school and proudly showcased our excellent teaching and learning program. They also enjoyed a musical performance in the auditorium, interacted with senior school students in the Pitsa Binnion Senior Centre and even got to meet our therapy dogs.

I thank the Premier and Nick Staikos for visiting us and valuing McKinnon Secondary as the top performing Non Selective Government school in Victoria.

ANZAC DAY 

On Sunday 21 April, our School Captains Gisele Hennequin and Jack Sweeney accompanied me at the City of Glen Eira ANZAC Day service held at Caulfield Park. Gisele and Jack read the poem "In Flanders Fields'' and they laid a wreath on behalf of our school. This service is always a very moving event.

Mr Quinn, Mr Serebrianik and Ms West were accompanied by the McKinnon Brass Ensemble and singers for a performance and wreath laying ceremony at the ANZAC Day Service at the Bentleigh RSL.

I thank all of our students who were involved in these events.

As always these commemorative services are significant and reflective events and I am thankful we could be involved.

‘LEST WE FORGET’

JAPAN MUSIC TOUR

I was privileged to be asked to attend the 2024 School Music Tour to Japan, led by Dmitry Serebrianik. Along with five teachers and our Assistant Principal Lachlan Noble, we arrived in Tokyo on Saturday 23 March and spent 11 days touring Japan and visiting five schools at which we performed for each other and played with them in combined performances. We visited and performed at schools in Tokyo, Hamamatsu, Hiroshima and Kyoto. We were all inspired by the amazing musicianship of the Japanese students and their warm and welcoming manner.  

There were friendships formed amongst the students which I am sure will be sustained for years to come. The cultural immersion was a unique opportunity that all of us will never forget. I would like to thank Dmitry Serebrianik for his incredible organisation of such a fantastic tour. I would also like to thank Clare Bugeja, Megan Papworth, Blanka West and Tracey Videon for their efforts in preparing our students to perform so impressively. 

CENTRAL AUSTRALIA CAMP 

During the April school holidays, 180 students were lucky enough to visit Central Australia for a 10 day camp experience of a lifetime. Students shared some absolutely incredible experiences including visiting Wilpena Pound, sleeping under the stars, visiting the Royal Flying Doctors Service, and visiting ANZAC Hill Lookout. 

They also visited Kings Canyon, exploring the Garden of Eden and other spectacular places. Students finally headed to Uluru and explored the Kata Tjuta National Park, viewed Uluru by sunset, and explored the many meanings and practices encompassed within the systems of the Anangu culture at the cultural centre. Students then flew home to Melbourne, tired but full of lifelong memories.

Congratulations to the students who came on this trip and behaved so respectfully, flying the McKinnon flag proudly. This camp is embedded into McKinnon SC's history over the last 30 years, and camps cannot run without the diligent staff members volunteering their time during their holidays. My thanks to Kate Jobson (Head of Years 11 and 12), the Year 11 Student management team and all the staff who attended.

YEAR 8 CAMP 

Our Year 8 Camp kicked off Term 2 with Group 1 travelling to Kinglake Forest Adventures Camp (KFA), hidden in the Kinglake National Park north-east of Melbourne; traditional Country of the Taungurung and Wurundjeri Peoples. Students completed adventure activities and wellbeing lessons. Adventure activities such as the Leap of Faith, Tree Climbing, Freefall and the Giant Seesaw were well balanced with more character building activities such as Journey Piece Painting, Forest Immersion, Team Challenges and About Me daily reflections. 

The camp culminated with the Wildergaining Mission, which saw each "district" roam the forest in search of hidden treasures and unlocking clues to solve puzzles. The camp was an overwhelming success and we hope students bring back their key learnings of respecting others, nurturing relationships and being an “Upstander” within their own community at McKinnon. We encourage you to continue the conversation with your child at home and encourage their positive impact from camp into their own lives.

I thank the Year 8 Student Management team and all the staff who attended. It’s impossible to create these memories without you!

YEAR 7 CAMP

Our Year 7 students returned last week from an incredibly successful camp. It was fantastic to see students embrace the camp’s theme of forging new friendships. From the heights of giant swing and rock-climbing to the teamwork of canoeing and raft-making, our students enthusiastically participated in a range of exciting activities. A particular highlight was providing many students with their first ever surfing experience at the beautiful Smiths Beach. 

Our annual camp talent shows never disappoint and this year’s editions were no different. Students particularly enjoyed some hilarious staff cameos! We're incredibly grateful to the Year 7 student Management team and the dedicated staff who helped make this camp such a memorable experience for our Year 7 students.

VICTORIAN SCHOOLS SPORTS AWARDS 

Congratulations to Annabelle Sakurai from the class of 2023 and Miklos Milias of Year 7 who were awarded a School Sports Victoria Blues Award for their accomplishments in Sport. This is the highest accolade awarded by SSV. 

Annabelle is a worthy recipient following her success as Captain of the Victorian Indoor Netball Team and her selection for the Hawks VNL squad. We look forward to hearing about how her career in sport flourishes post McKinnon. 

Miklos is also a worthy recipient of this award as an emerging Soccer goalkeeping talent who had exceptional performances at the School Sport Australia Championships where he remained calm and composed helping his team secure victory.

Thank you to Kellie Felmingham and Jennifer Pemberton who attended the awards when I was on the music tour of Japan.

LAST WEEK OF TERM 1

It was also great to hear of  students getting involved with so many wonderful activities on the last day of term, these activities bring the school community together and show off our amazing culture. At recess the Year 7s had a dance concert with Dagogo from the Nikki Visaj Dance Movement and at lunchtime the Years 8 & 9 All Stars Basketball Team took on the Year 12 Monstars at the East Campus with the All Stars taking the win over their Year 12 rivals!

STAFF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING

On Tuesday 23 April we were lucky enough to welcome Dr Misty Adinou back to McKinnon. Misty is a professor in the faculty of Education at Canberra University. Misty is in high demand all over the world particularly in the area of teaching second languages to refugees and consulting with schools to improve literacy teaching. We are lucky to have secured two dates for her to work intensively with our staff. 

Her work with McKinnon SC over a three year period from 2016 transformed how we taught Writing and this work improved our student outcomes significantly. 

Once again we are looking at a whole school strategy to improve Reading outcomes. In September Misty will visit again to check in on our progress. I thank Misty for incredible contribution in guiding us to continuously improve.

ENROLMENTS

Please be aware that the enrolment process for siblings has been changed by the Department. If you wish to enrol a student commencing Year 7 for 2025 please click here for more information.