PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

As Term 2 draws to an end next week, I know staff and students are all looking forward to a much-needed break. I will be on leave next week, Lachlan Noble will be Acting Principal in my absence.

Semester 1 Reports will be released late next week. The feedback provided by teachers will assist students and parents/guardians to reflect on student achievements and how they might improve in Semester 2.

MAYOR VISIT

On Friday 14 June we had the pleasure of welcoming Cr Anne-Marie Cade, Mayor of Glen Eira, to East Campus.  

Cr Cade generously gave her time to speak to our Year 9 students about the role of council, and provided an overview of council community services, and addressed a series of questions from students.  

Thank you to Mr Chris Pantelios, for organising this opportunity for our students, allowing them to engage with the wider community as part of our Wisdom & Service program.

GAT

Congratulations to our senior students who sat the General Achievement Test (GAT) on Tuesday. This is a general knowledge and skills test. The GAT provides important information that verifies our students’ performance in their SACs and exams. Most importantly it is used to provide a study score if students are unable to sit the end of year exams, due to illness for example. 

Special thanks to Kellie Felmingham who oversaw the organisation of this assessment for our students, which included provisioning for special arrangements. This is a complex undertaking. I thank all staff involved in making this process as smooth as possible. 

EXAMINATIONS

Congratulations also to all the Years 10 and 11 students who have now completed their end of semester exams. The students undertook these exams with preparation and commitment and I wish them all the very best with their results. 

EAST CAMPUS CONCERT

Congratulations to all the wonderful students and music staff of East Campus for an outstanding concert featuring over 270 talented performers! The evening was a resounding success, showcasing the hard work, dedication, and musical prowess of the String ensembles, Concert bands, The Choir, Percussion ensembles, World Music Ensemble, and the Junior Stage Band.

The concert was a true celebration of musical excellence, captivating the audience with a diverse repertoire and performances. 

The success of this event would not have been possible without the unwavering support of the school community. Thank you to the audio-visual crew and maintenance team for their tireless efforts in setting up the stages and ensuring a seamless production. 

This concert was a testament to the power of music to unite and inspire. Special thanks to all of our Ensemble Directors and Music Staff. Congratulations on a remarkable achievement!

ALUMNI ART

It was a pleasure to host a morning tea for two of our Alumni - Jan Palethorpe - class of 1973 and Marian Crawford Class of 1972.

Both Jan and Marian are successful artists and Marian is now a lecturer at Monash Fine Art. 

The school recently acquired some of their art to display at the East Campus. It is wonderful to have our alumni artist’s work on display at the East Campus, infusing it with culture and connecting the campus to our proud history.

EXPECTATIONS

I recently sent a communication to all of our students via Compass to remind them of the school's expectations regarding respectful conduct towards one another.

We are an inclusive and safe school. Community is one of our school values and it is an expectation that all student behaviour is in accordance with our Student Code of Conduct. Bullying, harassment and inappropriate student behaviour is unacceptable whether in person or online.  

All students need to be respectful to one another, and if any student is found to breach our Student Code of conduct or Bullying Prevention Policy, then severe consequences will be issued.

I thank our parents and caregivers for your support of us and for helping our students uphold our school values. 

GRAND REUNION

The 2024 Grand Reunion will be held at the McKinnon Road Campus on Saturday 26 October, and will encompass ex-students and staff of McKinnon from the following years: 1959, 1964, 1969, 1974, 1979, 1984, 1994, 2004, 2014, 2019 and Covid catch-up groups 1990 and 1991.

Please see our Facebook page for more information or visit Trybooking for tickets. You can also ensure you are kept informed about reunions by updating your contact details here.

STAFF AND STUDENT ABSENCES 

Please remember if students are unwell, they need to stay home and rest until they are better. We want to avoid the spread of illness and ensure students recover as soon as possible. 

Thank you to our Daily Organisation team Tina Apostolellis and Jacqui Davis who work tirelessly to cover all of our classes. 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our community for their support over the first half of 2024 and wish all students and staff a wonderful semester break.

We look forward to a successful second semester when we return on Monday 15 July.