ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS' REPORT

STUDENT DIARIES

Organisation is a key strategy for success, and we want to help students develop good habits during their time at secondary school. All students in Years 7-10 are provided with a diary which they need to take to every class and use to record their homework and any upcoming tasks. VCE students can use either a digital or physical diary, but need to take the same approach to recording schoolwork/events. 

Parents can greatly help their children with organisation by checking their school diary regularly and speaking to them about their homework, upcoming classwork and assessments. If your child has difficulty using their diary to stay organised, please contact the relevant Student Managers for assistance and support.

ORDERING SCHOOL PHOTOS ONLINE

To be able to view the images of your child and order photos, you will need to register online using the individualised code provided to each student on Photo Day. If you don't have your image code, or need assistance, please contact Arthur Reed Photos directly: 03 5243 4390 / customerservice@arphotos.com.au

If you have an existing Arthur Reed Photos account, you will still need to register using your 2026 code to gain access to this year’s photos. Note that all photo packages will be home delivered so please ensure all address details are correct upon checkout.

Finally, if students missed both the photo day and the catch-up day, please contact Arthur Reed Photos directly if you would still like to purchase an official school photo. They may be able to organise times for families to visit their studio in Keysborough. Their contact details are provided above. 

PARENT-TEACHER-STUDENT CONFERENCES

Please note that our Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences will be taking place over two days on Monday 30 March and Thursday 2 April (last week of Term 1).  

These events will again be run virtually via Google Meet, with teachers being available for 5 minute interviews. Please note that normal classes will not run on these two days; teachers will, however, be leaving lesson plans on Compass. This ensures students have work to go on with at home when they are not attending their online interviews. The Compass booking system will be opening early next week.

PARKING AND SAFETY ON MCKINNON ROAD

Staff from Glen Eira City Council have recently been photographing (and issuing infringement notices to) drivers that are dropping off children in the bus zone outside McKinnon Secondary College and stopping in the ‘no parking/standing’ zones. Please be careful to observe and obey all signs in McKinnon Road. 

Traffic congestion is a continuing problem near the College, and we ask for your cooperation in driving carefully and ensuring the safety of all children in the surrounding streets (including the many students who cycle to and from school). Please encourage your child to always wear a bike helmet when riding to and from school and to take particular care when approaching the school in the morning and leaving at the end of the day. 

Also, if your child is catching the bus to/from school, please remind them about the importance of using appropriate manners when travelling on public transport.  As ambassadors for the College, all our students should be displaying and promoting our values of ‘Respect’ and ‘Community’.  

NAPLAN 2026 - Commencing Wednesday 11 March

NAPLAN testing will be undertaken by all students in Years 7 and 9 between Wednesday 11 - Monday 16 March. These tests will be conducted during periods 1 and 2 for Year 7s and periods 3 and 4 for Year 9s on test days. All tests will take place in classrooms at each campus.

A NAPLAN information brochure for parents and caregivers can be found here.

Students are required to bring a charged Chromebook, wired headphones (please note that wireless headphones do not work) and a pen for planning. Physical calculators, rulers and protractors are not required for the Numeracy test as they are available in the online test format.

Students will be using a series of ‘NAPLAN at McKinnon’ videos and presentations to prepare for this testing. These have now been made available via Google Classroom. Students will be undertaking practice tests using the NAPLAN demonstration site to get used to the test format. 

We encourage parents/carers to review the preparation resources with their child and to explore the NAPLAN demonstration site.

https://www.nap.edu.au/online-assessment/public-demonstration-site