MAC News 3 2023

Principal’s Report

Dear MAC Community, 

It is a very exciting time for our school as we settle into the new building. The staff and students are enjoying the spaces and in particular, the specialist Media & Visual/Digital Arts, Science & Technology and Music & Drama spaces. The Graduates of 2023 are enjoying the senior common room and it is wonderful to see students using the breakout spaces to study before and after school.

I have included some photos for you to enjoy and am hoping to organise an opportunity for families to tour the building in the coming months. There are still some areas of the building that are yet to be completed including landscaping, the rooftop basketball court, and external stairwell. I would like to take the opportunity to thank the staff and students for their patience and hope that they feel that their collective effort and wait has been worth it.

Whilst there is still quite of bit of work associated with settling into the new building, we are now beginning to look at other areas of the school that need improvement/attention. Last week the lockers in the RC foyer were relocated and this area is now a recreational area for students during recess and lunchtime. This area is non-carpeted and therefore students are permitted to eat in this space. The next major facilities upgrade will include the refurbishment of the old General Office. This space will become the Student Wellbeing Centre and will house the Student Wellbeing Coordinator, Clark, Psychologists Elaine and Angela, Social Worker Julianne as well as the Doctor in Schools Practice. Other works will include fencing around the college, and the repair of some of the hardstand on the college grounds.

I am currently working with the Victorian Schools Building Authority and DET to secure some funds to undertake some works in the A Block toilet. We are also planning an expansion of the RC to include the Murdoch Room. This will provide additional space for students at recess and lunchtime. Some of these works and their extent are contingent on our capacity to raise more funds locally, including voluntary contributions from families, facilities hire, international students’ fees and fundraising, as well as opportunities to secure DET grants.

I would like to thank the families that have made voluntary financial contributions thus far. Parent/Carer voluntary contributions make a significant difference to the quality of the programs at MAC. This financial support ensures that we can continue to provide an excellent learning environment for our students as well as continue to maintain and upgrade our facilities. I would like to thank those that have contributed to the building and library funds. Contributions to these funds are tax deductible and can be made at any time.

As you would be aware, students will commence their new subjects next semester. If you have not made any contributions to your child’s subject costs, we invite you to log on to the Payments Centre in Compass and click on the Course Confirmation 2023 link, to do so. In addition, several families are yet to contribute towards the cost of Education Perfect and Stile. These resources are an integral part of the Entry (year 7) and Above Entry (8-10) learning program, as there are few to no formal textbooks for these year levels. At MAC, we design and develop programs that provide broad and enriched opportunities to our students, which are above and beyond what is required in the standard curriculum and what is provided for by government funding. Please note that all contributions are voluntary, and students will not be disadvantaged or denied access to the resources required to deliver the curriculum.

In closing, I would like to thank the staff and students once again for their patience in these first five weeks of the term. I would like to thank Steven McMaster who has worked incredibly hard with both the decanting of the Senior School at Debney Meadows Primary School and the move into the new building. A huge thank you to the staff who have either moved offices or assisted in moving their colleagues and/or the equipment and resources into the new spaces. I am both humbled and privileged to be part of this wonderful community.

It has been a very busy five weeks indeed, and I hope you enjoy reading about all the other wonderful activities and events that have happened over the term.

Kind regards,

Dani Angelico, Principal


Latest Building Photos

Read more about our building works here and here.


General Office

New Arrival

The long awaited winter jacket, designed collaboratively by our wonderful students, has arrived.

Jacket features:

  • Waterproof and rain resistant
  • Concealed hood in the collar
  • Fleece lined for warmth.

The jackets will be on sale in the Uniform shop from this Monday 29 May for $79 each. Online purchases will be available soon and we will confirm this with a Compass post.  The Uniform Shop is accessed via Bignell Street.

General Office entrance

The General Office is now located in the new building on Level 1. We kindly ask that parents and visitors only enter through the main entrance via the ramp on Wellington Street. Please do not enter via the Ground Floor stairwell. Gates will be installed in the coming weeks.

Students departing early & dropping off items

Re: Students Departing Early

We encourage parents/carers to make medical appointments outside school hours if possible. If a student needs to leave early, they must sign out on the Compass Kiosk on Level 1 and provide a signed explanatory note from their parent or guardian to the Attendance Officer, at the General Office. Alternatively, parents/carers can add a student departure note on Compass or call the school’s Attendance Officer. Where possible, we prefer that students are collected from school.  Please note: It is the responsibility of the student to remember when they need to leave and make their way to the kiosk and sign out. The college does not have the resources to collect students directly from class. We can only do so in an emergency.

Re: Dropping of items

Similarly, the college does not have the resources to deliver items to a student. Items dropped off for students at the General Office during the day will also be the responsibility of the student to collect. If students are not aware the item is being dropped off by a parent/carer, an email will be sent directly to their school email address alerting them to visit the General Office and pick up their items. 

Thank you for your understanding.

Tax Deductible Contributions

For information regarding Tax Deductible Contributions, click here.

General Office Administration


Whole School Assembly


Athletics Carnival

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Above Entry 8 Camp

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Year 8 camp was a formative experience that allowed me to push my limits and grow as a person. Lady Northcote not only encouraged me to try things I never thought I could do, but it encouraged me to challenge why I was afraid and overcome those fears. I enjoy bonding with peers and facing new challenges with friends and because of this, I loved Lady Northcote. The Leap of Faith was my absolute favourite and the adrenaline rush I got was like nothing I had ever felt before. Ultimately, Year 8 camp was a good time for all.

Olivia Del Rio, Above Entry 8


Teacher Nostalgia


Singing Concert


Healthy Homies

Vocational Major students have designed a cooking program for the subject Learning for Life. Titled ‘Healthy Homies’, the project aims to educate primary school students on nutrition and wellbeing. This term, MAC students have prepared a nutritious meal and served their dishes to the Debney Meadows Primary school students once a week.

MAC students have positively contributed to our community by demonstrating positive leadership and teamwork skills during the planning, cooking, and serving stages of the project.

Jordan Donnelly, Apollo Heads of House


Eid Celebration

Eid Celebration Speech

Today we gather for our 6th annual Eid Celebration at MAC. It is our pleasure to have you and welcome you to this event. MAC is a school that supports and promotes diversity, and this is a great opportunity for everyone to get together, especially now that we have opened our new building. 

Eid is for thanking teachers, support workers, senior students, and management for their hard work throughout the year, and it is also a great way of welcoming new parents and teachers and promoting the school. As parents and students, we are also here to support everyone’s health, wellbeing, and education as that is what a good community is all about.

We also want to thank the staff from Debney Meadows Primary School for their continuous support to our students and their families for hosting our senior students at their school while MAC was under construction. 

Thank you all for being here and we wish you a happy Eid. Enjoy!

Zeituna Hussein and Halima Malaakh, MAC Staff


Networking African-Australians

Networking African-Australians was a program where girls got to express themselves, learn how to work as a team, and build strong communication skills with other peers. We learned good leadership skills and discussed our community and backgrounds and shared more about our culture.

We also talked about how we could get a mentor based on what we might be interested in doing in the future so we don’t feel like we have to go through that alone, and to be able to empower ourselves, achieve goals, and feel confident with what we do. 

Alham Ashikak, Above Entry 9


Model UN Conference

The students who participated in the Model UN conference worked in small groups and had to act as delegates representing a range of different countries from around the world. The focus and title of the conference was called ‘Combating Climate Change’. Students demonstrated excellent collaboration skills, and developed their ability to use diplomacy and negotiation to create a Draft UN Resolution.

Sam Boardman-Bradley, Humanities Teaching and Learning Leader

University Open Day Expo

The International Students from year 10 to year 12 went on an excursion to Melbourne Hall to participate in the University Open Day Expo. They had a very fun and productive day meeting representatives from different Universities, learning new information about University applications and courses.

One of our students, Amy, won a $30 voucher with her raffle ticket. Everyone had some lovely prizes to take home after the event!

Angie Ho, International Student Coordinator


Dylan Russo, 2023 Graduate, Principal Vocalist

The Department of Education’s Performing Arts Unit auditioned students from across the state for this year’s Victorian State Schools Spectacular.

We would like to celebrate the success of one of our students Dylan Russo who has secured a role in this year’s Spectacular core performing company.

The Spectacular will be performed twice on Saturday 9 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.


ICAS

DearParents and Guardians, 

We are delighted to inform you thatMount Alexander College will be participating in the world-renowned ICAScompetitionthis year. 

What is ICAS? 

ICAS is an online academic competition that is designed to assess students’higher orderthinking and problem-solving skills in English, Mathematics, Science, Writing, SpellingBeeand Digital Technologies. 

Each assessment celebrates students’ accomplishments by providing opportunities for recognition and development. Every student who participates will receive a printed certificate and an online results report. Top performers will be eligible for medals. 

We encourage you to consider entering your child into ICAS this year.   

How to participate in ICAS :

If you wish for your child to participate in ICAS this year, please: 

  1. read aboutICAS subjects and priceshere:(icasassessments.com/products-icas) 
  1. read the terms and conditions here: (icasassessments.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/2023-ICAS-Assessments-Parents-PPS-TsCs_final.pdf) 
  1. go toParent Portal to purchase testshere: (shop.icasassessments.com/pages/pps) 
  1. enter our school’s access code – DNO042 
  1. enter your child’s details, select the tests you would like to purchase, then proceed to payment. 

Please note that the ICAS tests shown for selection are at the school’s discretion. After payment is made via the Parent Payment System, you will receive an order confirmation email, please keep this for yourrecords. 

ICAS Results and Certificates 

We willnotify you of the date(s) that werun ICASat the schoolandwhenyour child’s ICAS results are ready. Once we have received your child’s ICAS certificate, we will send it home with your child. The back of the certificate shows ICAS results and the login details, “TAP ID and Pin”, that you and your child need to enter the Results Portal orti.icasassessments.com/ortiStudent 

Privacy Collection Statement 

The following information is aprivacy notificationabout how your child’s data is kept private and secure. 

Janison isaware of our responsibility to protect the identity of, and all information relating to, children, and students in general, from disclosure and consequentlyJanisondoes not: 

  • collect any personal information or data of children other than asrequiredfor the purposes of completion of the assessment,testorexam; 
  • transfer any personal information or data obtained during the delivery of assessments, tests or exams conducted in Australia to anyjurisdictionoutside of Australia other than with the specific consent of the person, or his or her parent orguardian; 
  • transfer any personal information or data obtained during the delivery of assessments, tests or exams conducted in other international regions out of the child’sjurisdictionother than with the specific consent of the person, or his or her parent orguardian; 
  • share any personal information or data relating to children or students with any third parties (other than a third party whose services are necessary for servicing our products,e.g.print/distribution companies, medal engraving, etc.) except with the specific consent of the person, or his or her parent orguardian; 
  • use any personal information or data relating to children or students for marketing purposes. 

Janisonmayretainpersonal information and data relevant to a child for their future purposes or for research purposes byJanisonfor the duration of the schoollife cycleof the child. However, if you or your child at any time wish to have their personal information or data removed from our systems, they or you may opt out by simply contacting our Privacy Officer atprivacy@janison.com. 

We are proud to offer ICASand look forward to some fantastic results later in the year.Please do not hesitate to contact me via the school office or Compass if you have any questions. 

Kind regards, 

Louise Leong, Leading Teacher Curriculum and Assessment


English

Crafting Texts

For the past six weeks, the year 11 students have been drafting and redrafting pieces for their Crafting Texts portfolio in VCE English. Students had to have a go at writing expositorily, persuasively, and imaginatively – and here are some of the end results!

Daughter of Dawn by Charvi Pillareddy

We Need to Actually do Something About Our Phone Addictions by Chantal Leon

Why ChatGPT Will Affect Everyone by Ruben Carra

Alex O’Brien, Classroom Teacher


Arts and Technology

Robotics Competition

Zoran Keele, Edward Williams, Austin Jukes, and David Lubansky make some last-minute adjustments before the 2023 Robotics Competition.  

While we didn’t bring home any gold this time, everybody had a great day and we all learned and improved.

Tim Phillips, Classroom Teacher

Art Club

Food Technology

MAC Kitchen News

We have been traveling around the world in Masterchef and looking at different recipes. One of the dishes we made was chicken schnitzel, with a little bit of a twist. We incorporated lemon myrtle (an indigenous spice) into the crumb to give it an extra kick of flavour. Using different flavours gives us a chance to experience things we might not have before. Amelia Kenny, Above Entry 9

It might be starting to get cold outside, however the MAC kitchens are heating up!

PreVCE MasterChef have been discovering what it takes to make something ‘Go Viral’. As a group they have made cloud bread, baked feta pasta, green salad, gourmet deli sandwiches, banana bread and soup and fresh bread rolls.

Unit 1 students have just finished the final area of study in the unit – looking at Australis historical and current food system. This has included a deep dive into the waves of migration that have shaped the foods we produce and choose and consume. Did you know that Melbourne’s Chinatown is the longest Chinese settlement (away from mainland China) in the world, established in 1850’s during the gold rush.  

Unit 3 students have spent the final weeks of term demonstrating their Key Skills and Knowledge relating to the social factors that affect food choice (Time, Income, education location  and cultural norms to name a few.  Some practical activities have included the nutritional analysis of a homemade and store bought food product and a meal planning task that required students to focus on one social factor and the establishment of healthy eating patterns in children to have lifelong benefits.

The MAC kitchens will finish the semester strong with Pre-VCE Masterchef & Unit 1 students getting ready for the mid-year Exams and MasterChef classes undertaking their ‘Around the World’ design brief MAT task. 

Don’t forget to follow along with all our adventures on Instagram @macmasterchef – dinner inspiration guaranteed

Lezanne Webb-Johnson, Food Studies Teacher


Science

Year 11 Biology – Human Body Systems

It was great to draw the organs and visually represent where each organ went. This helped me learn what each organ does and how they interact with each other.

Maya Barr

In the Year 11 Biology Human Body Systems we learnt the functions of the digestive, excretory and endocrine system. It was interesting to work out how the organs are interconnected together and how your body’s organs rely on each other. It was cool to break down what each organ does by cutting them out and to visualise how many systems are within the human body.

Zoe Tsironis, Zoe Millar, Natalia Tasominos

I learnt how all organs connect altogether to allow the human body to work efficiently. I now know that the gallbladder stores bile so the liver can secrete the bile to the stomach to break down fats. The pancreas is responsible for secreting enzymes to break down carbohydrates and proteins.

Nathan Young

In the Year 11 Biology Human Body Systems activity I was able to learn where the organs are placed in the body and it gave me an idea of how they work in sync.  

Charvi Pillareddy


Mathematics

Fractions Number Lines in Entry Maths


Interschool Sport


Student Wellbeing

SchoolTV

SchoolTV is an online resource designed to empower parents with credible and sound information with realistic, practical ongoing support strategies. You can access SchoolTV by either clicking the SchoolTV icon on the home page or this link.

This month on SchoolTV – The State of Youth Mental Health 

Parents and carers can play a crucial role in their children’s mental health. As a result, staying informed on the current state of youth mental health is vital, as it not only affects individuals, but also families and communities. According to recent research, the frequency of mental health disorders among young people is increasing, with anxiety, depression, and self-harm being among the most common challenges.

One of the reasons being attributed to this rise is the heightened stress and anxiety that many young people face in today’s society. Academic success, social media, and family issues are all influencing factors. Many young people are still suffering the long-term consequences of the pandemic, such as social isolation, uncertainty, and loss.

Parents can play an important role in their children’s mental health. Creating a safe and open environment for your children to talk about their emotions, thoughts, and feelings is vital. Encouraging healthy habits like regular exercise, a balanced diet, and proper sleep can help reduce their stress levels and boost your child’s overall mental health.

There are also many resources and services available to children, adolescents, and their families, such as school counsellors, various mental health organisations, support lines, and of course, mental health professionals. It is important to remember that seeking help is a show of strength, not weakness, and that early intervention is critical in addressing young people’s mental health difficulties.

This edition of SchoolTV, discusses some of the major mental health issues affecting young people and how to support a child experiencing them. We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this month’s edition, and we always welcome your feedback.

If you do have any concerns about the wellbeing of your child, please contact the school for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Click here for this month’s edition of SchoolTV.


Resource Centre

Staff and students can use the Library Catalogue (login using the Single Sign On with your school email address and password) from school and from home. It’s a great way to see what books are on offer in the library and to reserve a book that you’ve been looking forward to reading.

A friendly reminder to anyone who has overdue books to please return them to the Resource Centre. Bringing books back by their due date ensures that everyone is able to enjoy our collection.

Do you know we have ebooks and audiobooks?

The Eplatform has over 2500 ebooks and audiobooks that you can read or listen to with new books being added every day. You can access it by downloading the app on your device and signing in with your school details in the Single Sign On (SSO). Find out more here: mountalexandercollege.wheelers.co

Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge

The Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge is in full swing at Mount Alexander College. The PRC application offers a range of exciting features including:

  • access to a library catalogue (including book images and blurbs)
  • a modern user-friendly interface
  • rewarding students with badges as challenge milestones are achieved
  • the option for students to mark books as a favourite, give them a star rating or complete a book review.

The Challenge is open to all Victorian children from birth to Year 10 in recognition of the importance of reading for literacy development. It is not a competition; but a personal challenge for children to read a set number of books by 8 September 2023.

Students from Year 7 to Year 10 are challenged to read 15 books.

All children who meet the Challenge will receive a certificate of achievement signed by the Victorian Premier and former Premiers.

To read the Premier’s letter to parents, view the booklist and for more information about the Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge, visit: https://www.vic.gov.au/premiers-reading-challenge

Remember

Students were given a physical copy of their login details during Mentoring. If a student needs to get these details again, they can contact Carla Iannarella in the Resource Centre.

To log in, visit the PRC website. Click the sign in button below ‘School Coordinator or Student’ and select ‘VPRC login’. Insert your login details.

We have already seen an enthusiastic response from students, but please note that 10 out of the 15 books read must be from the Challenge list. You can access this list on the VPRC website here.

Students can also find books on the Challenge list in our school Library Catalogue in the Quick Lists. There is a list for Years 7 and 8 and Years 9 and 10.

Writing Competition

2023 Apollo Bay WORDFest is a weekend of literary events to engage readers, writers, and wordsmiths.

A short story competition is running and our MAC students are encouraged to enter. Submit a 1000 word short story to go in the running to win a $300 cash prize!

Entries close on Saturday 1 July 2023, so please email your entry to Ms Nicole Lawrence who will send all MAC entries together.

Carla Iannarella, Resource Centre, Communications and Marketing Manager


Parents and Friends Association

MAC Parents and Friends is a vibrant and friendly forum for parents, carers and interested members of the community to discuss matters relating to the College.

It provides an opportunity to become involved in the life of the College, ensuring the College continues to provide the best education and is the local community’s school of choice.

MAC Parents and Friends meets at 6:00pm on the first Monday of the month during school terms in the Resource Centre. Meetings are publicised in the school newsletter, and on the events calendar.

All members and new members are warmly invited to attend.

To receive notifications of forthcoming meetings, email the PFA: mac.parents.friends@gmail.com


Community News and Advertising

We advertise and support local organisations that reside in our catchment area. These suburbs include Flemington, Kensington, Ascot Vale, Moonee Ponds, Maribyrnong, West Brunswick, North Melbourne, and Parkville.

MAC News Deadlines

The MAC News is published twice a term.

Please see the below dates for MAC News submissions deadlines for articles and advertising. Any advertising requests must be sent to mount.alexander.712@education.vic.gov.au

Term 2 2024
  • MAC News 2 - Wednesday 15 May
  • MAC News 3 - Wednesday 19 June
Term 3 2024
  • MAC News 4 - Wednesday 14 August
  • MAC News 5 - Wednesday 18 September

Term 4 2024

  • MAC News 6 - Wednesday 6 November
  • MAC News 7 - Wednesday 11 December

Upcoming Events

Community School Since 1858

Mount Alexander College is located where Flemington National School was established in 1858. The school, which has undergone many changes, has always served the community.

Contact Us

Email: mount.alexander.712@education.vic.gov.au
Phone: 0393761622
Fax: 0393765232
Address: 78 Wellington St, Flemington VIC 3031
Provider No.: 00861K

Mount Alexander College is accredited under the Department of Education and Training’s CRICOS registration (CRICOS provider name and code: Department of Education and Training, 00861K). For further information refer to www.study.vic.gov.au.

Mount Alexander College acknowledges the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nations, the Traditional Owners of the land on whose unceded lands the school stands, and pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.