Term 2 Week 10, 29 June 2009
K-12
From the Principal
This final edition of Wyvern for Semester 1 coincides with Academic and Citizenship Awards across Middle and Senior School. I look forward to welcoming families to join us for the presentation Assemblies.
We welcomed Reverend Anne Wright back from her travels in Europe to lead our Chapels and worship in Assemblies, and we were delighted to have Margaret Dawkins (Collegian, 1972) attend Senior School Assembly to present the Bownes Memorial Bursary to Tessa Seward and Katie Campbell. Margaret is a third generation Collegian with direct links to MLC’s second year, in 1908! The girls enjoyed hearing stories about experiences from her MLC days which she now values highly.
Also at Assembly, Nic Buttner (Collegian, 2007) took girls on her service journey of six months in Ghana, highlighting the ‘confronting and challenging’ aspects of her first weeks, and her work in local communities with a medical team and in a teaching role. Nic described it all as ‘one of the best experiences of my life’. Our guests have inspired girls to consider how they are preparing today for the adventures they want to create for their tomorrow.
Physics teacher Juliana Mitrevski has been invited to attend the High School Teachers’ Program run by the European Nuclear Research Organization at CERN in Geneva. This prestigious program allows Physics teachers to extend their knowledge of the most current fields of Physics and Ms Mitrevski is the first Australian to participate!
In our last edition of Wyvern, we introduced the initiative of the Student Representative Council (SRC) to declare ‘Winter Wednesdays’ which were proposed by students as a strategy to reduce carbon dioxide emissions ie our reduce Carbon Footprint. This concept is an extension of the SRC’s ‘Lights Off MLC Day’, also intended to raise awareness of how we can all make a contribution to a sustainable environment.
Responses about ‘Winter Wednesdays’ have ranged from ‘Congratulations’ and ‘Well done!’ to concerned cautions and strong objections! Staff mentors will share this feedback with the SRC and guide them through a process to determine whether they vigorously maintain this initiative or judiciously adapt it - all part and parcel of negotiating the challenges when leading for change.
The SRC comprises elected student representatives from each of Years 6 to 11 under the leadership of the SRC Prefect and two Year 12 SRC Prefect Executives. The SRC meets fortnightly to discuss issues raised by their year groups.
SRC takes responsibility for organizing events for the broader student body. One upcoming project will be shaping the students’ welcome for Rebecca Cody when she joins MLC as our next Principal.
The SRC also offers very special opportunities for experiences in student leadership and allows girls to have input to decisions that are important to students. The girls are mentored by Heads of School and the Principal.
Yvonne Palmer, Acting Principal
Chaplain’s Desk
The final week of school this term is Social Services week at MLC and my most excellent Social Service Prefects, Stephanie Sim and Jenna Ong, have been working hard on supporting a number of charities such as ‘Mother and Child’ in India. To contribute, students have the opportunity to wear free dress day on Wednesday 24 June (dress up as someone you admire) and donate to the cause.
Over the past eight weeks I have been on long service leave and even as I get back to my desk this week, the fabulous times in Europe are already fading into the past. I feel invigorated and have learnt much on tour, including pilgrimage to many cathedrals and saints’ places in England, Paris and Italy and in Chennai, India.
The last leg of our trip was to visit my daughter Amy who is currently working with her grandfather Dr Colin Yarham on health education in India. Dr Yarham is completing the Tamil translation (English and Hindi have been completed) of the complete health education program from Kindergarten to Year 12 for schools in India - a project of 14 years!
In London, I caught up with first cousins of mine who I haven’t seen for 25 years, and some old friends from school days who emigrated there.
All in all, it was a fabulous trip with much to enrich my work at MLC. On my first day back at the College, I asked girls in my Year 11 class how many of them had visited Europe. For many, my travel was already in their repertoire of experience! Truly, we live in an amazing world in which we have the privilege to learn from such travel!
I look forward to seeing you participating in the activities of Term 3 and 4.
Rev Anne Wright, Chaplain
Uniform Shop opening hours in the holidays
The Uniform Shop will be open Monday 20 July from 10am - 3pm in the July school holidays. This will be the only day it is open.
Sarah Benney, Uniform Shop Manager
Music news
Withdrawal from Instrumental Tuition
Parents who wish to withdraw their daughter from Instrumental Tuition at the end of Term 3 must give notice in writing to Music Coordinator Sue May, by Friday 3 July. Students withdrawing after Friday 3 July will incur the full charge for the remainder of the year, based on one lesson per week.
Piano Recital
The Piano Recital will be held in the Stephen Lee Auditorium on Wednesday 1 July at 7pm. Piano students will perform a variety of works in different styles, including classical, jazz and modern. The recital gives students of all ages an opportunity to perform to family and friends in an informal setting. Admission is free.
Instrumental Camp
After school on Thursday 18 June, 108 excited students and six staff set off for the annual Instrumental Camp, which was held at the picturesque Swanleigh Residential College in the Swan Valley.
There were three ensembles at the camp: Senior Symphony Orchestra, Jazz Band and Philharmonic Orchestra. Everyone was keen to practise and polish their repertoire in preparation for the end of term concert, ABODA performance and Concerto Night next term. Year 12 students, who have been vigorously preparing their solos for Concerto Night, appreciated the opportunity to rehearse with a full orchestra.
The rehearsals were intense but most enjoyable, giving the girls a wonderful opportunity to learn so much more about orchestral techniques and about themselves as they worked to create a very polished ensemble. Mrs Carter, who commenced teaching in the Music Department this term, enjoyed becoming acquainted with the girls over the course of the weekend. Team building was also an important element of the camp with the Philharmonic Orchestra learning their new theme song and dance ‘Team Machine’.
On the final night, all their hard work was rewarded with a quiz night. In between each round the girls enjoyed a fabulous array of quirky video clips and participated in the cluck along song ‘The Chicken Dance’, with everyone getting up and performing.
New Music staff
This term we welcomed Robert Corvaia to the MLC Music Department. Robert is a well-known drummer and drum teacher in Perth and commenced teaching drum kit at the beginning of Term 2.
Whilst still in his teens, Robert played with local and interstate acts, including Barry Crocker, Normie Rowe, Ricky May, Max Bygraves, Ronnie Corbitt and Jackie Love. In 1984 he graduated from WAAPA in Jazz Performing. Through the 70’s and 80’s Robert played drums for the Will Upson Big Band, Manteca, WA Youth Jazz Orchestra and WA Arts Orchestra, as well as freelance work with WASO. He has been a regular drummer at the Civic Theatre, the Playhouse Theatre and Burswood Showroom, and has performed in many musicals, including Godspell, West Side Story, Chicago and Pirates of Penzance. Robert is a dedicated and passionate teacher who is currently teaching at a number of private schools in Perth. He is very excited to be part of the MLC Music Department.
Percussion Workshop
On Thursday 23 July, all percussion students will attend a Percussion Workshop in Hadley Hall presented by master percussionist Greg Sheehan. Greg is the pioneer of body percussion in Australia and his workshops are a great exploration of rhythm for those interested in music, percussion and dance. Through clapping, slapping and stamping the girls will play fun and intricate rhythm games. Using a series of numbers, they will weave a myriad of beautiful rhythms together. Eventually it will blossom into a form of dance and music combined. The girls will create their own rhythms and music through clapping, walking and a-rhythm-matics.
Music Examination Results
Congratulations to the following students on their Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music examination results:
Katelyn Ivulich, Year 8, Grade 5 Cello, Pass
Sofie Reidy-Crofts, Year 8, Grade 5 Cello, Pass
Congratulations to the following students on their Australian Music Examinations Board examination results:
Frances Clarke, Year 6, Grade 4 Violin, Credit
Stephanie Jones, Year 11, Grade 4 Theory of Music, Honours
Isabelle Taylor, Year 9, Grade 2 Theory of Music, Honours
Jeneice Taylor, Year 6, Grade 1 Theory of Music, Honours
Congratulations to Stephanie Jones (Year 11) on gaining First Place in the following sections of the recent WA Performing Arts Eisteddfod held in Bunbury.
• Open Guitar Solo
• Under 18 Guitar Solo
• Under 16 Guitar Solo
• Under 18 32 Bar Jazz Standard with Improvised Solo
• Under 18 12 Bar B-flat Blues with Improvised Solo
• Open Instrumental Solo with Recorded Accompaniment
Asia International Guitar Festival
Stephanie Jones, Year 11, recently travelled to Bangkok for the 2009 Asia International Guitar Festival and Competition. It was a great learning experience to compete in a highly regarded guitar competition against some of the world’s best junior (under 18) guitar players. The judges were very impressed with Stephanie’s performance and gave positive advice and encouragement, urging her to return to compete again next year. The audience enjoyed her emotive performance which was a quite different style from the other competitors.
Bobby Gallo, Director of Music
College Production
Alice's Adventure in Wonderland and Through The Looking Glass is coming up very soon, on Thursday 6, Friday 7 and Saturday 8 August at 7.30pm in Hadley Hall.
All tickets for adults, children and concessions are $20 each and this change in cost is to enable the Year 9 Commerce girls a simpler money accounting process. The ticket price now includes a drink at interval and a small nibble.
Please book your tickets early as we are hoping for a sold-out season for this much-loved classic. Tickets can be booked on the MLC website.
The production is a very faithful rendition of the novels by Lewis Carroll, not the Disney version, so the songs are all new and exciting for all of us. So sorry, no "Painting the Roses Red" will be sung as this is a Disney song, but there will be some cards painting roses!
The second half of the show is the story of Through the Looking Glass which isn't as well known as the Wonderland story, but concerns the events that happen a year later when Alice is dreaming about her chess board, and it has our gorgeous Year 4 Barclay girls being the Oysters in that section.
Please come along and see the wonderland of sets, costumes, singing, dancing and acting that is being created by our wonderful Methodist Ladies' College students and staff.
Jodee Lambert, Head of Theatre Arts
Donate before 30 June and see the benefits for yourself!
The Federal Government grant received by MLC has ensured we get the new Health and Sports Centre project moving. Together, we need to take another big step forward and secure sufficient funds to make it a reality.
This weekend is your last chance to make a tax deductible financial donation to the Partnering for their Future campaign for the 2008/2009 financial year.
Considering a tax rate of 31.5 per cent, a gift of a $1000 over a 12 month period is actually $685, and is equivalent to:
• $57 per month – a meal out with a friend
• $13 per week – less than a movie ticket
• $1.80 a day - less than a cup of coffee!
To make your contribution to Partnering for their Future now, gift online.
Thank you in anticipation of your generous financial support at this time of great opportunity and need.
Suzanne Fisher, Fundraising Coordinator
Weekend Netball Club news
After two weekends of rather adverse weather, I think all players are ready for the coming holidays. Please notewe have no games over the July holiday period including 4, 11 and 18 July.Games recommence on Saturday 25 July.
Over the holidays, Perth Netball Association is holding a jump umpiring course and a sub junior coaching clinic. Anyone interested in these opportunities can collect forms from Mrs Gairns in the Physical and Health Education department.
Please have a safe and restful holiday break.
Kate Gairns, Netball Club Coordinator
Financial Know-How from Women Who Lead
After a successful start to the year, Women Who Lead's third event of the year, Financial Know How, will provide information on issues such as limiting debt, saving money for special events, living within your means, successfully gaining appropriate employment and things to consider when launching and running a business.
The final Women Who Lead event for the year scheduled for Wednesday 16 September, Fit Mind and Body, will focus on the importance of maintaining health and wellbeing in performing to potential. This will include practical advice on achieving a balance between work or studies, family and recreation, eating well, accepting your body and the role of regular exercise.
Andrea McGurk, Director of Community Relations
Holiday hockey clinics
MLC students seven years and older are invited to participate in hockey clinics held by UWA Hockey Academy during the July school holidays. For further information, contact Craig Boyce on 0447 971 631 or Tristram Woodhouse on 0411 849 429.
Sally Newmarch, Coordinator of Sport
From the Head of Junior School
Interpreting your daughter’s Junior School report
At the end of Week 10, your daughter’s report card will be posted home. As you peruse it, I ask that you keep in mind the following factors:
1. This mid-year report is only one part of our overall assessment package. You must view it in terms of all the information you receive about your daughter’s progress at school.
2. There should be no surprises in the report. If the teachers have perceived an issue or learning difficulty, you should already have been informed about this.
3. The mid-year report is intended to give you a snapshot on how your daughter is performing.
4. Behind this report, extensive assessment data is collected and used by teachers in determining your daughter’s level. If, for example, in the Number Strand of Mathematics, your daughter had demonstrated an understanding of the following concepts on three separate occasions, she would be determined to have completed Level Two C1.
Number – Level Two C 1
• Students model the place value of the natural numbers from 0 to 1000. They order numbers and count to 1000 by 1s, 10s and 100s
• Students skip count by 2s, 4s and 5s from 0 to 100 starting from any natural number
• They form patterns and sets of numbers based on simple criteria such as odd and even numbers
• They order money amounts in dollars and cents and carry out simple money calculations
• They describe simple fractions such as one half, on third and one quarter in terms of equal sized parts of a whole object, such as a quarter of a pizza and subsets such as half of a set of 20 coloured pencils
• They add and subtract one and two digit numbers by counting on and counting back
• They mentally compute simple addition and subtraction calculations involving one or two digit natural numbers, using number facts such as complement to 10, doubles and near doubles
• They describe and calculate simple multiplication as repeated addition, such as 3 x 5 = 5 + 5 + 5; and division as sharing, such as 8 shared between 4
• They use cumulative and associative properties of addition and multiplication in mental computation (for example, 3 + 4 = 4 + 3 and 3 + 4 + 5 can be done as 7 + 5 or 3 + 9
This extensive information is the data that backs the levelling used in the report.
The two main questions often asked by parents are, “How do I know that my daughter is at the right level?” and “What position is she in the class?” On the report, you will clearly see the expected State standard for the end of the school year. This is the standard the State considers 50 per cent of children in Western Australia should be performing. Roughly, at this present point in time and depending on the particular class cohort, a third of our children are above this standard, a third are at the standard and the final third, just below. At the end of the year, about 95 per cent of our girls will be above or at this standard. It is useful to keep this in mind as you review your daughter’s report.
Many of you are aware that I have four children. Over the years, I have seen a variety of different report formats. As a parent, I have found the most useful indicator of performance is to examine the effort grading, personal and social development information and most importantly, the teacher’s written comment.
The teachers are available to respond to questions or concerns you may have about the report.
Michael Brown, Acting Head of Junior School
Year 3 and 5 Dad's get-together
Fathers of girls in Year 3 or 5 at MLC are cordially invited to a Dads' get-together on Friday 3 July - the last day of Term 2.
We'll meet at Claremont Yacht Club at the main jetty gate any time from 5.30-7pm to board David Bovell's boat which will depart at about 7pm for The Left Bank jetty, where we will have a BBQ onboard and/or a drink at The Left Bank. We will arrive back at Claremont Yacht Club by midnight.
Join us for the whole evening, an early drink on the boat before we depart, or meet us at The Left Bank.
Cost: $20 for food
BYO: Drinks
RSVP: Peter Owens (Charlotte Year 3 and Madeleine Year 5)
Phone 0401 654 089 or email owensp@bigpond.net.au
Rain or shine you’re guaranteed a dry and great time
What’s On Junior School
Junior School Interhouse Gymnastics
Tuesday 30 June
Junior School reports posted
Thursday 2 July
Junior School Heather Lamont Day
Term 2 concludes
Friday 3 July
Term 3 commences
Tuesday 21 July
From the Head of Middle School
Cross Country
Congratulations to all competitors who braved winter training sessions and equally wintry competition conditions at Perry Lakes. I could never have competed as well as you did; well done!
Year 9 Camp
The Year 9 camps have been and gone. I survived and, more importantly, almost all of the students can say they survived as well. This was one of my best experiences at MLC and I know most of the girls would agree. Understandably, the initial experience was daunting for students who had not been to camp as a Year 8 student, but it was challenging for all, nevertheless. There was no doubt that winter had arrived in our South West!
Here is your gear, see you in two days! Well, it was more like: “Here are the essentials that you will need; we will make sure you are safe, appropriately challenged and well fed; now off you go with our supervising staff and we will see you in two and a half days!”. The canoeing was fun, the bush hiking was adventurous, the high ropes course a challenge, the abseiling a rush and the cave, especially with the lights turned out, an entirely different experience. More importantly, the realisation that as a group we could achieve the (nearly) impossible was very, very rewarding. Put me down again for 2010!
Thanks go to many people, including the adventurous girls in my groups, staff members Robert Ong, Anna Hu, Ray Forma and Vanessa Smith, and Outdoor Education Coordinator Gary Howlett for running such a learning experience.
Thanks also to Shelley Smith for helping with the bus arrivals and departures from the College and families for their support, especially those who rescued ailing daughters over this period, as well as the very accommodating staff on campus.
Bruce Wilkins, Acting Head of Middle School
Interhouse Athletics Carnival
Date: Friday 24 July (Week 1 of Term 3)
Venue: State Athletics Stadium (AK Reserve Stadium), next to Challenge Stadium
Student Transport: Girls are required to arrange their own transport to and from AK Reserve Stadium, however boarders will be transported by bus. Limited seating is available on the MLC bus for any girls who are unable to be dropped off and collected from A-K Reserve. If your daughter requires a seat on the bus, she must register at Student Services no later than lunch time on Wednesday 22 July.
Parents are welcome to attend the carnival.
Girls should be dropped off and collected in the car park and turn-around area, accessible from Stephenson Avenue, adjacent to the stadium. The parent parking area is indicated on the map available on the College website. Please follow directions provided by Venue West Parking marshals.
Students may not leave the venue during the day.
Carnival starts - Girls need to arrive at the State Athletics Stadium no later than 8.15am for an attendance check and in preparation for the House March at 8.25am, and the first event at 9am. Venue restrictions prevent team decorations including streamers and confetti. The Carnival will conlcude at 3pm.
Uniform - All girls are to wear their Physical Education uniform with House T-shirt and sneakers. A full tracksuit is advisable as it is an exposed venue.
Refreshments - Girls must provide their own lunch and refreshments and we recommend at least one litre of water, or two litres if it is a warm day. There are no canteen facilities available at the venue.
Leisa Maslin, Deputy Principal
Athletics carnival - attention athletes using spikes
Please ensure you comply with the requirements for using spikes, below. If you are unsure, take your spikes to one of the Physical and Health Education staff members before the carnival so staff can check them. It may also be wise to bring a pair of joggers on the day.
To maximise performance and prevent damage to the mondo surface, athletes must not use sharp spiked that will penetrate the surface. The mondo track is designed such that blunt spikes will depress the surface and the rebound effect will propel them forward, thereby maximising performance. As such, the only spikes permitted for use on the track area are the Christmas tree and pyramid shaped varieties. The composition of the spike (ceramic or metal) is irrelevant and will not be monitored.
The spikes must comply with the following rules:
• Track spikes must not exceed 7mm
• Field spikes must not exceed 9mm except for javelin and high jump which must not exceed 12mm
Mandy Combes, Head of Physical Education
What’s On Middle School
Assembly (11.45am, Hadley Hall)
Thursday 2 July
Interhouse Athletics
24 July
From the Head of Senior School
Term 2 winds up
Term 2 is concluding with a great sense of excitement. The PE team and Houses are busy organising their teams for the Interhouse Athletics Carnival on Friday 24 July, and Senior School girls are eagerly awaiting good news in their Semester 1 reports!
Included with the Year 10 Report is a form entitled ‘A Personal Response to My School Report’ which we ask your daughter to complete at home. Parents are invited to discuss their daughter’s responses with her and sign the completed form.
The intended outcomes of the process when reflecting on the report are to:
- involve your daughter more directly in her own learning.
- emphasise aspects of learning that are her responsibility.
- allow time for reflection on her specific areas of achievement and those that can be improved.
- encourage her to set achievable targets, both long and short term.
- provide an additional means of pastoral contact with her tutor
Over the first two to three weeks of Term 3, your daughter will have an opportunity to discuss her personal response with her tutor. Then in a follow up session early in Term 4, she will be asked to assess her progress towards achieving her goals.
It has been a very busy and productive term. I wish every Senior School girl, their teachers and tutors a relaxing winter break.
Academic and Citizenship Awards
During the first Senior School Assembly in Term 3, scheduled for Thursday July 23, Academic and Citizenship Awards for Semester 1 will be presented. We welcome parents and friends to join us in Hadley Hall to celebrate these achievements. Assembly commences at 11.45am.
2010 Prefects
The selection process for 2010 College Prefects will commence in Term 3. Year 11 girls will be invited to complete a nomination form outlining their leadership qualities, relevant experience and involvement in school activities. A series of activities, designed to educate the student body about the desired qualities of student leaders and details of the voting process, will run through the election weeks.
Students in Years 10, 11 and 12 and all staff members will be eligible to vote for College Prefects and boarders will cast their votes for the Boarding House Prefect. The actual Election Day will be managed by the Electoral Commission later in Term 3.
Interhouse Athletics Carnival
Date: Friday 24 July (Week 1 of Term 3)
Venue: State Athletics Stadium (AK Reserve Stadium), next to Challenge Stadium
Student Transport: Girls are required to arrange their own transport to and from AK Reserve Stadium, however boarders will be transported by bus. Limited seating is available on the MLC bus for any girls who are unable to be dropped off and collected from A-K Reserve. If your daughter requires a seat on the bus, she must register at Student Services no later than lunch time on Wednesday 22 July.
Parents are welcome to attend the carnival.
Girls should be dropped off and collected in the car park and turn-around area, accessible from Stephenson Avenue, adjacent to the stadium. The parent parking area is indicated on the map available on the College website. Please follow directions provided by Venue West Parking marshals.
Students may not leave the venue during the day.
Carnival Starts - Girls need to arrive at the State Athletics Stadium no later than 8.15am for an attendance check and in preparation for the House March at 8.25am and the first event at 9am. Venue restrictions prevent team decorations including streamers and confetti. Girls will be dismissed at 3pm.
Uniform - All girls are to wear their Physical Education uniform with House T-shirt and sneakers. A full tracksuit is advisable as it is an exposed venue.
Refreshments - Girls must provide their own lunch and refreshments and we recommend at least one litre of water, or two litres if it is a warm day. There are no canteen facilities available at the venue.
Leisa Maslin, Deputy Principal/Head of Senior School
Athletics carnival - attention athletes using spikes
Please ensure you comply with the requirements for using spikes, below. If you are unsure, take your spikes to one of the Physical and Health Education staff members before the carnival so staff can check them. It may also be wise to bring a pair of joggers on the day.
To maximise performance and prevent damage to the mondo surface, athletes must not use sharp spiked that will penetrate the surface. The mondo track is designed such that blunt spikes will depress the surface and the rebound effect will propel them forward, thereby maximising performance. As such, the only spikes permitted for use on the track area are the Christmas tree and pyramid shaped varieties. The composition of the spike (ceramic or metal) is irrelevant and will not be monitored.
The spikes must comply with the following rules:
• Track spikes must not exceed 7mm
• Field spikes must not exceed 9mm except for javelin and high jump which must not exceed 12mm
Mandy Combes, Head of Physical Education
Senior School Reports - Semester 1, 2009
Parents and students will be eagerly awaiting feedback from Semester 1 and can expect reports for all Middle School students and Year 10’s and 12’s in to arrive at home in the week beginning Monday 6 July. Year 11 reports will arrive at homes the week beginning Monday 3 August.
The feedback will provide valuable information for reflection on Semester 1 and a basis for goal-setting for the remainder of 2009.
Concerns relating to a specific subject should be directed to the class/subject teacher. If the issues are a general nature, the Heads of Year would be the contact person. I have included contact details below.
• Marshall Varley, Head of Year 7, mvarley@mlc.wa.edu.au 9383 8810
• Suzy Bayne, Head of Year 8, sbayne@mlc.wa.edu.au 9383 8820
• Shelley Smith, Head of Year 9, ssmith@mlc.wa.edu.au 9383 8830
• Tanya Shadbolt, Head of Year 10, tshadbolt@mlc.wa.edu.au 9383 0256
• Michelle Rudrum, Head of Year 11, mrudrum@mlc.wa.edu.au 9383 0245
• Dee Haughton, Head of Year 12, dhaughton@mlc.wa.edu.au 9383 0236
David Watson, Acting Assistant Head of Senior School - Student Services, 9383 0283
Career Development
Year 12
TISC guides which are required by all Year 12 students applying for university in Western Australia will be distributed by the College in early August. TISC (Tertiary Institutions Service Centre) processes applications for the four public universities in Western Australia, while Notre Dame University processes its own applications. Applications to TISC open on 10 August and close on 30 September (a late fee applies after this date).
Students wishing to study interstate should apply to the equivalent bodies in the relevant states and territories which process university applications.
All students are advised to collect a set of university prospectuses from the Career Room prior to the July holidays and may find it helpful to attend the Tertiary Expo on 3 August to get more assistance in deciding on further study options.
From 10 August, Year 12 students will be invited to attend a transition interview with the Counsellors to discuss post-school plans and to address any queries or concerns regarding course enrolment and application.
Year 10
Year 10 students received the Senior School Course Selection Handbook and a WACE brochure in their Career and Enterprise classes. All students will be asked to make an appointment to see a Counsellor in Weeks 2 and 3 of Term 3.
Parents are welcome to attend the appointments but need to register to ensure sufficient time is allocated. Please phone Janine Head on 9383 0266 to make an appointment.
Course selection forms for Year 11 are due on 14 August.
Sue Shaw, Career Development Coordinator
PISA 2009- Programme for International Student Assessment
The College has been selected to participate in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) - Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) study.
The study compares and examines student performance in reading, mathematical and scientific literacy. Rather than assessing students on particular school curricular, PISA assessment attempts to measure the ‘yield’ of schooling: the knowledge and skills that students possess toward the end of their years in school, which will enable them to participate fully in adult life.
PISA assesses students in Australia, to be compared with those in other OECD countries, as well as comparing student performances between Australian States and Territories. It offers the unique opportunity to investigate key demographic, social and educational determinants of student and school performance.
The PISA dataset is a valuable resource for investigating Australian education. The results and data continue to be used within governments, from organisations such as the Australian Bureau of Statistics to tertiary students and teachers undertaking research. PISA assessment takes place every three years and in 2009, Australia will be one of 70 countries participating in PISA with more than 15,000 students representing Australia.
The College’s contribution to the study will be providing 48 randomly selected students with birthdates between 1 May 1993 and 30 April 1994 to do a three hour pen and paper examination at the College on the morning of Tuesday 28 July 2009. A sub-sample of 12 students will sit an electronic assessment in the afternoon.
MLC students will be required to answer some questions in reading, science and mathematics, as well as questions about their experience at home and school.
The students will be identified by PISA and will be informed during Week 1 of Term 3. All information collected is strictly confidential and no individual or school is identified in any report released from the assessment. Students will receive a copy of their results, a certificate of participation and a small gift for their time and answers.
You can find more information about the programme on the PISA website
David Watson, Acting Assistant Head of Senior School - Student Services,
9383 0283
Year 11 Science options for current Year 10 Science students
On Monday Week 9, all Year 10 Science students attended a presentation in which the Science and Mathematics options for Year 11 were presented and the students were asked to carefully consider their course selections for 2010 and keep their options open.
To help with course selection, all Year 10 students have now completed a topic of work in each of the three outcomes of Science; namely Physics (Energy and Change), Biology (Life and Living), and Chemistry (Natural and Processed Materials).
Science classes are streamed, and students may be re-assigned new Science classes on the basis of their performance in these topics to give all students the best environment to optimise their learning.
Kate Padman, Head of Science
Europe Rowing Tour
Fourteen MLC rowers are heading to Switzerland and France on 1 July to compete in the Swiss National Championships and the International Junior Eights race on the Rotsee, in Lucerne.
The team will be competing and training until 19 July and will comprise Year 11 and 12 rowers from the MLC Rowing Squad to make one eight and a quad.
Dell Lussick will accompany the travelling group and Olympians John Callie and Sally Newmarch will coach and supervise the girls throughout the tour.
The tour is designed to reward and further motivate all girls who show extraordinary dedication to the sport of rowing. The trip will enhance the girls’ perspectives on rowing and its following around the world, and will facilitate a cultural experience which compliments the schools broader 'whole education' aims and ideals.
Highlights of the trip will include racing at the famous Lucerne World Cup, hiking glacier ice-capped mountains, seeing the tour de France and preparing for the coming Head of the River on glacier lakes shadowed by snow-capped mountains.
Sally Newmarch, Coordinator of Rowing
New Date for Year 10 Social
The Year 10 Social that was scheduled for 19 June was cancelled due to concerns about the H1N1 virus. Sincere thanks to those parents who volunteered to help out on the night.
The social has been re-scheduled for Friday 18 September. Notes and permission slips will be sent home closer to the date.
Tanya Shadbolt, Head of Year 10
Whats On Senior School
Year 12 Future Options, (8.30am, Hadley Hall)
Thursday 2 July
Term 2 Concludes
Friday 3 July
Term 3 Commences
Tuesday 21 July
Senior School Assembly, (11.45am, Hadley Hall)
Thursday 23 July
Interhouse Athletics (WA Athletics Stadium)
Friday 24 July
College Production Rehearsal (All day, Hadley Hall)
Sunday 26 July
Reschedule
Year 10 Social
(From 19 June to Friday 18 September.)
Year 12 Father Daughter breakfast
(Thursday 20 August to Friday 21 August)
|
