From the Acting Head of Senior School
It has been an eventful start to Term 4, and it has been wonderful to see so many of our students thriving in a range of school activities and experiences. This week saw commencement of the IB examinations and the continuation of the HSC examinations. We wish our students success in all their endeavours.
Your support during this time is much valued. Thank you to everyone for your contribution, the networks that have supported and nurtured our students on this journey, ensuring they are well equipped, prepared and in the best possible position for success.
Earlier this week, over $1000 was raised to support STXBP1 Australia. Year 8 students facilitated a Bake Sale and it was wonderful to see so many of our students supporting this organisation whose mission is to drive research into STXBP1 disorders through awareness and education and to accelerate the discovery of a cure.
Today and tomorrow we will be hosting the IGSA Festival of Speech, good luck to all of our teams involved and a huge thank you to our dedicated staff involved in undertaking this huge event.
School Attendance
As we continue to maintain and uphold our School standards, please see below a reminder and request for parents regarding attendance.
Regular school attendance is essential for students to achieve their educational best and increase their career and beyond school options. At MLC School we work in partnership with parents to encourage and support theregular attendance of our students. When your child attends school every day, learning and engagement is enhanced, as well as the opportunity to build and maintain positive relationships with others.
It is a legal requirement for students to attend school each day it is open, the positive impact of arriving at school and attending lessons on time is well documented:
- Ensures that students do not miss out on crucial learning activities.
- Demonstrates respect for their learning and that of others.
- Helps students develop positive skills and habits regarding punctuality, structure and routine.
- Allows students time to socialise with friends prior to lessons.
- Reduces classroom disruption for student and teachers.
In order to support student attendance expectations, we have a introduced a new recording and monitoring process. Students arriving on campus after 8.15am will be recorded as a late arrival. Any student arriving late or requiring a variation to their attendance (such as early departure) should present to the Studies Office, where they will sign in or out. At this point they will receive a printed slip, which serves as confirmation for a student’s arrival or departure from the campus.
Students arriving late should present this slip to their class teacher upon entering their first lesson.
For students who demonstrate patterns of lateness without valid justification, they will be referred to the Head of Secondary School Operations, and we will communicate with parents or carers for further follow up. It is important for parents and carers to be aware that lateness or early leave is recorded as a partial absence from school and must be explained by parents or carers.
Parents can support positive school attendance habits through:
- Supporting your daughters to learn the importance of punctuality and routine.
- Making sure your daughter arrives on time from the start of the school day – prior to 8.15am, ready to engage in learning.
- Ensuring any holidays or medical appointments are taken outside school hours (8.15am-3.15pm). If this is unavoidable, 24 hours notice should be given to the Studies Office.
- Contacting us to explain any absences (within seven days of the first day of any absence).
- Communicating with us and reinforcing expectations that encourage and support regular attendance.
As always, we value working collaboratively with students and you, our parents to support regular school attendance. Thank you for your support.
– Andrew Taylor
Acting Head of Senior School