From the Senior School

From the Head of Senior School

This week the Year 12 students enjoyed all the fun and excitement of our annual Trivia Night. Alongside their teachers, the students dressed up as characters inspired by the movies and television, and battled it out over 10 rounds of trivia. Congratulations to the victorious team and to all students and staff who entered into the spirit of the night. There was such a sense of joyous community and warmth. My sincere thanks to our wonderful Year 11 student volunteers, who acted as scorers and assistants, Mrs Schreuder and Ms Gallardo who organised the event, and our wonderful hosts, Mrs Michie and Mr Stern. Many thanks to our teachers who attended and made it such fun, and our hard working facilities team who set up and packed away for us all.

Year 12 Photographs

Year 12 students also had their year group photographs taken on Monday. Once again, the students were in great form and looking amazing, wearing their uniforms with pride. The girls were also able to don costumes again for a fun photo. These will be available to families for purchase in the coming weeks. Please check the Parent Portal for the appropriate link to order your photographs.

MMG Survey

Thanks to parents of Year 12 who have completed their MMG Education surveys to share feedback with the College. If you have not completed your survey please do so by Friday 23 May. We appreciate the time given to share feedback with us, as this helps us make meaningful improvements to our College, ensuring we meet the needs and expectations of our community.

Year 11 Leadership process

Year 11 students who applied for leadership positions earlier in the term will be advised this week as to whether they have processed through for an interview. Those students involved in interviews are advised to prepare carefully, as these begin on Monday of Week 4. If your child wasn’t selected for a leadership role, we encourage you to discuss seeking feedback and exploring other opportunities within the Senior School. We understand how disappointing this can be. Please help your daughter see this as a chance for growth and resilience in the face of setbacks.

ySafe Parent Presentation – Digital Safety Webinar

This informative and practical parent education session is designed to address the complexities of parenting in the digital age.

In a world ﬁlled with fear-based approaches to online safety management, ySafe oﬀer a diﬀerent perspective—one that focuses on capacity building and fostering a positive digital environment. ySafe’s goal is to empower parents who may feel disempowered or overwhelmed by the challenges of navigating the online world with their children.

Key topics Covered:

Youth-based behavioural insights on popular social media platforms
Managing cyberbullying & toxic online behaviours and legalities
Screen time recommendations and current research
Practical & realistic steps for setting up a cyber-safe home

This fun session empowers parents to navigate the digital world alongside their children, fostering a safer and more enjoyable online experience for the whole family.

Parents will receive access to the ySafe by Qoria Online Safety Hub for further personalised learning & development.

The link to the webinar registration page can be found here.

Year 12 Hunter Valley Geography excursion

On Tuesday 7 May, the Year 12 Geography cohort had their overnight excursion to the Hunter Region. On Tuesday, we travelled to the Kooragang Wetlands on Ash Island, outer Newcastle to explore the wetland ecosystem. With over 40 years of restoration experience, we got to hear from area experts regarding the management and protection of the ecosystem at risk. Students explored the biophysical interactions occurring within the wetlands through developing primary field work methods. From turbidity and water temperature in the hydrosphere, to humidity and wind speed in the atmosphere, the hands-on learning experience provided excellent primary data for the Year 12s HSC assessment, linking to their Ecosystems at Risk case study. Students learnt about the impacts of natural stress and human-induced modifications on the wetlands as well as what is being done to manage this.

On day two of the excursion, we headed to Tamburlaine Organic Winery, a nearby vineyard which we toured as our local case study for the People and Economic Activity unit. The tour included a walk around the vineyard where the Geographers were able to ask about the process of wine making, how the business operated and how the winery maintained their operations during COVID. Through this, we were able to gain detailed information for our next assessment tasks, as well as enjoy the scenery of the vineyard and be inspired by the workings of the wine industry! After two days of packed activities and excitement, we headed home. An informative and fun excursion that will be remembered long after high school!

Written by Isabel Aveling, Natalia Antalfy, Alicia Slobodian and Claudia Offer (Year 12 Geography students)