For parents — important dates and reminders

(1) Welcome to the new year

John Rodgers, Deputy Principal — Pastoral Care

Welcome to the new school year. Feelings of excitement, anticipation and perhaps anxiety often surround the return to school. Such feelings often indicate a desire to do well, with a goal of success freshly made. We also hope this means that all students commence the year with a positive outlook knowing that our dedicated staff are also keen to help students learn. As our Principal Mr Philip Morison said in his address to students, it is great to have the students back making the buildings and playgrounds come alive again.

With this fresh energy, we also hope that students return keen to take advantage of the many opportunities offered at school across areas of the curriculum and in cocurricular pursuits. Involvement in all we can offer not only benefits on a personal level, but it also creates the sort of community that builds a strong culture and bond. In other words, the school is a better place for us having been part of it.

I believe the attitude of ‘begin the year in the way you intend to continue’ is very important, so may I give a reminder that wearing the College uniform correctly is important. Support for the uniform requirements of the College is probably the most basic form of support asked for. Students who are not prepared to cooperate in this area will be required to remain at home until they can give the necessary commitment. I would also ask for all items of uniform to be clearly labelled with names. So much uniform ends up in lost property during the year, most of it without any indication as to the owner. A few minutes at the beginning of the year can avoid unnecessary expense later on replacing lost items.

(2) Child safety policy reminder

John Rodgers, Deputy Principal — Pastoral Care

In our commitment to provide a safe and caring environment for our students, MLMC remains vigilant in being a Child Safe School. For more details on how we do this, visit our website www.mlmc.vic.edu.au for copies of:

MLMC Child Safety Policy
Child-friendly edition of the MLMC Child Safety Policy
MLMC Child Protection and Reporting Obligations
CECV Commitment Statement to Child Safety

(3) Uniform and SunSmart reminder

John Rodgers, Deputy Principal — Pastoral Care

This year, we are trialling Term 1 as a blazer-free term. However, on cooler days students are not permitted to wear the jumper as the outer garment to or from school. Under these circumstances the blazer must be the outer garment. MLMC remains a SunSmart College and, as such, our SunSmart Policy requires students to wear a hat at recess and at lunchtime during Terms 1 and 4. The only hat that is permitted is the College bucket hat. Replacement hats can be purchased from the Uniform Shop. We encourage sunscreen to be applied and this is available from various locations around the school. As hats are the uniform item most commonly misplaced, again we urge you to take 30 seconds to clearly write your child's name on it.

(4) Uniform Shop hours

John Rodgers, Deputy Principal — Pastoral Care

The trading hours for the Bob Stewart Uniform Shop in Terms 1, 2 and 4 are:
Monday: 8.00am-2.00pm
Tuesday: 12.30pm-4.00pm
Thursday: 12.30pm-4.00pm
1st Saturday of the month: 9.30am-12.30pm
NB: The shop will be open on Saturday 7 March (Labour Day weekend) 9.30am-12.30pm, but will be closed on Monday 9 March due to the public holiday.

Term 3:
Tuesday: 12.30pm-4.00pm
1st Saturday of the month: 9.30am-12.30pm

You can now also shop online HERE. Click and collect is available and delivery is available for $14.95.

The Second Hand Uniform Shop is run by the Parents and Friends' Association and is located at the College. In Term 1 the shop will be open every Thursday from 12.00-1.30pm. If you wish to place any uniform items into the shop to sell on your behalf, visit visit HERE for details. .

(5) Italian Study Tour — Places available

John Rodgers, Deputy Principal — Pastoral Care

2020 is an Italian Study Tour year. The tour still has some places available. Any Year 10 or Year 11 student is welcome to apply to participate in the tour. Studying Italian is not necessary to be eligible.

(6) Mobile phone policy

John Rodgers, Deputy Principal — Pastoral Care

This year sees a continuation of the Phone Policy introduced in Semester 2 last year. I would ask that parents continue to observe the procedure of using the College Reception if there is a need to contact students during the course of a school day. While it may seem more straightforward to contact your child directly via their mobile phone, this can create other issues. The same applies if you need to drop something off to your child during the school day. Please remember that in the case of a student going home ill, it is the College that contacts parents, not the student. Please encourage your child to avoid making the decision to call you to be collected. As always, if collecting your child, please visit Reception to sign them out. As always, please do not hesitate to contact the College for assistance if needed.

(7) Welcome to the new school year

Louis Papadimitriou, Deputy Principal — Organisation

Welcome back to another great year of learning. I take this opportunity to welcome all of those who are new to our College community. At MLMC we are continuously trying to improve our College grounds and learning environments. Over the summer break our maintenance staff have been busy completing many tasks. Some will be very obvious, whereas others may not. Tasks completed over the summer break:

• a number of classrooms and buildings have been freshly painted
• carpets steam cleaned
• the verandah outside the MLC building has been completed giving students a shade area for summer and a space to escape the rain in winter
• asphalting of the main driveway into the College
• the start of Stage 2 of the building program — the conversion of the Sinnott building (the old Barak Library) into a new Visual Arts learning space. This should be completed by the end of Semester 1
• new facade and entrance created to the Science labs on the back of the Power building
• an ambulant toilet installed in the Power building.

(8) Road safety reminder

Louis Papadimitriou, Deputy Principal — Organisation

A reminder to parents who are picking up and dropping off students at school to exercise great caution as you drive into the school. You will have noticed our sign asking you to slow down. I cannot emphasise strongly enough how important it is that you monitor your speed so that our school remains a safe environment for our students. Please adhere to our speed limits. Parents who pick up and drop their children off in the streets surrounding the College must be aware that some roads have no-standing zones at the times most popular for dropping off. Please be aware that the council does send out representatives to fine those who do not heed the signage.

(9) College calendar

Louis Papadimitriou, Deputy Principal — Organisation

Our College Calendar is visible to all members of our community via our College website, under the News and Events menu. Further important dates are made visible to parents only via our Parent Access Module (PAM).

(10) Upcoming dates

Louis Papadimitriou, Deputy Principal — Organisation

College Photos were held today (Friday), with the catch-up sesson to be held on Monday 17 February.

(11) Bushfires

Louis Papadimitriou, Deputy Principal — Organisation

With several College camps planned this term, I want to assure our families that we are working closely with our providers/venue operators and government authorities to ensure that the visited areas are safe and that clear evacuation procedures, communication and other strategies are in place.

(12) First aid reminder

Kristin Collins, School Nurse

Parents are asked to please be vigilant in updating your child's Medical Profile on PAM whenever a detail changes. This could be minor, such as an updated Medicare number, new insurance provider, different emergency contact persons, etc., or be more significant changes such as a new medical condition diagnosis, a condition resolves/is no longer relevant, new dietary preferences change, etc. It is extremely important that we have the most up-to-date and valid information to provide the best care to your child while they are at school and when caring for students off campus (excursions, camps, etc.).

(13) College fees reminder

Cathy Pote, Assistant Business Manager

Thank you to all 2019 MLMC parents and guardians who greatly cooperated with the payment of school fees allowing for the College to be in a strong position going into 2020. We are very proud to report that the College only had six outstanding accounts at 2019 year’s end, with a couple of these accounts already paid leaving just a few to be managed.

By now all families should now have access to their annual College Fee Statement on the Parent Portal. If you have not set up an automatic direct debit, credit card or other authorised payment plan, please make note of the following important dates:

• 14 February: 1st quarterly instalment due. Please refer to your College Fee Statement for amount. (NB: If you are not paying your College Fees in full and are not on an automatic or authorised College payment plan, then you must pay your 1st quarterly amount by this date)
• 28 February: annual fees paid by this date will be eligible for an early payment discount. Please refer to your College Fee Statement for the amount, but remember to take off your early payment discount from this amount (pro rata amount for split billers).

Families that have set up an automatic payment plan must ensure funds are available on the day the payment is processed. Please see the table below for dates. If you require any information regarding the College Fees, please contact our Finance Office on 9237 1315 or 9739 2209.

(14) Fee help reminder — CSEF funding

Cathy Pote, Assistant Business Manager

The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) is provided by the Victorian Government to assist eligible families to cover the costs of school excursions, camps and sporting activities. If you hold a valid means-tested concession card, are a temporary foster parent or a student between 16 to 18 years old and have a means-tested Disability Pension or Youth Allowance card, you may be eligible for CSEF. The allowance is paid directly to the school to use towards expenses relating to camps, excursions or sporting activities for the benefit of your child.

The annual CSEF amount per student is: $225 for secondary school students.

Parents that received CSEF at the school in 2019 do not need to complete an application form in 2020 unless any of the following changes have occurred:

• new student enrolments — your child has started or changed schools in 2020 or you did not apply at the same school in 2019; or
• changed family circumstances — such as a change of custody, change of name, concession card number, or new siblings commencing at the school in 2020.

If a form was not lodged in 2019, parents or legal guardians are required to complete a CSEF application form (which is attached) and lodge it with the College for processing. Application forms should be completed and lodged with the College as soon as possible in Term 1, as payments are made from March onwards. However, the College will be able to accept and process applications up until the end of Term 2. For more information please contact the Finance Office on 9237 1315.

CSEF payments are for the current application year and cannot be claimed retrospectively for prior years. CSEF application forms are available to download from either our MLMC Finance Website or from www.education.vic.gov.au/csef. A form has also been attached.

Parents must lodge a CSEF application form with a photocopy of their Health Care/Pension Card. No late applications can be accepted. For more information about the CSEF visit www.education.vic.gov.au/csef

(15) From the Registrar's office

Marilyn Ryan, Registrar — Students

I have recently been appointed as the College Registrar and I look forward to working with our community and College staff throughout the year ahead to ensure the process of enrolment and student transition to the College is seamless.

I am pleased to announce that we have now opened our online enrolments for new student applications. All families who have a child currently at the College will be notififed of this new process via email. Please ensure that all applications for Year 7 in 2022 have been received by the College by Friday 8 May 2020. Applications can be completed online at https://enrol.mlmc.vic.edu.au

(16) Prospective parents — events

Marilyn Ryan, Registrar — Students

This year's Taste of MLMC event will be held on Thursday 16 April, in the early evening. An enrolment information session will be held as a part of this annual event where families will have an opportunity to meet the Principal, Mr Philip Morison. Further information and bookings will become available closer to the date. In the meantime, please save the date for this exciting event which showcases our College to prospective parents and students in Years 4, 5 and 6.

In June, the College will host all Year 5 students from our Priority Parish Schools. This annual event, held over two days — Monday 1 June and Wednesday 3 June — allows young students the opportunity to experience the College on a normal working day. We look forward to welcoming these students to the College for a day of fun activities and the opportunity to explore the school.