Principal’s Update | March, 2025
Principal’s Update.
__________
Welcome to the first edition of the Newsletter for 2025!
__________
Professional Learning.
We started the year with two days of Professional Learning with all staff. It was a good opportunity to collaborate on Curriculum Development and our Annual Improvement Plan.
__________
Welcome to Country & Smoking Ceremony.
The Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony has become an integral part of the start of the school year program. This year we were again joined by Uncle Mark, a proud Bunurong man, on the 31 January. Mark reminded us of the significance of land to First Nations people, and the importance of a Smoking Ceremony to cleanse and allow safe passage throughout. We learnt about the significance of each of the three plants used in a Bunurong Smoking Ceremony and they wished us well for the year ahead.
At the event I shared an excerpt from a history of the land on which Mac.Rob stands, that has been prepared for us by the Bunurong Land Council. This history is also now available on our website.
__________
IB Awards Ceremony.
On Tuesday, February 11th, Shungo Sawaki (IB Coordinator), Josie Philips (Acting AP) and I were proud to attend the Victorian and Tasmanian IB Awards Ceremony at Federation Square. At the event, Mac.Rob graduate of 2024 and School Council member, Fiona Tang was recognised for her achievement of an IB DP score of over 40.
On Thursday, February 13th, Shungo Sawaki, Sandra Tobias (IB Visual Art teacher) and I attended the IB Visual Arts Exhibition Opening Night hosted by Carey Grammar at the Glen Eira Town Hall. The event showcased the amazing creativity of the IB cohort, including works by 5 of our students. You can view the exhibition digitally here.
__________
House Swimming.
The House Swimming event was a day of fun filled competition. A number of teachers commented to me that it felt like students brought more enthusiasm and engagement to the event this year. On a school tour I led after the event, one student told prospective families that the House Swimming was a great example of our school value of community, and I couldn’t agree more.
Many thanks to Hayden Mclennan, our Director of Sport for all the work that goes into making the Carnival such a success. The results on the day were:
Nereids: 292 points
Naiads: 237 points
Dryads: 196 points
Oreads: 167 points
__________
Year 9 Camp.
In week 6 our Year 9 students went to Camp at the Lord Somers Campsite. Activities include stand up paddle boarding, kayaking, initiative games, beach games, screen printing and a barista teamwork activity. I was lucky enough to spend a full day at the camp and had a fantastic time with the Year 9s and staff.
Not only do school camps build confidence, ignite creativity and problem-solving, stimulate a sense of adventure, encourage social interaction and team-building promote independence, they also give our students the opportunity to embrace our school values. Throughout their Mac.Rob experiences, students often reflect on their Year 9 camp experience as being pivotal in their transition into our school community.
Students spend half a week at the campsite and the other half back at Mac.Rob developing study skills, learning about the Mac.Rob Learner Model, school values, and ways to look after their wellbeing.
A massive thank you to all staff involved in organising and facilitating these fantastic experiences for our Year 9 Students. In particular, to Thin Naing (Year 9 Year Level Coordinator) and Lucy Kutroli ( Acting Middle School Leader) for all the work that has gone into making Year 9 Camp week such a success.
__________
Buildings & Grounds: Renovations to the Kingsway Building.
We are pressing forward with our plans to renovate the Wellbeing/Careers area convert the existing K106 room into a fully functional Science Lab.
In November 2024 the tender for the renovations to the Kingsway building was awarded to Perkins Architects. We have been working closely with the team from Perkins and the Victorian Schools Building Authority to make our vision for an improved Wellbeing/Careers area and new Science Lab a reality.
The team from Perkins have been consulting with our science and wellbeing team to refine the designs and I look forward to sharing these updated designs with the school community in the coming months.
__________
International Women’s Day Breakfast.
The school’s International Women's Day Breakfast on February 28th was an inspiring and empowering event, focusing on the theme “March Forward: It’s time to change promises into action.” The breakfast featured a keynote presentation from Professor Elif Ekinci, Head of the Department of Medicine at the University of Melbourne,v and a dynamic discussion panel with Palladians Camy Wong and Lauren Solly, facilitated by the Student leaders Naomi Yang, Varada Lele, Fizzy Adebayo & Khim Oeng.
The event fostered community engagement, with representatives from the Mac.Rob Foundation, Palladians, industry partners including Umbrella Law, Beca, Megantic, Multiplex, and KPMG as well as representatives from other schools. Together, we celebrated the achievements of women and encouraged continued progress toward gender equity.
I extend a hearty thank you to our staff Naomi Gladman, Jack Richardson, Stuart Lyall, Rehana Ziyad, Victoria Hannan and Daniel Mechelen for all of their work in organising another successful and inspiring IWD breakfast.
__________
Information Evenings.
Over the course of the first few weeks we have been running various information sessions for families to help ensure they are equipped with the skills and knowledge they need to support their children. These include the Success in the Senior Years webinar and Year 9 Careers Info night. You can find video recordings of many of these sessions on the Student and Family Portals (links available through Compass).
__________
All in all, an excellent start to Term 1, and we can’t wait to see what else lies in store!
Sam Crocket | Acting Principal
Student Highlights.
__________
IB Awards Ceremony and Vic/Tas IB Visual Arts Exhibition.
We are delighted to announce that the IB Awards Ceremony and the Vic/Tas IB Visual Arts Exhibition were a resounding success! These events showcased the exceptional talents and achievements of our students.
A special thank you goes to Sandra Tobias for her outstanding work on the organising committee of the IBDP Visual Arts Exhibition and for representing MacRob on the night. Her dedication and commitment ensured the event was a memorable experience for everyone involved.
You can view a virtual tour of the Arts Exhibition below and here.
Congratulations to all our students for their hard work and accomplishments. We are proud of your achievements and look forward to many more successes in the future.
Mr. Shungo Sawaki, IB Diploma Leader
__________
RMIT Rocketry Incursion.
Earlier this Term, Mac.Rob students with an interest in rocketry were treated to an incursion by RMIT High Velocity (HIVE)! Speakers from the all-women panel shared insights into their roles within the team, the challenges they've overcome, and what students can expect from being part of a student team at RMIT.
The presenters, all engineering students currently studying at tertiary level, gave an inspiring presentation on the merits of gaining practical experience and networking opportunities through student-led clubs at university. There was a great turnout and the students asked fantastic questions!
Ms. Claire Rollinson, Science
__________
Victorian Open Championship.
Congratulations to Weylen T (9K), who competed in the Victorian Open Championship swimming competition, representing her swimming club. This is what Weylen had to say about the experience:
“I have been competitively swimming for 5 years, (or since I was 9) and it’s been a big part of my everyday life since as long as I can remember. Swimming has taught me how to manage my time effectively having to balance practice and schoolwork while staying focused. What I love most about my sport is the sense of reward that comes with hitting a good time or having a strong swim – there’s nothing like the adrenaline rush of a race, when everything comes together. After all these years, the excitement of pushing my limits and improving my times never gets old.”
Ms. Thin Naing | Year 9 Coordinator
Get Involved at Mac.Rob.
The Mac.Rob Foundation.
The Mac.Rob Foundation is a philanthropic organisation dedicated to supporting the education and advancement of young women in Victoria. The Foundation’s scholarships and bursaries empower the students of Mac.Robertson Girls’ High School, both past and present, to achieve their educational goals.
Founded by former Mac.Rob Principal, Dr. Toni Meath, alongside alumna Deborah Knight, the Foundation was launched in 2016 at the National Gallery of Victoria. Since that time, the Foundation has supported the energies and efforts of young women in achieving their educational and academic dreams.
The Foundation provides an annual grants program across a wide range of subject areas and interests, includeing scholarships and bursaries to recognise and reward academic excellence, assist students experiencing financial hardship, and support postgraduate study.
Applications are now open for the Anna Bradbury Little Arts Scholarship, valued at $2,500, from students in Years 10 - 12.
__________
Mac.Rob Parents’ Association.
The Parents’ Association is an integral part of Mac.Rob school life, and facilitates a wide range of activities throughout the year. Being part of the PA provides families with a satisfying, inclusive, and meaningful opportunity to contribute to the community, culture, and wellbeing of our students, staff, and families.
Working in collaboration with the Community Partnership Leader, Principal, and School Council, the PA undertakes a number of initiatives and projects each year that:
Contribute to the wellbeing of the school community.
Encourage the participation of all parents in the life of the school and the education of their children.
Provide opportunities for parents to connect with each other, and to be engaged with their child’s school.
Provide opportunities for parents to extend their understanding of school operations, and general education policy.
Contribute to proposals on school policy and other educational issues (as identified or discussed with the Principal or School Council).
Membership to the PA is open to all parents and guardians of current Mac.Rob students, and is free to join.