Middle School Report

As Head of the Middle School - I would like to welcome you to a new year at St Mary’s Coptic Orthodox College.  I am sure that it will be a very productive and rewarding year for teachers and students alike.  I am also confident that the students in the middle school will set a high standard of achievement this year in an educational environment where they will be afforded the opportunity to develop to their full academic potential, to be challenged and extended.

St Mary’s Coptic Orthodox College endeavours to ensure that all students have access to a common and comprehensive education. This involves holding high expectations of each student’s potential, maintaining a disciplined working atmosphere and rewarding student effort.  Our main objective is the students’ academic achievement.  As such, teachers will be working closely to achieve this in the best possible way.  Furthermore, students in the Middle School will be encouraged in their process of learning and their overall progress and behaviour will be closely monitored.  Finally, individual needs, strengths and weaknesses will be identified to meet the appropriate educational expectations at this level.

The transition from primary to secondary school requires adjustment for the year 7 students and this will be adequately adhered to. In the Middle School, the students are at a stage where they need to enhance and further extend their existing knowledge and skills to prepare for their future studies in the secondary school.  It is a time of growth and development.  As part of the Middle School the students will take part in various educational activities which will be based on a specific theme and incorporate various interactive activities from subject areas as well as presentations.

I look forward to seeing the students in meddle school set a high standard of maturity, responsibility and achievement this year.  I wish them every success with their studies and through hard work and determination I am sure they will achieve the academic goals they set out to accomplish.

Pam Melissinos
Head of Middle School

 

Upper School Report

I would like to welcome everyone to the Upper School. This will be, as every year is, an interesting experience for our students. Our Year 12 will be entering the final year of their schooling here at St Mary's, preparing for their VCEs before leaving the school to embark on the next phase of their lives. I wish them every success in their studies and hope that they will use their final year wisely to study hard for the examinations.

We also have our new Year 11s who are entering the VCE courses for the first time. Some will be shocked at the extra amount of work that the courses entail, but if they listen carefully and plan well then they should be able to cope.

We also welcome our Year 10s into the senior school for the first time. They are now finding that the expectations of the staff are that they will be able to shoulder more responsibility both around the school and for their own education.

One of the main features of the upper school is the expectation that students are expected to be more responsible for their own learning. In previous years they have been given the tools to learn; now they are required to use those tools and skills to add more than the teachers can possibly give during the course of the lessons. Private study time and research expectations are just two of the changes that the students will face as they journey towards becoming completely independent learners.

There are, however, other aspects of being a member of the upper school. We have a hierarchy of responsibilities with the student body led by a Student Representative Council. The members of this council include our School Captains and Vice Captains, our prefects and of course our form captains. We look to our school leaders to set a good example to the other students and to aid staff with the smooth running of the school.

Of course, the upper school also has the Year 11 camp. This is a superb way for the students to bond and create that special relationship with each other that will help them through their final years at the school.

So, good luck to all our senior students and we look forward to working closely with you throughout your final years with us.

Peter Shay

Upper School Coordinator