McKinnon Secondary College

Respect - Integrity - Resilience - Community - Creativity - Success

Welcome

McKinnon Secondary College lives by its motto ‘Wisdom and Service’. We foster a love of learning and respect for diversity. We strive to nurture empathetic, creative and confident young people who are connected to our community and Indigenous heritage. We want our students to embrace opportunities for continuous improvement and accept the challenges of a complex and globalised world. 

News

Winter Concert
We celebrated our annual Winter Concert last Wednesday night at the Robert Blackwood Hall at Monash University where our community came together to witness our talented students showcase their musical capabilities. Congratulations to all of the students and staff involved. It was an outstanding celebration of music and an absolute pleasure to attend. Thank you to all the families and friends who came to experience this incredible evening. Having your support means so much and I have no doubt you felt a sense of pride seeing our students perform onstage. I would particularly like to acknowledge and thank Megan Papworth, Clare Bugeja and Karen Nansen who put this event together as well as all the other staff in attendance who supported the smooth running of this lovely evening. Please enjoy a selection of photos taken at the concert, or click here for the full set. Michael KanPrincipal
Science Week
From Monday 12 August to Friday 16 August, we celebrated National Science Week at McKinnon across both our McKinnon Road and East Campuses. Our students engaged in a variety of hands-on and exciting activities designed to spark their curiosity and deepen their understanding of scientific concepts. From the shared mindful moment to the daily fun facts and quizzes, our students were presented with a variety of activities online too. Read below for more information about what activities were done across both campuses at recess and lunchtimes. I’d like to thank all staff and students who participated in the variety of activities offered throughout the week, with a special shoutout to Ms Jennifer Wallace and Ms Cherie Marks for their outstanding organisation in the planning of this week, and a huge thanks to our three fantastic lab technicians; Karen Romari, Csilla Almasi and Marni Beretta for their work in ensuring the activities were ready to go. Stroop EffectStudent reaction times were tested at lunchtime to see their ability to differentiate between naming the physical colour when it is used to spell the name of a different colour. This had an additional challenge of having to “switch” which you were writing, the word or the colour, and “switch” again! Some students stayed for a second round and improved their reaction times, with one student almost getting 100%! Coding BeadsDuring lunchtime on Monday 12 August students were invited to make a bracelet using binary code. Students chose two colour beads (one to represent ‘0’ the other to represent ‘1’) They used the coding sequence to create a bracelet of their name or a word of their choice. Van de Graaff GeneratorThe Van de Graaff generator activity took place during lunchtime on Monday 12 August. It was very well attended, and students thoroughly enjoyed the activity. The static electricity wands were also a hit as students kept the foil streamers in the air.             Solving a Rubik's Cube whilst singing the periodic table songOn Tuesday at the McKinnon Road campus, we were all amazed by the extraordinary talent of Year 7 student Riham as she showcased her ability to solve a Rubik's Cube whilst singing the Periodic Table song, in perfect tune! We thank Ms Johnstone, Ms Andrieux and the brilliant MAV Team for organising this event and ensuring that Riham’s talent could be heard by all in the Oasis!  McKinnon Alumni visit to our Year 11 Biology studentsOur Year 11 Biology students were fortunate enough to have two guest speakers discuss their careers in the Biology/Science field during Period 2 on Tuesday. We were absolutely delighted to warmly welcome back past students Professor Jim Bishop (class of 1965/66) and Kristian La Greca (class of 2010) who generously gave their time to educate our students on their career pathways and time at McKinnon as they made decisions about their futures.  We thank the speakers and Geoff from the McKinnon Alumni for their time as well as Mr Noble, Melanie Lynch, Ms Johnstone, Mr Voorham, Mr Lee, Mr Rose, Ms Callery and Ms Lee for supervising the event.   Imploding WatermelonThe imploding watermelon experiment was a blend of science and art, transforming a simple piece of fruit into an explosive spectacle of fun. As we carefully wrapped the watermelon in layers of rubber bands, the tension built with each added loop, creating a suspenseful count to one-hundred and seventy-two before the inevitable burst.  The moment of detonation was nothing short of exhilarating - juice and watermelon fragments flew in every direction, leaving those present in awe of this one in a melon event. It was a vivid reminder of how science can turn an ordinary day into an unforgettable adventure. We thank Mr Rose, Mr Lee, Mr Goldbaum, Ms Kantzas, Mr Van Rooy, Ms Dobrich and Mr Machin for supervising this fantastic event.   Eco DetectivesOur students delved into environmental science with the Minecraft-based "Eco Detectives" program, learning all about biodiversity. Students played through a special mission in Minecraft, empowering them to act as conservationists in their local ecosystems using a series of interactive maps to raise awareness on the plight of species and habitats to restore biodiversity.  We thank Mr Goldbaum and Mrs Kantsas for supervising this event at East, and Mr Bucher who supervised at McKinnon Road, with the help of two Year 11 students, JJ Braithwaite and Cayden Li.  Mentos and CokeWhat better way to celebrate Science Week than with a blast of excitement? One of the most popular and visually striking experiments you can try is dropping Mentos into Coke. But what makes this fizzy fountain happen? When Mentos are added to Coke, they cause a rapid release of carbon dioxide gas. This happens because the rough surface of the Mentos provides thousands of tiny nucleation sites where the gas can form bubbles. The result? An explosive geyser of foam that shoots up into the air! This experiment is a fantastic way to see science in action and learn about gas release and pressure. Just remember - don’t try this indoors, or you might have a carbonated catastrophe on your hands! Thanks to Mrs Romari and Marni for help with preparing the demonstrations. Chemistry DemonstrationsAs the meat filled sausages were hungrily consumed at the MERC bbq, so were the corny and cheesy filled lyrics and gags at the chemistry demonstrations on the A1 stage. The show began with a parody of the 60’s classic song, ‘Puff the Magic Dragon’ entitled ‘Puff of Molecular Hydrogen’. This was apologetically sung by Dr Fleming to the cringing crowd before a sparkler was used to ignite a balloon filled with hydrogen - boom! A poetic tale of love about a ball called Belinda who accidently fell into a measuring cylinder was read by Mr Zachest. Luckily her love, Chemistry, was on hand to initiate a chemical reaction that rapidly produced bubbles of oxygen to lift her up and out of the cylinder back into his arms. Mr Zachest then read a section of the enchanting story of the ‘The One Little Pig’. The little pig set up his home in a Milo tin. But the big bad wolf came along and huffed and he puffed (a couple of times to get it right) and blew the lid off the tin. It was more of an explosive blowing up of the lid due to the ignition of a fine mist of corn flour in the tin. Finally, an unsuspecting volunteer (thank you!) from the crowd was saved from getting water tipped over their head by the same super water absorbing polymer found in nappies. A 60g dry nappy soon became a 720g wet nappy (with no leaks) as it soaked up an amazing amount of water. That is one thirsty polymer. Thanks to Mrs Romari for help with preparing the demonstrations.  Titans of Space VR ExperienceDuring Science Week many students had the opportunity to immerse themselves in a fascinating virtual reality experience using the program "Titans of Space." This innovative VR demonstration offered students a breathtaking journey through the cosmos, showcasing the incredible scale of planets and stars in the universe. The event was a hit, with students marvelling at the vastness of space and gaining a deeper understanding of celestial bodies. The demonstration was made possible with the enthusiastic support of Alex Kormas (Year 11) and Blake Harcourt (Year 11), who assisted in setting up and guiding students through the VR experience.  Camera ObscuraThe senior physics team set up a camera obscura in the VCE physics rooms. The camera obscura created an inverted image of outside on a whiteboard inside the classroom. This is achieved by completely blacking out a room and only allowing light to pass into the room from a narrow hole in the window. Once eyes had adjusted, students were able to identify landmarks from outside and could even see people walking (upside down) on the inverted image. A special thanks to Carl Lai (Year 12) for helping darken the room and to Peter Hempel (Year 12) for helping to set up the whiteboard. Games Club TriviaDuring Science Week, a science trivia event organised by WAJ and JOY saw around 30 students in attendance. The event, which took place on Friday 16 August, during lunch, marked the end of Science Week. Students competed in groups to answer science-related questions, with Year 7 students addressing a basic set of 30 questions while students in Years 10-12 tackled an additional 30 harder questions for a differentiated challenge. Prizes of lolly bags were awarded to the top three teams in each division.   Kummargee Science ChallengeThe Kummargee Science Challenge was an exciting Year 8 event where students showcased their skills across three activities. The events included a thrilling paper plane flying competition, where students tested their aerodynamics knowledge and creativity. Students also faced an engineering challenge to build the tallest tower using only spaghetti and one marshmallow, pushing their problem-solving and structural design abilities to the limit. The final event was a challenging science quiz that tested their knowledge across various scientific disciplines. The Kummargee Science Challenge was a celebration of curiosity, innovation and teamwork. Katherine JohnstoneHead of Science
Book Week 
McKinnon spent the week celebrating Book Week and promoting reading through a variety of fun activities. Recently, Pope Francis himself has said that reading novels and poems is valuable in “one’s path to personal maturity” and that it should be encouraged, and I couldn’t agree with the Pope more. The theme for Book Week was ‘reading is magic’ a sentiment that the English faculty proudly embraced during the week, celebrating with our students through all sorts of activities, competitions and reading experiences. The week unfolded as follows: On Monday students competed in the Book Trivia hosted at both campuses. With prizes of lollies and chocolates, it was great to see so many students participate in the fun. The East Campus had the students vs staff debate, competing over the topic ‘Reading is overrated’. Our students were the negative side proving just how important reading is to all. Come Tuesday, students participated in the Book Drive. Our strong sense of community was evident as students happily donated their previously loved books to find a new book to love. It was a wonderful opportunity for students to discover new reads and to share their favourites with others.  Whilst the drive was in full swing, our senior debaters took on the staff to compete in the staff vs students book debate. Again, the topic was ‘Reading is overrated’ and the students were challenged with proving this point untrue against a formidable team of teachers.  Wednesday was time for some ambient reading. A variety of teachers across different faculties, with the backdrop of a screen displaying a fireplace, comfy chairs and lamps, read passages from their favourite books to students and engaged in interesting discussions about why they love these books so much. It’s important for students to see that everyone loves reading, not just the English teachers.  Thursday saw our staff and students take to the kitchens to make or bake a fabulous creation related to a book of their choice. Who knew literature could be so tasty! Thank you to our brilliant bakers. Friday was our much-anticipated dress-up day. There was a costume competition during recess on both campuses where students were invited to dress in their best book-related costumes. We also screened a film based on a book at lunchtime on both campuses to celebrate the end of a fun and exciting week of celebrating reading.  Another wonderful activity on Friday was the blind book dating event that took place in the McKinnon Road library. Books were wrapped up in the library with only thrilling descriptions and recommendations posted on the front. Students and staff were treated to a surprise read, borrowing books without knowing exactly what they were getting. I want to sincerely thank all staff and students for participating in such a joyous week of reading. You are never too young or too old to enjoy reading. Charlotte DouglasEnglish KLA Manager    
Brass Night
Congratulations to all who participated in the annual Brass Night at McKinnon Secondary College on Tuesday 13 August! The evening was a remarkable success, featuring over 100 talented performers who showcased their dedication and passion for music.. The audience enjoyed a captivating array of solos, duets, and group performances, highlighting the unique skills of each musician.  Special thanks to the guest artists whose contributions elevated the event and provided invaluable experiences for our students. The enthusiastic audience played a crucial role, their support creating an encouraging atmosphere for the performers. Behind the scenes, a dedicated multimedia team ensured everything ran smoothly, contributing to the event's success. Congratulations to the brass staff, performers, and everyone involved in making this night an unforgettable celebration of talent and community spirit!   
Wisdom and Service
In 2021, McKinnon students Jack Graffeo and Wesley Mu (current Year 12 students), developed one of Australia’s most popular COVID-19 tracking websites, CovidBaseAU (https://covidbaseau.com/).  Created to simplify and improve the communication of COVID-19 data, it quickly amassed nearly 55,000 followers on Twitter and has been acknowledged and celebrated worldwide, including by then-Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton. The Melbourne School of Population and Global Health at Melbourne University recently recognised these students. Jack and Wesley were also awarded the Wisdom and Service badge at the General Assembly. Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition! Michael KanPrincipalMELBOURNE SCHOOL OF POPULATION AND GLOBAL HEALTH VISITOn Thursday 11 July, Wesley Mu and myself, Jack Graffeo (Year 12) and together with our friend Darcy Hersbach, were invited to the University of Melbourne School of Population and Global Health to provide a presentation on our Covid-19 data project CovidBaseAU. This was one of Australia’s most popular COVID-19 tracking websites, acknowledged worldwide and referenced in numerous publications.  We began the day by providing a presentation to Epidemiology and Biostatistics researchers about our Covid-19 data tracking project CovidBaseAU, as well as discussing how we feel health data should be best presented by the federal government and answering how we think we can increase interest in public health amongst young people. We also offered our experience about the different challenges we faced and what we learnt from managing the project.  We were very grateful to the University which presented us Certificates of Outstanding Achievement recognising our contribution to public health during the pandemic. We also took questions from various researchers such as Professor Tony Blakely and Professor Nancy Baxter, discussing issues like the reporting and accessibility of public health data.  Following this, we toured the campus meeting with and talking to numerous different researchers, and learning about the different health issues they are working on. We are very grateful to Dr Andrew Lau (Lecturer in Epidemiology) and Dr Anurika De Silva (Senior Research Fellow Biostatistics) who facilitated our visit and introduced us to the different researchers who we were able to meet.  We are very grateful to the University for offering us this opportunity to visit, providing us an insightful and valuable experience in which we learnt a lot about public health issues. Jack Graffeo and Wesley MuYear 12 StudentsIN THE NEWSSome news articles detailing their work:https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/meet-the-melbourne-kids-helping-australia-track-the-virus-20210924-p58ul0.htmlhttps://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-09-24/covid-base-website-makers-reveal-identify-as-three-teenage-boys/100489474https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/sep/24/absolutely-madness-melbourne-teenagers-reveal-they-are-behind-leading-covid-tracking-websitehttps://globalvoices.org/2021/09/27/three-melbourne-teenagers-inspire-public-with-their-covid-19-data-tracking-website/
Volleyball Three Days Schools Cup
On Wednesday 24 - Friday 26 July the annual Three Days Schools Cup for Years 10-12 (Volleyball) was held at Dandenong Stadium. Fifty of our top senior students have been training all year for this special event. Our school was very successful, and four of our five teams received medals. Well done to the Open Honours Girls who received a Bronze Medal, the Year 10 Honours - both boys and girls who received a Silver (all Year 9 athletes), the Year 11 Honours Girls received Bronze and a great effort from the Year 11 Honours Boys who came 7th.  Thanks to all the wonderful teachers and coaches who put in a lot of time and effort for our athletes: Mrs Shmerling, Mr Adlington, Mr Woolhouse for driving; and our dedicated McKinnon Volley coaches - Zoe and Tayla Fischer, Minja Zlatic, Ariel Greenberg and Stephanie Baker. A huge thanks to the parents who could make it to cheer the athletes on! Sandy HopeVolleyball Co-ordinator
Premier's VCE Awards
McKinnon Secondary College students win top honours Congratulations to Emily Chang (2023 Graduate), Wei Xuen Wong (Dux 2023) and Jack Graffeo (Year 12) who have been recognised with a Premier’s VCE Award for their outstanding academic results in 2023. Emily Chang received a Premier’s VCE Award for being a Top All-Round VCE High Achiever, which is given to students who achieved outstanding results in at least five of their subjects. Wei Xuen Wong received an award for Top Three International Student and Jack Graffeo received a Study Award for Australian Politics. The annual Premier’s VCE Awards recognise the top-performing students in the state. This year, 310 students were recognised at the prestigious award ceremony, including three international students and six students who completed the VCE Vocational Major program with distinction, and 23 Top All-Round VCE High Achievers who achieved study scores of 46 or higher out of 50 in at least five VCE subjects. Principal Michael Kan attended the Premier’s VCE Awards along with Kellie Felmingham (Assistant Principal) and Anna Zhang (International Student Coordinator). The entire McKinnon Secondary College community would like to congratulate the students on being the recipients of such a prestigious award.  Emily Chang is currently studying Medicine at Monash University. Wei Xuen Wong is currently studying Applied Data Science at Monash University. Jack Graffeo is currently studying Year 12 at McKinnon Secondary College  We wish them every success. To view the full Honour Roll and to read more about the Premier’s VCE Awards, visit: https://www.vic.gov.au/premiers-vce-awards                                                                                                   
East Campus Mural Documentary
I am excited to announce that the documentary capturing the development, construction, and installation of Anthony Breslin’s mural is complete! The mural titled A Frolic in the Mind’s Garden, is now a well-loved landmark at our East Campus and this documentary will further memorialise this immense achievement by our staff and students!  Thank you to Marianne Latham from Latham Films for the creation of this mini-doco covering the mural's progress from start to completion. In late 2023, McKinnon Secondary College commissioned Anthony Breslin to design an inspiring collaborative mural for a large wall facing their sports area and playground. The concept was to be grounded in the school's philosophy of 'Wisdom and Service' and the aim was to bring the students together, under Anthony's mentorship, to create a visually stunning, large-scale work that would encapsulate their experience at the school and enhance the school's environment.  From this brief 'A Frolic in the Mind's Garden' was born - a gloriously colourful mural of Anthony's iconic bugs, hearts, flowers, and trees, all coming together in joyous unity. These were created as cut-outs to be worked on by teams of the student body, who applied their individual patterns and designs. The massive final project comprised over 120 separate pieces of long-wearing construction materials, cut via laser and plotted out over the wall's expanse via CAD system, with the expert help of Melbourne's Lignum Furniture's team.  This massive project ultimately had a student body of over 400 students, teachers, and Anthony's creative team, scheduled to work on the mural's different stages and ultimately arrive at completion and installation.  The mural was launched in May 2024 to a large crowd of students, school staff, and art lovers and will uplift visitors to the school and local area for years to come.  You can read more about the mural here. Peter EglezosLearning Area Manager - Visual Arts
Class of 2023 VCE Results
I am pleased to present you the Class of 2023 VCE results. These results reflect the cumulative contributions of our incredible staff and the hard work of our students. Once again I am particularly proud as these outstanding results make us the top non-selective Government school in the state.  Thank you for your commitment and dedication to our students. https://mckinnon.sc/2023VCEResults Kind Regards, Michael KanPrincipal    
Junior Ensembles Concert
Congratulations to all our young musicians on their outstanding performances at the Junior Concert held on Wednesday night. Your dedication and hard work shone through in every note.  From the Year 7 Concert Band's polished renditions to the String Ensemble's melodies, each group demonstrated remarkable skill. The Junior Choir's harmonies and the Intermediate Stage Band's confident solos were truly impressive.  Special commendations to Mr West, Ms Waugh, Mr Lee, Ms West, and Mr Byrne for their expert guidance. Thanks to Ms Humphrey for her engaging compèring, and to Ms Bugeja, Mr Serebrianik and the MAV team for overseeing the event. Well done to the entire music department for their passion in nurturing the talents of our young musicians. Lachlan NobleActing Principal 
Alumni Art
It was a pleasure to host a morning tea for two of our Alumni - Jan Palethorpe - class of 1973 and Marian Crawford Class of 1972. Both Jan and Marian are successful artists and Marian is now a lecturer at Monash Fine Art.  The school recently acquired some of their art to display at the East Campus. It is wonderful to have our alumni artist’s work on display at the East Campus, infusing it with culture and connecting the campus to our proud history.   
East Campus Concert
East Campus was the stage for a remarkable concert, where over 270 talented performers showcased their musical prowess. The String ensembles, Concert bands, The Choir, Percussion ensembles, World Music Ensemble, and the Junior Stage Band captivated the audience with their dedication and hard work, delivering a diverse repertoire of exceptional performances. The success of this event was a testament to the unwavering support of the school community. The audio-visual crew and maintenance team worked tirelessly behind the scenes, ensuring a seamless production and creating an unforgettable experience. Their invaluable contributions were the backbone of this musical extravaganza. This concert was a celebration of the power of music to unite and inspire. Congratulations to all the wonderful students and music staff for this remarkable achievement, a true testament to the transformative power of music.