OURS Week 6 Term 3 2024 - Melbourne High School

Principal’s Report

Vale Simon Landsberger MHS 2003 – 2006

On Tuesday August 20, alumnus and much-loved sports journalist Simon Landsberger lost his life as a result of a traffic accident. On behalf of the Melbourne High School community, I wish to express our heart-felt condolences to Simon’s family and friends.

Simon was an AFL and cricket reporter for the Herald Sun. He also appeared on Fox Footy’s Midweek Tackle. In 2022 he won the Sports News Quill for his story on Essendon’s then chief executive Andrew Thorburn. Thorburn was forced to step down only one day into his term as Essendon CEO over his controversial religious views and affiliations.

Melbourne High School Foundation – a vote of thanks to retiring President Colonel John Wertheimer AM

On Wednesday 21 August the Foundation held its AGM. John has been a tour de force for many years supporting the school in several capacities, most recently for over a decade as President of the Melbourne High School Foundation Ltd. While President of the Foundation, John played a key role in the development of the Centre for Higher Education Studies.

Beyond his work for Melbourne High School, John has been very active in the wider community. Of note, John has served on the Board of Trustees (Acting Chairman 2011) of the Shrine of Remembrance.

Academically, John has demonstrated a passion and dedication to his studies. After graduating from MHS in 1954 he went to the Royal Military College Duntroon, and subsequently completed studies in Engineering (RMIT) and Economics (University of Queensland).

John’s distinguished military service history is also worth noting. His service has included Sabah, Malaysia during the Indonesian conflict, and ‘Vietnam as Officer Commanding 17 Construction Squadron Group, headquartered at Nui Dat with multiple detachments throughout Phouc Tuoy Province and a total strength of 430 sappers’. (Sappers are soldiers who undertake tasks such as bridge construction, road repairs, and laying and clearing landmines.)

Adelaide Exchange – Melbourne High Secures the Prefects Cup in 2024

This week we hosted the Prefects Cup. Six staff and 63 students from Adelaide High School travelled to Melbourne to compete in our annual sporting exchange. The competition began in 1910 and has only been interrupted by two world wars and two pandemics! A sincere thank you to Director of Sport Mr Michael Chandler and his team for their leadership and congratulations to the boys who fought so hard to win the trophy back.

World Vision 40 Hour Challenge.

Thank you to Mr Ian Dowling for overseeing this event. The School has supported the work of this charity for several years. This year’s fundraising is approaching $7,000. Thank you to all the students involved and to all who have provided financial support.

Culture Week

We value our rich multicultural, multi-faith and multilingual community. As the honour boards demonstrate, our students reflect Australia’s migration patterns. Our current school data suggests that over 1200 students are exposed to a language other than English at home with a significant number from Southeast and Southern Asian backgrounds. Student clubs such as the Vietnamese Culture Club, Chinese Culture Club and Indian Culture Club are very active in the school and Culture Week provides an opportunity for all of us to share food, listen to music and explore artistic traditions. Thank you to all who organised activities.

Literature Festival

This week was Book Week. Under the direction of the English Faculty and the Library Team we celebrated our love of literature. Many dressed up as their favourite book character. We have also had visiting writers present to students and hopefully stimulate some to explore their writing skills.

Cinema Club – Sing Street

This week Cinema Club screened Sing Street, a 2016 Irish film about a boy who tries to impress a girl in 1980’s Ireland. This coming-of-age story explores how an adolescent boy while struggling with poverty, relationship issues and life’s woes, starts a band, hoping to capture her attention. For those of us old enough to remember the 80’s, it will be a great stroll back to those years of new wave and synthesised pop. I can’t tell you how it ends, you will have to see the film for yourself! I think you will really enjoy it.

History Club – Visit from the Hon. Steve Bracks AC

The History Club hosted a visit from the Hon. Steve Bracks AC. Mr Bracks was Premier of Victoria from 1999 to 2007. Mr Bracks is currently Chancellor of Victoria University and engaged in several ventures locally and internationally. I sincerely appreciated his willingness to take time away from his busy schedule to provide an inspirational address to our students. We have had several alumni work in the political arena as ministers, senators and advisors. I expect we will continue this tradition! Pictured below are members of the History Club who organised the event.

Rowing – GoFundMe Page

The Rowing Fraternity have established a GoFundMe page. Thank you to Mr O’Leary for the initiative. The link to the page is noted here. I have also placed a link to the online version of an article published in the Herald Sun on Friday 23 August.

www.gofundme.com/f/melbourne-high-school-rowing

Source – www.heraldsun.com.au/victoria-education/what-public-students-need-to-do-to-compete-against-private-schools-in-rowing/news-story/94c9b82bcff510f099e5f917cac80451

As I have stated in various forums, we remain committed to ensuring that sport is a core part of our curriculum and extracurricular activities. Sport provides balance. Sport also develops teamwork, resilience and leadership. Additionally, and most importantly, physical fitness has a positive impact on learning, mental health and wellbeing. Thank you to all who are supporting our rowing and other extracurricular programmes.

Dr Tony Mordini
Principal