Guest Speaker: Mrs. Susan Mattingly – Principal of Mornington Primary School (Vale Street)
Last week our guest speaker was Mrs. Sue Mattingly who is the current Principal of the Mornington Primary School. Sue has a very long family association with the Mornington PS which has seen her Mother-in-Law working as a Business Manger, her Husband and two brother’s attended the school and her father also attended the school in his senior primary school days. Sue has a very long association with the school and has been a staff member now for some 16 years.
The Mornington PS holds a very special place in our community, which will see its 141stbirthday this year, an amazing milestone.
The school’s student population currently stands at 537. The schools educational ethos is expressed as” we desire to see students achieve academic growth, experience increased access to opportunities, develop aspirations, interests that provide them with optimism and resilience. Unfortunately as it currently stands not every student is receiving their educational opportunities that they need to reach their individual potential.
As Sue expressed“ disadvantage is not something that a child chooses, its something that they experience”.
To this end the Management team and the staff as a whole within Mornington PS have instigated a vast range of programs and services that they offer to hopefully achieve the goal of ‘ every student reaching their full potential.
These programs consist of working with a number of Government and Community organization’s, such as The Department of Health & Human Services for the Child First / Orange Door service. The Good Shepherd program to ensure all women, girls and families are safe, strong and connected. The Salvation Army which provide mentoring for the students and in particular providing role model principles for the young boys. Oz Child who work with children and young adults who are at risk.
The Mornington Community Centre plays an important support role for the school in that families are directed to the Centre for support in assistance with basic food nesseities, household bill payments and assessing other community resources. One very innovative program is the development of Literacy skills via the Story Dogs program. For children who may disadvantage both economically and especially socially the Mentoring Program is an essential component of the whole of life development for a child. To this end a range of volunteers attend the school from such organizations as The Andrew Kerr Village The Salvation Army and The Kids Hope Program.
Sue articulated that the saying “ it takes a village to raise a child “ truly comes to the forefront when working with children from a disadvantaged background
The Mornington PS and The Rotary Club of Mornington have every strong affiliation in this sphere, which this year saw our club provide economic sponsorship for two children attending the school to directly assist with their educational needs.
On behalf of the school and the parents Sue expressed her sincere gratitude at our invaluable contribution.
We, as a community, are indebted to have such dedicated staff at the Morinoigton PS who strive to support their students in achieving what is a right, not privilege, being full and valued education.
Thank you Sue
Guest Speaker Mrs. Sue Mattingly with Mornington Rotary Chair Mr. Peter Jay
