Small Beginnings

“Do not despise the day of small beginnings”. (God in the book of Zechariah in the Bible)

Today is a day of small beginnings.

I am writing this week from Toolern Vale campus and wow; we have begun lessons onsite, right here on Coburns Road. We are out in the countryside, surrounded by lovely scenery. Mrs Giannes and her team of teachers are here right now, and I am sitting in the office along with the receptionist. Our TV teachers have begun teaching, our TV learners have begun learning, and it is the prettiest campus in the world… well, we all say so!

It is a day of small beginnings. We have only two classes onsite at Toolern Vale. Mrs Janice Deo and Miss Va Areli have their Prep and Grade One children in their beautiful classrooms. Just two classes, that’s all for now. But next year that will grow, and the year after it will grow some more and some more after that. The day of small beginnings will certainly become a day of great foundations.

There was another day of small beginnings back in 1986.

Way, way, way, way back in the 80’s, our school started with one teacher and nine children in the scout hall on Henry Street in Melton. That first day was a day of beginnings that must have seemed small. They had handmade desks, and the hall had to be set up before school and packed up after school. That was a small beginning, but it has proven to be a great foundation. Now we have over one thousand students enrolled; seems like God’s message in Zechariah is spot on. Let’s never despise a seemingly small start.

We have been calling our school ‘One Vision, Two Locations’, and that’s the plan. We are spread now to two locations, but we have deliberately populated Toolern Vale campus with staff who have worked at MCC for a while. We want the campuses to have the same great feel that has built the great reputation of MCC.

As I write this, I am sitting within sight of our ICT staff. They work across both campuses, that way we make sure that it is One Vision. Through the office space, I can see Mrs Wendy Elliot our receptionist. Wendy now works across both campuses to ensure we are One Vision. Wendy knows our school, our culture, our vision and she will build it methodically at TV campus. I myself am working across two campuses: have laptop, can travel. I will be intentionally building the One Vision of MCC, bringing reminders of our Core Values to every situation at both campuses throughout the school days, weeks, terms and years.

Parents at both campuses, let’s love our kids and love their learning. Let’s love our school and love the Christian education that makes our school special. Let’s love abundant life and teach our children to love abundant life too.

David Gleeson, Principal