A former student of Shepparton High, the school's council president for the past two years, and a mother of six – two graduated, two in high school, and two in primary school - she knows all about education in this town.
She has been fittingly appointed as the inaugural Greater Shepparton Secondary College president, along with vice-president Adam Glasson, the former school council president of Mooroopna High.
Ms McKenzie-Sleeth, who had attended discussions about school mergers back in 2010, said she had already started to see change for the better.
“We’re already seeing excitement without the new facilities,” she said.
“The kids are engaged, they look great, they’re arriving on time – I haven’t seen such bright, enthusiastic kids at all the campuses until this year.”
She was inspired to get involved in school council after seeing parents’ lack of engagement when she was growing up, and felt she could catalyse change.
“Back in my day parents weren’t really part of their child’s education journey and the schools didn’t really encourage them to get involved,” she said.
“I want that to change and while it has been challenging, this community is now more engaged in education than ever before, which is a great thing.”
For Mr Glasson, a former student of Shepparton’s North Tech, he also wanted to increase engagement among parents, inspired by his Fairley Community Leadership Program experience in 2016 and having a daughter at Mooroopna Secondary College.
“I’ve been a CFA volunteer for many years and when the opportunity came up to join the school council, I thought I could contribute a little more,” he said.
Mr Glasson said he was most looking forward to the new, state-of-the-art building, expected to be completed by the end of next year.
“The students will see an amazing difference and so will the staff, who’ve put up with the old one for too long.”
But for Ms McKenzie-Sleeth, she was most enthused about the greater options and support for students, rather than the “bright and shiny” facilities.
“The broader curriculum and teaching methods the school will be able to deliver and the support, encouragement and diverse opportunities (will enable) our students to get the better outcomes they deserve,” she said.
“I went into hairdressing at 16 and you know what? You could use a $45 pair of scissors or a $2000 pair of scissors but what mattered most is what you learnt to do with them.”
Ms McKenzie-Sleeth and Mr Glasson were appointed by Victorian Education Minister James Merlino, and will hold their positions until early next year, when future school council leaders would be decided through election.
More stories about Greater Shepparton Secondary College:
STEM centre guaranteed for Shepparton students and tech school still on the cards
Dozens of subjects on offer for Year 9 GSSC students
‘Super school’ construction officially begins
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