GAT

Both our Year 12 students, and all students completing a Unit 3 / 4 subject were welcomed back on site to the College on Tuesday 5th October to complete the General Achievement Test (GAT). The GAT is an externally marked exam and is a component of the VCE program, allowing VCAA to determine students Study Scores and ATARs at the end of the year. Despite the arduous nature of the exam, (15 minutes reading time and 3 hours writing time) all students performed to the best of their ability and were thankful to be back on site with their peers.

Aspire Higher

On Tuesday 12th October, Year 12 Aspire Higher students were privileged to have one of McClelland’s most esteemed alumni, Maria Rychkova, return to the school virtually to discuss her career. Maria has had a rich life since leaving the College, studying a Bachelor of Biomedicine at Melbourne University, followed by a Bachelor of Law at the same venue. She has worked extensively on mapping human DNA, and is currently working on legal and ethical issues in the medical industry. Maria spoke to the Aspire Higher students about motivation and goal setting during Year 12, as well as how to manage the dual challenges of studying at university full time and simultaneously earning a living. Students were very thankful for Maria’s time, and the VCE team look forward to working more closely with Maria over the coming years in a mentoring role for some of our highest achievers.

Elevate Education – Ace Your Exams

With final exams on the horizon, Year 12 students participated in a study skills session run by the prestigious Elevate Education on Wednesday 13th October. The focus of the program is to teach students how to most effectively study in the lead up to their exams. Maximising time, seeking out feedback from teachers, and completing practice questions were primary areas explored by the presenters. Thank you to the guest speakers from Elevate who delivered their content so professionally and enthusiastically!

School and House Captains for 2022

Both the School Captains and House Captains for 2022 have now been confirmed! Interested students were first required to submit a written application to the Senior School team, after which they were interviewed on their aspirations and intentions for the role. There were some outstanding applicants, each of which brought a range of skills and achievements to the table. Each of the captains will be unveiled early next year to the wider school community, and will participate in a leadership day run by the College later this year. We wish them all the best in their roles for next year, and look forward to seeing what they achieve!

Celebration Day

Tuesday 19th October saw the Year 12 VCE / VCAL cohort celebrate their final day at McClelland College. While there were some additional restrictions this year in order to keep the event COVID safe, students had an amazing time celebrating the end of their six year journey as McClelland College students. The day began with a socially distanced barbeque breakfast in the Year 7 outdoor area, allowing students to show off their fantastic costumes. Special mention must go to Neo and Trinity from The Matrix, the grandfather / child duo from Up, as well as the joker from The Joker, who all went above and beyond with their outfits. The morning was followed by students returning to their classes one final time to tune in to a Google Meet for a range of Kahoots, games and awards. A visit by Whit it Up Ice Creams was then followed by the McClelland tradition of a guard of honour for the Class of 2021. We wish all students the very best for the coming years, and look forward to seeing them achieve amazing things in their chosen careers!

VCE End of Year Exams

The Year 12 final exams began last week, with all students sitting either the English or the English as an Additional Language (EAL) exams on Wednesday 27th October. The exam period runs until Wednesday 17th November, with most Year 12 students completing at least four or five exams during that time. We wish all of our students completing Unit 3 / 4 subjects all the best on their exams!

Valedictory

With continuing uncertainty regarding capacity limits for venues and social gatherings, the school has made the decision to change the date of the Year 12 Valedictory to Friday 10th December. We are still finalising whether this event will be held at school or off site, and are currently awaiting advice from the Department regarding the running of the event in a COVID safe manner. Once we have any clarification one way or the other, we will communicate this through both Compass and student emails.

Year 11 Exams

The Year 11 Exam period will run from Monday 8th November until Friday 19th November. The exam schedule for that period can be found here. There will be no Year 11 classes running during this time. Year 11 students are welcome to come on site to study during this two week period and are required to sign in and out of the school in the Senior Centre.

Head Start

This year, the Head Start period for the College will run from Monday 29th November until Friday 10th December. Attendance during this period is compulsory for all students, and is particularly vital for Year 11 and 12 VCE students, as teachers will be making a start on coursework and assigning tasks to prepare for the first outcomes. This is also the final opportunity for students to change subjects before the resumption of classes in 2022.

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