Year 12
End of school for the Class of 2019
Formal classes for all Units 3/ 4 (Year 12) classes concluded on Wednesday 23 October, in anticipation of the first major written exam scheduled to occur on 30 October. For our Year 12 students, this represents a very major moment in their lives, signifying for most the end of 13 years of formal schooling. This also poses the challenging question about what will the future hold! Once again, the work of our wonderfully committed team of VCE teachers should be acknowledged, as they have continued to run extra classes (even at weekends!), to work closely with individual students and to assess practice exam pieces.
Following on with our new tradition established in 2018, we will once again hold one end of class celebratory event, unifying all departing VCE and VCAL students. As a result, most Year 12 students and a large contingent of their teachers will once again enjoy a wonderfully relaxing and companionable day, bathed in glorious sunshine, at the redeveloped Gumbaya World on Thursday 24 October. Student awards will be presented by the student leaders and everyone will no doubt enjoy feasting upon a wonderfully-rich vast chocolate cake made by Maree Schmidt (a tradition in itself).
The final formal event for the Class of 2019 will be the Valedictory Dinner, to be held at the Grand on Cathies on the evening of Tuesday 17 December (6.30-10.30pm).
Exams loom large!
For both Year 11 and 12 VCE students, formal exams are a critically-important form of assessment. In the case of Year 12 subjects, exam scores are used to moderate all internal classwork scores and so are the most influential element in deriving individual Study Scores in each subject, and thus the overall ATAR (Australian Tertiary Achievement Rank). Therefore, the depth and breadth of pre-exam revision undertaken by students, the number of practice tasks they undertake, and the extent to which they actively seek out the assistance of individual subject teachers will greatly impact on their performance.
All Year 12 students, and Year 11 students undertaking a Year 12 subject have been given a personal copy of the official VCAA Exam Navigator, which includes not only the VCAA exam timetable, but all rules, regulations and processes outlined. These run from Wednesday 30 October until Wednesday 20 November in V Block. Year 11 students will be given a copy of the Unit 2 exam timetable and rules at a special assembly during step classes on Tuesday 29 October. These exams commence on Wednesday 13 November and conclude on Wednesday 20 November.
Pathways to the future: VTAC preferences
Our exiting Year 12 students are wonderfully supported by the Pathways Team led by Carren Brennan and VCE Careers practitioner Michelle Graco. She has overseen the process of entering VTAC preferences. Once the ATAR scores are released at 9am on Thursday 12 December, students have an opportunity to amend their course preferences until 14 December. Any student want to make a change to their course selections need to make an appointment with Michelle Graco on Thursday 12 or Friday 13 December.
Importance of VCE Headstart
You should have received the confirmed 2019 VCE courses by now. The two week Headstart program (25 November-6 December) is a critically important time for students to become acquainted with the nature of each subject as well as commencing elements of each course.
Tim Bray, VCE Leader