From the Head of Senior School

Last week I attended our Senior School Ensembles Spectacular. This majestic show of exceptional performances from many students across the School was outstanding and beautiful to witness. I was also fortunate to watch some of our students compete in the Tournament of Minds competition at La Trobe University in Bendigo on Saturday. Their enthusiasm and creativity were admirable, and it was a pleasure to see the students in another environment with the support of both Girton staff and their families. These events showcase how we work together as a School community to provide opportunities to foster our students’ many gifts and talents.

Your child should now have received their Effort and Dedication Round 4 scores through Astra. These scores outline your child's overall work ethic in the classroom environment and focus on their organisation skills, attentiveness to direct instruction and class activities, homework submission and responses to teacher feedback. If you are concerned about your child's scores, I encourage you to contact their teacher for a discussion.

This week has seen the start of our first set of House Dinners for Aherne, Jenkin and Jones. For the students, this was an opportunity to dress up and enjoy the company of their friends with their House Tutors. Each year level performed a short song or dance or hosted a House-themed trivia quiz. The organisation and effort of the Year 11 House Captains to make a memorable evening for all the students, particularly the Year 12s, was astonishing. Millward, Frew and Riley will host next week's House Dinners, and I am positive these will be spectacular events too. The House Dinners allow students to mix with other year levels in a formal environment while maintaining a sense of fun and comradeship and fostering House spirit.

With just three teaching weeks of term left, some Year 12 students may start to feel more anxious as they complete final SACs and exam preparation gets underway. To help with this, I advise students to pace themselves in the lead-up to their final SACs by organising their study commitments with a 'to-do' list. In curating their to-do lists, they should consider their tasks, add new items, and then prioritise them. In our technological world, there are many apps that can assist with managing tasks, such as Todoist, Microsoft To Do, Things, OmniFocus, Habatica and Google Tasks – just to name a small selection. With organisation being such an intensely personal activity, it’s important for students to find the solution that feels right for them. These skills will serve them well throughout their schooling years and indeed throughout their whole lives.  

Ms Dawn Davis

Head of Senior School