From the Leadership Team

After a successful and well-attended Subject Information Night and Careers Expo in week 4, this week has seen the Course Counselling season begin. 

It has been fantastic to sit with many Year 11 families this week and discuss the future study and career options for their children moving into Year 12 next year. 

I find this part of my role particularly rewarding as I see hope in action in the lives of the students I work with. 

This process will continue with Year 10 into 11 course counselling next week and later in the term, an opportunity to sit with every Year 12 student for transition counselling where we discuss their future study and work options to ensure they have a plan beyond Endeavour College.

At this point of the year, I often take the opportunity to speak with students about how they are working towards achieving their goals. Many students believe they can “switch on” their study skills when they get to Year 12, seeing that only as an important year, and ultimately forget about the importance of developing those skills incrementally in the lead up to their final year. 

Many others believe that their earning at their part-time job is important, but unfortunately, they often neglect developing their earning potential through the opportunities school provides.

While this is understandable (many of us may have made similar choices when we were in high school), we all want the best for the students in our school. 

The reality is that to be successful tomorrow, we all must prepare today. 

As such, we continue to partner with you in helping students grow in a mindset, skillset, and toolset that helps them get the best out of themselves – to know when and how to rest, focus on schoolwork, paid work, and play at the right times without distractions, and to be present in each moment.

While we seek the long-term best for the students of Endeavour, we are mindful of tools that students use that they believe will help them, but are not healthy choices for their life. This includes, especially, the consumption of energy drinks and nicotine-filled vapes. These substances may provide some form of instant relief for a young person but create addictions that cause harm, both short and long term. Included in this is impairment of a student’s ability to prioritise, focus, and the ability to maintain consistent sleep habits. 

We ask for your assistance as parents in helping students make great choices, both today and in the future.

All of these conversations, and more, occur at Endeavour with students in the context of positive relationships between teachers and students. At a recent professional learning conference I went to, the importance of belonging as a measure of a student’s wellbeing was discussed. 

Children will feel belonging in many different places: at home, at church, a social or sporting club and many other places; however, for a significant period of most days of the week, they are at school. 

Belonging to Care Groups, Villages and classes through common goals and even wearing a uniform is important as it increases the sense of belonging, enhancing wellbeing, having multiple flow-on impacts in the life of a student. This includes, unsurprisingly, academic performance.

As we look forward to the 2025 academic year with course selections, the process for electing the 2025 Student Executive has also begun, with Year 11s nominating students they believe have the potential to serve in these important roles. 

I am very grateful to the current members of the Student Executive who are serving the school diligently and offered a reflection of their experience so far to the Year 11 cohort. 

I wish all Year 11 students every blessing as they consider the opportunities they have to serve the College in these important positions next year.

9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. – Galatians 6

Daniel Wooldridge

Acting Director of Senior Years