Senior School News

Welcome back to what is a critical and very busy time of year for our senior school students. 

Year 12 September Exams

I would like to thank all students and parents/carers for the overwhelming support for the Year 12 exams which were held over the September holiday period.  This program was an outstanding success, and I hope it is a valuable learning experience for students in terms of perfecting exam techniques and time management.  It is now important for students to act on the feedback which has been provided by their teachers to further improve their learning outcomes and examination performance. 

I would also like to thank the supervisors who assisted with the exams in particular Mrs Bev Valentine, who worked tirelessly to ensure the exams ran efficiently and under VCAA guidelines.  I would also like to acknowledge the extra work and dedication of our Year 12 teachers in the setting and marking of these exams.

Year 11 Central Australia Tour

Another successful tour of Central Australia and the Northern Territory has arrived home safely with students and staff reporting on a memorable and enjoyable trip.  Congratulations to the students who were excellent ambassadors for Frankston High School.  I am sure you gained an invaluable appreciation of Australian culture and will have life long memories of this tour.  Thank you to the staff involved, under the leadership of Mrs Adrienne Shepherd who gave of their personal time and worked tirelessly to ensure the success of the trip – their commitment and dedication is outstanding.  Thank you also to Mrs Anne Thomson for the excellent organisation of the trip. 

Year 12 Celebration Days

Congratulations to our Year 12 students on an excellent three days of celebrations to conclude their secondary education.  This consisted of a 'Pyjama Day' and pizza lunch on Tuesday, and breakfast, fancy dress, time capsules, shirt signing and student awards on Wednesday.

Thank you to Ms Carla Caminiti, Ms Kelly Mitchell and staff who organised these special days for our students.

Year 12 Valedictory Dinner

On Wednesday night (19 October) we farewelled our Year 12 students at the Valedictory Dinner held at The Sofitel on Collins Street.  Over 700 people attended the dinner and many awards were presented.  Seeing these wonderful young adults completing high school was a proud moment for many of us.

It is hard to believe that six years ago they were only 11 or 12 year old and starting high school for the first time.  The dinner was a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the students’ achievements with their parents/carers and teachers.

I would like to thank Ms Carla Caminiti, Ms Kelly Mitchell and Mrs Carolyn Florance for all of their hard work in the organisation of this event.

Congratulations to Guy Read who was named the Valedictorian, and Bethany Yeuong and Oliver Craig who were awarded the prestigious Ampol All Rounder Award.

Examinations

We have now reached the most critical time of year.  All students should have implemented a comprehensive study plan/timetable to prepare for their examinations. 

Some useful hints for exam preparation:

• Prepare summaries in your own words and use pictures, tables and graphs to help you remember the theory
• Highlight the key words that you need to remember and create the theory
• Work with a study partner and ask each other questions about the notes or explain the concepts to another person (parents/carers come in handy here!)
• Study in blocks of time eg. 50 minute blocks followed by a ten minute break
• Practise as many past exam papers as possible so you get used to the timing and types of questions examiners ask
• Do not cram before exams; a bit each day is a much more effective way to learn
• Establish a regular routine in studying, eating, exercising and sleeping
• Study and sit previous years’ exam papers at home at the same time as the end of year exam.
• Do not stay up all night; it is not an effective way to learn

I would like to remind parents/carers and students of the Elevate presentations where the importance of completing past exam papers was stressed.  The presenters stated that a critical component of student success in Year 12 is completing past exam papers under timed conditions and receiving feedback from teachers on their answers.  As a minimum 5-6 practice exam papers should be completed per subject; based on research the top students in each study are completing 20-30 practice exam papers and meeting with their teachers to receive feedback.  Students should also be reading the Assessment Reports on past exam papers which are available at www.vcaa.vic.edu.au.

I wish all Senior School students the very best for their upcoming exams.

IMPORTANT DATES

• Year 12 Examinations begin on Wednesday 26 October and conclude on Wednesday 16 November.
• Year 11 students are not required to attend school on Wednesday 26 October due to the Year 12 English Examination taking place on this day.
• Year 11 Examinations begin on Monday 14 November and conclude on Friday 24 November.  The results from these Year 11 examinations are very important and determine subject selection and promotion to Year 12.
• The final submission date for all work for Senior School students is Friday 11 November.
• The Early Commencement Program will run from Monday 28 November to Friday 2 December.  Attendance is compulsory for all 2023 Year 11 and Year 12 students.

2023 EARLY ENGLISH BOOKLIST

See COMPASS  for further details 

Scholarships

THE MARGARET SCHOFIELD MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP 

Applications for this annual scholarship are invited from government school students of VCE Music - Solo Performance. The selection panel will consider applicants who can demonstrate a commitment  to music in recent years and to a future career in music performance. The students’ study scores for VCE Music - Solo Performance will be taken into consideration. This scholarship was established by the family of the late Margaret Schofield in recognition of her achievements as a musician and her commitment to music education and is coordinated by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA). The annual scholarship will contribute towards the cost of tertiary education in music performance.  

The application form is published on the VCAA website: www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/excellenceawards/ms-applicationform.doc

THE DAVID BURGESS FOUNDATION 

The David Burgess Foundation has provided scholarships to well deserving, disadvantaged students for the past 27 years.  The Foundation aims to help young people from state secondary schools who have had to struggle to overcome adversity, who have shown commitment to their goals and those of the community, and who, with some help, have the opportunity to succeed in their studies and future life.

Any Year 12 students who satisfy the criteria and are interested in applying for this award are asked to please see me. Details regarding the criteria and additional information regarding The David Burgess Foundation can be found at www.DBF.org.au

DOXA HOLLINGWORTH CADETSHIP PROGRAM 

This program is designed to provide disadvantaged youth who have satisfactorily completed their Year 12 studies, with the opportunity to pursue university education and gain future employment.

The current cadets are studying a range of degrees including Social and Environmental Science, Applied Science, Law, Arts, Commerce, Transport and Logistics Management, Economics, Business, Computing, Engineering, Accounting, Public Relations, Human Resources, Psychology, Arts, Urban Planning and Architecture.

The Doxa Cadetship provides: 

• Financial assistance
• Work experience with a corporate organisation
• A mentor
• Book allowance
• Professional and personal development

If you are interested in applying, please see me. 

Best Wishes To The Class Of 2022

As this is the final newsletter for our Year 12 students before they embark on their final examinations, I would like to take this opportunity to extend my sincere best wishes for their examinations and their future goals and ambitions.  I wish the Class of 2022 every success in the future and I would like to thank our students for their excellent contribution to Frankston High School.  They have been an absolute pleasure to work with.   I would also like to congratulate and thank the excellent work and leadership of our two School Captains Nigel Mathew and Lu Yang and Deputy School Captains Hayley Semetas and Ryan Zanders.

Absence Learning Plan (Year 7 – 11)

Frankston High School does not support the scheduling of absences during the school day and/or school term, including routine medical and dental appointments and family holidays, where these may be arranged for holiday periods. 

At Frankston High School all applications for an extended absence (3 days or more) must be made, in writing, at least 4 weeks before the absence. The application must be addressed to the relevant Year Level Coordinator who will, in conjunction with the Principal and/or Campus Principal, determine if the absence is approved. 

If the absence is approved an email will be sent to the parent/carer and an Absence Learning Plan will be developed (which the student is to collect from the Year Level Coordinator). The student is to take the Absence Learning Plan to all of their teachers so they can provide a list of work that needs to be completed before returning to school after the absence. The student is to show this plan to the Year Level Coordinator before leaving for the extended absence. The Year Level Coordinator will then inform the Attendance Officer of the approval. At this point the Attendance Officer will mark the absence as approved. If the absence is not approved parents/carers will be notified in writing by the Year Level Coordinators or Campus Principal.

SENIOR SCHOOL Key dates to mark in your calendar:

Senior School Team

Ms Helen Wilson, Campus Principal Years 11 and 12

If you have any concerns or questions please do not hesitate to contact any member of the teams.