Principal's Report
It is the business end of the year for the class of 2018. Some will be preparing to finish formal classes and commence the UVP course (Unscored VCE Program) which will assist them to transition into work, a course at TAFE or traineeship. Our VCAL students will be looking to transition to TAFE, secure an apprenticeship if they have not already or make the transition to full time work. For those students undertaking scored assessment in the VCE this is a time of making every minute count as exams loom. Every one of our Year 12 students now faces a period in their lives which will be unsettling, exciting and somewhat scary.
The transition from secondary school after 13 years of attending school is a transition into the unknown for many students. They have always known school and the routine of school. The challenge of moving from adolescent to adult can be complex enough but couple that with significant change in their lives, it can have an impact on their behaviour, mental health and physical health.
Some students will take the change and the opportunities this provides in their stride. Others may not cope so well and it is important for all, as a community, to be mindful of how our Year 12 students may be coping. The very thought of having to find a job or sit exams places considerable pressure on students. The focus on achievement is often linked to being successful in many minds. I would challenge that.
Our students, your children, are each unique and wonderful individuals made in God’s image with skills and talents that we have endeavoured to celebrate throughout their time here. They are all good at many different things. They are already successful and we are proud of who they have become as I am sure their families are as well. The journey we travel with students is not always without its challenges. I have met many of them and you for reasons we both wish had not occurred but nonetheless, we have continued that journey and the end is in sight.
No job nor score determines any person’s real value. No person can be defined by the sum of an ATAR score nor by their employment status. Every person, every one of our Year 12 students is so much more than that. They are amazing in their own right with gifts, talents, hopes, dreams and hearts filled with compassion for others. Each day, we are blessed as educators to share a journey with your children. In doing so we have the opportunity to see first hand their abilities across a range of areas. Music and the arts to mathematics and science, social justice issues they champion to helping those in need, standing up for what is right and just to advocating for others. The class of 2018 are each unique as individuals and wonderful collectively. They have much to offer the world in a world that desperately needs good people.
Over the next month there will be a number of special occasions that we refer to as Rites of Passage. These are a transitioning and help students, the College, families and the community mark this time as significant. I have already written to all Year 12 families with details of these events and our expectations of students. I am not going to go over these again, rather I wish to highlight the need for our care and our compassion for each student as they approach this time. There are ample stories of outbursts, tantrums and bad behaviour that could be recounted when it comes to this time of year. While we will not accept such behaviour, we as adults can help students by understanding why they might be tempted to engage in antisocial behaviour at this time. Often it comes from fear, fear of change, of the unknown.
How do any of us deal with uncertainty, major changes, stress and pressure in our lives? More often than not, not as well as we would like to. Please keep this in mind over the next month and recognise the impact that finishing school may be having on your son or daughter by broaching the matter with a view to providing support. More than ever, Year 12 students need the support of those they live with, to get a good night’s sleep, a quiet place to write application letters or study and a healthy diet.
Students also need a balance especially those undertaking exams. It is not healthy to study all of the time. Study will need to be a significant part of their time until their exams finish but there should be scope for family, friends and getting away from the books. Some students scale back work commitments, social activities and sporting commitments during this time. That is appropriate. Cutting them out completely though is not a good idea as these are avenues that allow for young adults to manage the stress and pressure they may be experiencing – they do need to get away from the books to provide a balance in their lives.
The upcoming non tuition period will see the students undertaking scored assessment sitting compulsory trial exams followed by a period of classes at the start of Term 4. In no time at all the last class will be held and they will sit their final exams. May they and all of the Class of 2018 know of our prayerful support during this period of their lives. May they know and grow in their understanding that there have been many of us here, working with you as families to guide and support them on the journey to this point. May they finish school with dignity and respect for themselves, for you and for their school and their teachers.
Please remember all students in your prayers at this time. The challenges they face are often a distant memory for many of us but they are no less real and will very much be playing on their minds. They say it takes a village or community to raise a child. May we as community stand firm in our support of the Class of 2018 so they finish with hope in their hearts.
God Bless the Class of 2018.
Brendan J Watson – Principal