Senior School
SHARON FRAME
Head of Senior School
Senior School never stops, even in term breaks. Year 12 students in some subjects will be in for additional classes to assist their learning and preparation for their external examinations at the end of the year. However, whilst the focus on academics is just as important as it has always been, it is also just as essential to ensure that the body and spirit are taken care of.
I encourage all Senior School students, therefore, to make time for themselves over the break to restore their energy reserves. Reconnect with those they have not seen for a while and enjoy an activity not related to schoolwork. Term 3 is probably the toughest term in the school year. It is cold, grey and dark. Students need focus to work through the 10 weeks and that will not be possible if they are not in the right mindset.
Have a restful break.
ANDREW PHILLIPS
Year 12 Coordinator
Year 12
Congratulations everyone, we made it to the end of Semester 1! It really was an incredibly busy finish for Year 12 this year. The final week and half of term was transformed, with all subjects completing Unit 3 SACs in the last two weeks. As a result, students found that they could have several SACs in a week. While this has been quite demanding, it has been good preparation for the end-of-year examinations. We will be focusing on SAC preparation and study techniques again next term during the pastoral program. Due to the lockdown and COVID restrictions, the GAT and the formal were both postponed. Only one of those announcements really elicited a reaction from the group. Obviously, there was quite a bit of angst as to when and where the formal would take place. Thankfully, it has been rescheduled to Thursday,16 September. These moments for Year 12 are the ones that they will look back on in years to come. We are grateful that Vogue Ballroom was able to accommodate our group. Before I go, I wanted to thank the pastoral team for all the work they have done to support students through the final month of Semester 2 – it has been a challenging period, but we have come through relatively unscathed. I hope everyone gets an opportunity to take a bit of a breath over the break and enjoy some time with friends and family.
MANOJ PATEL
Year 10 & 11 Coordinator
Years 10 and 11
As Semester 1 comes to an end, one of the most important things that springs to mind is the importance of self-care. Students have experienced two mini lockdowns, which again disrupted their flow of learning, and which resulted in a week filled with assessments and catch up SACs. So it is clear to see that our students are well in need of a break. While we are only at the halfway stage of 2021, students should remember to take some time out with their friends and family, unplug from their devices and declutter their minds. We are the best versions of ourselves when we are relaxed, in a good headspace and physically well. If we can do anything to control those things, we certainly should.
In our final assembly for Term 2, we took some time to celebrate and recognise some of our Year 10 and 11 students that demonstrated excellent skills either academically, pastorally or behaviourally. As a result, these students are to be congratulated on receiving the 'I Can We Will' awards:
Year 10:
Nicholas Collias
Theodora Gakis
Chrisoula Horomidis
Maria Kourkoutzelos
Mark Ross
Sivmeng Te
Year 11:
Matthew Cormie
Chloe Koskinioti
Stavroula Kourkoutzelos
Luqi Meng
John Pliatsikas
Toni Stathopoulos
Congratulations to the students above; well done and well deserved.
While on break, I also encourage our students to take some time to review and reflect on their Semester 1 reports with their parents or guardians. Teachers have spent many hours compiling student reports to provide a clear picture of student progress. They have also included some sound advice for the coming semester. Reflect on the advice, implement changes when appropriate and make the most of each opportunity given to you. Come back rested to take on Semester 2, fresh, relaxed and ready to go.