SENIOR School Update

Dear Parents/Carers and Students

Welcome back to Term 2! I hope you all enjoyed a relaxing Easter break. Hopefully, the holidays gave students a chance to recharge, reflect on their achievements from Term 1, and prepare for a positive and purposeful start to the new term.

Term 2 offers many opportunities for students to engage deeply in their learning and participate in a range of extracurricular activities. Throughout the term, our school values of Respect, Responsibility, Resilience, and Empathy will be at the forefront. The pillars of Excellence, Aspiration, and Community will also be brought to life through a variety of programs and events — all reinforcing our school’s motto: Optima Semper — Best Always.

There is much to look forward to, including these key events:

Year 12 Retreat at Phillip Island Adventure Resort, Monday 12 to Wednesday 14 May: Students will explore the themes of connection and resilience. The Year 12 Team — Ms Brittany Harvey, Ms Kelly Mitchell and Ms Kate Burgess — are excited to share this memorable experience with our students.
Year 11 Optima Day, Monday 12 May: Held on the Senior Campus, this day will include a range of activities helping students build stronger connections with peers and staff, while exploring our school values of Respect, Resilience, Responsibility and Empathy.
Year 11 Midyear Examinations, Wednesday 5 to Monday 16 June These exams are a chance for students to demonstrate their learning from Unit 1. Detailed schedules and information can be found on Compass.
Year 12 Assessment Week: Tuesday 10 to Monday 16 June: During this time, students will complete SACs, SATs or attend school-based seminars. Students are required at school for their scheduled assessments, as per the timetable on Compass.
General Achievement Test (GAT), Tuesday 17 June: The GAT is a state-wide assessment for all students completing a Unit 3 and 4 VCE or VCE VM subject. This pen-and-paper test assesses general knowledge and skills, contributing to the quality assurance of VCE assessments and confirming students meet literacy and numeracy standards. More details will be shared in Optima classes and on Compass.
Commencement of Units 2 and 4: Wednesday 18 June
Last day for student to redeem Unit 1 or 3 coursework and attendance, Friday 20 June

Parent/carers and students can stay informed with how learning and attendance is progressing by engaging with Compass attendance, Learning Task progression, Assessment Task result and feedback, house points recognising positive student behaviour and letters of concerns or impending N notification if there is concern about learning or attendance progress.

Year 11 Formal – What a Fabulous Night!

On Friday 2 May, our Year 11 students celebrated their successful transition to the Senior Campus in style at their formal, held at the Mornington Racecourse with the student-chosen theme of Hollywood Glamour.

The dance floor, DJ favourites, and student-led awards were highlights of the night. A big thank you to the Year 11 team — Ms Leanne Milne, Ms Jasmine Rabinov and Mr Alex Trickovic — and our student formal committee: Alex O’Rourke, Lily Garrett, Adi Johansjah, Amali Weare, Lily Szabo, Evie Emmett, Ocean Green, Gemma Kirk, Ebony Malcom, Savannah O’Rourke, Laela Sanelli, Bailey Schmidt, Ella Kendall and Sophie Artico. Your efforts created a night to remember!

Senior Campus ANZAC Day Assembly

On Monday 28 April, we held our ANZAC Day Assembly in the School Stadium. This important event, led by School and Year Level Captains Callum Rae, Eliza Patson and Blake Alford-Ryan, reminded us of the significance of ANZAC Day and honoured the courage and sacrifice of service personnel past and present.

We were privileged to hear from Ms Sue Robinson — former student and teacher at Frankston High School, and author of 100 Years, 100 Voices, which captures the stories of 100 past students. We also thank Ms Jessica Bambridge and Mr John Russell, passionate educators who spoke meaningfully about the importance of ANZAC Day.

Are You or Your Young Person Using Evidence-Based Study Strategies?

With just over five weeks until midyear assessments, now is a great time for students to reflect on their study habits and for families to check in on what’s working.

Are the strategies being used truly effective?

Below are three research-backed approaches to studying that help improve learning and retention: retrieval practice, spaced practice, and purposeful use of notes.

Retrieval Practice involves recalling information from memory, rather than just reviewing it. One of the most effective ways to do this is by completing practice SAC or exam questions without referring to notes. While this may feel more difficult than rewriting or rereading, it helps build stronger memory by reinforcing neural pathways in the brain.
Spaced Practice is the opposite of cramming. It involves spreading study sessions over time which improves long-term retention. This strategy requires organisation — students should review previous topics regularly while keeping up with new material. Even short, spaced-out study sessions are more effective than long, last-minute efforts.
Purposeful Note-Taking during the learning phase helps summarise key definitions, explanations, and concepts. However, research shows that rereading notes alone isn’t very effective for revision. Instead, students should use their notes actively — for example, turning them into flashcards, or using them to quiz themselves as part of retrieval practice.

It’s also helpful for students to reflect on past assessments. When they felt proud of a result, what study strategies were used? How did that compare to times they were disappointed? Developing self-awareness around learning habits is key.

Encouraging your child to trial these techniques — and reflect on which work best for them — can make a significant difference in both confidence and performance as assessments approach.

Thank you for your ongoing support as we head into another busy and rewarding term. I look forward to seeing all students continue to grow, learn and connect throughout Term 2.

Ms Tiffany Greenhill

Campus Principal

Senior School

We understand families calendar book up quickly. Please see below for some important dates to note.

Click Here for Senior School key contacts

Click Here for Year 11 only Calendar Dates

Click Here for Year 12 only Calendar Dates