9–12 Campus

A Message to our Year 12 Families

As we move towards the final stretch of the year, we want to take a moment to speak directly to our Year 12 parents and carers: thank you, and please know how proud we are of your young people. The past two years have asked a great deal of your son or daughter. Whatever the ups and downs along the way, you will have seen them keep “showing up”, keep working and keep growing. That effort has not gone unnoticed by their teachers, and we hope it hasn’t gone unnoticed at home either. A word of encouragement from you can mean more right now than you might realise.

With performance and oral language examinations beginning on 5 October, and written examinations commencing on 27 October, we know this final stretch can sometimes feel like the biggest test of the year for your family as much as for your child — not just of what they know, but of everyone’s patience, resilience and ability to keep going when energy is running low. Please know that you don’t have to navigate it alone. Your young person’s teachers and the College are here to support and guide both students and families through these final, often stressful weeks. We mean that genuinely. If your child needs extra support, a quiet place to study, some additional guidance or simply someone to talk to, please encourage them to reach out — or reach out to us yourselves.

A note for families of our VCE Vocational Major (VM) students: the VM program officially concludes at the end of Term 3 unless your child has outstanding work or requirements to complete. In this case, they will need to continue working with their teachers during Term 4 to ensure everything is successfully finalised.

As your family prepares for these final weeks, we ask you to help your child remember that exam results are ultimately just a number. They do not define your young person’s worth, intelligence, potential or future. What matters is that they give themselves every opportunity to achieve the goals they have set, because doing so helps keep doors of opportunity open for whatever comes next, and there will always be more than one door and more than one pathway. Whatever the outcome, this is not the end of their story; it is simply the beginning of their next chapter. The way we talk about exams and results at home and at school can make an enormous difference to how our young people manage that pressure.

If there is one message worth reinforcing during these final weeks, it is that it is never too late to do a little more. A little more revision, a little more sleep, one more practice exam, one more revision session, or one more conversation with a teacher about something that isn’t quite clicking. Small efforts still count, right up until the final exam is complete.

So, to all our Year 12 families: please help your child finish strong. Encourage those undertaking exams to give them their best and most honest effort. Then, whatever the outcome, help them to feel proud knowing that they gave themselves every opportunity to succeed. That is all any of us can ask.

IIMPORTANT DATES FOR YEAR 12:

• Tuesday 15 September – Completion of the VM program, except for students with outstanding work or requirements.

• Friday 18 October – Thursday 24 October – Unit 3 & 4 Trial Examination period. Attendance is compulsory for all students studying a Unit 3 & 4 subject, including Year 11 students undertaking an accelerated Unit 3 & 4 subject.

• Friday 16 October – Final day for all Year 12 students, including our whole-school farewell assembly and Year 12 Celebration Day.

• Saturday 17 October – Year 12 Graduation for all members of the Class of 2026 at the Alexander Theatre, Monash University, from 5.00pm–7.00pm. Detailed information regarding tickets will follow.

• Monday 19 October – English Revision Day.

• From Tuesday 20 October until the end of the examination period – subject revision program. Students are expected to attend the revision classes provided by their teachers. A detailed revision timetable will be provided to students and families.

Around the College

Of course, while our Year 12 students approach the end of their secondary schooling, the work continues for all students across Years 7–11.

Our recent Try July competition saw our Year 9 and Year 10 students compete to earn the most green posts for positive behaviour, random acts of kindness and personal successes. The competition was a fantastic way to recognise and encourage students who demonstrate our College values every day. In a very close contest, Year 9 just edged out Year 10 and were rewarded with a hot chip lunch for the entire cohort, a well-deserved celebration of their efforts. Better luck next time, Year 10! A big thank you to Heads of Year Jack Rolfe and Tom McInerney, supported by our Year Level Leaders Alex Christopoulos and Selina Wilkinson, for driving this initiative and helping make Try July such a positive and engaging experience for our students.

Our Year 10 students have also had some valuable opportunities this term through the Life Skills program. The young men participated in the exceptional Man Cave workshops, focusing on positive masculinity, self-reflection and respectful relationships. At the same time, the young women participated in the Flourish program and Women’s Health sessions, as well as taking part in either yoga or a netball competition. These programs provided our students with valuable opportunities for reflection, discussion and learning as they continue their journey into senior school.

There is also plenty of anticipation around the Year 11 Semi-Formal, to be held during the final week of term at Black Rock Yacht Club. A special thank you to Azra Andric and our student leaders for all their work in organising what we hope will be a memorable evening for our students.

I too would like to congratulate everyone involved in our fabulous production of Legally Blonde. What a privilege it is to work alongside such dedicated teachers, students, volunteers and alumni, all of whom contributed so much to bringing this incredible production to the stage. It was an absolute joy to be part of. While I’m sure we are all still recovering from what was an incredibly demanding process, we are left with some wonderful memories, a tremendous sense of achievement and, perhaps most importantly, many new friendships and connections formed along the way.

Our much-anticipated Space Camp is finally almost here, with students departing on Sunday 20 September. We extend a huge thank you to the staff who are giving up their time to provide our students with this extraordinary opportunity. We wish the entire group safe travels and a fabulous experience.

Looking further ahead, the Years 7–11 examination period commences on Friday 6 November. A detailed examination timetable will be provided to students and families at the beginning of Term 4.

Finally, don’t forget to book your Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences for Years 7–11, being held at the end of Term 3 on Thursday 17 and Friday 18 September. Details and booking information are available through Compass. These conferences are always an excellent opportunity to receive valuable feedback from teachers, celebrate achievements and identify areas for continued improvement as we work together to help every student achieve their personal best.

Thank you to all our students, families and staff for another busy and productive term.

Have a wonderful and well-earned end-of-term break.

Vivienne McElwee

9–12 Campus Principal