Our Year 12's are important to us and sometimes, we like to mix things up for them and provide them with an opportunity to have some fun. Lucky Dip Monday is one way we do this. Students arrive in the morning and find an envelope that is personally addressed to each of them. They read the document/s inside the envelop and then they visit Mr Rennick to take their chances with the lucky dip. Sometimes they are pleased with their lucky dip, sometimes they are not, like most recently, when Sienna Muke received a box of bacon shapes (she does not eat bacon). Regardless, it is a bit of entertainment to mix up their day and something we love to do.

Our first Lucky Dip Monday contained a letter from Mrs Mitchell, focusing on what it means to be a Year 12 student at HHS. Her article has been included below.

What does it mean to be a Healesville High Student?

As a past student and now a staff member, I feel like I am a bit of an expert on the above question. Keep in mind, everyone has different experiences, so I do realise that my answer to ‘what does it mean to be a Healesville High Student?’ may be different to yours, however, I wanted to share my thoughts with you.

What does it mean to be a Year 12 student at HHS?

From my experiences, as a student and staff member, it means you are part of something. You are a collective group, all working towards the achievement of either your VCE or your VCAL certificate. But is it so much more than this. In most cases, by the time you graduate, you’ve spent 6 years together, more for those of you who went to primary school together (in this case, you will have spent 13 years together). You may not love each other all of the time, but you have shared something pretty special.

Being a Year 12 student means you have the support of the entire school community. You are our priority and creating and maintaining a learning environment that suits each of your needs is paramount to everything we do.

From my experiences as a student, being in Year 12 at this school means you will graduate with life-long friends. Things change once you leave school and everyones’ life moves in different ways, but you’ll always have the connections you developed at this school. You’ll share your successes with other 2022 graduates, you’ll celebrate the success of your classmates and sometimes, you’ll support each other through the times that aren’t so great. What matters though, is that you are part of something! That’s pretty special.

I was lucky and developed some exceptional friendships as a student at HHS. Even though I graduated over twenty years ago, some of my current best friends are people who graduated with me. We are different and are working/living in varied environments, but we remain close because we shared something and we have wonderful memories of our teenage years spent together. I can confidently say that I would not feel the same connection to my peers if I attended a larger school. I am so grateful for the friends and connections I developed as a student at HHS. We’ve all made different friends as we have navigated our way through life beyond high school, but we know we always have each other and when we catch up, it feels comfortable and easy. Once again, that’s pretty special!

Mrs Mitchell with her Year 7 friends at Pizza Hut

So, what do we want from you? For me, ultimately, I want you all to have the best year of your life (so far)! I want you all to have some idea of what you want for your life beyond HHS. You don’t need to have all the answers, but some idea of where life is heading beyond 2022 is a start. Enjoy your last year in our wonderful school. Perhaps consider the opportunities you have been given and the way you have been supported, and be grateful for these things! Enjoy your last year of connecting with your peers, develop your friendships and set yourselves up for a life-time of support from the people around you.

Mrs Mitchell with her best friends in Year 10

And…when things get difficult this year, remember, you are supported. The beauty of HHS is we cater for everyone. So if your goal is getting an apprenticeship, we’ll help you. Alternatively, if your goal is to get an ATAR in the 90’s, your teachers will give you the individual attention you need to work towards that. Let us know what it is you want and we will support you.

Finally, it has been a pleasure watching you all grow and develop over your five and a bit years at HHS. I can’t wait to see what you do this year and beyond!

-Mrs Mitchell

A relative recent photo of Mrs Mitchell with her HHS friends- they are proper grown ups now

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