Senior School Update

Congratulations to all our Year 11 and 12 students on what has been a wonderful start to the year.  Their level of engagement with each other and their teachers in classrooms and during school activities has been so commendable, and I have no doubt that after the holidays we will continue to see the same level of focus and energy we have seen this term.  

We have had some very exciting events in the senior school this term.  Our Year 12s started off the year by staying the night in one of the colleges at Melbourne University, where they attended sessions on study skills, safe partying, respectful relationships and consent, leadership, and VCE and careers.  The Prefects also ran a trivia night and students got to practice yoga.  

Our VCE parents were welcomed back on-site for a very well-attended VCE information session.  It was fantastic to meet parents face to face, and we will continue to look for more opportunities to invite our VCE parents into school.  

Year 12s also attended the Gateway Career Expo at Box Hill Town Hall, where they were able to ask questions to representatives from many different industries and universities.  In Term 2, Year 11s will be spending a whole day out attending the VCE and Careers Expo at Caulfield Racecourse and visiting Monash University. This is an incredibly valuable opportunity for them to continue exploring prospective careers and university and TAFE options.   

In the Senior School, we have been very busy planning some exciting new engagement opportunities for students. At the beginning of next term, a group of teachers will be running a study skills program for Year 11 students in the lead up to their exam period.  We are also in the process of developing a similar program to meet the needs of our Year 12 students later in the year. Improvements to our Senior School camps program are currently in the works, but you will have to stay tuned for exciting announcements!  

I am particularly proud of our student leaders this year, who have been working productively to improve student engagement and connectedness at Box Hill.  They have been very busy planning exciting activities for students, like Valentine’s Day (Year 12 Prefects), Harmony Day (Year 11 Leaders), and helping to plan large events like Swimming Carnival and the Year 12 Formal.  I would also like to thank the Prefects for their thoughtful and personal contributions to their leadership planning day.  I am very excited about their plans to make our school a more inclusive and connected place.  

I wish all of our senior students a restful break, and I hope you enjoy some time with friends and family recharging before Term 2.   

By Jessica Shepherd

Senior School Leader