Senior School News

WELCOME BACK

I hope everyone had a relaxing holiday and Easter break.  It has been very pleasing to see that students have utilised these holidays in completing homework and preparing study notes and summaries.  I would like to thank our teachers, many of whom made themselves available to assist students with their work over the holiday period.

ANZAC DAY PRESENTATION

Thank you to Mr John Russell for organising a very moving ANZAC address for classes on the Senior Campus including a speech from Les Carlyon, author of 'Gallipoli' and 'The Great War' which Mr Russell recited.  This was followed by the Last Post and a minute’s silence. 

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALEX SHACKLOCK YEAR 11

On Friday 8 April, Alex Shacklock had the incredible opportunity to shadow the British Consul-General for the day. 

Alex’s full report of her day is below:

On Friday 8 April, the last day of Term 1, I had the opportunity to shadow the British Consul-General for the day.  The British Consul-General, Mr Steph Lysaght, has the important role of overseeing British relations in Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania. Working with an incredible team in support, he runs a well-oiled machine, which is needed as Mr Lysaght is a very busy man. A day that started before the sun was up, and ended well into the night, he and his office spent their time promoting business relationships between Britain and Australia, as well as general community engagement activities.

The day started early at 6.45am, at the 2022 Melbourne Grand Prix. I met the British Consulate Chief of Staff, Ms Philippa Campbell, and another student who was awarded the same opportunity.  We attended a breakfast and discussion panel about the opportunities and impact of technological innovation, where the Consul-General was the host. He created an opportunity for international experts to share ideas with local academics, businessmen and media. Afterwards, we had a chance to walk around the Grand Prix setup and see the different booths that were open where Mr Lysaght engaged with the community informally. 

Once that engagement was over, we returned to the British Consulate Office on Collins Street, where Mr Lysaght gave us a tour of the office and gave us insight on the ins and outs of the job, including the various programmes the office gets engaged in. Some really interesting engagement opportunities are under way.

Next was a one-on-one Teams call with Her Excellency, Mrs Vicki Treadell, the British High Commissioner to Australia. We were able to ask her anything, and I used the chance to ask her what she believes the qualities of a great leader are. She said “Kindness, compassion and honesty”. They really resonated with me as an aspiring young leader.

The call with the High Commissioner was followed by a lunch at the William Angliss Institute, with members of the Royal Overseas League, where the Consul-General was a guest speaker and spoke about the Free Trade Agreement. He used the opportunity to talk about its effects on the community and how it can benefit us as a society, while making it interesting to listen to. The day finished back at the office, with one final sit down with the Consul-General, where we could ask him things about the job, and how he got to where he is today.

All in all, the day was both a humbling and eye-opening experience. The key takeaway for me was that our current generation has a responsibility to innovate, create and lead, while recognising the contributions of previous generations. I could not imagine living every single day as busy as the Consul-General does, however it was an incredible opportunity for which I am very grateful for.

CAREERS AND TERTIARY EXPO – TUESDAY 31 MAY

I encourage all parents and students to attend the Careers and Tertiary Expo which will be held on Tuesday 31 May in the Senior School Presentation Area from 2.00pm – 5.00pm. This is an excellent opportunity to meet with representatives from the major tertiary providers to ask questions and gain information on the courses they have on offer.  This is invaluable in planning future pathways with your child.  All Year 9, 10, 11 and 12 students and their families are welcome.

We will be following this on the same day with our own Frankston High School Subject Expo where students can chat with experienced teachers about the demands of different VCE and vocational subject choices.  Further details will be on Compass closer to the date.  Thank you to our Careers Practitioner, Mrs Sharon Bourne, for overseeing these events.

MID YEAR EXAMINATIONS

A reminder to students and parents that the end of semester is Friday 3 June.  All Year 11 and Year 12 studies will have an end of semester examination.  Timetables will be distributed shortly.  The Year 11 examination period is from 6 June to 17 June, the Year 12 examination period is from 6  June to 14 June.

Students must have a study/revision timetable in place and consistently review their class notes in preparation for these examinations.  Any students who would like assistance with study skills are most welcome to contact one of the Year Level Coordinators,  or myself for assistance. 

I wish students all the best with their examinations.

END OF SEMESTER ARRANGEMENTS

Year 12 students

Monday 6 June – Tuesday 14 June

 Year 12 exams (no formal classes)

Thursday 10 June

Report Writing Day

Friday 3 June

The last day for students to submit work for Unit 3

Wednesday 15 June

Unit 4 commences 

Year 11 students

Monday 6 June – Friday 17 June

Year 11 exams (no formal classes)

Friday 3 June

The last day for students to submit work for Unit 1

Monday 20 June

Unit 2 commences  

ATTENDANCE POLICY

I would like to remind parents and students of the attendance policy in the senior school. Seven unexcused absences in a study and/or fifteen absences in a study results in an N result for that study. Students must ensure all absences are annotated by the coordinators or office staff on the absence card in their diary.  Students must also ensure this is shown to all of their classroom teachers.  In order for the absence to be excused, parents/guardians must provide a note with a specific reason for the absence: illness, funeral etc.

YEAR 12 FORMAL

I am looking forward to attending the Year 12 Formal at the Mornington Racecourse Wednesday 8 June.  Best wishes to all students, I am sure it will be a very memorable night for you. 

STUDENTS ATTITUDE TO SCHOOL SURVEY

A reminder that Year 11 students will undertake the survey on Monday 23 May periods 1 and 2, and Year 12 students will undertake the survey on Monday 23 May periods 3 and 4. Students must bring a fully charged device to school to complete the survey.

Senior School Team

Ms Helen Wilson, Campus Principal Years 11 and 12

If you have any concerns or questions please do not hesitate to contact any member of the teams.