SENIOR SCHOOL

SENIOR SCHOOL NEWS

VALEDICTORY EVENING

MS NEILL'S SPEECH ON THE EVENING

This year I would like to start with drawing our attention to the beautiful GALLERY OF GRADUATION 2022 – which Ms Donna Muldoon has tirelessly put together especially for the class of 2022. She is an example of the kind of Education support staff who work and ‘live’ among us at KSC. Year after year, class after class, your journey has been supported by so many people here – not just subject teachers, but integration aides, technicians, office staff, cleaners, leaders, coordinators and of course; each other.

Each year Donna makes a special effort to acknowledge our graduating class in some lovely and unique way – this year it was the gallery. What struck me when I first saw this is a cliché but it is so true: They have all come so far in such a short time!

And it IS a very short time.

One minute you are hanging out for the next Lego set and a new lightening McQueen or Wiggles T-shirt, playing with your crazy putty and patting your ‘FUR real’ pet or watching the Captain Underpants and the Emoji Movie on your tablet.…then the next!

You are asked to find your locker, remember your books for 4 different classes a day, understand the difference between an ‘elective’ and a ‘core’, navigate Compass on your new device, remember what house you are in for sports ( & to dress up ), know who to go to when you are sad, in trouble, forgotten your password, want a bus pass or to sign out….remember what a CAT is and when its due for about 100 subjects, work on your GPAs, go to ACE (what is that again!?), to hide your phone, to wear the right sports uniform, the right shoes, to be on time and… AIM HIGH!!

It is a tough gig those early days of High school but – seriously. Look how far you have come 😊

I often reflect on just how much it IS that ‘WE’ - your parents, your coordinators and your teachers expect of a young person in those first 3 – 4 years of school before you reach the top of the tree in Year 11, and Year 12. Starting TAFE, getting to AGA, taking on a part time job, driving lessons, attending parties, netball & footy games, completing VCE SACs and exams, debutante balls, & summer romances.

We ask you to: learn, speak up, stand up, lead if you can, STUDY, discuss, summarise, analyse, highlight, paraphrase and READ! To demonstrate perseverance and courage, empathy and kindness, to pursue your passions, apply for Uni, be a role model for others, be brave and stay true to your purpose, be responsible, show initiative, be funny and erudite, don’t take life so seriously but seriously, WORK HARD, and….”Just be yourself!”

We ask all this of ALL the young people in front of me tonight in the few short years they are at Secondary school, so that they may successfully reach this moment right now. AND GUESS WHAT….? YOU DID IT!

You have succeeded in these things and so many others. You have made us proud and you have seen it through in whatever capacity you could. You turned up. Because as Danny O’Brien reminded us when he came to the Synergy Breakfast earlier this year:

The world is run by those who turn up!

For this reason and so many others; you did it. You will continue to shine, and you will continue to thrive, so continue to turn up!

And each of us here tonight who has helped you on your journey look very much forward to seeing the places you will go in the future.

On a personal note, the class of 2022 is my last KSC cohort ☹ I am moving schools in 2023 and I wanted to take this opportunity to say in front of many of my colleagues and my favourite students – thank you 😊 Thank you for being the beautiful people you all are and making my last year at KSC such a great one.

Please raise your glass now for some special thankyous: Karen Sorrell for all her Careers counselling and admin work and supreme organisation in the Senior Office – we cannot do this job without her.
And to Nicole Creaser for her love and care of the Year 12 students this year and over the course of your school journey. She applies an amazing level of detail to everything she does and the school benefits from this each and every year.
I would like to thank the KSC community engagement group for another really lovely double page spread in the Sentinel Times. This has become a wonderful tradition which we are truly grateful for. It makes us feel like the connected, happy, proud community which we aspire to be each day at KSC.
We also have ANOTHER wonderful video directed and produced by Mrs Reymers which has become a Year 12 graduation tradition. I have not seen it all yet! I really want to acknowledge the work that goes into this evening – like our ‘gallery wall’, the booking of the venue, the video, the set up and pack up – you are all legends.

Melissa Neill

Senior School Coordinator