From the Head of Senior School

Since my last article, we have had a busy two weeks of activities and events. The Wear it Purple day held on Friday of week 6 strives to foster supportive, safe, empowering, and inclusive environments for rainbow young people. Students were encouraged to wear a pair of purple socks to remind all our young people, especially the LGBTQIA+, that we support them and stand firm beside them. An “I support you” chalk pledge window was also created in the Performing Arts building. Wear it Purple was founded in 2010 in response to global stories of real teenagers, real heartache, and their very real responses. In 2010, several rainbow young people took their own lives following bullying and harassment resulting from the lack of acceptance of their sexuality or gender identity. Since 2010, when Wear it Purple was co-founded by Katherine Hudson and Scott Williams, Wear it Purple has developed into an international movement. New generations of young people continue to be dedicated to promoting the annual expression of support and acceptance to rainbow young people.

During week 7, I began to experience the buzz and excitement of the students in the lead-up to the House Singing event. Each lunchtime, a chorus of songs and dance moves were enacted in any open space available that could hold a whole House of students from years 7 to 12. The students had been waiting in anticipation for this event, and each House was determined to “step up to the groove.” Friday afternoon arrived, and a modified timetable of 50-minute lessons was adopted, so students did not miss out on their curriculum and VCE subjects. At 2:15 pm, they arrived in the Gymnasium dressed in their costumes and regalia, ready to put on a show of House spirit. I witnessed the confidence of the Year 11 House Captains, which bred confidence in the students to perform. The patience of the House Captains was returned with enthusiasm and smiles. Their imagination sparked ideas, and their work and commitment to get all students “performance ready” for what felt like the event of the year was a testament to their future leadership potential. They used their personalities and best traits to encourage all students to participate and enjoy the House spirit of the day.

On Thursday evening, I watched the various acts of young aspiring actors in the One Act Play event. Students made a welcome return to the Black Box Theatre, where they developed their own plays around the theme of “The Swinging Sixties.” The students should be incredibly proud of their efforts, especially their creativity and teamwork in devising and presenting their own scripts.

This week our Year 11 and 12’s sat their General Achievement Tests (GAT). As part of the VCE and VCAL system reform, Victorian senior secondary students will this year have their literacy and numeracy skills measured against new standards in a redeveloped GAT. The new standards will indicate whether students have demonstrated the literacy and numeracy skills typically expected of someone completing their secondary schooling, indicating their readiness to move on to further education, training, or employment. All students enrolled in one or more VCE or scored VCE VET Unit 3–4 sequence are required to sit the GAT. GAT results confirm that VCE external and school-based assessments have been assessed accurately and fairly. Students who do well in the GAT will likely do well in their other assessments.

Ms Dawn Davis

Head of Senior School