Senior School
SHARRON FRAME
Head of Senior School
Life in the Senior School moves fast. We focus on study routines, learning the prescribed content and preparing for assessments. But the most important part of the journey is the development of the necessary skills to be good, informed and prepared individuals, ready to exit Oakleigh Grammar. Each student is an individual and each is unique in their journey. Working in partnership with home allows us to help establish balance and the necessary support for our students.
I am fortunate to work with a dedicated group of professionals who, as part of the Pastoral team, oversee the wellbeing of the students in the Senior School. If you have any concerns or questions, please do not hesitate to contact them. The team is:
Year 12
Andrew Phillips (Year 12 Coordinator), Jacqui Thomas, James Gobbo, Lydia Lui and Rosa Avzangelis.
Year 11
Manoj Patel (Year 10 & 11 Coordinator), Angela Korlos, Tracy Sarroff, Joshua Spurling, Greg Joyce and Vanessa Hogarth Scott.
Year 10
Manoj Patel (Year 10 & 11 Coordinator), Marina Kaam, Louis Panagopoulos, Steve Zafiropoulos, Pili Varsos and Melissa Fitzgerald.
Together, we are here to provide each student in the Senior School their Time to Shine in 2020.
The Student Voice of Our School Captains
At the recent Senior School Information Evening, both Athena Typaldos and Sinky Oeng spoke to assembled parents. It was their first speaking event of the year and, as the 2020 School Captains, they represented the student community with pride and articulately presented their visions for this, their last year at Oakleigh Grammar. It is a pleasure to work with the student leaders and watch them grow even more as leaders and capable young adults, voicing their views with confidence and, more importantly, from a well-developed knowledge base. Their speeches from the evening have been included in this edition of the Grammar News, and highlight our students’ depth of talent and maturity.
School Captain Speeches
As an international student coming from Cambodia, I find that it is very different studying in a new country, especially starting Senior School. As you are all aware, Senior School is not only about completing the final phase of schooling, it is also to prepare you for the next step in life. This is why I am beyond thankful for all the support and encouragement from all the teachers and staff.
Approaching my last year of high school, one of the many things I believed to be most important is organization. It will come as no surprise, the amount of work requirements, essays and practices that can pile up in just a few days, or in a few weeks. That is why it is crucial to plan everything in advance so that you know what you’re doing, and allow yourself to be effective with time. Especially for Year 12, finding the balance between school and social life is far more challenging as we are moving at a greater pace, and constantly faced with more deadlines.
Luckily, Oakleigh Grammar is a very open and supportive community, and there are many teachers that can provide you with assistance; such as the Head of Senior School, Mrs Frame, Year 12 Coordinator, Mr Phillips, and our lovely Mrs Harvey.
Senior years are the most critical years for all students, and it is the time to show responsibility for our own learning and be self-reliant. This being said, I encourage everybody to be ambitious and take initiative, as this is the first step to success. As School Captain, it is my honour to lead the school in a positive direction. For this reason, we are all on this journey together; don’t hesitate to ask, because it is your time to shine.
Sinky Ong
School Captain 2020
School has never been easy for me. Coming to Oakleigh Grammar at the end of 2017 was a watershed moment. But what changed? The biggest factor for me was the immediate acceptance that I felt at Oakleigh Grammar. The environment was positive and upbeat. The culture was strong. For the first time in my schooling life, I was allowed to be myself without the fear of being judged. This gave me the impetus to hang in there and to apply myself like never before. I owe this shift to the guidance and support that Oakleigh Grammar has given me.
I want to take this opportunity to give back to the School Community that has supported me on my journey. I want to be there to support my fellow students through the inevitable ups and downs of the school year. Through the fears and the tears. This is amplified for those in Senior School. The workload and responsibility increases, and the struggle intensifies. We should embrace the struggle and not fear it, because we are not alone. We must support one another, because as a School Community we are all in this together.
There are so many extraordinary teachers here to seek assistance and guidance from. It’s probably unfair to single people out, but we have an approachable and caring Coordinator, Mr Phillips, and incredible Head of Senior School, Mrs Frame, who are easy to talk to and approachable at all times.
But it’s just as important to appreciate that the teachers won’t do it all for us. Senior School can be a massive step up for most students. Whether we like it or not we become role models, and we are looked up to by the younger students. This can be daunting. The fast-paced environment and increased workload can also be daunting. As Senior School students, we must take on more personal responsibility. As Stephen Covey has taught us, we all have the power to choose our response to any given situation. We must be more organised. We must work harder. We must work smarter and manage our time. We must avoid wasteful Quadrant 4 activities that are not urgent and not important. Set goals. Write them down. Goals will only be achieved if you set them. Tasks will only get done if you do them.
Senior School gives us opportunities if we choose to take them. The final hurdle in our high school journey is upon us. With courage and effort, we all have the ability to meet the challenges and obstacles that come our way.
I’d like to end by returning to the theme of being yourself. There’s a saying, 'the privilege of a lifetime is being who you are.' I’ve learnt first hand that just being yourself will give you the courage to keep going and push through. It is our time to shine, and I intend to do just that.
Athena Typaldos
School Captain 2020