Senior School News
Year 10 to 12
Important Dates: Senior School
Term 2 Week 9 | Monday 14 June | Queen’s Birthday Public Holiday |
Week 9 | Tuesday 15 June | Year 10 Exams commence |
Week 9 | Thursday 17 June | Year 10 University Experience Day (TBC) |
Week 10 | Tuesday 21 June | Semester 2 begins (Unit 2 & 4 & elective changeover) |
Week 10 | Friday 25 June | Student Free Day Assessment & Reporting Day |
Term 3 Week 1 | Thursday 15 July | Year 12 Formal |
MID-YEAR EXAMS: Managing Stress during the Exam Period
With the start of the exams for Year 10 and continuation of exams for Year 11 and the GAT (TBC), many of our Senior School students may be feeling overwhelmed by what lies ahead.
- What can students do to look after their own wellbeing during the exam period?
- How can parents provide support to their child in managing exam stress?
Firstly, not all stress is bad. Stress can help the brain perform more efficiently and can result in optimal alertness, behavioural and cognitive performance. It’s normal to feel some stress during the exam period. Students can give themselves a better chance of managing this “normal exam stress” by maintaining balance in their lives and by taking care of their health. Consistently getting a good night’s sleep, eating regular healthy meals, getting some regular exercise and allowing time for fun activities are all important strategies.
What might exam stress look like?
Students may experience the following:
- feeling moody, low or overwhelmed
- having trouble making decisions
- loss of appetite or over eating
- sleeping poorly and struggling to get out of bed
- difficulty getting motivated to start studying
- tense muscles or headaches
- clammy hands or feeling butterflies in the stomach
- a racing heartbeat or feeling sick
- fidgeting, nail biting or teeth grinding
- feeling confused, ‘going blank’ when trying to think
- losing touch with friends and the activities you enjoy
If you think that your child is struggling to manage their stress levels, please contact the Year Level Coordinators to discuss a support plan for your child during the examination period. Teachers, Coordinators and our College Wellbeing Team are available to assist students with strategies to help them cope.
What can students do to help themselves during this time?
- Make sure you know exactly what will be covered in the exam. Look at past papers to help you understand what to expect. Talk to your teacher if you are unsure.
- Have a quiet, clean space to study in, with ready access to any materials you need.
- Break your study up into 20 minute chunks, with breaks of at least 5 minutes in between. The brain encodes information more effectively in short, repeated sessions.
- Say it and think it out loud. This is one of the best ways to retain what you are learning. If you can explain your thinking to someone else, you deepen your own understanding.
- Go to bed at a reasonable hour, eat regularly and make time for fun and exercise.
- Avoid energy drinks, coffee and other sources of caffeine. Drink plenty of water instead.
Tips for the day of an Exam
- Work out what you need to take with you into your exam the night before and have everything ready–water, student card, calculators, pens, pencils, etc.
- Eat a light breakfast–this will help with your energy and concentration.
- Make sure you know where your exam is and arrive at school with plenty of time to spare.
- Visit the toilet before your exam starts.
- If you’re feeling anxious just before your exam, focus on your breathing. Breathe in to a count of 3 and then breathe out to a count of 3. Repeat this steadily for a few minutes.
- On exam day, it can help to stay away from other people who may be feeling anxious and from others who may make unhelpful comments that increase your anxiety.
- When you first sit down to do your exam, take time to slow your breathing and relax.
When you finish your exam, take time out to relax a bit before you start preparing for the next exam. Do something you enjoy or have a chat with your friends.
The following attached documents may be useful resources.
- Five Steps to Study Success
- Seven Tips for Managing Exam Stress
Further information is also available through the following links:
https://headspace.org.au/young-people/how-to-reduce-stress-and-prepare-for-exams/
https://au.reachout.com/articles/5-steps-to-study-success
In times of crisis, all of the below helplines are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week:
- Kids Helpline: call 1800 551 800
- Youth BeyondBlue: call 1300 224 636
- Lifeline: call 13 11 14
If you have any further questions, please contact Year Level Coordinators.
Refer to the attached documents ...
Kate Leaumont
Head of Senior School
Breakfast Club
Every Tuesday morning in The John Landy Centre, there will be free food for ALL students.
Foodbank Victoria are providing nutritious food items for students to eat before they start their day. There will be cereal, fruit, toast, baked beans & spaghetti, fruit cups and muesli – no need to order, just rock up.
Amy Nettelbeck
Student Lunches
Just a reminder to parents that we are unable to deliver lunches to students during school time. If your child has forgotten lunch, it can be left at the General Office but it is the student’s responsibility to come and collect it.
Hot food is not suitable to be left at the office. PLEASE NOTE:- Take-away food is not allowed during school hours.
Under no circumstances are students to be ordering take-away food to be delivered to the College.
College Charges 2021
East Doncaster Secondary College Council would like to thank you for your support of the College as we endeavour to provide the best possible education for your child.
In order to provide quality programs and a comfortable and efficient learning environment for our students, the College relies on strong support from the College community. The College Charges are designed to supplement the Government’s allocation to schools to provide materials and services. These charges enable us to enrich and extend the learning experiences of our students in each subject. Please find attached the explanatory Parent Payments Parent Letter and Parent Payment Policy. 2021 College Charges are now available for parents to pay on Compass.
Please note that there is no additional charge incurred if paying online via Compass.
For further information regarding our Parent Payments Policy, please refer to the attached documents.
1 to 1 Digital Learning Program 2021
In 2021 we will continue with our whole school 1 to 1 Digital Learning Program for all students.
Our Year 7 and 10 students will be required to purchase a laptop, Year 8, 9, 11 and 12 students will continue with their laptop from 2020. The purchase of these devices is crucial to the learning program as students will access eBooks rather than an extensive number of expensive textbooks.
Details of the 1 to 1 Digital Learning Program for all students and important information regarding suitable devices are detailed in the attached policy.
Student Compass ID/Library/PTV Cards
Please remind all students that they must carry their Student Compass ID/Library/PTV Cards with them at all times.
ALL students must sign in/out with their card at the General Office when they are arriving late or leaving early for any reason. A reminder that Year 12 students are required to sign in/out at The John Landy Centre Compass Kiosk.
The cards are also used for any student photocopying that is done at school. The EDSC Student Compass ID/Library/PTV is also the student PTV (Public Transport Victoria) cards. They are required to carry this card as student identification while travelling on public transport.
If a student loses their card, parents/guardians are able to re-order a replacement card via the Compass parent portal.
