International Student Program News
ISP News
On Wednesday 19th October the year 12s had their Valedictory Dinner. ISP attendee numbers were up this year, and there were several parents who were able to come, which was wonderful! The girls all looked amazing and enjoyed an excellent dinner, in between frenzied bouts of selfie taking and receiving certificates and awards.
This year the ISP girls have once again shown what their hard work, determination and dedication to study can achieve; Cally Chen, Pera Nguyen, Skye Qiao and Hyun Roh all won academic or special awards, sometimes even two awards!
Last week the year 12 exams started, and we saw our girls in a whole range of mind sets. There were girls who had set themselves a timetable right from the beginning of the year, had kept to it and done all they needed to do, who were approaching the exams serenely with only a healthy level of pre-exam jitters. There were girls who had done all the work, had handed in all their assignments and were more than ready, but who were plagued by self-doubt and were whipping themselves into a fever of anxiety, and needed a lot of support from homestays, friends and school staff to realise that they will be ‘just fine’. It’s testimony to the calibre of our girls and the work of everyone at the school that we have very few girls approaching the exams unprepared!
The year 12s will start leaving Melbourne to return to their home countries over the next few weeks, so do take the opportunity to say goodbye and exchange contact details with them when you see them. Friendships don’t end at graduation!
Student Reminders - December Holidays
With the December holidays coming up, and all of the VCE exams finishing even earlier that that, we need to remind you that you need to tell me when you are returning to your home countries.
Holiday travel forms can be found on my door in my office, make sure you let us know your travel dates and flight details!
Year 11s and year 12s need to make sure they let their homestays know their final departure dates, and organise where they will store their personal belongings until the start of the university year. You must also make sure that you have paid up until your final day of homestay. Make sure that you leave your room in the cleanest state you can; imagine how you would like to find the room if you are a new student!
Returning students must make sure that you give your homestays a copy of your travel itinerary, and that you leave your rooms neat and tidy. You all know that you are not allowed to have food in your rooms, and this is especially true when you leave for the holidays. Don’t leave anything for the ants during your absence!
If there are returning students who would like to move homestay next year, please remember that only in exceptional cases do we accept year 10s and 11s to live in a homestay that speaks their own native language. We understand that you may wish to move to be closer to the school, or to live with a friend, but please do not try to ‘make a case’ for moving by reporting all the slightest inconveniences you experience with a homestay. It’s not fair to your homestay and it makes you look petty and ungrateful.
League of Homestay Champions
We are coming up to the time of the year when we need to know how many rooms will be available in 2017. With 25 year 12s graduating in 2016, and 27 new students starting in 2017, we will be doing lots of homestay moves, so make sure you put your hand up if you would like to host one of our handpicked future women leaders in your home!
For current homestay families, you will soon receive a requests to register your preferred times for the Term 4 homestay visit, when you can let us know how many rooms you will have available for 2017. We will have around twenty new international girls to house in December and January, so it’s going to be a very busy time!
If you are interested in hosting one of our fabulous international students, please contact Lluani Williams via the College number: 9428-8955, or by email: lluani.williams@mgc.vic.edu.au , or you can pop by my office in room 302. We are always looking for new Melbourne Girls’ College homestay families!