Year 12 Exams Commence Next Week

Year 12 exams begin next Tuesday, marking an important milestone for our senior students as they approach the culmination of their VCE studies. It has been fantastic to see so many students making productive use of the Senior School study spaces this week and actively seeking additional feedback and revision support from their subject teachers.

The final week of classes was quite the celebration — a festival of fun and reflection! Students embraced the theme days, participated in the Year 12 Retreat, attended the Valedictory Dinner, and enjoyed the School Leavers’ Assembly, which was a wonderful opportunity to recognise achievements and share memories together.

As exams commence, students are reminded to arrive at least 30 minutes before their scheduled exam to allow time for organisation and check-in procedures. All students wear full school uniform and should ensure they bring the required materials, student ID if sitting an exam at another venue, and familiarise themselves with the VCAA exam rules and expectations.

We also encourage students to prioritise rest, nutrition, and self-care throughout the exam period. Taking regular breaks, staying hydrated, and maintaining healthy routines can make a real difference to focus and performance.

The Senior School Team wishes all Year 12 students the very best as they complete their exams. Your hard work, persistence, and commitment throughout the year are a credit to you — and we look forward to celebrating your achievements at the conclusion of the year at Ivanhoe Town Hall on 11 December from 6:30pm-7:30pm.

To our Year 10’s and 11’s:

Exam week will run from Friday 14 November until Friday 21 November.

Year 10 Headstart Program: 24 November-5 December (Last day of classes)

Year 11 Headstart Program: 24-28 November (Last day of classes)

We would like to thank Mr Ryan for the support and direction he has provided to our VCE students throughout the past three years, and have included a poem he has written to farewell them below.

1	I hópe that yóu’ll indúlge me júst this ónce The pútting fórth my thóughts and féels in rhýme I’ve thóught abóut this móment nów for mónths So múch to sáy, so véry líttle tíme.	13	Líttle díd I knów what wás to cóme A thrée-year báttle wáged on Áir Force - bláck, On ÁirPods, PE úniform, ho-húm. Cóuntless phónes were táken, gíven báck.
2	Toníght we gáther hére to celebráte The wíns you’ve hád to gét yoursélf this fár; Remínd you thát you háven’t lóng to wáit To bíd your schóol and téachers áu revóir.	14	From thís, you’d thínk the jób was sóul-destróying But thát belíes the jóy I’ve hád to sée You grów from líttle kíds, at tímes annóying, To yóung adúlts, abóut to bé set frée.
3	Impórtant fínal húrdles stíll remáin, For whích you’ll réap whatéver yóu have sówn. Year Twélve’s an óften árduous campáign, Though óne I’m súre you’ll áll agrée has flówn.	15	Year Tén appéared to bé the yéar of lóve, Rómance stárting, énding léft and ríght The grápevine chát I tríed to stáy abóve But sóme forgót that téachers stíll have síght.
4	But gétting hére takes móre than júst a yéar Your páths to gét here váry fár and wíde But cómmon tó you áll here, péer-to-péer Are mém’ries thát will néver léave your síde.	16	The Yéar Eléven wórkload wás a shóck “How cúte,” you’d sáy to pást you íf you cóuld. The ántidóte - a fórmal. Súit and fróck Some dáncing díd you áll the wórld of góod.
5	For móst you stárted báck in twénty-twénty For óthers, éarlier, and sóme came láter; Togéther hére and úp in Úpper Plénty The chánce to táke stock rárely wíll be gréater.	17	Then cáme “The yéar that mátters” - nót my wórds “I’ll génuínely stárt to trý,” you sáid. “We’ll túrn it ón, we’ll tránsform ínto nérds,” “Retúrn from súmmer bréak with nóvels réad.”
6	So lét’s rewínd the tápe back fíve year lévels Báck to whén your hígh school yéars begán. Sóme were ángels, sóme were chéeky dévils For sóme we hád to máke a séating plán.	18	Trúth be tóld that’s móstly béen the cáse And áll throughóut you’ve fóund the tíme for láughter This yéar’s as múch abóut the SÁCs you áce As tímes that yóu’ll remémber éver áfter.
7	Year Séven started wíth a báng - a cámp, House swímming cárnival at Nórthcote póol, But thén you hád to súddenly revámp Your éxpectátions of your yéar at schóol.	19	Term Óne had bówling bréaking úp the nórmal. Térm Two dówn at Bóunce in búddy téams. Term Thrée you órganísed anóther fórmal, Just cóuldn’t gét enóugh of thém, it séems.
8	The léss that’s sáid on Cóvid tímes the bétter, On léssons táking pláce on Góogle Méet, On hómework dóne by Góogle tó the létter, On thínking thát you hád your téachers béat.	20	With thís a chápter clóses - bíggest yét! A tíme we hópe will sét you úp for lífe. Who knóws? For sóme of yóu you cóuld’ve mét Your fúture húsband ór your fúture wífe.
9	Betwéen the lóckdowns óne year cáme and wént, Befóre you knéw it, óne more yéar in tów. Amídst it áll the bést-used tíme was spént On páper plánes… íf you knów, you knów.	21	Make súre to thánk the ónes who gáve suppórt Your párents, cárers, síblings, fríends, whoéver. It’s éasy tó forgét, and lífe is shórt. But théy’re the báse that hólds up yóur endéavour.
10	You cámped agáin Decémber Twénty-óne, A shíp run tíghtly tó the códe of Híckey. Móvie níght and sóccer bróught the fún. For bédtimes thóugh you’d dáre not táke the míckey.	22	I’m knów I spéak for áll the stáff atténding To sée you hére toníght, it mákes us próud. Just knów that íf you’re sád that schóol is énding You’ll álways bé a líttle bít Macléod.
11	With Cóvid óver, ón to stárt Year Níne. Ms Cóchrane máde her óffice ópen-dóor. If éver whát you néeded wás to whíne, She’d lét you yáp untíl your thróat was sóre.	23	It’s pérsonal for mé this móment tóo, For yóu’re the gróup with whóm I máde my stárt. The fírst group thát I’ve séen the whóle way thróugh For thát you’ll bé foréver ín my héart.
12	When Míster Líght appróached me láte that yéar And ásked me íf I’d jóin the Sénior Téam, “Yés, but ónly Téns,” I sáid, sincére - I héld you áll in súch unmátched estéem.	24	For mé, and yóu I hópe, it’s béen a blást Beyónd this nést I’m cértain thát you’ll thríve I’ll léave you wíth this párting nóte - hold fást, And bíd adiéu the Cláss of Twénty-fíve.

Royce Light

Senior School Leader

Macleod College Newsletter

Achieve, Respect, Connect

Issue 9 · 24 Oct 2025

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