Supporting the Class of 2020

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For all students at St Michael’s and across Victoria, 2020 has been a year like no other. Particularly for students in Year 12, a year which can feel overwhelming, even without a global pandemic. Facing the additional challenges of remote learning and isolation from friends, our Year 12 students have demonstrated their resilience and developed skills that will benefit them long into the future.

“We thank our Year 12 students for their courage, resilience and good humour in facing the challenges the year has presented. The pride in their achievements is shared across the whole School.”

– Ben Jeacocke, Director (10-12)

Finishing secondary school is a rite of passage that brings with it a series of events and celebrations. To support Year 12 during this time, the School has been shifting faceto-face events to virtual presentations, to help guide students into the next stage of their lives. As students turn 18, the annual Enrol to Vote presentation from the Victorian Electoral Commission highlighted the importance of engaging in the democratic process. Rather than the regular presentation in the school atrium, this year featured a virtual presentation from Amy Carpenter at the VEC. CAREERwise sessions have focussed on helping the Year 12 students with how to write a great cover letter and how to build a CV, which will be highly beneficial in preparing students for their next steps beyond St Michael’s. While students considered the careers or pathways they may pursue after school, they also had the opportunity to hear from sports media personality, physiotherapist, and former nominee for Young South Australian of the Year, Nathan Strempel. At the ‘100 Days to Success’ event, Nathan shared his story with the Year 12 cohort and reminded the group of the importance of keeping active, music, laughter, mindful breathing, goal setting, and expressing gratitude. He emphasised that what we do for work does not define who we are, and that “if the journey doesn’t go as planned, it doesn’t mean we are not going to like the destination.”

“Embrace what it is that makes you unique. There is so much power and fulfilment in that.” – Nathan Strempel

The conclusion of a student’s time at St Michael’s is Valedictory Day, which in 2020 we reimagined so that students, parents and staff could enjoy the occasion in a way that ensured the health and wellbeing of our whole community. Though the Year 12 cohort could not gather for a final assembly or Chapel service, the key elements of

celebration remained. Features such as individual picnic boxes, small House meetings, a physically distanced candle lighting ceremony, and a live-streamed Valedictory Dinner captured the very special spirit of Valedictory Day in the current environment. Additionally, the School is giving the Year 12 students a special feature in the 2020 edition of our yearbook, The Michaelian, to celebrate their resilience and exceptional strength. We are also postponing the Year 12 formal until 2021, when it will take the form of both a celebration of the students’ time at St Michael’s and a reunion. We look forward to continuing the celebrations with Year 12, 2020! “To the class of 2020, thank you for your communal strength, grit, innovation, jokes, authenticity and resilience. We may have wobbled and occasionally felt like we were drowning – but we stayed afloat. We made it.”

– Lucy and Tom, Co-Captains of the School, 2020

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Year 12 students at Valedictory Day Students enjoyed their final day at School Every Year 12 student was addressed with a farewell speech from a chosen member of Staff Nathan Strempel speaking to Year 12 Students creatively altered their uniforms for Valedictory Day Deputy Head of the School Mr Gerard Houlihan addressing students at the virtual Valedictory Dinner The Class of 2020 enjoying their achievements on Valedictory Day 5 6