I can’t believe the term is almost over and the year 12 students are finishing their time at Peter Moyes Anglican Community School as they are currently conducting their final School based exams. Below are some of the major events from this term.
Year 12 Valedictory Week
Valedictory is a special time to celebrate the end of secondary schooling for our Year 12 Leavers. This year the focus was centred on community.
The first event was held on Monday 16 September. The House Captain Tree Planting Ceremony. Here the House Captains of our five Houses, under the direction of their Head of House, plant a tree. This long-held tradition sees every House Captain in the Senior School leave ‘their mark’. It has been in place ever since there was a ‘Peter Moyes Senior School’.
Then, at 12.00 pm, following a new format, Years 7-12 gathered in the Auditorium for the Valedictory Chapel. During the service, students received two physical gifts from the School, which also holds a deep symbolic meaning. The first was a lighted candle that represents the light of Christ’s guidance in their life after Peter Moyes. The second was a bible, personally inscribed by the Head of House. The bible represents a manual for life for each student. At the end of the service, staff, students in Years 10 and 11 formed an Honour Guard for the Year 12s to pass through.
To close the first day of Valedictory Events, the Leavers were hosted in the Staff Room for a Valedictory High Tea, after a welcome from the Principal, Mr Ben Lomas. The decorated staff room was transformed beautifully for the event, each table laden with delicious food for afternoon tea. Adding to the sentimental feeling students were given a letter they wrote to themselves during their Year 9 Transition to Senior School morning, way back in 2016! Many a horrified comment was along the lines of ‘what was I thinking back then!!”
Thursday 19th September saw the Leavers arrive for their final Assembly, ever – the Leavers Assembly, presented to the Senior School, and Year 9 Middle School students. Dressed in an exceptional array of fancy dress, the Leavers brought with them a sense of fun and excitement to the morning. Prior to the Assembly starting the Year 12 Leavers were given an individualised ‘Warm Fuzzy’ booklet, filled with kind messages from all members of their cohort.
The day culminated with Valedictory Evening held in the Auditorium and after in the transformed gymnasium for refreshments, family photographs and final farewells. This year the event did not involve any awards and was a celebration of all Year 12’s contributions to the School and the School Community. Students were presented with a special Leavers Sash which will act as a special memento. There were some fantastic musical performances on the night and the ceremony concluded with a ten-minute Leavers Video giving us a taste of the full version. The Leavers Magazine was collected after the ceremony under the backdrop of the superb Leavers Banner. Millie Foster and Keith Solly presented their last duty as Head Girl and Head Boy with their heart-felt address. They also cut the magnificent Leavers Cake enjoyed by all afterwards in the Gym.
Valedictory is a special time for our Peter Moyes students. It is one which holds significance for all involved – staff, families of Year 12 students, and more importantly, our the Year 12 Leavers themselves.
Year 11 Student Leadership 2020
Head Boy and Head Girl positions
The 2020 Student Leadership team began its formation with the conclusion of the Head Boy and Head Girl voting process, which saw candidates present speeches on three different occasions to the Principal, Acting Associate Principal and Heads of House, Year 11 Cohort and to Year 9 and the Senior School. Voting of short-listed candidates occurred which followed an interview with the Principal and Mr Hall.
The quality of candidates was exceptionally high, and at every stage of short-listing, the decision was a difficult one.
I would like to thank all candidates who nominated for a position, either Head Boy, Head Girl Chapel Prefect, House Captain and/or Prefect.
Heading the student leadership team are these four students:
Head Girl – Darcie Mitchell
Head Boy – Atharv Sinha
Deputy Head Girl – Tyler Pedley
Deputy Head Boy – Mitchell Byrne
Chapel Prefect
Next year’s Chapel Prefect will be Adrian Van Den Berg. This is an important role in the School, which can influence all sub-Schools.
House Captains
The next stage is to select House Captains and Prefects. Some Houses followed a process of speeches and voting, or depending on numbers, the decision was simply as those who nominated becoming House Captain unopposed.
Congratulations to the following who students selected as the 2020 House Captains:
Cuthbert: Hannah Sivic & Dane Lines
Durack: Chloe Archer & Amelia Mason
Florey: Paris Rive & Kayla Elieff
Hollows: Christelle Robbetze & Daniel Holding
Lingiari: Chloe Kolzan & Kerr Hutchinson
Prefects
The number of prefects is capped at five. This year, it was a difficult choice as all candidates were strong and brought different skills to augment the Student Leadership group as a team.
Congratulations to the following students selected as a 2020 Prefect:
School Prefect:
Nicole Bothma
Amy Carter
Andre Durrheim,
Emma Mykytiuk
Ashley Orr
I wish the entire team of 2020 Student Leaders well for their new roles. Actually, they will find that their skills, energy and influence are required from Term 4 this year as they fill the void left by the current Student Leaders, all of whom carried out their duties superbly.
The Honours Assembly for Term 3 was held on Tuesday 17 September and was attended by years 7-12. This was another special assembly with Academic Honours presented to William Hodgson and Connor Bennett both in year 10 for there success in the Australian Mathematics Competition. The Senior School Awards for Term 3 were won by Lucy McCorkindale, Year 12 and Nathaniel Trew, Year 11. Leah Davis (Year 12) was presented with the prestigious ‘Good Human Award’.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my term as the Acting Head of Senior School, it has been a pleasure supporting the students of the Senior School in what has been a very busy term. I wish to thank Mr Lomas for the opportunity and finally, I wish the 2019 Leavers all the very best for the future.
Mr Drew Hall
Acting Associate Principal - Senior School