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Once again, I would like to thank our parent community for your ongoing support and remind you of a change for the last day of Term 4 classes. Students’ final day of school will be Friday 16 December 2022. This is due to the additional School Development Day announced for staff across NSW public schools. These additional School Development Days allow our staff to participate in professional learning that was put on hold due to COVID-19 staffing pressures and plan for 2023 to ensure that we meet the needs of our students.

HSC Exams

The 2022 HSC examinations commenced on Wednesday 12 October. Our students have appeared confident going into each exam, knowing that they have been well prepared by their teachers and that they have each applied themselves diligently and effectively studied. With one final week of exams remaining, we wish our students continued success.

Years 7-10 Assessment Period

The final assessment period for our Years 7-10 students commences during week 5. It is vitally important that our students have adopted a study program for revision. Students are encouraged to speak with their class teachers if they have any concerns.

Year 7 2023 GATS Challenge Day

During week 3 we welcomed our Year 7 2023 cohort onsite to participate in a fun-filled Challenge Day. Our amazing Year 9 Peer Support Leaders provided guidance and leadership and commenced developing a peer-mentor relationship to support our newest students to successfully transition into high school. Judging by the smiles on Year 6 faces as they exited the site, the Challenge Day was a success.

Prefects Investiture

Last term students from Year 11 were invited to apply for our school captain and prefect positions. Students were required to submit a written application and our school community voted for the positions of prefect-elect. For those students successful in their prefect nominations who were wanting to stand for the role of Captain, a second round of voting was conducted, and the students additionally participated in an interview.

Congratulations to Amy de Malmanche and Samuel Bloomfield who were elected as School Captains for 2022/23 and Ava Kyreakou and William Lyne as Vice Captains. All four students have repeatedly demonstrated exemplary behaviour, outstanding application and strong leadership qualities in the school and I have great confidence that Amy, Samuel, Ava and William will be outstanding role models in the school community. I look forward to working with them to continually improve the school and ensure student voice is a strong contributor to the decisions made at ÃÛÌÒÉç.

Congratulations to the following students, elected as School Prefects for 2022/2023:

On Friday 18 November we will hold our 2022/2023 Prefect Investiture. Being elected to the school leadership team indicates that the school community believes that each person has the personal attributes to work hard and represent the school in a positive manner. Once again, congratulations to all students in our newly elected leadership team, I look forward to working with them over the next twelve months.

Year 12 2022 MHS Captains’ Graduation Speech

Last term our outgoing Captains gave a beautiful and heartfelt address to the school community. Coming to the realisation that they are moving on beyond the gates of ÃÛÌÒÉç and onto their next year, the students have had time to reflect on what the last 6 years have meant to them. Both Sophia and Charles agreed that I could share their speech with our school community.

Dear Merewether, the time we have spent together has been fun. We have learnt a lot, we have grown so much as individuals and as a team, we will be forever grateful for all that you have done to prepare us for whatever the future holds.

Teachers, parents, friends, class of 2022, the day has finally come for us to say goodbye to this incredible school we’ve spent the past six years at; the day we’ve been both dreading and looking forward to. We’ve been through ups and downs, thick and thin together. We survived years 7 through 12, COVID, our first HSC exam, and now the rest of our trials, and with only one major step to go, the HSC, we find ourselves coming to the final stretch of our high school careers.

Finishing high school is very daunting, it's a sad time for us all. It’s a hard thing to move away from home, or have others move away from you, but the friendships we’ve built and sustained for many years, as well as new friendships we’ve formed and continue to form, will always remain. The amazing memories we’ve made together will stick forever and will be told as stories for years to come. Graduation doesn’t have to be a sad thing though. It’s a new beginning, an opportunity to start fresh.

It has meant a lot to both of us to represent you as your captains over the past year and to be graduating with you all here today. It hasn’t been without a challenge and I’m sure there have been days where graduation seemed like it would never happen, but we have all made it and we’re so honoured to be able to celebrate that! However, there’s no way we would have made it this far without the endless support from our parents, teachers, deputies, and of course each other, so there are some thank you’s that we’d like to make.

For many of us our MHS journey began in year seven where we first met the teachers that would shape our high school experience. Despite various challenges, academic, personal and the pandemic, our teachers have been able to support our learning throughout high school. I speak for the whole year when I say we have an enormous amount of gratitude for the effort and dedication our teachers have shown us, going well above and beyond their job descriptions and expressing real passion for each of our learning experiences. The countless hours of work they have put in to allow us to reach this day, always pushing us to strive for the best we can do, is truly appreciated infinitely. We love you all and are beyond thankful for being able to be your students.

As many of you know, our year group has had a few year advisors in our time. We started off year 7 with the incredible Mrs Clark and Mr Warnock. After only a year, Mr Warnock decided that we were clearly too much to handle, so he left us for a job at Callaghan College instead. Despite his short time as our year advisor, he had left big shoes to fill, a true icon. Though an even bigger icon stepped into his place. Mr Byrnes and Mrs Clark fulfilled the role of our year advisors better than we could have ever imagined, creating memories and connections that will last a lifetime. Despite the early departure of Mrs Clark last year, the years we spent with both of you will never be forgotten and we couldn’t have asked for better year advisors. So much love for both of you.

The admirable Mrs Dooley, Mrs Crooks and Ms Corney have all been inspirational role models to the student body and they have led us to be the driven, successful people we are today. While Mrs Crooks has always been there to support and reassure us in any way we need as a Deputy, it is in these last few years that we, as a cohort, have grown closer to her, seeing her as somewhat of a school mum, dedicating herself to each of us, always looking out for us, guiding us to be the best humans we can be. For this we thank you (look at Mrs Crooks), because none of us would be where we are today without you. To our principal, Mrs Dooley, we are grateful for all the opportunities and inspiration you have given our year group. You have always made it clear how much you value each of us and encouraged us to use our voice to create positive change. There is no person who could have done a better job than you and we are very thankful for the leadership you have provided not only our cohort but the entire school. We are incredibly fortunate to have been your students. Thanks to the amazing work done by Mrs Crooks, Ms Corney and Mrs Dooley, we are finally ready to move on.

This gratitude is extended to our parents, carers and role models who have supported us through countless assessment tasks, extracurriculars, and have supervised many late night study sessions. For so many reasons we wouldn't be able to graduate without all that you have done for us. We all owe you so much, because the love and support you have shown us does not go unseen. Despite occasional resistance to your advice, we value what you have taught as it has prepared us to be where we are today. Without you we would not have grown to be the graduating class of 2022.

We have both enjoyed being able to represent our year group as captains but could not have done it without the support of our Vice Captains, Emily and Charlie, and of course our amazing group of prefects. We have been so lucky to have worked with all of you and admire the ongoing efforts you have been able to put into reaching our goals. You are all truly inspirational individuals.

2022 cohort, we could not have wished for a more fun and caring year group. The past six years have brought us all closer, the memories and experiences we have shared are infinite. Words cannot explain how much we will miss all of you. You have been the most amazing cohort to grow up with, the love we have for each of you is indescribable. We have learnt and grown together to become amazing human beings who are now able to excel beyond the gates of Merewether High. Collectively we have been through a lot since we arrived here as oblivious year sevens, but I am happy to say I am so honoured to have been a part of your cohort. Though we will never experience another six years like these, the memories of our time together will be treasured forever. We may have arrived here in year seven as a selection of 180 strangers, but we now graduate today as family.

Sophia Jeffries and Charles Walker

Important Dates:

• Friday 18 November Prefects’ Investiture
• Tuesday 29 November Year 7 2023 Orientation Day
• Wednesday 30 November – Friday 2 December Year 9 Urban Challenge Excursion
• Monday 12 December Year 7 and Year 9 Assemblies
• Wednesday 14 December Year 10 and Year 8 Assemblies
• Thursday 15 December HSC & ATAR Results released
• Friday 16 December Presentation Assembly
• Friday 16 December Students’ Last Day of Term