T H E F O R T N I G H T LY N E W S L E T T E R F R O M G A L S T O N H I G H S C H O O L 2 0 1 8 T E R M 4 W E E K 1

Congratulations and Farewell Year 12

Year 12 Farewell Assembly Highlights...

Year 12 Graduation Highlights...

Year 12 Formal Highlights...

Principal’s Year 12 Graduation Speech

Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen,

On this, the most important occasion on the Galston High School calendar, I would like to acknowledge the People who are the Traditional Custodians of this land on which we hold this ceremony tonight and pay my respect to elders both past and present and extend that respect to other Aboriginals here today.

Today is one of those great occasions when we have the opportunity to celebrate our young people, their achievements, their perseverance and their successes, as they move onto the next stage of their lives. It’s one of those times when you can take a break and reflect, feeling good as a parent or as a teacher, knowing that the young people we care about are doing just fine and they’re on the right path.

I’d like to start this evening by extending a warm welcome to the parents, carers and families of the 2018 graduating class. This is as much a celebration for you as it is for Year 12. You have been there for them as they have grappled with assessment tasks and submitted work, not to mention providing advice, support and guidance, as well as thousands upon thousands of healthy meals and warm hugs over the years.

Year 12, you should know that your families are very proud of you today. They have high hopes for you and they believe in you. Today they are full of pride of you. (PAUSE) Today would be a good day to ask for money. Today would also be a good day to hug them and thank them for supporting you, because as much as this is your achievement, this is also the achievement of the people who care about you.

Year 12, before we start to talk about how wonderful you are, I would like you to stand and turn and show your heartfelt appreciation to your parents, carers and families who have been there for you, and will always be there for you, no matter what happens.

And now, most importantly, I would like to welcome our graduating class. A very special group of young men and women who have stood out in many ways this

year. A group who look for the positive in every experience and typically care about each other no matter how different they may be from each other.

Here you are as Year 12 2018 with just a few short hours of ‘school’ left. Your passage through Galston High School is about to end but your smiling faces, sense of humour and bright personalities will endure. It seems impossible to think that just six short years ago you entered Galston High School for the very first time. Right from the outset your teachers set you the task of being your best self at all times and making every moment, both in and out of the classroom, count. We can see now that you accepted their challenge and, even though there have been some bumps in the road, I hope you feel happy and contented with the choices you have made along the way. We are proud of you and the risks you have taken to improve your skills, challenge your learning and step outside your comfort zone. You must continue to do this always.

Every year 12 student here today has worked very hard to make the best of themselves. You have persevered and worked towards your goals in a determined way. Each of you has grown in a way that you should be proud of. You arrive here at graduation a skilled and valuable group, all ready to tackle the next set of challenges which will ensure you grow further. You are all a credit to yourselves, your family and your school.

But first, you must complete the final task set for you. You must complete the HSC - striving for your personal best and we know you are more than capable of reaching such a goal. But we are not going to worry about the HSC today. Today is for celebration and remembering the joy, values and experiences you have shared with your teachers and peers at Galston High School. In the words of Dr Seuss: “Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.”

Today, we also need to acknowledge the work of your dedicated teachers. Teachers who are passionate about your education and strive to give you the very best learning experiences, always. By setting such high expectations, focusing on exceptional standards and challenging

the pedestrian, your teachers have prepared you well for the HSC exams you have already faced and those you are still to face in the next few months. And more importantly, their insistence on your personal best at all times has prepared you for a life of success.

A huge thank you must go to Ms Pickering, your Year Adviser. She has nurtured you and wiped your tears whilst helping you to build the resilience required to sail through the rest of your lives. Well that’s the plan anyway. She has taught you that challenges are what make life interesting, and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful. My thanks also to Mr Gage who, as Ms Pickering’s assistant, was able to provide additional support and opportunities to Year 12 throughout their schooling at Galston. And our thanks also to Ms Arnold, who stepped into the role of Year Adviser when Ms Pickering took maternity leave this term.

Year 12, you entered Galston High School to Learn. Our very best wishes go with you as you make your final preparations for the HSC and then as you take on life beyond the walls of Galston High. With considerable guidance from both home and school, you have reached this milestone with credit and integrity, well equipped for the world you now enter. If nothing else I hope you have learnt to live your lives always demonstrating our school’s core values of Respect, Responsibility and Personal Best and now that Galston is no longer providing that touchstone, that you do not lose sight of these values.

I’ll leave you with these final words of wisdom from Dr Seuss:

Today you are you

That is truer than trueThere is no one alive Who is youer than you You are off to great places Today is your day Your mountain is waitingSo…..get on your way.

Congratulations and Farewell Year 12, may fortune always follow you.

Good-bye & Good Luck Class of 2018