Testimonials

‘Our teachers really care about us. I really like the way our Food Tech teacher stands at the door at the end of class and individually wishes us a good day or night when dismissing us. She genuinely cares about our progress and learning. She makes sure everyone is feeling confident about what they have learned. She teaches in an easy to understand and relatable way using lots of examples and fun activities. She gets us to connect as a class of co-learners. We all feel free to express our opinions and ideas in her classes.’

‘My Music teacher makes lessons so fun and enjoyable. He caters for everyone in the class and has a really positive vibe. He’s one of the reasons I love this school so much. He brings his love for music to the class and uses it to our advantage. He is easy to understand and overall a really nice and helpful teacher.’

‘When going through a stressful time, I found my teacher’s comfort and support really helpful. It was the definition of ‘above and beyond’. He used his free time to catch up with me, putting my wellbeing above his own. I really appreciate that.’

‘I want to thank my Strive teacher. She is fantastic. We’ve had lots of problems with our computers and she has been there supporting us and teaching us to be patient. She has checked in on each and every student to see how they are and how they are finding high school. We all agree she is very approachable. We can go to her with any of our questions.’

‘My maths teacher is the sole reason I am capable of understanding and applying maths in SACs and in everyday life. He has made maths concepts understandable. It now comes quite easy to me after years of struggling. I really appreciate his positive outlook and the safe and nurturing environment he provides for us all. It’s been about more than maths learning…he’s helped me grow as a person.’

‘My new English teacher has made learning the topics we do interesting and it has made me feel very ready to undertake the upcoming assessments.’

‘What I appreciate about our English teacher is that he makes us think outside the square.’

‘Two teachers in particular have shown great respect towards me and have helped me over several years. They didn’t give up on me even when I stuffed up and sometimes didn’t even rock up to school. I have now improved greatly in my attendance and school work because I got all the help I needed inside school and out. It’s the same for other students.’

‘We want to say a huge thank you for the outstanding job your staff did in teaching and supporting Alex through Year 12 this year. It is the most stressful time for students and parents but we have been impressed with the support and encouragement he has always received.

We feel both our sons received a great education at St Helena SC and an overall positive experience. This is greatly due to the committed staff, especially in the senior school, who go above and beyond their duty to ensure students receive the best possible education and get the support they need.

We want to make special mention of the school’s music program which is excellent. Jake encountered an invaluable sense of community and investment through the band programs, music lessons and school productions. The friendly and encouraging staff made music at St Helena a joyful and delightful part of his schooling journey and growth as a person.’

‘I was watching my son play in the Year 7 football team today, and saw something that made me really proud to be part of the St Helena school community. A group of older students watching gave the most amazing encouragement and support I’ve ever seen a group of kids give. They cheered and yelled encouragement and after the game ran onto the field to sing the school song! It was truly a great moment. Of course we were equally proud of the players who conducted themselves in the most positive manner throughout the game and came away with the win!’

‘I want to express my sincere thanks for the Showcase morning I attended with my wife this morning. It was most impressive to hear a principal team speak so coherently about a school’s vision and purpose – unscripted. This is rarer than you might imagine, so was very refreshing. The sense of intention and purpose came through in references to learning growth and high expectations.

We’ve been looking for the right school for our daughter next year. St Helena is it.’

‘I had the pleasure of watching tonight’s performance of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. What a treat! The technical direction, as well as the costume, lighting and graphic design were superb. The time and effort that went into it did not go unnoticed… The look and feel of the show was so expertly crafted and implemented I felt wholly transformed. I was delighted by the students’ connection to text, performance skills and cohesion. This does not happen overnight. I am in awe of the work done here by the students. What a cast! And everywhere I looked students were leading: backstage, front of house, on stage and beyond. Thank you for making the creative arts a priority and supporting productions like these. It has paid great dividends for everyone involved and everyone lucky enough to be in the audience. Congratulations all!’

‘Thank you so much for your support of my daughter. She feels extremely supported by you all. You have all helped and cared for her, making her feel comfortable and safe.’

‘I graduated from St Helena Secondary College in 1999. In about Year 8 or 9, I was recommended for a “gifted and talented” program, which allowed us ‘geeks’ to get out of normal classes a couple of times a week so that we could learn a bit more about the internet and, at the time, very rudimentary website creation. I really enjoyed those classes, but by the time VCE came around, I had shifted my focus and was looking at becoming a lawyer. My VCE results were good enough to get into an Arts/Law degree, and I’ve been a lawyer in the public service for over 10 years now. In 2009, I started a Masters degree that offered a specialisation field in cybercrime and suddenly I rediscovered the passion I had as a teenager for this stuff! I was lucky enough to be able to take up that specialisation and put it to good use within my organisation. Looking back, I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunities that St Helena SC provided all those years ago – it has had a huge impact on my chosen career path and overall job satisfaction.’

Fleur Taylor

Lawyer

Graduated: 1999

‘During my time at St Helena, I was always a bit of a high-achiever. The teachers and school recognised this and did everything they could to support me and facilitate my success. I ended up achieving an ATAR of 98.75. Three years on, I’m running a tutoring agency, ‘Triumph Tutoring’. SHSC has been extremely supportive in helping me get the word out there and achieve my goals in business and life. They have been like a family to me over the past 10 years and I still keep in contact with many of my past teachers. I would highly recommend St Helena to anyone going into high school.’

Evan Dowsett

Educator, Entrepreneur

Graduated: 2013

‘St Helena provided me with opportunities for both social and academic development. My curiosity was developed through the variety of subjects offered and I found a passion in learning.  I was supported by teaching staff to learn about appropriate career choices, which eventually resulted in completing a degree with honours in my field and gaining employment. I thoroughly enjoyed socialising with a wide variety of students from different backgrounds and being able to participate in a number of different extra-curricular activities. I have made lifelong friends and look back at my time at St Helena with fondness.’

Jacinta Chavulak

Graduated: 2009

‘Studying at St Helena gave me an opportunity to decide my career path at a young age and set me up perfectly for further education. The range of subjects on offer allowed me to study things that were truly of interest to me and made my transition into university a breeze.’

Sarah Williamson

Bachelor of Law/Arts, Television Journalist

Graduated: 2008

‘My time at St Helena gave me the confidence to give everything a go. I was able to find out what my passions and interests were, and utilise resources and great teachers to help explore them further.’

Jess Leake

Studying Bachelor of Commerce – Majors: Commercial Law, Management

Graduated: 2013

‘Since graduating I lived in London for a year and have completed a Media degree at Swinburne University of Technology. I am currently working part time at Coles and the MCG, while in the process of looking for full time work. 

My time at St Helena taught me that you are responsible for what you get out of life. Life is very different after high school, you only get out of it, what you put in. St Helena also taught me you should never be afraid of speaking up. I made lifelong friends at school. The years spent there were some of the best of my life.’

Robyn Wainman

Bachelor of Media

Graduated: 2011