Although the end of the Year 12 school year still seems like a long way off, many students will have already started planning how they will celebrate an end to their secondary schooling. Many students will mark this milestone by joining thousands of others in what is now known as “Schoolies”.
If this is the case in your family, now is the time to sit down and a have a conversation about how your child will engage in the end-of-year activities, before deposits are paid and bookings are finalised.
Some things you may want to discuss could be:
- The Year 12 Graduation on Saturday 24 November and the Night of Excellence on Friday 14 December. We recommend students keep these dates free to be able to celebrate formal academic achievements.
- Celebrating safely: talking to your child about the risks associated with alcohol is an important step in reducing the risk of alcohol related harms. To help prevent or reduce adolescent alcohol use, visit the National Health Medical Research Council (NHMRC) guidelines found at the Parenting Strategies website.
- Respect for communities and ensuring young people register for the area they are intending to visit. If your child is likely to visit Victorian coastal regions during Schoolies, they are encouraged to register on the Good Times Great Breaks website, which provides useful planning and safety tips.
- If planning a celebration at the beach, please note that key Victorian coastal areas of Surf Coast Shire, Bass Coast Shire and the Mornington Peninsula run a one-week period (24 November–1 December 2018) when safety response teams will be on hand.
- Some students elect to volunteer within Australia or overseas and, in the tradition of Catholic social justice, many engage in cultural immersion programs that contribute to communities in need. If planning to volunteer or celebrate overseas, young people are encouraged to visit the Australian Government's Smart Traveller website for registration, information and safety tips.
Your child’s end-of-year celebrations should be a wonderful time for them. Please, spend some time now to plan it and ensure that they will be safe.
