By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
THERE were plenty of relieved sighs and smiles of jubilation on Monday as the inaugural group of year 12 students at Nossal High School received their ATAR results.
The foundation group of 199 students was the first to complete VCE since the selective Berwick high school opened in 2010.
Television crews arrived at the campus early on Monday morning to capture the excitement as the students received their results.
Of the nearly 200 Nossal students, 116 scored an ATAR of more than 90, 11 scored 99 or better and the school’s median study score, for individual subjects, came to 35.
Yuxin Chen was awarded dux of Nossal High School after she achieved an ATAR score of 99.85.
Nossal High School principal Roger Page said he was thrilled with the inaugural group’s results, particularly due to the pressure that came from starting with the school from scratch in year nine.
“We started with exceptional students but we put them together with great teachers. They bonded exceptionally and created a great atmosphere,” he said.
“They were very conscious that everyone was keeping an eye on them, which can be quite overwhelming. They were hoping to do the school justice.”
Mr Page wasn’t the only proud teacher this week, as less than three kilometres away Kambrya College principal Michael Muscat commended his students for receiving their best results to date.
Kambrya’s median study score jumped to 30 this year, while roughly 80 per cent of its students achieved an ATAR higher than 50, which has increased from 59 per cent in 2010.
Kambrya student Alina Derkach was announced as the school’s dux for 2013 with an ATAR of 99.35 after moving from Ukraine to Australia in 2012.
“We are very proud of all of our students for their results and I am most grateful to our VCE and VCAL teachers for their amazing dedication in achieving these results,” Mr Muscat said.
“They have consolidated the excellent work of all the teachers who have built the students up from year seven through to year 12.”
At Berwick Campus of Beaconhills College, student Rachel Bullard was awarded dux of her school after receiving a 97.4 ATAR score.
Headmaster Tony Scheumack congratulated his school’s year 12 students on their results and thanked the teachers for their significant support, some of which were former students who had only recently started teaching at the college.
Students from Narre Warren South P-12 College achieved a median study score of 31 for the third year in a row, while six students scored an ATAR of more than 90.
Assistant principal Rob Duncan commended student Qian Ying Lee after she was crowned dux of P-12 College with an ATAR of 99.05.
In Endeavour Hills, Gleneagles Secondary College student Stefana Doslo was made dux of her school for 2013, with an ATAR of 95.9.
Gleneagles Secondary College principal Sue Peddlesden reflected on the diverse aspirations of the school’s year 12 students and applauded the role of the teachers in helping the students to achieve their preferred future pathway.
