Day: 13 March 2026

At Mildura Senior College, wellbeing is central to creating the conditions for students to learn, grow and feel connected. As students move through senior school, they manage a wide range of pressures, including study, friendships, family responsibilities, future pathways, work and assessment. The College continues to strengthen programs that build resilience, organisation, independent learning habits and personal capability.

To make support even easier to access, we are introducing an additional process for students who wish to connect with Wellbeing Services. Students can now complete a Wellbeing Self-Referral form, available through the Compass favourites menu. The form provides a direct pathway to support for a range of concerns, including mental and emotional health, personal and social challenges, health and lifestyle, safety and crisis support, and growth and positive mindset.

Once submitted, the form will be reviewed by the Wellbeing Coordinator within two school days, and students will be contacted using the method they nominate. We encourage all students to reach out whenever they need support. Seeking help is a positive and responsible step, and no student needs to navigate challenges alone.

Families play an important role by creating space for open conversations, helping young people feel comfortable accessing support, and reassuring them that asking for help is safe and encouraged. Friends can also support each other by encouraging someone they are worried about to contact Wellbeing Services.

Support can be accessed through the self-referral form, by emailing 8045-dl-wellbeing@schools.vic.edu.au, calling 03 5021 2911, or speaking with a teacher, Sub School Leader or the Front Office. For immediate support, students and families should contact emergency or crisis services, including Lifeline, Kids Helpline, headspace, Youth Beyond Blue, MBPH Mental Health Service, or call 000 in an emergency.

Creating a Study Schedule

A realistic study schedule helps students balance school, homework, revision, work, sport, and wellbeing. During Pathways sessions, students are encouraged to plan their week in advance and allocate time for each subject.

Use Pomodoro blocks to structure study: 25 minutes of focused work followed by a 5-minute break. This can improve concentration, reduce procrastination, and make tasks feel more manageable.

Effective schedules should:

· Break tasks into smaller sessions

· Prioritise upcoming assessments

· Rotate subjects across the week

· Include breaks, exercise, and sleep

Consistency each week is more effective than occasional long study sessions.

Active Recall vs Passive Revision

Students often default to passive revision such as rereading notes, highlighting, or watching videos. While these can be useful starting points, stronger learning comes from active recall — retrieving information from memory.

Examples include:

· Practice questions

· Flashcards (Leitner System)

· Writing everything remembered about a topic

· Teaching someone else (Feynman Technique)

· Timed practice tasks

Regular self-testing is one of the most effective ways to improve memory and exam readiness.

For more information, refer to the Make It Count Google Slides in the Pathways Google Classroom.

How Parents Can Help

Parents can support students by:

· Asking about their weekly study plan

· Providing a quiet study space

· Encouraging healthy routines and regular breaks

· Praising consistency and effort

· Helping students maintain balance during busy periods

Strong study habits developed now will benefit students well beyond Year 12. Thank you for your continued support of our senior students.

VCE Success Strategies Presentation

On Tuesday 21 April, our Year 12 students attended an engaging presentation, VCE Success Strategies, delivered by Darren Pereira from Success Integrated. The session provided practical advice to help students approach their final year with confidence, purpose, and effective study habits.

A key message of the presentation was the importance of positive self-talk and maintaining a mindset that supports resilience and persistence throughout the year.

Students were encouraged to set goals that are just out of reach, but not out of sight — ambitious targets that inspire effort while remaining achievable. As part of this process, students were challenged to write down the subject scores and ATAR they are aiming for, and to identify an accountability person who can help keep them focused and motivated.

The presentation also explored practical strategies for success, including:

· Effective time management

· Using the Pomodoro Technique to structure study sessions

· Listening to Baroque music to support concentration and recall

· Building routines that promote consistency and progress

The session was a valuable reminder that success in Year 12 is built through mindset, planning, and consistent habits over time.