While the chaotic flood crisis plays out in the background, Echuca College students remain determined to get on with their life by making the trek out to Bendigo Senior Secondary College for their exams.
Echuca College Principal Jess Sargeant said 14 VCE students taking a 3/4 subject made the hour-long journey to sit their English exam on Wednesday.
“We rang every student who was taking a 3/4 subject to offer them the opportunity to complete the examination in Bendigo,” Ms Sargeant said.
“And to our surprise lots of students have taken up that option because they have already worked this hard and they want to see it through.”
The students will also receive a derived study score, which is designed to ensure that a student’s final result reflects as accurately as possible the level of achievement that would be expected based on the learning and achievements of the entire year.
Ms Sargeant said both the students and the teachers had been through a lot over the past few years.
“For the students to show the kind of resilience to get up and have a crack at the exam is just amazing. I am so incredibly proud of them,” she said.
“All of the English teachers went with the kids to Bendigo because they wanted to be able to see this through with them.
“They really are in the same boat as the students. They’ve invested time and effort to support these kids in getting the best results they can.”
Echuca College has been working closely with Principal Dale Pearce and assistant principal Tim White of Bendigo Senior to organise the exams, supervising teachers and transport to and from both schools.
Ms Sargeant said the Echuca College community was grateful for the support it had received from Bendigo Senior and the Department of Education.
“We are really proud that our kids still want to engage with their exams despite what their home circumstances are,” she said.
“There was one student who was about to sit her exam on Wednesday but her road flooded and she just couldn’t get out. These situations can be very disappointing but that’s just where we are with everything at the moment.
“We want to congratulate all of our kids during this time.”
Rochester Secondary College students have also been attending Bendigo Senior Secondary College for their exams.