Public and private school principals give their top tips to the year 12 class of 2024
Hay baling, policing, selling insurance and coaching sport – these are just some of the jobs our top school leaders took up when they left school. Read how they scored in year 12.
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Battling through hearing loss, studying in a caravan and sitting final exams at 15 were just some of the hurdles overcome by the leaders of top Adelaide schools when they were in year 12.
As the class of 2024 begin sitting their final subject exams, the principals of well-known public and private schools have shared how they scored and offered some inspiring advice.
Outgoing Adelaide High School principal Cez Green, who graduated in 1981, had a dramatic start to her final year after developing an infection behind her ear.
“I had surgery that resulted in a loss of hearing in one ear (so) my year 12 was spent navigating study and managing health challenges,” the now 61-year-old says.
Ms Green, who attended Murray Bridge High School, recalls it was difficult to find a “quiet place to study” with three siblings at home.
“Two months before my first exam, my parents brought home a caravan for me to study in,” she said.
“I vividly remember papers and books everywhere and my mother constantly telling me to clean up my mess.
“I also remember running every morning before exams and eating loads of almonds because I had read somewhere that they helped with information retention.”
Despite the challenges, Ms Green – who will finish up as Adelaide High School principal at the end of this year – achieved a solid result.
“I can’t remember my exact score (but) I think it was around 84 out of 100,” she said.
She urged this year’s graduating students to “follow your heart” when making decisions about the future.
“Know you can achieve anything you put your heart and mind to,” she said.
Here’s how other top principals scored:
Walford Anglican School for Girls
Deborah Netolicky
Attended: Churchlands Senior High School, WA
Year 12 score or equivalent: WA Tertiary Entrance Score of 395, ATAR equivalent of 97.05
Walford Anglican School for Girls principal Deborah Netolicky was just 15 when she sat what was then known as the Tertiary Entrance Exam at the end of year 12.
“I remember the flurry of organising my flashcards, the hours of writing practice examinations and plenty of time drinking coffee and studying with friends,” she said.
Dr Netolicky initially wanted to be a writer or journalist, or work in theatre or the arts.
“Most of my score was completely unnecessary for that post-school pathway but the commitment to personal best that I applied during year 12 has remained with me,” she said.
Dr Netolicky, who took up the role at Walford in 2023, reminded students that they were “not defined by a rank at a moment in time, nor will a score limit what they go on to achieve”.
St Ignatius’ College
Lauren Brooks
Attended: Sacred Heart College
Year 12 score or equivalent: 93.4
Setting short and long-term goals was the key to year 12 success for St Ignatius’ College principal Lauren Brooks.
The now-37-year-old had wanted to study medicine or clinical dietetics but “life took me in another direction”.
Her advice to this year’s cohort is to “work hard and apply yourself”.
“What’s important is to be able to walk away from your educational experience and know that you’ve put in your absolute best,” she said.
Christian Brothers College
David Johnston
Attended: Moruya High School, NSW
Year 12 score or equivalent: ATAR equivalent 96.5
When David Johnston graduated in the late 1980s, his final marks were determined solely by how he performed in exams.
“Since my goal was to gain entry into chemical engineering at university my final score was important to secure a place,” the now 55-year-old said.
In the end, Mr Johnston deferred his university studies to join the Australian Federal Police.
“It was during my time in the AFP, particularly through the engaging instruction at the police academy, that I discovered my passion for teaching.”
Today, Mr Johnston reassures students there is more emphasis on “developing good habits and essential life skills” and “a multitude of post-school options exist”.
Henley High School
Tony Sims
Attended: Christies Beach High School
Year 12 score or equivalent: 64
Tony Sims remembers being “very disorganised” during his year 12 exam period but performed better in the subjects he enjoyed, including mathematics.
“This was a time when exams were worth 50 per cent of your final score and so the pressure was on,” he said.
Today the 55-year-old sees that students, parents and the community “can amplify the importance of final scores, which can put undue pressure on students to achieve great results”.
“Do your best, but remember that there are multiple pathways to success,” Mr Sims said.
“I didn’t have a burning desire to be a teacher … but when I started teaching I knew that I had chosen the right career.”
Concordia College
Paul Weinert
Attended: Immanuel College
Year 12 score or equivalent: As and Bs
Reflecting on his final year of school, Paul Weinert recalls “the pressure around exams was intense”.
“Final exams still matter for building resilience and handling pressure, but they don’t define your life’s trajectory,” the now 57-year-old said.
Mr Weinert discovered his interest in teaching through an early role coaching tennis in high school.
He encouraged the class of 2024 to “balance work with breaks and minimise distractions” to get the best out of their exam period.
“There are many pathways to success and determination often matters more,” he said.
Westminster School
Simon Shepherd
Attended: Did not say
Year 12 score or equivalent: Mix of As, Bs and Cs
Simon Shepherd had a diverse career before landing on teaching.
After graduating he joined the Australian Defence Force Academy and gained qualifications through the University of NSW.
“I had planned on a career in the Army but a hearing loss changed those plans,” Mr Shepherd, now 54, said.
“I worked for a year on contract hay baling, selling insurance and working on school camps.”
Eventually Mr Shepherd returned to university to gain teaching qualifications.
He urged years 12s to view exams as a chance to “apply their learning”.
“Read the questions in all of your exams really carefully and ensure that you actually answer them,” he said.
Loreto College
Kylie McCullah
Attended: St Patrick’s College, NSW
Year 12 score or equivalent: HSC/TER 91.05
Kylie McCullah’s favourite classes in her final year of school were the science and computing studies courses.
“I always wanted to be a computing studies teacher,” the now 50-year-old said.
“Back then the TER (today’s ATAR) was the only method used to gain entry to university. I was fortunate to gain entry into my first preferred course.”
Ms McCullah’s top tip for year 12s now is to “adopt a balance not burnout approach”.
“And remember, you are not defined by the ATAR you receive,” she said.
St Columba College
Darren Pitt
Attended: John Port School, Etwall, England
Year 12 score or equivalent: 4 As and a B
Darren Pitt looked forward to his final year exams as “an opportunity to demonstrate what I know” and has encouraged today’s students to take the same approach.
“Don’t let the outcomes define you. Success is defined by character and hard work, not grades,” he said.
“Three months after your ATAR is out, you will rarely be asked what it was.”
The grandchild of a teacher, Mr Pitt said becoming an educator “has always been my goal”.
Although he was given advice “not to narrow my options too early” and so completed a literature and history degree before gaining his teaching qualifications.
St Paul’s College
Paul Belton
Attended: Blackfriars Priory School
Year 12 score or equivalent: I passed the exams – or most of them.
Paul Belton has had a successful career in sport and education, but concedes he “wasn’t a good student”.
“I didn’t do much (study) during the year, (I was) too busy playing sport,” the now 66-year-old said.
“I did always want to be a teacher, and for a long time had wanted to be a principal.”
Though Mr Belton took a five-year break from the classroom to follow his other passion of football, as chief executive officer of the Port Adelaide Magpies Football Club.
“Year 12 is not the be all and end all,” said Mr Belton, who will retire at the end of the year.
“It is not worth putting enormous pressure on yourself, no parents and schools applying huge pressure – only encouragement.”
St John’s Grammar
Richard Anderson
Attended: Clare High School
Year 12 score or equivalent: 380 out of 500
Richard Anderson completed high school under the watchful eye of his father Barry – who was the school principal and a qualified physics teacher.
He graduated in 1980 with a matriculation score of 380 – 40 points more than he needed to study science at the University of Adelaide.
“I remember doing many practice (exam) papers and my father, being a physics teacher, actually writing and marking practice exams for me,” he said.
Mr Anderson’s career has spanned seven schools, including two overseas, and a stint playing for Norwood in the SANFL in the mid 1980s.
He encouraged year 12s to aim for “personal bests, versus being the best”.
“Students should not be preoccupied with how all of that (scores) stacks up against others,” he said.
Woodcroft College
Shannon Warren
Attended: Port Hacking High School, NSW
Year 12 score or equivalent: 87
The final year of school for Shannon Warren was packed with extra-curricular activities like debating, band, choir and the school production.
Ms Warren, who was also school captain, didn’t know what she wanted to do when she finished year 12 and “at different times” wanted to be a dietitian, real estate agent and librarian before settling on studying education at the University of Sydney.
These days she tells students that their year 12 score is just one element of their future “but many schools, and as a consequence their students, treat it as goal”.
“While you’ll encounter people who equate their resumes or credentials or the school they attended with their identity, these are merely aspects of your journey,” she said.
Blackwood High School
Chris Brandwood
Attended: Victor Harbor High School
Year 12 score or equivalent: Passed all subjects
The “stresses of exam week” still feature in Chris Brandwood’s memories of year 12 in the early 1980s – but he says there is not as much riding on students’ final scores today.
“It was far more a sink-or-swim world, where those who struggled with school work tended to leave school well before year 12,” the now 65-year-old said.
“A student aspiring to enter medicine needs a high ATAR while this is less important to students who are seeking employment or a trade.”
Mr Brandwood began work as an audio and visual technician at Channel 9 before studying for a music teaching degree. That led to a 42-year career working in schools.
He urged today’s students to be open to all opportunities.
“Don’t be surprised if where you end up is completely different to your initial plan,” he said.
Prince Alfred College
David Roberts
Attended: Caulfield Grammar School, VIC
Year 12 score or equivalent: I was very happy with my year 12 results, and they reflected the hard work I put in to achieve them.
Sport was a compulsory subject when David Roberts went through his schooling in Victoria, and it later led him to his career in education.
“When I finished school I was unsure what career path I wanted to pursue,” he said.
“I started coaching sport in my first year of university and quickly recognised I had a passion and skill for guiding and teaching others.”
Mr Roberts urged year 12 students who may not get the outcome they want initially to “look for alternative institutions or courses that may provide a pathway to your preferred course in future years”.
Scotch College
Trent Driver
Attended: Baulkham Hills High School, NSW
Year 12 score or equivalent: Each university or college scaled our marks differently and worked out their own score from our HSC results. I am sure I have the piece of paper … with that long list in a box somewhere.
Trent Driver “had no intention of becoming a teacher, whatsoever” when he finished year 12.
“I had my heart set on studying economics at Sydney University, and getting a result that earned me a place motivated me in my last year (of school),” the now 53-year-old said.
“My plan was to work in journalism or economic policy.”
But an invitation from a friend to help coach a school debate team changed his trajectory and he went back to university to gain teaching qualifications.
Mr Driver said students today should know that “it’s OK to not know what you want to do with your life, or for you to change direction”.
“There is so much mythology and tradition associated with the idea of an exam that it is easy to forget that it is just one more way that we show everyone how much we have learned,” he said.
Gleeson College
Joe Corbo
Attended: Campbelltown High School
Year 12 score or equivalent: Completed
Joe Corbo has fond memories of his final year and being appointed school captain but conceded he “would rather forget my exam experience”.
Now in his 60s, it was not his final score but his language skills that set Mr Corbo on a path to teaching in Catholic schools across South Australia for 41 years.
He initially studied translating and interpreting, then Italian and biology.
Mr Corbo said the education system was “beginning to move toward greater recognition of student’s capabilities, rather than just a score”.
He reminded the class of 2024 that “there are many paths to success” and urged them to “finish in style”.
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