Community & Business
29 January, 2021
Highflying achievers at Malanda High
WITH the 2021 school year now here, Malanda State High School Principal Gary Toshach has recognised last year’s highest achieving seniors.
BY ELLIE FINK
WITH the 2021 school year now here, Malanda State High School Principal Gary Toshach has recognised lastyear’s highest achieving seniors.
Last year, the system waschanged from the old OP system to the newer ATAR system(Australian Tertiary Admission Rank).
Unlike the ranking of 1-25 in the OP system, the ATAR system ranks the highest score at 99 making an ATAR 99 the equivalent to an OP1.
Six out of the 46 students particularly excelled, scoringan ATAR over 94 (OP4), two of these students scored an ATAR 99 (OP1).
Under the new system, students can decide not to informtheir school what score they received.
The students who shared their score with the school were Riley Jones (ATAR 99.8), Rohan Hickey (98.8), Mia Grace (98.25), Lari Wilkinson (97.5), Bailey Wakeford (95.9) and Tahlia Clennar (94.4).
Mr Toshach has expressed how proud he is of the 2020 graduating class, considering it was the toughest year in his 40 years of teaching.
“The COVID year boughtus interruptions, stresses and anxieties,” he said.
“Online and in school programs were available for students, as well as tutoring.
“I have tutored some of the kids myself after school and paid professionals to come in so that students who don't have access to tutors can have it with us.
“They have engaged well and taken every opportunity to succeed.”
Riley Jones who scored 99.8, says that his preparation for the exam was two to three hours of studying every night and four hours in the daysleading up to the external exams.
“I got a really good score and it has got me into the course I wanted.”
Riley has the following advice for 2021 seniors, “read the syllabus it is everything you need to know, learn (the content) in your own words, as the teacher’s words can be hard to remember,” he said.
“Also revise throughout theyear so that you aren’t cramming it towards the end of theyear.”
With his astounding score, Riley will be off to university to study advanced computing science.
