Recently, in Term 3 of the Whitefriars College school year, Year 11 students were informed that they would not have free periods in 2020, the year they were to complete Year 12. We were promised that this would not interfere with our subjects and furthermore, that this would indeed be beneficial to us as we would have one extra session spent with our teachers. While we were disappointed with this news, we acknowledged that this extra time with our teachers would be positive in regards to learning and understanding our Year 12 content.

Casting forward to Term 4 of the school year when teachers were finalising Year 11 students 2020 timetable, one by one many boys within the year level were notified they would have to DROP one of their subjects and pick up a new one, due to subjects that only have one class clashing within he timetable. Students doing subjects such as Specialist/Italian, Media/Chemistry, English Language/VCD, VET music/Computing and Music Performance/Theatre Studies, all were required that they would have to leave a subject they loved, a subject they were comfortable with and would excel with, simply to pick-up a subject they were disinterested in and were uncomfortable in, simply because senior staff at Whitefriars College had decided to TAKE AWAY subjects WITHOUT consulting any teachers or staff on the matter.

Reasons free periods are detrimental to students include:

• Restricting the ability for staff to change the structure of the Year 12 timetable, thus preventing them from identify a structure that allows students to complete the subjects they were promised.
• Removing independent study time essential to Year 12's achieving maximum results. 
• Depriving students of valuable time away from class to rest and recover from the stress of VCE.
• Does not allow the freedom of students to prioritise subjects and relies on higher amounts of external study.
• Forces students to rely on Distance Education alternatives, when they have been putting their money and faith into the College for the past five years.

Students, staff and parents alike are disheartened at the lack of responsibility taken by the school to ensure students are allowed to take part in subjects they will thrive in. The irony that Whitefriars College removed free periods to benefit students, only to discover that it encompasses more negative aspects than positive, then continues to refuse change is extremely disappointing.

By signing this petition you are helping to ensure that students are continuing subjects they have loved since Year 7, and further aiding the Class of 2020 in gaining the high ATARs that are only truly possible in subjects that they are interested in and devoted to, not merely forced to take up.