MOST of Parkwood Secondary College's students will be accepted into the local school of their choice when the Ringwood North school closes at the end of the year.
Principal Barbara Laidlaw said all seven heads from the Maroondah Education Coalition (MEC), plus Warrandyte Secondary, met on Thursday to discuss new schools for the affected students.
"By far the majority of families will receive their first-preference school within the MEC," Ms Laidlaw said. "All principals are working collectively to ensure this can happen. At some schools enrolments are tight so we can't give a watertight guarantee."
The MEC is made up of seven schools: Maroondah Secondary College, Norwood SC, Parkwood SC, Ringwood SC, Croydon SC, Heathmont College and Croydon Community School.
Ms Laidlaw said families living within the same neighbourhood as their preferred school would be the first accepted. Next preferences will be given to Parkwood families with two or more children who need to be transferred. Academic records will not be taken into consideration.
Parents were notified of the school's impending closure on September 19 and low enrolments were blamed for the decision.
Ms Laidlaw said despite the difficult circumstances this semester, everyday school life hadn't changed.
"All teachers have done a wonderful job of running the school as normal. All trips, camps and activities have gone ahead."
She said this year's year 12 students had handled the situation extremely well. The school has applied to the Victorian Curriculum Assessment Authority for special consideration on the students' upcoming exam results.
"They're the ones that have been here the longest, so obviously they're feeling quite sad." Parkwood's final presentation night — the final time the school will assemble — is on Wednesday, December 19, at the George Wood Performing Arts Centre, Ringwood.