Alba Newsletter – October 2024

 

Year 12 Graduation and Awards Evening

The College was very excited to host our annual Graduation Ceremony and Awards night for the Class of 2024. It was a wonderful evening, held at the Flemington Racecourse, full of music, joy and speeches, celebrating the schooling and achievements of our Year 12 students. Our guest speaker, former student, Salim Hijazeen spoke about his journey of success from school, to where he is now as an academic, lecturer and remote pilot in the field of aviation.

A special congratulations to the major award winners.

• Ampol All Rounder –  Jessica Thompson
• Y12 ADF STEM Innovators Award – Kelly Lam
• Year 12 Long Tan Youth Leadership and Teamwork Award – Sarah Mai
• VET Excellence Award – Johnny Tuimuk
• VCE-VM Excellence Award – Anthony Nguyen
• VCE Excellence Award (Dux) – Kelly Lam 

The full list of subject awards can be found later in this newsletter.

We would like to congratulate all of the VCE and VCE-VM students of the Class of 2024 for their wonderful accomplishments. We wish them all the very best in their future endeavours.  To our students that have exams over the coming weeks, we know you will work hard and continue to make us all proud.

Congratulations to the Senior Sub School team for their organisation of the event, and to all those staff who volunteered their time to support the students.

Progress Reports

Year 10 Progress Reports were published on Compass on Friday 25 October and Years 7-9 will be posted on 15 November. We ask families to discuss the reports with their children and support them with their end of year study routine.

Exams

Students in Years 9-11 have end of year exams and they should be preparing a study routine to ensure they reach their potential. Year 11 exams begin on 4 November, Year 10 begin on 20 November and Year 9 begin on 18 November. Year 10 and 11 students are not required at school when they do not have exams. Year 9 students will have exams for core subjects only and will be given supervised study time at school.

Curriculum Day

Students in Years 7-10 are not required to attend school on Monday 4 November. Year 11 students will have exams on this day. Teachers will be using this time to learn about the new Victorian Curriculum and plan for its implementation in 2025 & 2026.

Whole School Assembly

Each Whole School Assembly held is an important part of our school calendar and it was wonderful to be able to celebrate our Year 12 cohort and wish them well as a whole school community on their last day on Monday 21 October. This assembly provided a valuable opportunity to farewell the Year 12s as they make their way onto the next part of their journey.  It was also an opportunity to showcase our school values of Respect, Integrity, Leadership and Excellence. The assembly included rituals such as a welcome to country by a Wurundjeri Elder, the passing on of time capsules and the handing over to the next group of leaders. Both outgoing School Captains Kevin (Long) Nguyen and Sally Li and incoming School Captains Minthu Huynh and Ricardo Vom addressed the school community and it was clear that both sets of leaders felt a sense of pride in their school. The rest of the school student leadership team for 2025 were also welcomed; Haily Le, Tiana Stepanovski, Talia Bui, Ethan Shaw, and Vanessa Ngo.

 

 

 

 

 

Elisha Chau and Jayden Truong from Year 7 responded to the leaders and thanked the Year 12 cohort on behalf of Year 7 and the rest of the student body.

 

Summary of Awards given out at the Whole School Assembly*:

• Roger Martin Science Award –  Josephine Mai (10D)
• Dr Jozica Kutin Psychology Award – Hailey Le (11C)
• Helen Papadimitriou English Award – Tien (Michelle) Duong (10A)
• WPC Award – Year 12 Certificate III Allied Health Assistance Partial Completion – Minh Thu (Kathy) Nguyen Pham (12W)
• WPC Award – Year 12 Certificate II Automotive Vocational Preperation – Marko Majstorovic (12X)
• WPC Award – Year 11 Certificate II Automotive Vocational Preperation Year 1 – Vuk Vujatovic (11Y)
• Year 10 ADF Long Tan Award – Grace Murray (10B)
• Year 10 Future Innovators Award – Stephanie Truong (10D)
• Joseph and Clare Sheen Community Award – Pham (Phuong) Nguyen (10F)
• Joseph and Clare Sheen Community Award – Talia Bui (11A)
• Joseph and Clare Sheen Community Award – Minhthu Huynh (11B)

*Please see the article on the Year 12 Graduation for a summary of the awards given to Year 12 on that evening.

 

 

The student recognition Prize is awarded at the end of each year to a student from each Sub School who exemplifies the school values of Respect, Integrity, Leadership and Excellence; this includes having over 90% attendance, always behaving respectfully to other students and staff and in accordance with expectations including always being punctual.  The students who were drawn from the pool of those eligible for each Sub School are:

• Junior Sub School – Emily Cauchi (7G)
• Middle Sub school – Thien An Tran (10D)
• Senior Sub School – Jack Hough (12B)

 

The Crocker House Cup was awarded, to the winning House Buttrose.  Well done to Buttrose and all the students who were recognised or received awards. We also thank and congratulate our Facilities and Music Teams who worked behind the scenes to ensure the effective set up and presentation for this assembly, well done to all involved. Thank you to our special guests and all the student speakers and musicians.

 

 

 

Congratulations to our class of 2024, we wish you all the best for your upcoming exams or interviews and placements and look forward to hearing about your accomplishments beyond school.  Each of you will forever be part of the St Albans Secondary College community and we hope to see many of you return as part of our alumni program.

Fiafia Night

The College was pleased to recently host our first Fiafia night, showcasing performances from Pasifika students. This was a really special occasion for our school and for the students who performed, sharing with us their culture, their heritage and their stories. For some of our students, this is the first time they have ever performed in front of an audience and we are so very proud of the work they have developed. We would also like to thank the staff who organised this event, Anna Tiatama, Lela Seely and Sam Brown along with our wellbeing team and music department.  It was great to have so many parents and family members gather with us a community for this fantastic night.

Mental Health Week

Our Connect, Protect, Respect (CPR) Ambassadors along with our Mental Health Practitioner and Wellbeing Team organised a very successful mental health promotion week. Mental Health Week is a national week celebrated each year in October scheduled around World Mental Health Day. At our school we focused on “being kind to our mind” sharing with students a range of important mental health resources and strategies to help our wellbeing flourish. The team also put together a fantastic program with engaging activities including, a planting and pot decorating session with Bunnings, an art competition, bake sale and market day with stalls form external providers.

More about this event can be found on the Wellbeing page.

 

 

 

 

 

General Office Hours 

8:15am to 4:15pm   

Compass Communication

Any important information will be sent to parents and families via the Compass News Feed.  Parents are asked to ensure that they have access to Compass.

 

 

 

 

General Office Payments

Preferred method of payment for School Events and Curriculum Contributions is via the Compass school management system.  Parents will log in to this system using their allocated unique User ID and a temporary password.  Payments can be made through the Action Centre from the home screen.  Please contact the General Office on 9366 2555 should you need further information. 

 

 

 

    

ID Cards

Students are reminded that they require their ID cards with them when they present to the front office.

Lost or Damaged Id Cards

• go the ‘Organisation’ menu (grid icon)
• select ‘Identity Cards’.
• in the ‘Orders’ section, click ‘Individual Orders’.
• complete the details to order the card

A payment will be required when placing your order.

When the card arrives, it will need to be activated.  Follow the steps below to activiate the card.

• go the ‘Organisation’ menu (grid icon)
• select ‘Identity Cards’
• click on ‘Individual Activation’
• complete the information on the screen to activate the card.

The office will no longer be taking payment for replacement cards.  Please contact the office on 9366 2555 if you have any queries.

Student Lunches at the General Office

Families are advised that the General Office is unable to accept lunches for student collection.  Please discuss and prepare for a different course of action with your child, should they forget to bring their lunch to school.

If your child has forgotten their lunch at home, parents can leave money in an envelope for their student to collect at the office.  The canteen has an array of choices for your child to purchase their lunch.

College Expectations 

Attendance, Uniform, Punctuality  

We greatly appreciate the support we receive from parents to make sure that your child attends school regularly and punctually, is in full uniform, and is well prepared for all classes with books and equipment.

 Attendance  

Students must have a minimum of 90% attendance in all classes at each year level.

Uniform  

Full uniform must be worn to and from school, at school and on all school excursions, including interschool sports.

Punctuality  

Students are expected to be punctual at the start of each day and for all classes. Any student who is late more than 4 times will have a Friday detention from 3:20pm to 5:20pm. 

Sustainable School Shop

The Sustainable School Shop website is available to purchase and/or sell second-hand uniforms and used textbooks.

 Parents can log in or register at any time at  www.sustainableschoolshop.com.au

When selling items, click the Sell Uniforms button and follow the prompts. Assistance is given to construct your “For Sale” ads including a pricing guide.

To see the ads for items currently on sale or to obtain the seller details, you will need to log-in to the Sustainable School Shop website, click the blue Stocktake button and then click the item you need. Buyers contact the seller directly.

 Sellers are asked to delist For Sale Ads as items sell.

Student Absence 

Parents and guardians are now able to leave student absence messages directly with the relevant Sub School.

Follow the telephone prompts to be connected to the Sub School needed.

• Wait for the beep before leaving a message
• State who you are, eg:  I am the parent of ……..  and clearly state your child’s name and home group
• Clearly state the reason for your child’s absence and how long they will be absent for

Please ensure that your message is audible (not on speaker phone) and there is no background noise.  

Camps, Sports, Events Fund (CSEF)

Parents with a valid Health Care Card may be eligible to apply for the CSEF.  The CSEF is a yearly payment for each child in the family attending our College.  This payment is to assist with the cost of Camps, Sports and Excursions for your child to attend. 

Applications for the 2024 CSEF have now closed.

State School Relief (SSR)

Should you have a valid Health Care Card and require assistance to purchase school uniform and/or school shoes; you may be eligible for SSR. Health Care Card holders with students enrolled in the VCE VM program may also be eligible for assistance with the purchase of personal protective gear. Please enquire at the General Office.

 

 

Thursday, 31 October 2024

08:15AM – 03:00PM WMR Yr 8 Boys Table Tennis

08:30AM – 03:15PM Yr 8G Strathbogie Camp

09:00AM – 03:15PM YR 10 NGV International Art VCD

11:50AM – 12:40PM STOMP

12:40PM – 01:30PM Silent Reading in the Library

Friday, 1 November 2024

All Day – Last Day Yr 11 Classes

08:30AM – 03:15PM Yr 8G Strathbogie Camp

08:55AM – 03:10PM Yr 9 ADVANCE Melbourne Zoo

09:45AM – 10:35AM Brush and Bloom

Monday, 4 November 2024

All Day – Curriculum Day (Student Free)

All Day – Yr 11 Exams Start

Tuesday, 5 November 2024

All Day – Melbourne Cup Public Hoiday (Student Free)

Wednesday, 6 November 2024

All Day – Yr 11 VCE VM Work Placement

08:35AM – 04:00PM Yr 8B Science Mission to Mars

08:45AM – 03:10PM Yr 8I Strathbogie Camp

11:50AM – 12:40PM Africause Program

12:40PM – 01:30PM Mindfulness and Emotional Wellbeing Workshop

02:20PM – 03:10PM SHINE

Thursday, 7 November 2024

08:00AM – 03:30PM WMR Yr 7 Girls Softball

08:00AM – 03:30PM WMR Yr 7 Boys Baseball

08:45AM – 03:10PM Yr 8I Strathbogie Camp

11:50AM – 12:40PM STOMP

12:40PM – 01:30PM Silent Reading in the Library

Friday, 8 November 2024

08:00AM – 03:15PM WMR Yr 8 Girls Softball

08:00AM – 03:15PM WMR Yr 8 Boys Baseball

08:45AM – 03:10PM Yr 8I Strathbogie Camp

01:30PM – 02:20PM Emotional Regulation Skills Group

Monday, 11 November 2024

11:50AM – 12:40PM Yr 10 & Yr 11 CPR Ambassador Program

Tuesday, 12 November 2024

All Day – Yr 11 Exams (Last Day)

08:30AM – 04:00PM Yr 8G Science Mission to Mars

08:55AM – 10:35AM Yr 8D GAT

08:55AM – 09:45AM Yr 7D Digital Thumbprint

09:45AM – 10:35AM Yr 7F Digital Thumbprint

11:00AM – 11:50AM Yr 7B Digital Thumbprint

11:50AM – 12:40PM Yr 7A Digital Thumbprint

01:30PM – 02:20PM Emotional Regulation Skills Group

01:30PM – 02:20PM Yr 7, 8 & 9 CPR Ambassador Program

01:30PM – 02:20PM Yr 7E Digital Thumbprint

02:20PM – 03:10PM Yr 7C Digital Thumbprint

Wednesday, 13 November 2024

All Day – Yr 12 Orientation Begins

08:30AM – 04:00PM Yr 8D Science Mission to Mars

08:45AM – 03:10PM Yr 8C Strathbogie Camp

08:55AM – 10:35AM Yr 8E, 8F, 8G, 8H, 8J & 8K GAT

11:00AM – 12:40PM Yr 8A, 8B & 8I GAT

11:50AM – 12:40PM Africause Program

12:40PM – 01:30PM Mindfulness and Emotional Wellbeing Workshop

02:20PM – 03:10PM SHINE

Thursday, 14 November 2024

08:45AM – 03:10PM Yr 8C Strathbogie Camp

08:55AM – 09:45AM Yr 7I Digital Thumbprint

09:45AM – 10:35AM Yr 7H Digital Thumbprint

11:00AM – 11:50AM Yr 7G Digital Thumbprint

11:50AM – 12:40PM STOMP

11:50AM – 12:40PM Yr 7K Digital Thumbprint

12:40PM – 01:30PM Silent Reading in the Library

01:30PM – 02:20PM Yr 7J Digital Thumbprint

Friday, 15 November 2024

All Day – Yr 11 VCE VM Work Placement (Last Day)

08:45AM – 03:10PM Yr 8C Strathbogie Camp

09:45AM – 10:35AM Brush and Bloom

06:30PM – 11:30PM Yr 12 Formal

Monday, 18 November 2024

All Day – Yr 9 Semester Exams Begin (Core Subjects Only)

All Day  – Yr 12 VCE VM Orientation Begins

08:30AM – 04:00PM Yr 8J Science Mission to Mars

08:55AM – 03:10PM Yr 8F Strathbogie Camp

11:00AM – 11:50AM Emotional Regulation Skills Group

Tuesday, 19 November 2024

All Day –  Yr 10 Classes (Last Day)

All Day – VET Orientation Begins

All Day – Yr 9 Semester Exams (Core Subjects Only)

08:55AM – 03:10PM Yr 8F Strathbogie Camp

08:30AM – 04:00PM Yr 8F Science Mission to Mars

11:00AM – 12:15PM Foodbank Supermarket

Wednesday, 20 November 2024

All Day – Yr 12 Exams (Last Day)

All Day – Yr 10 Exams Begin

All Day – VET Orientation Begins

08:30AM – 04:00PM Yr 8K Science Mission to Mars

08:45AM – 04:15PM Swinburne Challenge Workshop

11:50AM – 12:40PM Africause Program

12:40PM – 01:30PM Mindfulness and Emotional Wellbeing Workshop

02:20PM – 03:10PM SHINE

02:20PM – 03:10PM Yr 11 Final Assembly

Thursday, 21 November 2024

All Day – Teaching Professional Practic Day (Student Free Day)

Friday, 22 November 2024

08:45AM – 03:15PM Yr 9F & 9G Marine Discovery Centre

Monday, 25 November 2024

08:45AM – 03:45PM Yr 9B & 9K Marine Discovery Centre

02:20PM – 03:10PM Yr 10 & 11 CPR Ambassador Program

Tuesday, 26 November 2024

09:00AM – 04:00PM Yr 9D & 9J Marine Discovery Centre

11:50AM – 12:40PM Yr 7, 8 & 9  CPR Ambassador Program

01:30PM – 02:20PM Emotional Regulation Skills Group

05:30PM – 07:30PM Grade 6 Welcome Evening

Wednesday, 27 November 2024

All Day Yr 10 Exams (Last Day)

All Day Yr 12 Orientation (Last Day)

All Day Yr 11 Classes (Last Day)

08:00AM – 05:00PM Yr 8H Strathbogie Camp

09:00AM – 04:00PM Yr 9H & 9I Marine Discovery Centre

11:50AM – 12:40PM Africause Program

12:40PM – 01:30PM Mindfulness and Emotional Wellbeing Workshop

02:20PM – 03:10PM SHINE

Thursday, 28 November 2024

All Day Yr 11 Orientation (Begins)

All Day Yr 11 VCE VM Orientation

08:00AM – 05:00PM Yr 8H Strathbogie Camp

12:40PM – 01:30PM Silent Reading in the Library

Friday, 29 November 2024

All Day Yr 11 VCE VM Orientation

08:00AM – 05:00PM Yr 8H Strathbogie Camp

09:45AM – 10:35AM Brush and Bloom

Monday, 2 December 2024

11:00AM – 11:50AM Emotional Regulation Skills Group

Tuesday, 3 December 2024

All Day – Grade 6 Pre-Orientation Day (Inclusion Team)

Wednesday, 4 December 2024

08:55AM – 03:10PM ADVANCE – Lorne Dukes Award Camp

11:50AM – 12:40PM Africause Program

12:40PM – 01:30PM Mindfulness and Emotional Wellbeing Workshop

01:30PM – 02:20PM CPR Ambassador End of Year Celebration

02:20PM – 03:10PM SHINE

Thursday, 5 December 2024

All Day – Yr 11 Orientation (Last Day)

08:55AM – 03:10PM ADVANCE – Lorne Dukes Award Camp

09:45AM – 10:35AM Evacuation Drill

11:00AM – 12:40PM Bioeyes Incursion

12:40PM – 01:30PM Silent Reading Party in the Library

01:30PM – 03:10PM Bioeyes Incursion

Friday, 6 December 2024

All Day – Yr 10 Classes (Last Day)

08:55AM – 03:10PM ADVANCE – Lorne Dukes Award Camp

09:45AM – 10:35AM Brush and Bloom

11:00AM – 12:40PM Yr 10 Assembly

06:30PM – 11:00PM Yr 10 Formal

Tuesday, 10 December 2024

All Day – Grade 6 Orientation Day

Wednesday, 11 December 2024

08:35AM – 03:10PM Yr 8B Strathbogie Camp

09:30AM – 12:00PM Manga Artist

12:40PM – 01:30PM Mindfulness and Emotional Wellbeing Workshop

02:20PM – 03:10PM SHINE

Thursday, 12 December 2024

All Day – VHAP Masterclass

08:35AM – 03:10PM Yr 8B Strathbogie Camp

11:00AM – 12:40PM Bioeyes Incursion

01:30PM – 03:10PM Bioeyes Incursion

 

 

 

 

 

Many students in Junior School have been attending the Strathbogie camp during Term 4.  This is a great opportunity for students to strengthen their friendships as well as work with the teaching staff in a new environment.  Students often find the thought of leaving home for three days and two nights to be challenging, however once they get to camp, they are excited and engaged and thoroughly enjoy their time away.  Depending on the weather students take part in water based activities on the Goulburn River, or else indoor swimming at a pool and archery.  Most groups also visit local waterholes such as Gooram Falls or Polly McQuinns.  Even mundane tasks such as washing dishes and using an electric toaster can be a learning experience and students return to Melbourne with a whole range of new skills.  When it is time for your student to go on camp, please sign the appropriate consent and medical forms promptly and return them to school.  This will assist with the organisation of the camps each week.

The school recently conducted a uniform blitz.  This meant that items such as shoes, piercings and shirts were checked even more thoroughly than usual. If issues arose they were dealt with immediately.  It was enormously pleasing to see almost the whole Junior School cohort in perfect uniform on the day of the blitz.  Students and families worked hard to ensure that everything was in place.  The challenge now is to maintain that high standard.  We thank families for their ongoing support with uniforms. 

As the end of the year approaches, the coordinators will be collecting any unwanted textbooks for reuse next year.  Many students are able to offer their books to a relative or friend, or perhaps are able to sell them, which are all excellent reasons to hang on to them.  However, if you do have any textbooks that will likely go in the bin, please donate them to the sub-school instead as we can certainly make good use of them.

 

Mr Craig Moore – Junior Sub School Leader

 

Welcome to the final term of 2024 to all students and families. At the term 4 assemblies held in week 1, we continued our theme of Better Together. We encourage all Year 9 and 10 students to finish off the year strong. We presented 9I as the Pizza Challenge Attendance Competition winners, as the home group who have improved their attendance the most from term 2 to term 3. 9I will be rewarded with a pizza lunch later in the term. The competition has restarted this term, with all home groups striving to improve their attendance.

The school calendar has already been full of events and opportunities for students. 11 Year 10 students participated in the Melbourne University GTAC excursion early this term. This provided students with the opportunity to explore the GTAC facilities, talk to current students about their research projects and get a first-hand experience of what it is like to work and learn in the Biomedical Sciences Digital Learning Hub. Our Year 10 History students visited the Melbourne Holocaust Museum as part of their study of World War II. Year 9 students have had equal opportunities to expand on their classroom learning, with classes visiting the Marine Discovery Centre to explore biotic and abiotic ecosystems.  

Students are currently completing work which will be reflected on the next round of Progress Reports. These will be available in week 3 and 6 for Year 10 and 9 respectively. We remind all Middle School students to continue to be proactive in their learning, arrive to class on time with their equipment and finish the year of strong.

The Year 10 Formal will be held on 6 December. We encourage those wanting to attend to provide payment and consent through the Compass app.

The Middle School would like to welcome our school community back to term 4 and we look forward to celebrating our students’ successes as we near the end of the year.

 

Mr Andrei Alexandrescu – Assistant Middle Sub School Leader

 

Term 4 has started as a very busy term, with our Year 12 students celebrating some significant milestone events.

VCE VM Interviews

On Monday, 14 October, Tuesday 15 October and Wednesday 16 October 2024, the Year 12 VCE VM students had their portfolio interviews where they showcased their portfolios, including work completed in the VCE VM program, work placement and VET. The students spoke about the skills, knowledge and experiences gained through the program and their plans for 2025. The interviews were a wonderful celebration of their personal and academic growth and their contributions to the community.

 

Last Day of Classes & Year 12 Awards Evening

Year 12 students finished classes on Friday 18 October at 11:50am. Students were dismissed to prepare for their Year 12 Awards Evening, which was held at a new venue; The Atrium, Flemington Racecourse, 448 Epsom Road, Flemington.

Our 2024 Awards Evening was a joyous occasion, with a full house of students, families, friends and teachers, coming together in a celebration of the College’s culture of success and life-long learning. Our Guest Speaker was Salim Hijazeen – a former student who shared his personal and professional experiences and delivered key messages of perseverance, embracing uncertainty and learning from the experiences of those who inspire us. We thank Salim for taking the time to address our school community and look forward to continuing to work with him in the future.

The school captains Sally Li and Kevin Nguyen shared memorable moments of their secondary school journey, and best wishes for the class of 2024. The student leadership team, Alana Tran-Hoang and Matt Mangali prepared an engaging presentation of the students’ secondary school journey, which was shared with the audience. International student, Duc Trung Phan, spoke from the heart about the strength, kinship and sense of belonging he found through the St Albans Secondary College community.

We were also treated to a breathtaking piano solo performed by the talented Ryan Nguyen, and uplifting musical performances from our Year 12 VET Music band led by Mr James Orchard.

Many students were recognised for their academic achievements, and/or contribution to the school and wider community.

The major award recipients were:

Kelly Lam – ADF Future Innovators Award – in recognition of Kelly’s passion for science and mathematics, and strong skills in STEM based subjects. Kelly will receive a certificate and a prize of $550 awarded through the ADF.
Sarah Mai – Long Tan Youth Leadership and Teamwork Award – for her leadership and teamwork, as well as demonstrating strong values of respect and kindness that are integral to Australian society. Sarah will receive a certificate and a prize of $550 awarded through the ADF.
Jessica Thompson – Ampol All Rounder – for her exceptional contributions of leadership, service and community, arts and culture, positive attitude and exemplary personal conduct both in and out of the classroom. Jessica received an award pack with a medallion, a certificate, and a letter from Ampol’s Managing Director and CEO, Matt Halliday.
Johnny Tuimuk – VET Excellence Award – for his commitment, positive work ethic and practical skills in his VET course, Certificate II in Automotive.
Anthony Nguyen – VCE VM Excellence Award – prestigious award for his leadership and contributions to the VCE VM program.
Kelly Lam – VCE Excellence Award – prestigious award for exceptional and consistent results in all her subjects, strong work ethic and dedication to her studies.

The following students received subject awards:

One Award

 

Student Name	Subject Award
April (Neveah) Aualii Purcell	Personal Development Skills
Alex Cottell	Numeracy
Debbie Dinh	General Mathematics
Christine Duong	General Mathematics
Sophie Duong	Literacy
Lexy Mhaye Huang	Health and Human Development
Joyce Huynh	Personal Development Skills
Luka Kilpatrick	Certificate III in Music
Daniel Koutras	Business Management
Andy Lai	Mathematical Methods
My Hang Lam	Accounting
Amy Le	General Mathematics
Andrew Le	Art Making and Exhibiting
Van Le	English
Thao Thu (Tina) Le	Food Studies
Uy Duc (Brian) Le	English as an Additional Language
Minh Tien Le	Vietnamese (1st Language)
Marko Majstorovic	Work Related Skills
Tina Nguyen	Visual Communication Design
Minh Hoang (Anthony) Nguyen	Personal Development Skills
Ryan Nguyen	Psychology
Kathy Nguyen	Health and Human Development
Trong Phu Anh (Anh) Nguyen	Biology
Jason Nguyen	Numeracy
Jessica Thompson	Business Management
Jimmy Tran	General Mathematics
Jackson Tran	Physical Education
Nicky Tran	Literacy
Jackie Tran	Certificate III in Fashion Design and Technology
Cindy Vu	English
Shize (Jertry) Zhang	Biology
Jialiang (ethan) Zhao	Biology

 

Two Awards

Student Name	Subject Award
Kelly Lam	Chemistry Mathematical Methods
Sarah Mai	English  Legal Studies
Thu Anh (Anh Thu) Nguyen	English Japanese Second Language
Kathy Nguyen Pham	Literacy Work Related Skills
Wilfrid Oo	English History (Revolutions)
Alexander Shemmeld	Accounting General Mathematics
Alana Tran-Hoang	English Psychology
Maybel Verma	English Physics
Joshua (Josh) White	Numeracy Work Related Skills

 

Three Awards

Student Name	Subject Award
Khanh Pham	Chemistry English as an Additional Language General Mathematics
Elizabeth Tran	General Mathematics Legal Studies Psychology

 

Five Subjects

Student Name	Subjects
Deniz Daymen	Chemistry Economics English Mathematical Methods Specialist Mathematics

 

Congratulations to all our award winners! Thank you to all staff who assisted at the evening and for everyone who made our Awards Evening a success.

Whole School Assembly & Year 12 Celebration Day

Students dressed in fancy attire for their Celebration Day event on Monday 21 October 2024. Students paraded into the whole school assembly to the track “Work Hard, Play Hard”, and listened to speeches and many well wishes from the school community. After the assembly the students continued their celebrations in the Performing Arts Centre and on The Green and took photos in the photo booth. An enjoyable time was had by all!

Thank you

The Senior Sub School would also like to thank the School Captains for all their work and leadership during the year. They were exceptional in their role, and it has been a pleasure working with them. They have left big shoes to fill!

The Senior Sub School would like to thank the Year 12 students for their excellent behaviour during the end-of-year celebrations and wishes the class of 2024 all the best with their upcoming exams and all their future endeavours. 

WPC Group VCE VM Scholarships

Our partners WPC Group has over 30 years of experience collaborating with industry partners, schools, and Government Departments to facilitate their mentored apprentice and trainee programs. Together, they’ve successfully placed and mentored over 11,500 apprentices and trainees, achieving remarkable outcomes.

WPC Group was pleased to offer the following Yr 11 & 12 VCE VM students Scholarships for 2024

• Minh Thu (Kathy)Nguyen Pham Yr12  – Certificate 111 Allied Health Assistance Partial Completion $400
• Marko Majstorovic Yr12  – Certificate 111 Automotive Vocational Preparation $400
• Vuk Vujatovic Yr11  – Certificate 111Automotive Vocational Preparation Year 1 $200

Thank you to WPC Group , Tania Bararia and Daniela Durik for their generosity.

Year 12 Formal

Students will have one last opportunity to celebrate the year with their cohort at the Year 12 Formal on 15 November 2024. The students will be treated to an evening of dancing and dinner at Luxor Reception Centre. It is a strictly non-alcohol and drug-free event. If students have not purchased their tickets yet, we encourage them to do so as soon as possible. We look forward to celebrating with the students and staff and to say our final goodbyes to the class of 2024.

Last Day of Year 11 classes & Exams

Year 11 exams will commence on Monday 4 November and conclude on Tuesday 12 November 2024. We wish the Year 11 students all the best with their exams.

Year 12 VCE Orientation will start on Wednesday 13 November and will run through to the Wednesday 27 November 2024. Last day for Year 11 VCE students is Wednesday 27 of November 2024.

Year 11 VCE VM Work Placement and Orientation Program

In Work Related Skills, Year 11 VCE VM students are currently completing mock interviews and practicing their communication skills in an interview setting.

Their work placement starts Wednesday 6 November to 15 November 2024, where students will be involved in an intense work experience program and taste of their future industry.

Year 12 VCE VM will have their orientation program on Monday 18, Tuesday 19 and Wednesday 20 of November 2024. Last day of the year for Year 11 VCE VM is Wednesday 20 November 2024.

Final Year 11 Assembly

The Year 11 students will have their final assembly, period 6 on Wednesday 20 November 2024.

 

We continue to wish all our senior students all the best with all the upcoming events!

 

Ms Marlene Cassar – Senior Sub School Leader

 

Under the Coverslip – 2024 Winners

Congratulations to Eliana Selvarajah (11F) and Ngoc Trinh (11F) on winning the state-wide ‘Under the Coverslip – Science Meets Arts’ competition!

This competition was part of the Biomedical Sciences Day held in term three at GTAC and the University of Melbourne (UniMelb). It involved students working alongside scientists to capture micrographs of research specimens using light, fluorescence and scanning electron microscopes.

Eliana and Ngoc’s entries, ingeniously named ‘A Day by the Seaside’ and ‘Galactic Parasites’ respectively, were adjudged by Professor Jenny Wilkinson-Berka, Head of the School of Biomedical Sciences at UniMelb, to be among the top three submissions in Victoria. This meant that St Albans Secondary College had two out of the three winning entries this year!

Their artwork is being showcased on the GTAC and UniMelb websites, and will also be displayed here in the school’s Science Centre. They will also receive UniMelb merchandise as part of their prizes.

Read more in the links below:

UniMelb article.

GTAC article.

 

 

 

Mr Myers Nguyen – Science Teacher

 

 

Work Inspiration is an Australia-wide, employer-led program that ensures young Australians’ first experience of the world of work is positive, meaningful, and inspiring. Work Inspiration provides a way for young people to find out more about themselves and engage with employers firsthand.

The Smith Family and St Albans Secondary College offered a small group of students a unique chance to look behind-the-scenes and at the opportunities the Transport manufacturing, Local Government, construction and recruitment industry provides. 

 As part of this Work Inspiration program, students learned about the various roles linked to transport, manufacturing, construction and HR/ recruitment and the activities involved in the day-to-day operations of Kreuger, Brimbank City Council, Labour power and Symal. The structured Work Inspiration activities incorporated into this program enabled students to learn more about their skills and preferences, the workplace and how they can design and navigate their future. 

Over the two days, all participating students completed three insight activities.

Insight Activity 1 – All About Me:

This is a personality quiz to start the program with a student self-centred approach, help the students find their personality, and match that with forward-thinking career choices.

Insight Activity 2 – Behind the Scenes:

Students will engage in a tour of the facilities our employers have to offer, during this insight activity students will be able to ask staff questions and see the roles in a day in a life.

Insight Activity 3 – Career Happens:

Students will engage in a round robin group style discussion with staff about their career journey- 15 years old and onwards, staff will share some insight into their own personal career journeys.

 

 

 

Ms Laura Gough – VCE VM Leader

 

 

Buxton, VCA, University of Melbourne Excursion

St Albans Secondary College has always enjoyed a special relationship with Melbourne University, and more recently, Buxton Contempory Gallery. Due to these close ties, the SASC was invited to take a selection of a group of 40 students from years 9, 10 and 11 to visit Buxton Contemporary Galleries and get a tour of VCA’s studios on October 9.

Accompanied by Miss Della Butler and Mr Michael Bowden students saw, The same crowd never gathers twice exhibition. Students also had a very extensive tour of each of the specialised  studios, which included, painting, printmaking, photography, sculpture, woodwork and set making, and ceramics. A representative of every studio spoke to students about their area of specialty, and how students could prepare themselves for entry into VCA. Excursion finished off with a tour of the VCA exhibition spaces and a lunch provided by Buxton.

 

Mr Michael Bowden – Arts Teacher

 

Year 9 Advance Students Tackle Bouldering and Altona Beach Adventure

During the last week of Term 3, some Year 9s embarked on an exciting excursion, visiting a local bouldering centre followed by a trip to Altona Beach.  The Year 9 Advance class took to the walls, demonstrating both courage and teamwork.  The students supported and encouraged one another as they challenged themselves to reach new heights – literally!  It was fantastic to see their determination and enthusiasm in action, with everyone making the most of the climbing experience.

After an energetic morning of bouldering, the group headed to Altona Beach for a well-deserved treat of the town’s famous fish and chips.

The excursion was a resounding success, with students bonding over their achievments and enjoying a great day out.

 

 

Mr Jacob Marinelli – Advance Program Coordinator

Mental Health Week

From 14 to 18 October, we celebrated Mental Health Week at St Albans Secondary College, and what an incredible week it was! Activities ranged from pot decorating and planting, to poster competitions and live band performances, creating a vibrant atmosphere of engagement and fun. The participation from students and staff was outstanding as we came together to raise awareness about the importance of mental health in schools.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to everyone involved in organising these events, especially our CPR ambassadors, whose dedication, passion, and drive were invaluable. These students played a key role in the planning and execution of every event.

We’d also like to extend our gratitude to Brimbank Youth Services, Headspace, Bunnings and 1000 Generations for their generous support of our students.

Congratulations to the winners of the poster competition, and a huge thank you to all who submitted their incredible artwork – it was truly a tough decision, as each piece was unique and inspiring. We will be displaying the beautiful artwork in Wellbeing soon.

It has been inspiring to see our school come together and grow our mindset around mental health. As a strong community let’s continue raising awareness about the importance of mental health throughout the year and support one another, and find fulfilment in your hard work as we head into the final term. I know our CPR Ambassadors can’t wait to start working on next year’s mental health week activities!

 As always if you or someone you know needs support please come and see us.

 

Wellbeing Team