Alba Newsletter – April 2022

Dear Parents and Families

We are just about to complete our first full term of face to face learning and teaching in 9 terms; and we cannot underestimate the challenges that this has presented for students, staff and families.  Whilst coming back together has been exciting and enjoyable, we have also felt the demands of getting used to new routines and expectations, having to navigate so many people, and simply getting through a full day of learning or work without the small periods of down time we have become used to during online learning.

There has been an intensity about this term, not least because we were anxiously hoping to avoid another lockdown, or a significant COVID outbreak at the school.  Fortunately, neither of these things eventuated, and we have come through the term positively.

As a community, we have had a sustained focus on building, or re-building, relationships, especially amongst our younger students.  Those in Year 7, 8 and 9 have little knowledge or experience of what it means to be part of the St Albans Secondary College community, and what this looks and feels like in classes, in the yard, and in terms of how we treat each other.

Our school values of Excellence, Leadership, Integrity and Respect have been central to our conversation with students, as has out focus on CPR – Connect Protect Respect, as we re-emerge as a community post online learning and teaching.  And we are really pleased to see the strengthening of positive behaviours and attributes to learning.  We will certainly continue this focus in Term 2.

Welcome……..

We are delighted to welcome Nicola Le’Toille as the new Coordinator of our Individual Needs program, and Francess Connison as the Teacher Assistant in the SPELD reading program.

Tania Nguyen-Milgate has also joined our staff as a Science Lab Technician, and Hebah Shone has taken up an English position.

We wish each of our new staff all the very best for their time at St Albans Secondary College.

A warm welcome, too, to Shona Cowell’s baby daughter, Genevieve, and congratulations to Shona, Trevor and big brother, Harrison, on her arrival into the family.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Farewells……..

At the end of this term, we will say farewell to several staff: Salvina Farrugia will be on family leave, as will Tina Phan and Annemaree Papaleo, and we wish them well for the births of their babies.

David Bell, our Grounds Person, is taking up a position at a new school.  Again, congratulations and good wishes to David in his new role.

 

Congratulations also to……..

Amra Pajalic on being nominated as one of the 8 incredible Melbourne-based writers to read on International Women’s Day.  A fabulous and well-deserved recognition of Amra’s talents as a writer.

Follow this link to read the article in Secret Melbourne:  https://secretmelbourne.com/women-writers-melbourne/ 

And to another writer on staff, Michael Bowden, for his new publication for the Arts, Art Making and Exhibiting VCE, co-authored with Alma Tooke. 

How fortunate the school is to have these two authors and experts in their creative fields teaching our students.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And for a change of pace, we also recognise Cameron Beale for his achievement in winning the National Brazilian Ju Jitsu Champion title for 2021.  In just a few years, Cameron has risen to the top of his sport and is an inspiration for his students.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A shout out, too, to Nicole Gurd, our Alumni Program Coordinator and all of our past students who have contributed so generously, especially over the last two years, to provide enriching and motivating talks, seminars, work experience opportunities and guidance for our current students.

Here is a snapshot of our 2021 Alumni program achievements:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Year 7 2022 Information Evening

It was a privilege to welcome almost 400 prospective students and their families to our Information Evening and school tour several weeks ago.

Our staff and student leaders did a wonderful job showcasing and explaining our curricular and extracurricular programs, as well as the services provided by our Wellbeing and Allied Health teams.

Congratulations to Transition Coordinator, Marlene Cassar, Assistant Transition Coordinator, Vicki Bunce, and to our staff team who so warmly and expertly welcomed our visitors.

Study Skills

Our Teaching and Learning Coordinator, together with the Senior Sub School, hasdeveloped and delivered the first session of a Study Skills program to all Year 12 VCE students. This first session focused on defining the difference between homework and study, and provided tools to plan and implement an effective study timetable. There was also a focus on thinking tools to support study through techniques such as summarising. There will be a follow up session in early Term 2.

Lady Northcote Recreational Camp

Each year, our Year 11 students travel to Lady Northcote Recreational Camp to participate in a team building day. The 180 students were randomly put into groups of about 13. and then rotated through a series of activities aimed at developing leadership and team work skills. It was a great day, and it was excellent to see the students interacting with each other in different ways. Thanks to the Senior Sub School team for their organisation of this event.

NAPLAN Practice

With the move to NAPLAN on line this year, we have provided all year 7 and 9 students with the opportunity to practise two online tests. These were the writing test, and an omnibus test comprising numeracy, reading and language conventions. Students are able to do  further practice if they wish. There is a link posted in the Compass newsfeed by our NAPLAN Coordinator, Ms Jacqui Hunter. NAPLAN for 2022 will be held in weeks 3 and 4 next term.

Whole School Assembly

It was with great anticipation that we had our first whole school assembly in our beautiful new outdoor teaching space with an audience of approximately 1800 students and staff. At this assembly, held on Monday 28 February, we welcomed our Year 7 cohort and other new staff and students and their families into the St Albans School Community. 

This assembly is an important part of our school calendar and school traditions, and provided an opportunity for us all be together and  to make connections, especially with our new Year 7s.  The assembly was opened by the National Anthem sung by an acapella group from the Year 11 and 12 Music class. These 4 students, Salote Mulitalo, Julie Timo Fiamalo, Faatali Vaiusu and Kilisi Mafileo sang in beautiful harmony without accompaniment and it sounded wonderful in the space.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During proceedings, we celebrated together and acknowledged examples of student leadership and excellence in a range of areas.  We were treated to student musical performances and an overview of the excellent 2021 VCE and VCAL achievements.  Our School Captains, Tina Duong and Sarah Liu, welcomed our newest students and Api Nicol and Jade Tran of Year 7 responded on behalf of the Year 7 Cohort.  Students were provided an overview of the scholarships, awards and prizes available.

In particular, students were reminded of the Student Recognition Prize, 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 in accordance with expectations and respectfully to both other students and staff, and wearing school uniform correctly.  Due to not having our whole school assembly at the end of 2021, the recognition prizes we would normally have presented at the end of the year were presented at this assembly. 

The recipients of these prizes were:

2021 Junior Sub School – Kritik Dhingra

2021 Middle Sub School – Kelly Lam

2021 Senior Sub School – Lan Anh Le

The Crocker House Cup was awarded to Irwin for 2021.

This was the first of our whole school events for 2022 and we look forward to our next opportunity to come together in celebration.  These traditions are what helps to create a school community and support our whole school commitment to Connect, Protect and Respect.

Swimming Carnival

All Year 7 to 9 and selected Year 10 students travelled to Oak Park Aquatic Centre on Tuesday 8 March for our annual Swimming Carnival.  Although it was an overcast day there was enthusiasm by competitors and those making use of the giant waterslide and large floating obstacle course during supervised free time.  There was well supported competition in the swimming and novelty events, and a lot of house pride was on display.  You can read more about the Swimming Carnival later in this newsletter.

The final points for each house were:

Irwin                     546

Freeman              361        

Rosewall              265

Buttrose               182

Well done to all participants, and to Irwin House for being named the overall winner. Thanks to Mr Winduss and his team for the organisation of this very successful event. 

Parent Teacher Interviews

Parent Teacher Interviews for Term 1 took place on Wednesday 6 April.  It was lovely to see so many parents and students attend, and it was a welcome return to having this event on site.  Interpreters were provided which a number of families were able to access to assist with their interviews. Many parents and staff commented on how much they appreciated this opportunity to communicate directly about student learning.  We thank all those parents and students who attended and the staff for their work in providing this valuable feedback.  Any parents who were not able to attend the Parent Teacher Interviews, or would like some follow up can contact their child’s Sub School at the email address below:

• • Junior School inquiries – junior@stalbanssc.vic.edu.au
  • Middle School inquiries – middle@stalbanssc.vic.edu.au
  • Senior School inquiries – senior@stalbanssc.vic.edu.au

Please note that contact to Sub Schools can be made at any time by parents as needed.

Year 7 Expo

We recently hosted the Year 7 Expo at the College. This important date on our calendar provides an opportunity for Year 7 students to showcase their class work to families. Parents also met teachers and spent some valuable time back in the classroom, seeing school from their child’s perspective. We thank all the students and staff who participated in making the Year 7 Expo a truly successful event. We also would like to extend our thanks to the families that came along to participate in the night.

National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence

March 18 marks the National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence. This important day on our school calendar is a time where we come together as a community to stop and reflect on the impacts of bullying and violence and pledge to work towards removing it from our school and our lives more broadly. The theme for this year’s day was Kindness Culture. This theme resonates with the culture we promote at our school and students have been learning about the impacts of bullying and how to promote kindness in classes. On the Day of Action students participated in a market day and celebration, with a range of external services, guests and activities to promote this important theme. Students and special guest Ed Moon performed for cheering audiences in what was a wonderful celebration. A massive thank you to the College Wellbeing and VCAL teams for organising what was a very successful event.

And finally……..

Best wishes to the students, staff and families for a relaxing and enjoyable break over the holidays.  We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday 27 April for the start of Term 2 for students (Tuesday 26 April is a student free day).

 

 

Monday, 4 April 2022

8:55AM – 10:35AM NAPLAN Writing “Readiness ” Test  (9J)

8:55AM – 3:10PM Year 7 Brimbank Field Trip (7A, 7C, 7D, 7K)

9:00AM – 3:00PM Year 9 Morrisby 1:1 Interviews

1:30PM – 3:10PM Year 11 VCAL – Young Workers Centre Workshop

1:30PM -2:20PM Year 8 Class Captain Meeting 

Tuesday, 5 April 2022

9:00AM – 3:00PM Year 9 Morrisby 1:1 Interviews

8:55AM – 10:35AM NAPLAN Omnibus “Readiness” Test (7K)

8:55AM – 3:10PM Year 7 Brimbank Field Trip (7E, 7F, 7I, 7L)

1:30PM – 3:10PM NAPLAN Omnibus “Readiness” Test (9D)

Wednesday, 6 April 2022

1:00PM – 7:00PM Parent Teacher Interviews

Thursday, 7 April 2022

8:55AM – 10:35AM NAPLAN Omnibus “Readiness” Test (7J & 9L)

8:55AM – 3:10PM Year 7 Brimbank Field Trip (7B, 7G, 7H, 7J)

11:00AM – 11:50AM The Long Walk – Art Therapy Program

1:30PM – 3:10PM NAPLAN Omnibus “Readiness” Test (9G & 9H)

1:30PM – 3:10PM Year 9 Health Promotion Presentation

2:20PM – 3:10PM NAPLAN Omnibus “Readiness” Test (7B)

Friday, 8 April 2022

Last Day of Term 1 – Students Dismissed at 2:30PM

9:45AM – 10:35AM The Long Walk – Art Therapy Program

12:40PM – 2:30PM Year 11 & 12 Soccer Challenge

Monday, 25 April 2022

Public Holiday – Anzac Day

Tuesday, 26 April 2022

Curriculum Day

Wednesday, 27 April

Term 2 Begins

8:45AM – 3:10PM Year 7H Integrated Studies Strathbogie Camp

8:55AM – 3:10PM Year 9 Morrisby Program Stage 3 – All Week.  Individual Student Counselling – 30 Minute Sessions

8:55AM – 3:10PM Senior Boys Basketball

8:55AM – 3:10PM Senior Girls Basketball

8:55AM – 3:10PM Senior Boys Table Tennis

8:55AM – 3:10PM Senior Girls Table Tennis

11:00AM – 12:30PM Anzac Service

Thursday, 28 April

8:45AM – 3:10PM Year 7H Integrated Studies Strathbogie Camp

8:55AM – 3:10PM Year 9 Morrisby Program Stage 3 – All Week.  Individual Student Counselling – 30 Minute Sessions

11:00AM – 12:40PM Year 8 Health Promotion Presentation

Friday, 29 April

8:45AM – 3:10PM Year 7H Integrated Studies Strathbogie Camp

8:55AM – 3:10PM Year 9 Morrisby Program Stage 3 – All Week.  Individual Student Counselling – 30 Minute Session

8:55AM – 2:20PM GTAC Immunology Excursion – Year 10 to 12 Biology

Monday, 2 May

8:15AM – 2:45PM Intermediate Boys Soccer

Tuesday, 3 May

8:45AM – 3:10PM Year 7K Integrated Studies Strathbogie Camp

8:55AM – 9:45AM Big Science Competition (Year 7 to 10)

3:30PM – 5:15PM Extinction Performance Incursion – Year 12

Wednesday, 4 May

8:45AM – 3:10PM Year 7K Integrated Studies Strathbogie Camp

7:30AM – 9:00AM Business Partners Breakfast

8:55AM -2:45PM Year 7 Zoo Excursion

Thursday, 5 May

8:45AM – 3:10PM Year 7K Integrated Studies Strathbogie Camp

8:55AM – 3:15PM Year 8 Sovereign Hill Excursion

11:00AM – 12:40PM Year 10 Career Development workshop

Friday, 6 May

8:55AM – 3:10PM Inter Boys & Girls Badminton

8:55AM – 3:10PM Senior Boys & Girls Badminton

Wednesday, 11 May

8:55AM – 3:10PM Brimbank Careers Expo (Year 12 VCAL)

8:55AM – 11:00AM Brimbank Careers Exploration Day  (VCAL)

Thursday, 12 May

11:00AM – 12:40PM Year 10 Career Development Program

Friday, 13 May

8:55AM – 3:10PM Year 7 & 9 NAPLAN

8:45AM – 3:10PM Year 11 VCE & VCAL Careers Expo Excursion

8:45AM – 3:30PM Victorian Careers Show

9:00AM – 12:40PM Year 10 Meningococcal Vaccine

11:00AM – 3:10PM Top Design Exhibition

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.

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.

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 Line 

Parents are reminded when leaving message on the student absence line to:

• 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 CSEF close on 22 June, 2022 and forms can be downloaded from our College website or obtained from reception.

State School Relief (SSR)

Should you have a valid HCC and a child in Year 7 in 2022, you may be eligible for the Year 7 Uniform Starter Pack.  Please enquire at the General Office.

 

                                                                                Tania Nguyen-Milgate

Dear St. Albans Secondary Community, 

My name is Tania Nguyen-Milgate. I am delighted to be part of the Science Education Support Team – Science Laboratory Technician. With years of experiences in research and technical in both industrial and the higher education setting (RMIT University) I hope I can make some contribution to the school and local community. 

I am a mother of two primary school girls. I like cooking, gardening, bike riding and camping. I am looking forward to meeting and working with you all. 

 

 

 

Francess Connison

Hi, my name is Francess and I’ve recently joined the wonderful team in Individual Needs as an Education Support worker, mainly supporting students in SPELD.  

Prior to this role I worked and volunteered in the Human Services sector. In my spare time, I enjoy going for walks at my local beach, I’m lucky to only live 13minutes drive away from the beach, so I’m there most weekends. I also enjoy reading a good book, practicing my dance moves when no one is watching and spending time with my friends and family.

I’m really excited about my new role at SASC, and I’m looking forward meeting you all.

 

 

This Term has been very productive for our Junior Students with Swimming Carnivals, Camps, and IS excursions to St Albans. They have been having a wonderful time bonding with class mates and learning new skills in their subjects. 

Next term, Year 7 and 8 students will have excursions in May. Please ensure permissions and payments are completed through the Compass Portal.

May 4^th – Year 7 will attend the Zoo

May 5^th – Year 8 will attend Sovereign Hill

Year 7 EXPO

On Wednesday March 9^th – the Yr7 Expo was held at St Albans Secondary College. A large turnout of students with their families (over 300) were welcomed by the College Principal Ms Kerrie Dowsley and Assistant Principal Mr John Coulson.   The Junior School organised a fabulous evening with teachers of Maths, IS, Science and LOTE to present items to the families and to engage them in their child’s education.

Families attended rooms and met a number of their child’s teachers and have a look at some of the work that has been done by students so far this year.

Thank you to all the families and students who attended the Expo. It was a very successful evening.

 

 

Minus 18 Program

Our Year 8 students attended a Workshop “Back to Basics “– Gender and Sexuality Workshop. The Program was presented to improve the health and well-being of, and provide a safe environment for, same-sex attracted and gender diverse young people. Students were provided with an engaging informative session which gave them knowledge and understanding on gender equality.

Camps

Year 7 Camps are still underway and will continue in May. Each class will attend Strathbogie for a fantastic three days of adventure. A very big thank you to Mr. Cooper for his organisation and preparation for the students.  It has been an amazing experience for those who have already attended this year.

 

  

 

 

 

 

     

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Students Luncheon

The Junior School held a luncheon for our new later enrolments to meet the coordinators and to discuss how they were settling in to St Albans Secondary College. All students spoke of their anticipation starting a new school and told of their new friendships and experiences.  A nice Pizza lunch was had by all who attended. It was nice to get to know our new students more personally.  Thank you to Mr Lac for organising the event.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UNIFORM

With winter approaching please ensure your child has a jumper and or wet weather jacket. Only white or black scarves are permitted. Please don’t leave shoes outside overnight and your child’s name should be written on all articles of clothing. The uniform shop is open Monday and Thursdays at lunchtime for additional purchases.

 It has been a great start to the year and students are settling in well.  We wish our students a well-earned rest over the Easter Period.

 Have a terrific holiday break and we look forward to seeing you all again at the end of April. 

 

Lauren Honeycombe – Junior Sub School Leader

 

With Term One coming to an end, the Middle School team would like to congratulate all the Year 9 and 10 students on a very good start to the year. It has been so exciting to see students attending a number of excursions and activities over the last few weeks, and participating in a range of extra-curricular activities again.

On Thursday 31^st March, a lunch was held for all the students who have joined us this year.  A big thanks to Mr Dane Stammers, Ms Ana Miskovic and the Peer Mentors for their work in organising the lunch and leading discussions to collect feedback on how the students have been supported since arriving.

Year 9

In February, Yr 9s were visited by a representative from the Pat Cronin Foundation who spoke to them about the work of the foundation in raising awareness, providing education to young people, and researching the impact of acts of violence in the community. Students were taught about Pat Cronin who was a victim of a coward punch attack which sadly took his life. Thank you to Mr Brendan McFarland for his work in arranging this, and to the students for their engagement with the key messages shared.

Year 9 Marine Discovery Centre Excursion (Ms Angela Hanley)

Over the past few weeks all of our Year 9 Sciences classes have attended the Marine Discovery Centre in Queenscliff and conducted field work at Point Lonsdale. Students were able to interact with a variety of marine creatures, such as abalone, crabs and sea urchins in the touch tank. One class was lucky enough to witness the birth of a squid! On the beach, each class sampled a range of quadrats to determine the effect of distance from the high tide mark on the abundance and diversity of various species. This data was collated back at school and will be used to write up a practical report.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Year 10

The Peer Mentors have begun working with Mr Adrian McCall to prepare for our first community partnerships event this year, the ‘Community and Business Partners’ Breakfast’. This will take place on Wednesday 4^th May and is attended each year by members of the local business community as a way to discuss how the school can build partnerships with local businesses and support students to develop skills required in the work force. 

Parent Teacher Interviews

Parent Teacher Interviews will take place Wednesday 6^th April, and is an excellent opportunity for parents to meet with children and discuss learning progress. Appointments can be booked though Compass. Please contact your child’s Year Level Coordinator if you are having difficulties with the booking.

The Middle School team wish you all the best for a restful Easter holiday break.

 

Becky Annetts – Middle Sub School Leader

Congratulations to all our Senior Sub School students on completing a successful Term 1.  We are proud of the dedication and hard work they have been putting into their studies, and the excellent start to the school year.

On Friday 25th March 2022, Year 11 students attended the Lady Northcote Recreation Camp, where they participated in a variety of outdoor team building activities called the “The Amazing Race”. The activities supported students to build their confidence, problem solve, work as a team, enhance their leadership skills and build connections with their peers and teachers. Our students participated in all the activities with enthusiasm and a competitive spirit. The winning team led by Ms Woods, received a trophy to recognise their achievements.

 

 

 

 

 

This Friday afternoon, the Year 11 and 12 students will compete in another event, our annual Soccer Challenge. The Soccer Challenge brings all the Senior Sub School student together in friendly competition and is the perfect way to bring the term to a close. A mixed team of Year 11 students will play off against the Year 12 students in a 40 minute match. May the best team win!

Next Term, on Friday 13^th of May 2022, all Year 11 students will be attending the Victorian Careers Show at the Melbourne Showgrounds. The Careers Show offers seminars on VCE subjects as well as information regarding careers, tertiary courses apprenticeships, traineeships and employment. It is essential that students attend in preparation for their future careers pathway. Parents/Guardians will need to access Compass to give consent and make payment. A reminder that parents/guardians with a Health Care Card may be eligible for a government subsidy through CSEF (Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund). Please click on the following link https://www.vic.gov.au/camps-sports-and-excursions-fund or contact our College office for more information.

The Senior Sub School Coordinators have been working closely with the Teaching and Learning Coordinator to run study skills workshops with the Year 12 students during their study periods. The focus of the workshops is to equip students with the study techniques needed to get the most out of their study time. Some of the areas covered include:

• • • Creating out of school study timetables
    • Enhancing your study space
    • Homework versus study
    • Note Making – Dual coding theory
    • Three procrastination avoidance techniques
    • Kolb’s learning cycle

Advanced study techniques workshops will be held in Term 2 for students who are interested in learning more sophisticated research-based study techniques to further improve their study habits and results.  

The Senior Sub School has received Year 11 and 12 progress reports and have interviewed students and in some cases have held parent meetings. The reports show students’ progress through formative tasks and SACs. These reports are continuously being used to monitor students at risk, and identify students who are ready for further extension in their studies. Parents/Guardians can access all reports through the Parent Portal in Compass. Individual Learning Tasks and the Students Weekly Planners are also accessible through the Parent Portal.

For an up-to-date report on their child’s progress, parents/guardians will have had the opportunity to attend the Parent/Teacher interviews held on Wednesday 6 April.

Year Level Coordinators are continuing to conduct class visits to encourage punctuality to classes. It is essential for students to organise their time and be punctual to classes so that everyone can make the most of their class time and disruptions are minimised. Many thanks to the parents/guardians who contact us when their child is absent for any reason. This is of great assistance to the Year Level Coordinators and the Senior Sub School Assistant, as we will call home regularly if there are any unexplained absences.

Finally, we would like to take this opportunity to wish all our senior students and their families a happy and safe term break.

If you have any queries or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us on 9366 25555.

 

Marlene Cassar – Senior Sub School Leader

 

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VCAL Report

COMMUNITY HEALTH ADVANCEMENT AND STUDENT EDUCATION (CHASE)

CHASE is a community initiative working to improve health through education.

Their goal is to see young people empowered to take control of their own health, to then engage with their local communities to improve health awareness and outcomes. Year 11 VCAL students will be given the first of six health education sessions and met their tertiary student mentors on Monday 2 May. They will continue to have these education sessions during Term 2 and then continue with mentors and partnerships with local community organisations and health professionals to improve community health.

The program is being run by a group of students from the Universities across Melbourne, who will be assigned to the VCAL class for the duration of the year. These volunteers will act as mentors to the students, providing a positive role models and facilitating the following two phases:

Education Phase – Term 2 & 3

The Education Phase consists of six workshops that form a diverse health curriculum centered on the social determinants of health.

The sessions will be based around the following topics:

• • Nutrition
  • Physical Activity
  • Sexual Health
  • Drugs & Alcohol
  • Mental Health

Action Phase – Term ¾

The Action Phase consists of six workshops that aim to teach students the skills required to implement a community-based project that addresses their chosen topic of interest from the Education Phase. The sessions will be based around the following topics:

• • Action Phase Introduction
  • Project Planning & Risk Assessment
  • Teamwork, Communication and Conflict Resolution
  • Time Management
  • Leadership & Teamwork
  • Follow-up & Project Showcase

 

National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence

The Year 12 VCAL classes ran lunchtime activities for the ‘‘National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence’ on Friday 18 March. The VET bands played, outside providers attended, a pledge against bullying board, positivity chain and crane origami  They also gave out orange ‘Anti Bullying’ bands to all the senior school students as a symbol of how we do not tolerate any type of bullying at St Albans SC and to give junior students someone to approach if they were feeling unsafe in the yard.

Leadership and Team work Seminar

Sacha Kaluri is a youth motivational speaker that has been working around Australia and overseas for many years. Having many successful businesses, in 2011 Sacha became co-founder and co-director of the Australian Teenage Expo, Australia’s largest educational youth event, which has attracted more than 50,000 teens and has toured every State and Territory of Australia working together with The Federal – Department of Education and Training. www.teenageexpo.com.au  is also the very first online directory for young people, parents and educators. She spoke with or Year 12 Students on Monday 28 about Leadership and Teamwork. Students were motivated and engaged taking part in hands on teamwork activities.

Brimbank Careers Exploration Day

Our Yr12 VCAL students will be attending the Brimbank Careers Exploration on Wednesday 11 May. There will be representatives from different TAFEs, traineeship and apprenticeship exhibitors for students to visit and ask questions about career opportunities and pathways. Prior to the event students research their interests and skills and are shown occupation clusters in their interest area from a survey supported by Deakin University. They then will be able to list specific organisation’s to visit on the day.

Young Workers Centre

Yr 11 Students were spoken to by a representative from Young Workers Centre, who provide support to young workers when issues may arise in regards to their rights and responsibilities in the work place.

The sessions occurring Monday 4 April and Wednesday 4 May will cover

• Your Rights at Work – a basic rundown of workplace information including contracts, payslips and how to find your minimum wage
• Occupational Health and Safety – gain a practical understanding of OH+S procedures and laws, the role of HSRs and how to keep safe at work
• Bullying and Discrimination at Work – covers what constitutes workplace bullying, sexual harassment and discrimination, as well as the tools for responding to these issues
• Apprentice and Trainee Readiness – a combination of the above modules specifically designed for apprentices and trainees

 

Laura Gough – Senior Sub School VCAL Coordinator

It is exciting to think that in September we will see the first MAC production in 3 years. This year we have secured the rights for Disney’s The Lion King Junior. This production includes the same story and music as the original production but is reduced in length and complexity.

If you are not familiar with the story, it follows the adventures of the young lion Simba (Thien Doan), the heir of his father, Mufasa (Paul Fatai). Simba’s wicked uncle, Scar (Eric Luu), plots to usurp Mufasa’s throne by luring father and son into a stampede of wildebeests. However, Simba escapes, and only Mufasa is killed. Simba returns as an adult (Kevin Pinto) to take back his homeland from Scar with the help of his friends Timon (Api Nicol) and Pumbaa (DT Cairns). Along the way we meet some other interesting characters such as Rafiki, a wise mandrill played by Tina Nguyen of Year 10 and Simba’s playmate young Nala (Emma Nguyen) who grows to be a confident lioness willing to confront Scar (Tiana Stepanoviski)

The MAC team is very excited with the talent of this year’s cast and over 45 students auditioned for the ensemble. The full cast list was published on COMPASS, google classroom and can be seen posted around the school.

Over 30 students have registered for backstage. They will have a challenging job of creating life-size animal puppets and will find themselves on stage operating them in this production. Rehearsals will begin early to mid -term 2, with a fair bit of work to be done conceptually before rehearsals begin. All rehearsal information will be posted on google classroom and cast, band and crew need to check google classroom regularly for updates.

If you are able to help in anyway, please contact one of the MAC team. We may make the costumes rather than hire them this year so if you have any skills in this area, please let us know.

Performance Dates: The performances are scheduled for Monday 12^th, Tuesday September 13^th & Thursday 15^th of September, the last week of Term 3. There will be a matinee and evening performance on each day.

 

Janet McKenzie (Director), Nick D’Aglas (Artistic Director), James Orchard (Musical Director), Melrose Tran (Assistant Musical Director)

This term, five year nine students, Angel Bancell Ho, Lawrence Wu, Marcus Arciprete, Najma Rezai and Thang Tran attended the School for Student Leadership (SSL) program at the Snowy River Campus in Marlo.

These students made the brave and very worthwhile decision to be involved in the program and to live away from home for nine weeks with forty other students from all around Victoria. The students decided to attend the SSL school for these reasons

“We all came to the School for Student Leadership to work on and build our confidence, communication skills and to make new friendships. This has been an opportunity to step out of our comfort zones, improve ourselves and make new memories. We have learnt a lot and have had a wonderful experience.”

On the program, the students also worked on a project to make a difference in the local community, which they will implement when they return to SASC in term 2. The students have decided to focus on raising awareness for homelessness.

We look forward to welcoming them all back to SASC in term 2 and hearing about their experiences and the new skills they have learnt.

 

The Duke Of Edinburgh’s International Award

Advance is a program that encourages participants to be actively involved in the local community and complete recognised  training.  As part of this exciting program students complete the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (Dukes Award).  The Dukes Award has four sections: Community Service, Skills, Physical Recreation & Adventurous Journey.

The Advance class has participated in a range of activities during Term 1 Lady Northcote Recreation Camp, Clean Up Australia Day & North West Communities for Climate Action School Summit.

 

 

 

 

 

Year 9 Advance – Lady Northcote Recreation Camp

On the 7^th of February, the 2022 Year 9 Advance class left for Lady Northcote Recreation Camp. We stayed for two nights and participated in a wide range of activities such as canoeing, archery, Frisbee golf and games that helped us develop our teamwork skills. The camp was a lot of fun and many new friendships were made.

Here are some camp reviews:

“We attended YMCA Lady Northcote Recreation Camp at the start of the year. Initially, I was nervous about attending a camp with many of whom I hadn’t interacted with up until that point. We all formed new friendships right away. Within a day of arriving, my class and I began taking part in a range of outdoor activities, which developed our leadership and team-building skills. Participating in archery and meeting new people were my personal highlights of the camp! Taking part in the Advance program and camp allowed me to create many great memories that I will hold onto for a lifetime.” – Haily Le 9C

“My first camp this year with my Advance class was absolutely amazing, we were joined by 2 lovely teachers, Ms Papagianopoulos and Mr Cooper. Although we, as a class were very quiet and didn’t know many other people that well in the class, we had an amazing experience to remember. We made memories and got to know each other. The cabins and area surrounding was very environmentally friendly and we had delightful staff greet us too, our main leader being Jordan. He helped guide us through many activities and ensured both our safety and fun. We had 3 whole days packed with activities to do. We did things such as canoeing, team building, high ropes or leap of faith, archery (my favourite), had free time and The Amazing Race. There was also always food right after each activity which ensured we stayed full whilst participating and energised. One of the toughest challenges for everyone was high ropes or leap of faith. I decided to do the leap of faith, which was a mental challenge rather than a physical one. I had to climb an 8m pole and jump off with the extra addition of reaching the balloon. Although I was held up and ensured I was safe by some of my classmates, I had fallen the first time and I feared that. This didn’t mean that this wasn’t a great experience nonetheless, I really enjoyed it. After each day, after all the activities and food we also had fun playing card games with each other, things like mafia and speed which was very chaotic. It was exciting and filled with tension but it helped bring us together and learn about each other.” – Kayla Le 9C

 

 

 

 

Clean Up Australia Day

On Wednesday the 9^th of March, the Year 9 Advance class participated in Clean Up Australia Day, which contributed to their community service for the Dukes Award. We worked as a group to help clean up the local area, which included the Errington Reserve Children’s playground. We kept each other motivated by trying to collect the most rubbish and recycling in groups. It was very rewarding knowing we were helping our community and learning about waste issues.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

North West Communities for Climate Action School Summit

On Wednesday the 30th of March, our Advance class was able to participate in the Climate Action School Summit. We were introduced to CERES (Centre for Education and Research in Environmental Strategies) and together as a class along with many other participating schools in varying council areas, created an image of what we wanted our 2040 to look like. This included different ideas such as using solar panels and electric cars. Additionally, there were many guest speakers who talked about their contribution to the environment. We learnt about how Pygmy Possums are endangered due to a reduction in the possum’s key food source, the Bogong Moths. We also heard from young advocates around our age who were making a significant difference to the environment by raising awareness and creating solutions for the problems we have in our environment. We were able to speak to our mayor of Brimbank Council and speak about our environmental concerns in our environment. We were also able to hear ideas from other schools about their concerns and see their 2040 images.

 

 

Articles by the Year 9 Advance Class

 

 

Irwin Takes House Swimming Carnival Second Year Running

On Tuesday, 8 March 2022 St Albans Secondary College staff and students braved the not-so-warm weather to attend the annual House Swimming Carnival at Oak Park Leisure Centre.

House spirit was high, and all students got involved in the spirit of the day with lots of participation in the competitive races and the novelty events. Students were able to earn points for their House by participating in novelty and timed events and extra point were allocated to top finishers.

The day ended with the opening of the water slide and the huge blow-up inflatable. This allowed all students to have the opportunity to participate and enjoy the day.

A huge congratulations to every student who participated to the best of their ability and to all the staff for their supervision and involvement. Special mention to the following students who have since qualified for the Western Region Swimming Championships: Allan Duong (9), Zoe Edwards (7), Steven Lam (7), Sarah Mai (10), Adrian Mai (8), Vincent Nguyen (7), Doan Nguyen (10), Andy Nguyen (8), Apirana Nicol (7), Madison Pacheco-Sio (10), Dylan Pham (7), Enki Van (10).

Finally, a big congratulations to Irwin House who took out the 2022 House swimming championships two years running. Well done!

Thanks to all who made the carnival a success.

“Swimming carnival was an exciting break from school because there were plenty of activities to do like competing in the swimming sports and joining in at the novelty events. BUT the most thrilling thing was the slides….seeing other people go down at incredible speeds was something out of this world.” –  Vuk Vujatovic 9D

“The swimming carnival was a very fun event to go to and organise. I loved the bustling and carefree atmosphere of the day and I had a lot of fun working with the other House captains.” – Tina Le 8H

 

Finishing Results

IRWIN	ROSEWALL	BUTTROSE	FREEMAN
546	265	182	361

This term the Year 10 Japanese students have been studying how to ask for, give and receive directions. To prepare for their upcoming speaking assessment, we completed a treasure hunt. In class, students wrote directions in Japanese around the school and created a treasure map. In week 6, we hid our treasures around the school and used the directions to find these treasures. Unfortunately, some treasures melted in the sun and might have been mistaken for rubbish but most students were able to use their map to find their treasure. If they ever get lost in Japan, I am sure they will be able to find their way in Japanese now!

 

 

よくできました！

Emi Narasaki
Japanese Teacher

LOTE LAC

As I’ve said in the past, it is amazing to have actual alumni join us in real life, on campus, for insightful discussion around post-school experiences and career pathways.  Way back on February 17, Jennifer Whitfield ’21, returned to motivate our current year 12 French students. Jen provided invaluable study and exam tips that are sure to inspire and encourage the students in their own studies.  When Julie Tran ’03 joined us on March 7 in celebration of International Women’s Day, we were treated to a frank conversation about her experiences working as an Organisational Psychologist, breaking the bias in the workplace, and the realities of balancing life with running a successful baking business.  Although we didn’t taste one of her incredible cakes, we feasted with our eyes as she shared images of her incredible creations.

We also ran our first Diggers Plant Club back at the beginning of March.  Although we didn’t have an alumni guest, we all made new connections and learnt a thing or two about potting and caring for plants.  Our next Diggers, on the first Tuesday in April, looks to be a ripper as we welcome back 2021 graduate Jamie Koutras to tell us all about what it looks like on the other side of graduation.  I hope he’s ready to get his hands dirty!

Aside from the on-campus sessions and events, there is often a lot of networking behind the scenes within the alumni community. Although this action is mostly invisible to our students and staff, it’s these connections that strengthen ties, and unites our program with the wider community. Examples of this include introducing a 2017 graduate to a 2020 graduate to offer advice on securing an internship, and a 2010 peer asking for next-step guidance for a business idea, workplace connections for work experience, as well celebrating achievements and sharing challenges and callouts over our social media networks. 

We’re looking forward to further growth and enrichment in Term 2. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vaping Webinar with School Nurse

St Albans Secondary College, like many other schools, has seen a recent spike in young people vaping.

The biggest misunderstanding about vaping is that it is harmless compared to cigarette smoking. However, this is not true, and e-cigarettes are not considered safe.

E-cigarettes, or ‘vapes’, come in many shapes and sizes and can be hard to spot as they can look like everyday items including highlighters, pens or USB memory sticks.

 Key vaping facts:

• Many vapes contain nicotine, even if labelled ‘nicotine-free’. The nicotine in one vape can equal 50 cigarettes. Nicotine can cause long-lasting negative effects on young people’s brain development, including impaired learning ability and altered mood, and can increase the risk of depression and anxiety.
• Vapes can contain the same harmful chemicals found in cleaning products, nail polish remover, weed killer and bug spray, which can lead to serious lung diseases.

The laws around selling vapes:

It is illegal to sell vapes to anyone under the age of 18 years. Young people often purchase vapes online, from retail stores, or from friends and contacts on social media. If you are aware of any retail stores illegally selling e-cigarettes to anyone under the age of 18, please inform the council.

 Talk to your child about vaping:

It’s important to take the time to talk to your child about the risks of vaping, regardless of whether you suspect they are vaping or not. Start the conversation in a relaxed easy-going way, perhaps taking cues from TV stories about vaping, in the car or when seeing someone vape in the street. Ask what they know about vaping and clear up any misconceptions they may have. When discussing the risks of vaping, try to understand and address the different factors that might motivate them to vape such as peer pressure or stress.

For more information, all parents and staff are welcome to attend a webinar hosted by St Albans Health Promotion Nurse, Nadia, on Thursday April 28^th 5:30pm (Week1,Term 2). The link to the webinar will be posted on Compass closer to the date.

To attend, please register in the link below:

https://forms.gle/Ta3ixSGfGFQ92tyR7

 

Your Say Day – Sydenham Library

 

Footscray Lacrosse Club – Recruiting

 

 

 

Get Active Vouchers

The Get Active Kids Voucher Program helps eligible families get their kids involved in organised sport and recreation activities by reimbursing the cost of membership and registration fees, uniforms and equipment. Eligible children may be able to receive up to $200 each. This round closes 9th July. 

Children must be aged 0 to 18 and named on a valid and issued Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card and Medicare card to be eligible.

For more information visit getactive.vic.gov.au 

 

 

 

St Albans Football Club – Recruiting

The St Albans Football Club is a proud community football club located in the Western Suburbs of Melbourne and based at Errington Reserve St Albans and Kings Park Reserve, Gillespie Road St Albans. 

In addition to its core football roots, St Albans Football Club presents an open accessible face, welcoming members and guests into its sporting and social programs from the broad spectrum of cultures within its melting pot suburb.

Our “Vision” is to be the sporting club of choice for our community, encouraging all to participate with no barriers to entry and success.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Albion Football Club – Recruiting