Alba Newsletter – September 2021

 

Dear Parents and Guardians

It’s not often that we get to the holidays and there’s a general lack of excitement about not being at school or work; but it certainly feels that way this time. I met with the Junior SRC on Tuesday, and they seemed very keen to be back at school as soon as possible. I know that our staff are longing for this, too, as I suspect are many parents. Nevertheless, a break from spending far too much time sitting, and from the intensity of screens will be very welcome, and is so well deserved by everyone. Hopefully, the weather will continue to be kind and inviting, and we’ll be able to enjoy outdoor gatherings with friends and family.

 

Farewell & thank you

This term we are sadly saying farewell to two valued members of our Individual Needs team. Christine Dawkins joined St Albans Secondary College in 2011 as a Teacher Assistant and has more recently been responsible for the SPELD reading intervention program. Christine’s unwavering focus on the learning and wellbeing of each of her students, and her commitment to continually developing her own knowledge and skills to better support our students are integral to the way she works. Particularly through SPELD program, Christine has made a significant difference to the lives and educational opportunities of our students. We are sure she will continue to have the same impact in her new position at Creekside K-9 College.

Grace Wendiggensen, one of our Speech Pathologists, is taking up a position at Aspect Australia working with young people and families managing autism. Grace’s extensive experience, together with her thoughtful, inclusive approach has earned her the respect of students, families, staff, and professionals. She has been instrumental in identifying and ensuring support for the learning and social development of many students with additional and specialised needs. Equally, Grace has shared her skills and knowledge to contribute to the development of a highly effective Individual Needs team.

On behalf of the school community, we wish Christine and Grace all the very best in their new roles.

We would also like to acknowledge and thank Jake Duggan for his work teaching English and Humanities this term, replacing Rosemary Sirianni. Jake rose to the challenge of starting a new position and being thrown, almost immediately, into online learning with grace and good humour. Best wishes to Jake, too, from all at St Albans.

 

Vale, Roy Leutenmayr

Last week we were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Roy Leutenmayr, parent and School Councillor.

Roy was a member of the St Albans Secondary College School Council for the past 5 years; and also served on the St Albans East Primary School Council.

As a Councillor, Roy’s contribution was characterised by his measured approach and his dedication to always considering the best interest of the student and parent communities. He was a loyal supporter of two school communities. On behalf of Council President, Tracy Nero, and our College, we extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to Leba and the children.

 

New garden and sports area

Not everything has stopped onsite during online learning. In fact, our Facilities Team and others have been very busy using the opportunity to do some significant redevelopment of two outdoor areas. The redevelopment of the garden area between the gym and Nindethana is now complete, and it looks fabulous. The passive reaction space includes seating, shade, a performance area, and landscaped gardens. It will be wonderful to be able to officially ‘open’ the area with a music performance and a traditional SASC barbeque – and some students!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The other exciting development is that onsite construction of our Covered Outdoor Learning Area (COLA) is well underway. Located on the oval, the COLA provides an all-weather cover over the soccer pitches. It measures 61 m x 38, and is large enough to fit the entire school within it for an assembly.

Once the COLA is complete in the next few weeks, new astro turf will be installed to replaced the old surface.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vaccinations

A message for students aged 12 years and over

As part of the COVID-19 vaccination roll-out, from Monday, 13 September, everyone aged 12 and over is now eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

Victorians aged 12 and over are eligible to book and receive their COVID-19 vaccine at a state vaccination centre, Commonwealth vaccination centre, participating GP clinics, pharmacies or community health services.

COVID-19 vaccines are an essential protection against serious illness.

Vaccination is not mandatory, but it is highly encouraged, except where your medical practitioner advises you otherwise.

Students and their parents/guardians or carers should speak with their GP or pharmacist if you have health questions.

The Victorian Government’s aim is to provide an opportunity for all students aged 12 years and over to receive at least one vaccine dose by the end of the school year.

Please discuss your vaccination with your parent/guardian or carer and with your teachers to plan your absence and minimise disruption to your learning if your vaccination appointment is during school hours.

Consent

You can book your own vaccination appointment and you may be able to consent to vaccination yourself if the health professional assesses you to be a mature minor. This means that the health professional assesses that you understand the information relevant to your decision to be vaccinated and the effect of that decision.

Your parent/carer can also complete a consent from for COVID-19 vaccination for you to bring to your appointment, or they can attend with you to provide consent in person.

How to book an appointment

You, your parent/guardian or carer can find a participating Commonwealth vaccination centre, GP, pharmacy or community health service through the Australian Government Eligibility Checker. You can book your appointment online or by calling the vaccine provider nearest to you.

You, your parent/guardian or carer can book or change a vaccination appointment at a state vaccination centre through the Victorian Government’s COVID-19 vaccine online booking system.

To find a state vaccination centre and opening times, visit coronavirus.vic.gov.au.

For information on what to bring to a vaccine appointment please visit Checklist: before your COVID-19 vaccination.

More information

For more information about eligibility, visit coronavirus.vic.gov.au or use the Australian Government’s COVID-19 vaccine eligibility checker.

 

A message from our Alumni

Please enjoy this short video https://youtu.be/af1rswmmYBE of our Alumni sharing their positive thoughts and wisdom with the year 12’s.

Many thanks to our former students for staying connected and making a difference.

 

Progress Reports

There have been some changes to the timing of progress reports for Year 11 and 12 studies due to the extended lockdowns.

Year 12

Progress reports will be available on the last day of Term 3, Friday 17^th September. Year Level Coordinators will be making contact as soon as possible to discuss these reports and any concerns they highlight.

Year 11

These progress reports are now due to Year Level Coordinators in the first Tuesday of Term 4, 5 October. Contact will be made with families within the next week, and they will be available on Compass on the Tuesday of the following week.

There have been no changes at this time to the Year 7 to 10 Term 4 Progress Reports.

As always, if you have any questions please contact your child’s Year Level Coordinator.

 

A Conversation can change a life – R U OK DAY.

 

 

 

 

 

 

R U OK? Day was observed at the College Thursday 9 September, 2021. It is a national day of action dedicated to reminding everyone that every day is the day to ask, “Are you OK?” and support those struggling with life’s ups and downs. R U OK? are a not-for profit organisation that inspire and empower everyone to meaningfully connect with the people around them and start a conversation with those in their world who may be struggling with life? You don’t need to be an expert to reach out – just a good friend and a great listener.

Use these four steps and have a conversation that could change a life:

1. Ask R U OK?
2. Listen
3. Encourage action
4. Check in

At the College teachers checked in with students and shared videos and resources on how to check in with those around them and get support. Thank you to the VCAL students and the Wellbeing Team for developing resources for teachers and students as well as running competitions and activities to share this important message.

If you need support please consider some of the following supports:

 

Wellbeing check in

If students need a wellbeing check in there is a button on Compass Favourites (The Star Menu) where they can request a Wellbeing Check in. Or they can click here. 

Other supports include:

• R U OK Find help – https://www.ruok.org.au/findhelp
• Reach out– support for young people on a range of topics
• Kids Help Lineor phone 1800 55 1800
• Kids Help Line Web Chat: 
• E –Headspace online counselling: 
• E- safety advice 

IT Help from School

• Click here– also on Compass Favourites (Star Menu)

Sub School Email Addresses 

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

 

And finally …..

We invited all of our students to send a message of gratitude to their teachers and to our staff for their hard work, care, creativity, patience, generosity, kindness, expertise, and so much more, as you’ll see when you visit our virtual Gratitude Walls via the links below

Junior School – https://padlet.com/09748604/kvbve05wwfkvfdxl

Middle School – https://padlet.com/09748604/dqght36i25iaeg1f

Senior School – https://padlet.com/09748604/m74vk16f4eal64ex

As well as endorsing the students’ gratitude to our staff, we would like to thank you, as parents, once again for your support this term. It is greatly appreciated and a key factor in what we are able to achieve together.

Congratulations and thank you to our amazing students, too, for managing the challenges that this term has presented, for not giving up, and for supporting the work your teachers are doing. We really hope to see you onsite during Term 4.

Very best wishes for an enjoyable and safe break ever the holidays.

NAPLAN

The College recently received the results of the 2021 NAPLAN testing. Students in Year 7 and 9 sat three tests: Reading, Numeracy and Language Conventions, which assesses writing and spelling as well as grammar and punctuation.

Each individual student receives a report, which has been mailed home. The College is provided with data which compares the school to the State, other local schools and to schools that are similar to ours in terms of student achievement and student growth.

Overall our results were excellent, which is a tribute to the hard work of the students and teachers over the past 2 years, particularly given the difficulties we have faced in 2020 and 2021.

A summary of some of the highlights is provided below:

Year 7

In Reading, 28% of students achieved in the top 2 bands, which is the same as the State.

In Numeracy, 36% of students achieved in the top 2 bands, compared with 30% in the State.

 

Year 9

In Writing, 13% of students achieved in the top 2 bands, compared to 9% in the State.

In Numeracy 23% of students achieved in the top 2 bands, compared to 19% in the State.

26% of students made high growth in Writing, compared to 23% in the State.

25% of students made high growth in Reading, compared to 24% in the State.

In all areas measured, the College was above or equal to our local schools and similar schools.

This year, for the first time, the Department of Education and Training provided certificates to Year 9 students who showed excellent achievement or excellent growth. 76 of our students received one of these certificates, which is an excellent result.

These results should be celebrated as an indication of the hard work of all of our students and teachers. English and Maths teachers especially will analyse the results in detail to look at areas of strengths, and to plan for interventions to support students who are identified as needing it.

Please contact your child’s Year Level Coordinator initially if you have any questions.

The table below shows the percentage of our students who made high growth in each area of NAPLAN over the two years from Year 7 to 9, compared to similar schools, local secondary schools and the state.

Category	School	Similar Schools	Network Schools	State
Reading	25%	23%	25%	25%
Writing	13%	7%	10%	9%
Numeracy	23%	23%	21%	24%

 

 

This wintery term has been very busy with assessments and online learning. Students have continued to conduct themselves well and have shown great resilience. 

We are very proud of the way our junior students are conducting themselves online. They have been attentive in classes and completing required work. Its lovely when the coordinators visit the classes to chat with the students.

Please remember to let your coordinators know if you need any support or clarification of events happening.  

 

Progress reports

Staff have completed progress reports which are available for you to see on Compass. Parents and students will be contacted if there are any concerns and support required.  

 

Digital Thumb Print Program

Supporting young people to be safe, responsible and positive online is a key challenge for educators and parents alike.  Recently the team from the Optus Digital Thumbprint program were in the classroom with our Year 7 and Year 8 students taking them through the fun and interactive workshops that cover a range of important issues such as cybersecurity, cyberbullying, digital discernment, digital balance, and digital identity.

It is very important to be aware of these topics so that your child is prepared and supported to thrive in the digital world.  There is a range of free, downloadable Digital Thumbprint Parent Conversation Guides for parents and care-givers that support you to have effective conversations around what young people should and shouldn’t share online, cyberbullying, and how digital technology can support effective study practices.

Please visit: www.digitalthumbprint.com.au/parent-resources

For more information on the program and each of the workshops we encourage you to visit: www.digitalthumbprint.com.au/

Here are some activities to think about to keep busy in the Holiday Period. 

1. Go for a walk with the pet dog or a bike ride. A great way to get out in the fresh air and enjoy the sunshine and exercise.
2. Have a movie afternoon great for a rainy day. Rent a couple of good movies, make some popcorn and snuggle up with blankets and enjoy the movies.
3. Cook some special treats or family favourites for dinner.
4. Smile! Get the camera out and take some photos, download them on the computer and create a slide show.
5. Do some Gardening or make a herb garden pot, they are fantastic and useful too
6. Write and create a play or short story, see who is great at drama, acting and writing.
7. Play board games Monopoly, Scrabble, Jenga, Hungry Hippos, Cards and more if there are a few of you have a tournament.
8. Do a Jigsaw puzzle with your family, set up a special area and let everyone help – the harder the better.
9. Have Fun!

Have a great Holiday with your families and rest up. We look forward to seeing you all next term.

Remember if you need any assistance from your coordinators please email them. We are here to assist you any time.

This term wasn’t quite the one that we were expecting, but as it draws to a close, the Middle Sub School team would like to thank and congratulate all the students for their commitment to their learning this term. Online learning has both challenges and opportunities for students, and we’re really pleased to see the high rates of attendance continuing. Well done!

Some of our highlights this term

• The information evenings for VCE and VCAL were really well attended
• Course counselling appointments were such a great chance to chat to students one to one and talk about future plans and subject selections
• Class visits showing students engaged in so many different online platforms to support their learning
• Progress Reports provided further evidence of students’ resilience and determination to maintain high standards for their learning and progress
• Group projects and presentations using a variety of platforms and software
• Outstanding performances by Year 10 students involved in the Maths Game Day competition against other schools in Victoria
• The Year 9 NAPLAN results demonstrating that in spite of the interruptions to on site learning over the last 18 months, students are still making growth in their literacy and numeracy skill
• Emails sent by students, staff and their families to check in with us, share what they’re doing from home, and spread positivity

The Middle School team would like to wish all the students and their families a restful break over the two-week holidays. Whilst we know that students were hoping to return to onsite learning before the start of Term 4, we are confident that when this does happen students will be well prepared for the remainder of the year’s learning.

We are at the end of Term 3, and the exams are fast approaching again. The Year 12 VCAA external exams start on Wednesday 27 October and the Year 11 exams start on Monday 1 November.

It is also one of the busiest times for our Year 11 students at St Albans Secondary College. Not only are they finishing their Year 11 exams and VCAL studies, they will also be starting in their new subjects for 2022 in November of this year.

Our teachers are working on their Term 3 Progress Reports for Year 11 students. These are now due to the Coordinators on Tuesday 5 October. Parent will be notified early in Term 4 if their child is at risk of not meeting the Attendance or Promotion policy.

The final Year 12 Progress reports are due to Coordinators on Thursday 16 September.  We will be contacting parents as required to discuss any concerns they may have become aware of.

Some important dates that the Senior Sub School need to make families aware of:

Year 11 Students

• Last day of Year 11 VCE classes: Friday 29 October 2021
• Last day of Year 11 VCAL classes : Friday 5^th November 2021 (work placements cancelled this year)
• Monday 1 November until Wednesday 10 November: Year 11 VCE Exams
• Thursday 11 November until Wednesday 24 November: Year 12 VCE Orientation (Compulsory)
• Monday 15 November to Wednesday 17 November – Year 11 into Year 12 VCAL Orientation (Compulsory)

Year 12 Students

• Revision Lectures Monday 27 September to Friday 1 October.  Information is available on Compass.
• GAT is on Tuesday 5 October. There are no time tabled classes for students on this day. They will be at school just to do the GAT. More information is available on Compass.

The ‘September Exams’ will take place during Term 4 in classes when students are back at school. VCAA (Victorian Curriculum & Assessment Authority) It is compulsory for students who are doing their external exams to attend.

Last Day of Year 12 Classes

• VCE and VCAL : Friday 15 October
• Final Assembly and Celebration – Time and date will be confirmed at a later time.

Year 12 Graduation and Awards Evening is one of the most successful events the schools holds where we usually get 800 people attending. We are planning on having it on Friday 15 October.  We have booked the Moonee Valley Race Course.

The Year 12 Formal has been booked for Thursday 18 November at the Luxor.

We have both of these events on hold at the moment as we await to see what happens with the lockdown restrictions and the social/safe distancing with events.

The Careers team is working very closely will all the Year 12 students as they all qualify for a SEAS application.Students are still in the process of filling in their VCAT application forms, applying for courses, scholarships and special consideration when writing their SEAS applications. All Year 12 VCE and VCAL students will need to resister with VTAC (on-line) if they want to be considered for a university or TAFE course.

The end-of-year VCAA exam timetable for Year 12 exams are on the VCAA website through the following link:

https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/administration/Key-dates/Pages/VCE-exam-timetable.aspx

Again, we would like to thank parents who contact us when their child is absent for any reason. This is of great assistance to the Year Level Coordinators, as we call home regularly if there are any unexplained absences. The Case Management process continues to monitor closely the attendance, achievement and individual needs of all our students. Please contact us on senior@stalbanssc.vic.edu.au if you have any queries or concerns about your child. 

Hayley Harrison, who has worked closely with the College during the last couple of years in regards to supporting the embedding of literacy within the school curriculum, is in works with Matilda Education, an Australian education publishing company, to create a student workbook series on different styles of writing, and what features comprise those text types.

Select students in Years 9 and 10 are very privileged to be working closely with Hayley, whereby they participated in an initial writing workshop to elect to produce several pieces of their own writing across a range of text types. These were further refined in several subsequent smaller working groups.

These pieces, themselves exemplars of writing, will be published in this series of workbooks.

We very much look forward to reading the work of our published authors in 2022:

• Harshaan Chandla – 9K
• Thanh Do – 10F
• Christine Duong – 9C
• Amy Le – 9E
• Genevieve Le – 9E
• Meera Mansukhani – 10C
• Mai (Audre) Nguyen – 10F
• Nha Thy Nguyen – 10F
• Tu Van Nguyen – 9K
• Kathleen Phan – 10C
• Umi Purang – 10C
• Isra Siddique – 10A
• Jennifer To – 10B
• An Tran – 9J
• Chanel Trpovski – 10E
• Angela Truong – 9H

The ‘Aussie Backyard Birdcount’ is on again, from 18-24 October.

There are 122 species identified by Birdlife Australia as inhabiting the Brimbank area. Whilst many are common and you will recognise quite readily, there are also some less common species, such as the Striated Pardalote and the near threatened Flame Robin. Participating in this citizen science activity improves your understanding of the environment in which we all live as well as contributing to the management and preservation of our feathered friends.

Simply visit www.aussiebirdcount.org to get started.

Good luck.

Wednesday 25 August 2021

Student Reflection

As a person who truly enjoys mathematics, I felt very honoured to be given the opportunity to represent St. Albans Secondary College to join the MAV Year 8 Virtual Maths Games Day, along with 7 other students. I was, and still am, incredibly grateful for the experience, as it was a day that really challenged my problem solving abilities. Despite the many challenges my team and I faced, it was still a delightful and engaging day that I would definitely join in again. We were all pleasantly surprised when the announcement of the winners came, and the two SASC teams had ranked 4th, and another tied in 6th, from a total of forty-two teams. This was a great achievement for us all.

I was also appointed the role of being a leader in my group. This came with the responsibility of writing all the answers on Google forms on behalf of my team, as well as ensuring that we were all communicating well. Coming out of the competition, my leadership skills had improved greatly, and I believe everyone has learnt how to more efficiently work together as a team. Personally, I really enjoyed the final round of the games day which was a 4×4 Kenken puzzle. In order to solve the puzzle, we worked collaboratively to decode the clues that were given – it was very satisfying when every number fit the criteria, and the puzzle was finally solved, as not many teams were able to solve this challenging puzzle.

If given the opportunity, I recommend students to participate as it is a really great and fun experience that benefits not only mathematic capabilities, but also improves leadership and teamwork skills, and strengthens problem solving abilities.

Thank you to the Maths Association of Victoria for organising this thought provoking and enjoyable event. Another special thanks to Ms Kristy Le for providing us with sufficient resources, practice questions, and for coaching both teams prior to the day and on the day. We appreciate all your efforts.

Congratulations to all the students who participated alongside me and helped achieve the outstanding results:

Ethan Bui 8C, Adora Nguyen 8C, Haybel Verma 8C, Vinh Nguyen 8C, Nhi Nguyen (Stella) 8I, Kevin To 8I and Patrick Vo 8I.

Dinda Widya Murti Ni Made 8C