Alba Newsletter – September 2022

Dear Parents and Families

It has been really lovely this last week to feel some warmth in the air and to see the blossom coming out on the trees.  Zahid Hussain, our Groundsperson, is doing a wonderful job of maintaining a beautiful environment for all of us to enjoy, including by planting over one hundred additional plants before the holidays.  Thanks, Zahid!

Welcome……

To several staff who have joined us this term:  Alishia D’Souza is teaching Mathematics; and Jeffrey Ji has joined the Humanities Department.  Ly Tran joins the Individual Needs Team as a Teacher Assistant.  Kathy Bunce will continue as a Library Technician for Term 4; and Sophie Pearce is the new Assistant in the Junior Sub School.  Dino Camilli will commence his role as Maintenance Officer at the start of Term 4.  It is a pleasure to welcome Alisha, Jeffrey Ly, Kathy, Sophie, and Dino.  We wish them all the very best for their time at St Albans Secondary College.

Farewell……

At the end of this term, we say farewell to Giuliano Lasco.  Giuliano has taught Italian and Science here over the last 4 and a half years, and his students and colleagues, alike, have recognised and valued his expertise in both subject areas.

On behalf of the School Council, our thanks and appreciation to Giuliano for his contribution to our school, and the LOTE and Science programs.

Western Metropolitan Regional Athletics Championships!

The school Athletics team travelled to Keilor Park Athletics Stadium this week to participate in the Western Metroplitan Regional Athletics Championships.  The stakes were high – winners of individual and team events qualify for the State Finals at Albert Park in Term 4.

 In a fantastic achievement, we had three students qualify in individual events for the State Finals. What makes this even more extraordinary is the fact that the three students were all part of the same family. Faith, Divine and Hope Villi all dominated their Shot Put and Discus events to claim first position. Another notable achievement was the Girls U’14 4 x 100 metre relay team who finished in 2^nd place to Maribyrnong Sports Academy. Nifemi Olatunbosun of 9G also impressed claiming third place in the U’14 Girls 100 and 200m. These results helped propel our school into the top ten schools in our region, which is an excellent achievement. 

Congratulations to the team members, to Robert Lakovski, and to all the staff involved in training the Athletics Team.

Full results are as follows:

Lisi Faatamala 8E -4^th U’15 Girls Discus

Puna Anau 8E -4^th U’15 Girls Shot Put

Jackie Dinh 9L -5^th U’14 Girls Long Jump

                         -7^th U’14 Girls 400m

Kim Nguyen 8I -8^th U’14 Girls 800m

Peter Bui 10 -4^th U’16 Boys Long Jump

Rahima Muradi 9J -4^th U’15 Girls Javelin

Grace Murray 8A -4^th U’14 Girls 200m

Nifemi Olatunbosun 9G –3^rd U’14 Girls 100m

                                      -3^rd U’14 Girls 200m

Chahat Sidhu 7K -8^th U’13 Girls 800m

Divine Villi 9K -1st U’15 Boys Shotput

                        -4th U’15 Boys Javelin

                        -1st U’15 Boys Discus

 Faith Villi 11F -1^st U’17 Girls Discus

                        -1^st U’17 Girls Shot Put

 Hope Villi 8A -1^st U’14 Girls Shot Put

 U’14 Girls 4 x 100m RELAY TEAM: 2^nd place. Only beaten by Maribyrnong Secondary College                                               

Jackie Dinh 9L

Tracey Tran 8J

Grace Murray 8A                                                         

Nifemi Olatunbosum 9G                                                          

MAC is back!

It is impossible to imagine a more spectacular return of MAC after 3 years than The Lion King Jr.  What a fabulous show it was!  It is equally impossible to do justice to the talent, hard work and sheer delight of the performance in words.  Everything about it – the acting, singing, dancing, costumes and make up, music, sets and of course, the technical and back stage suppport, as well as the front of house crew – was beautiful to look at and listen to, and so well executed.

On behalf of the School Council and staff, congratulations and deepest thanks to Janet, McKenzie, Nick D’Aglas, Melrose Tran, and James Orchard for their leadership of this year’s MAC team; to all the staff who supported them and participated in many ways to make the show such a success; and to the talented cast and crew for a stunning MAC, 2022.

 

Youth Day

Our annual Youth Day activities made a return this year on Friday 19 August. Organised by the Year 12 VCAL class, there was a range of activities and food available for the school. These included face painting, ball toss, fairy floss and ice cream to name a few. Entertainment was provided by the Year 12 VET Music class, who performed outside the Hospitality Centre. Well done to the students for organising and running the event, and to  the VCAL staff for their support of the students.

 

 

Year 12 VCE Practice Exams

Students completing Unit 3 and 4 VCE exams will be required to sit practice exams during the holidays. Attendance at these exams is compulsory, and will be used by teachers to help authenticate student work. Exams will be held in Nindethana, and a timetable is posted on Compass. If you have any questions please contact the Senior Sub School.

Year 9 City Experience

It was wonderful to have the return of the City Experience this year for Year 9 students.  City Experience has not been able to run as a full program over the last couple of years due to restrictions and lockdowns. The success of the week was largely due to the enthusiasm of both staff and the Year 9 students who arrived at Federation Square each morning with a positive energy and openness for what the day would feature.  It was a diverse program of events enabling our students to explore some of the features our eclectic city has to offer.

We thank all staff who supported the event, those who attended or assisted with planning, as well as those behind the scenes following up forms and calling parents. We had close to 100% attendance, an amazing effort.  Special thanks to Mr Louis Turner for his leadership of this week long event, as well as to the Year 9 Humanities team and Middle Sub School.

The City Experience is one of the many events that are part of our school calendar and assist with building the culture of the school aligned with our theme of Connect, Protect and Respect. Well done to all involved.  You can see more on City Experience later in this newsletter.

 

Year 10 Speed Careering

We also welcomed back our Year 10 Speed Careering event for 2022 after two years of cancellations. Our students were fortunate to have a broad range of presenters attend the day who were able to outline the roles and responsibilities of different careers and provide students the scope to consider potential careers beyond those they may be familiar with.

As well as local businesses and specialised consultants, students gained insights into career opportunities provided by the Defence and Police Forces, local council and community health providers, and organisations such as the Smith Family and ABCN.  Having representatives from pathway providers further developed students’ understanding of apprenticeships, traineeships, and tertiary courses that link to a wide range of career options. 

There were sessions on creating resumes and cover letters and making a good impression during interviews.  These sessions enabled students to gain confidence in applying for positions and knowing what to include in job applications.

We thank all our guests for supporting our students and providing information about their own journeys.  The sessions assisted students to recognise the value of networking and establishing contacts to aid career development.  Thanks to Mr Adrian McCall and Ms Lynda Vo for their work in putting together a comprehensive guest list and program for the day.  The feedback from students was overwhelmingly positive and it was clear they appreciated the information they gained from taking part in the sessions.

Wear it Purple Day

On 26 August, the College Celebrated Wear it Purple Day. This day is about showing LGBTIQA+ young people that they have the right to be proud of who they are. It is about creating safe spaces in schools, universities, workplaces and public spaces to show LGBTIQA+ young people that they are seen and supported. At our school this is fundamental to all students feeling Connected Protected and Respected; and we all play a role!

This year the theme for Wear It Purple Day 2022 was ‘still me, still human’; the message being that people tend to focus on labels, the news story, the target or data and forget what we truly are – human.

To celebrate and show support, teachers and staff wore purple for their classes and meetings. Teachers shared with students the importance of this day and its theme with classes and completed class activities. We also held a lunch time celebration with stickers and music.

R U OK? Day

The 8 and 9 of September was R U OK? Day.  

R U OK? Day is a national day of action when we remind Australians that every day is the day to  ask, ‘are you OK?’ and start a meaningful conversation whenever they spot the signs that someone they care about might be struggling with life. It is also a timely reminder that R U OK Day isn’t just one day. For meaningful change, RUOK Day is also about reducing the stigma surrounding mental health and making R U OK?, part of your everyday.

To acknowledge this day, we held an R U OK? morning tea for staff, had R U OK? dancers at lunchtime as well as an R U OK? market with external providers, sharing their expertise and give ways with students. Finally, our VCAL students created a presentation for classes on how to support each other and ask “R U OK?”

The R U OK? charity 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

End of Term Arrangements

Term 3 ends on Friday 16 September and school finishes at 2.30pm on that day.  Please note that the start of Term 4 is Monday 3 October.

And finally……

This year has been challenging for us, and for schools, generally.  It is fair to say that we underestimated the demands that returning to face to face learning and teaching, particularly with so much illness still in the community, would place on us.  We had to learn what it means to be together as a community in a new context; to transition from a more privatised, individual way of working, and learning to being with and accommodating many other peers and colleagues.  We have had to cope with significant illness of staff, students and family members, and manage the disruption and impact of that; and we have had to manage uncertainty about our own health.  It has been tiring, unrelenting work for everyone.  But now, at last, the pressure seems to be easing a little.

We are so proud of the efforts of everyone in our school community to work, learn and lead through this challenge.  Several staff have commented recently, for example, on how well their Year 12 classes are applying themselves to their study – such an achievement after the last two years.  And the week before last, we hosted a visit of 12 leaders from The University High School interested in learning more about our programs and approaches to teaching and leadership.  They toured the school and were very impressed by how focused our students were on their learning in each class they visited.  From my own perspective, I meet regularly with the SRC executive members, and am inspired by their commitment to our school, to their peers, and to improving everyone’s experience here.  These are just a few examples of the many things we have to be proud of and thankful for about our school.

Thank you for your role in helping us to achieve this.

We wish our students and staff an enjoyable and relaxing break over the holidays and look forward to seeing you next term.

I will be on leave for the first week of Term 4, and Craig Jennings will be Acting Principal for this time.

 

 

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 

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 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 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 VCAL program may also be eligible for assistance with the purchase of personal protective gear. Please enquire at the General Office.

 

Thursday, 15 September

08:15AM – 03:00PM Western Metro region Athletics Competition

09:15AM – 03:30PM VTAC Open for Year 12 Tertiary Application Appointments

01:30PM – 03:30PM MAC Matinee Performance (7A, 7B, 7C, 7D, 7E, 7F, 7G, Yr 8 Drama & Yr 8 Music)

11:50AM – 12:40PM Le Mana Program

07:00PM – 09:00PM MAC Evening Performance

Friday, 16 September

All Day – Last Day of Term 3 (Dismissal at 2:30pm)

08:55AM – 03:10PM Year 12 VCAL – Work Ready Boot Camp

09:15AM – 03:30PM VTAC Open for Year 12 Tertiary Application Appointments

Monday, 3 October

Term 4 Begins

12:40PM – 01:20PM Mental Health Week Lunchtime Activities

01:30PM – 03:10PM Year 11 VCAL Workshop Project – Phase 5

03:30PM – 04:30PM iTrack Program

Tuesday, 4 October

08:00AM – 02:45PM Jewish Holocaust Centre History Excursion (DONJ)

08:45AM – 04:00PM Jewish Holocaust Centre History Excursion (TURL)

10:45AM – 11:20AM VHAP English Teal

12:40PM – 01:20PM Mental Health Week Lunchtime Activities

Wednesday, 5 October

09:00AM – 03:10PM Year Level Asssemblies

12:40PM – 01:20PM Mental Health Week Lunchtime Activities

12:40PM – 01:20PM Yr 11 Captain Speeches

Thursday, 6 October

09:00AM – 12:40PM Yr 7 Immunisation – 2nd Dose

12:40PM – 01:20PM Mental Health Week Lunchtime Activities

Friday, 7 October

08:55AM – 01:30PM Yr 11Parliamnent House and Court Excursion

09:15AM – 10:10AM Yr 7 VHAP Maths Crysantheum

12:40PM – 01:20PM Mental Health Week Lunchtime Activities

Monday, 10 October

09:15AM – 10:10AM Yr 7 VHAP Maths Calathea

01:30PM – 03:10PM Yr 11 VCAL Workshop Project – Phase 6

03:30PM – 04:30PM iTrack Program

Tuesday, 11 October

02:00PM – 02:55PM Yr 7 & 8 VHAP English Teal

Wednesday, 12 October

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

08:55AM – 03:10PM Indigenous STEM (8F & 8K)

08:55AM – 10:35AM SCOPE – Yr 9 Advance Incursion

Thursday, 13 October

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

Friday, 14 October

Last Day of Yr 12 Classes

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

08:30AM – 03:10PM Yr 9 & 10 ACMI Screen Writing Workshop

11:35AM – 12:30PM VHAP Maths Chrysantheum

07:00PM – 09:30PM Yr 12 Awards Evening

Monday, 17 October

08:55AM – 10:35AM Whole School Assembly

11:35AM – 12:30PM Yr 7 VHAP Maths Calathea

03:30PM — 04:30PM iTrack Program

03:30PM – 04:30PM Junior Debating Workshops & Competition

Tuesday, 18 October

10:25AM – 11:20AM Yr 7 & 8 VHAP English Teal

Wednesday, 19 October

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

08:55AM – 10:35AM SCOPE Yr 9 Advance Incursion

09:00AM –  3:30PM Yr 9 & 10 NGV Excursion

Thursday, 20 October

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

Friday, 21 October

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

09:15AM – 10:10AM Yr 7 VHAP Maths Chrysantheum

Students in the Junior School are finishing off Term 3 with a flourish of creativity and excitement. 

The key event at this time of year for many Junior School students is the MAC performance of The Lion King Junior.  Over 25 Year 7 students are taking part in MAC this year which is believed to be a record.  Many of our students will be front and centre, on the stage performing, whilst others can be found doing many of the essential back stage and front of house tasks. The Year 7 students will join with local primary school students to see the performance during class time in week 10 of Term 4. 

Term 3 has seen many of our Year 8 classes go to the school camp at Strathbogie.  Whilst there they have enjoyed a variety of activities such as bushwalking, swimming and archery.  The Year 8 camps will continue through to the end of the year.  These trips have been particularly valuable as most of the students have missed out on camps and other excursions over the past two years. 

Junior School students would have received their Progress Reports in week 6 of Term 3.  We encourage all families to review the Progress Reports together with the students in order to celebrate the many successes and set strategies for further improvement.  Please let your student’s coordinator know if you are having difficulty accessing the reports on Compass.

We wish all our students an enjoyable term break and look forward to seeing everybody back at school for Term 4.

 

Mr Craig Moore – Junior Sub School Leader

 

With Term 3 now coming to an end, the Middle Sub School Team would like to congratulate the students on their engagement in their learning and their participation in a number of events over the last ten weeks.

In Week 8, Year 9 students attended the City Experience which was run for the first time since 2019. Students were very well behaved and engaged in a number of activities over the course of the week. The surveys and investigations carried out as part of their Humanities learning activities saw students gathering information from members of the public when in the city, as well as taking photos and videos of key tourist attractions and historical sites.

A committee of Year 10 students has been formed to begin planning for the Year 10 formal which will be held on Friday 2 December at Ultima Convention Centre in Keilor. Fundraising activities will be organised and take place from the start of Term 4. Thank you to all those who volunteered to be a part of the committee and for your ideas and suggestions so far.

On Tuesday 13 September, a lunch was held for all the students who have joined the College since the start of Term 2. Students were given the chance to reflect on their transition to the school, share their experiences and offer suggestions for how Peer Mentors and the Sub School team can continue to help new students as they enrol. Thank you to Mr Dane Stammers, Ms Ana Miskovic and the Year 9 Peer Mentors for organising the lunch, arranging discussion questions and for supporting the new students over the last two terms.

The Middle School team would like to wish all the students and their families a restful break over the two-week holidays. 

 

Ms Becky Annetts – Middle Sub School Leader

We are at the end of Term 3, and the exams are fast approaching again. The Year 12 students will be completing their September practice exams during the second week of the school holidays. Please refer to the News Feed on Compass for the September exams practice timetable.

It is also one of the busiest times for our Year 11 students. Not only are they finishing their Year 11 exams and VCAL studies, they will also be starting in their new subjects for 2023 in November of this year. The Year 11 exams start on Monday 31 October.

Year 12 Awards Night

The last day for Year 12 classes will be Friday 14 October, followed by the Year 12 Awards Evening which will be held at Moonee Valley Racecourse. Students will be dismissed at lunchtime on their last day to prepare for the Awards Evening.

The Year 12 Awards Evening is a formal occasion for the College community to celebrate the efforts and achievements of our graduating Year 12 students. Graduation certificates will be presented to eligible students, and we will welcome a guest speaker to share their experiences and pathway to success. Entertainment will also be provided by our music students.

The Awards Evening is a ticketed event and a ticket will be required for entry.  Each student will be allocated two guest tickets free of charge. Additional guest tickets will be available at a cost of $10.00 each. These may be purchased from the General Office. Students are required to be at the venue by no later than 4:30pm for gown fitting and rehearsal.

We suggest that parents and guests arrive by 6:15pm to allow time for photos to be taken. Doors will open at 6:40pm for seating. Guests who arrive after 7:00pm may need to wait in the foyer until instructed by the ushers for seating during a suitable time.

Year 12 Formal

The Year 12 Formal has been booked for Thursday 17 November 2022. More information will be posted in due course on the Compass student and parent portals.

Year 12 VTAC Registration

Year 12 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 Careers team is working very closely will all the Year 12 students as they all qualify for a SEAS application.

Year 12 VCAA Exams

The Year 12 VCAA external final exams start will commence on Wednesday 26 October 2022. The VCAA exam timetable is available on the VCAA website through the following link:

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

ABCN Digital Focus Program

Congratulations to Mr Olthof and all the girls involved in the ABCN Digital Focus program for a successful program with great outcomes. The students met with their mentors to build their leadership and work skills.

The girls involved reported significant growth and provided positive feedback. Here is a snapshot of their evaluation before and after the program:

 

Rating Area	Before Focus Rating 5-7	After Focus Rating 5-7
I see myself as a leader.	14%	85%
I am aware of my strengths that can make me a good leader.	28%	100%
I have confidence in my leadership potential.	28%	70%
I am motivated to become a leader.	42%	100%
I can communicate my ideas to others.	28%	100%
I am aware of a wide range of career options.	14%	70%
I feel confident using video-conferencing for conversations with professionals.	42%	100%

 

 

More student feedback:

“Asking for help is never a sign of weakness. It’s OK to ask for help in school. Everyone eventually needs help with something, and it’s not a weakness to receive it. Thinking I’m self-sufficient, I don’t need anyone, and I can get things done on my own without any help will probably jeopardise my mental health and I will ultimately head down a path to burnout. Yet, if I can acknowledge that doing everything yourself is neither sustainable nor desirable, I’ll be able to course correct and improve both my mental and physical health. Asking for help can foster a collaborative environment by sharing skills between individuals. The process can build goodwill between you and others as you recognise their expertise and reinforce that you may work towards similar goals.”  Name withheld.

 

I would like to once again, thank all parents/guardians for supporting your child as they prepare for their exams. Please don’t hesitate to contact us on 9366 2555 if you have any queries or concerns.

 

Ms Marlene Cassar – Senior Sub School Leader

In August, two teams of our Year 8 students travelled to the Maths Games Day at Penleigh Essendon Grammar School. The competition provides students with an opportunity to develop their mathematical talents and thinking skills in a fun setting with like-minded students from a diverse range of schools.

We had Abhi Farmah, Julien Kanwar, Tanvi Mangalath, Matthew Nguyen, Rosie Pham, Japvir Singh, Oviya Sinnathurai and Stephanie Truong representing St Albans Secondary College. They worked extremely well together in two different teams. They completed maths puzzles and competed against schools in 3 different math games. They concluded the day with a problem solving task.

 

The feedback from our students was that the day was an enjoyable experience which challenged them and encouraged them to think laterally to solve questions and work as a team and as usual, our terrific students represented St Albans Seconday College with style and poise and displayed great sportsmanship (mathspeopleship) and enthusiasm throughout the day.

Once the scores were tallied up, the schools were ranked from 1 – 70. We finished the day with Team 1 in 35th place and Team 2 in 39th place. What an experience for all the students that were involved, let’s do it again next year!

 

Mr Vo & Mr Conboy – Math Coaches

Once again and after a break due to Covid, students of Italian at year 7 and 8 are very excited to participate in the CIS (Centre of Italian Studies) Poetry Competition.

Students will choose a poem to memorise for recitation. Prizes are awarded for first, second, third and fourth in each section, and special mention certificates are presented for outstanding presentations. Participation certificates are given to all students.

We wish all the participating students the very best and look forward to the results.

Year 7 Competitors

7B – Dante Donal 7B, Avileen Kaur Maan, Henry Phan, James River, Amy Shi, Alice Tran, Kevin Tran, Andy Truong, and Sally Wang

7F – Ishmeet Hehar, Delphi-Zeng Lagas, Jessica Le and Layla Le,

7L – Syeda Naqvi

Year 8 Competitors

8A – Mariam Batool, Grace Cowling, Darren Lai, Minh Tan, Josephine Mai, Andy Tran, and Hope Vili

8G – Randy Lim Ka Lan, Dylan Pham, Melany Romera Duran, Amirah Shone, Dema Ishan, Mikayla Huynh, Sharlene Nguyen, Thuan Tran

 

 

Piera Biondi – LOTE LAC

 

French Conversation Classes – les cours de conversation française 

Every week, the students of senior French gather together in their lunch hours and after school to finesse their skills in speaking French. Sometimes, the students work with their teacher to practise answering typical questions asked in the oral examination at the end of Year 12, but the students equally enjoy responding to different scenarios … practising for the day when they finally embark on their first trip to France. They’ve practised, for example, checking into their hotel room at Le Petit Belloy, ordering a chocolat chaud and a croissant at Angelina, shopping for fashion at Le Bon Marché, and finding their way around the Musée d’Orsay. A little bit of Paris comes to St Albans multiple times every week.

 

 

 

 

Ms Bronwyn Salton – Senior French Teacher

 

Unit 4 Biology Excursion to GTAC (Gene Technology Access Centre)

Students studying unit 4 Biology headed to GTAC on 6 Seoptember for their final excursion. They worked with scientist mentors (PhD students) to conduct a range of genetic techniques in order to diagnose the cause of a model illness. Students were able to use state-of-the-art equipment and perform tests that previously had been confined to their text books.

 

 

Ms Angela Hanley – Science LAC

 

Senior Girls’ Table Tennis

In 2019, the Year 8 girls’ table tennis team comprising of Kelly Chen, Gozde Turan, Priya Ravi, Jillian Bautista and Lily Huang, finished first in the Western Metropolitan Region and went on to represent the College at the State Table Tennis Championship becoming one of the most successful girls’ table tennis team that has represented the College.

 

Kelly, Gozde, Priya and Lily were keen to repeat their success at the intermediate girls’ table tennis competition in 2020. However, the Covid-19 pandemic shattered those hopes. The girls missed representing the school in any intermediate division competitions over the two years due to the lockdowns.

In 2022, with the promise of ‘covid normal’, the girls, now in Year 11, were excited to pursue their table tennis dream again. With the support of Ms Mohan as their coach and teachers in the Physical Education Department, the girls trained consistently during lunchtime at every opportunity they could.

Their commitment to training allowed them to have a smooth run to finish on top in the Keilor Division competition, where Mr Lakovski coached them. The girls then moved on to have a very successful tournament in the Western Metropolitan Region Championship where they finished Runners Up behind Suzanne Cory High School.

Despite their achievements after a two-year hiatus, the team was disappointed, as they did not qualify for the State Finals.

 

However, a week before the state finals, the team was invited to participate in the tournament due to the withdrawal of some regional teams. The girls were elated with the news and started training immediately. The competition was held at the prestigious Melbourne Sport and Aquatic Centre on the 10^th of August. Supported by Ms Mohan and Mr Agius on the day, the team was committed to making the most of their opportunity to represent the College at the state level again. Winning their opening game against Melbourne Girls College, the team went on to play Keysborough Secondary College. There were some very close games in this match, with Gozde Turan playing back-to-back 5 set games. At the end of the match with a nail-biting tally of the scores as both schools were tied on rubbers; we won the match with 12 games and a total of 214 points while Keysborough College finished with 11 games and 210 points. The team then competed against Ringwood Secondary College in their final group match where the doubles pairing of Kelly Chen and Priya Ravi played a very tight game only losing by 1 game and 3 points. However, Ringwood College won that match finishing top in the group, leaving St Albans Secondary College finishing in 2^nd place, with both teams qualifying to the semi-finals. In the semi-finals, the team played the winners of Pool A, East Doncaster Secondary College. Priya Ravi had an outstanding singles match, playing 5 sets with the first and last game going up to 15 points. Priya won that match by one point. However, in the end the winners of the Easter Metropolitan Region defeated us to advance to the finals.

 

 

Ms Ashwini Mana Mohan –  Table Tennis Coach

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Buttrose’s Breezy Win at the SASC Athletics Carnival

On Friday, 5 August 2022, St Albans Secondary College staff and students welcomed in Term 3 by attending our annual House Athletics Carnival at the Keilor Athletics Track.

Despite the chilly temperatures, all of our star students volunteered to take part in numerous events; from 100 Metre Sprint, to Javelin and Shotput. However, it was the Novelty events that stole the show! Students participated in Spike Ball, Heads and Tails and Bean Bag Tosses along the grassy areas facilitated by our house captains in their coloured t-shirts. The students were enthralled with desperation to gain last minute house points for their teams. All students that won an event, qualified to represent the school in the Keilor Division Championships on 26 August.

When it seemed that Irwin house were to secure a sure win, Buttrose sneaked their way through the finishing line stealing the win with only one point, claiming the Athletics House Championship!

We ended the exciting day with a friendly game of Tug of War between staff and students. Although the teachers pulled with all their might, the students strategically gained the upper hand in the battle, besting the teachers two times!

All students and staff should be congratulated on making the day a huge success. We had record participation in all age groups, with fantastic behaviour and support by all.

A special mention to the Year 12 VCAL students who ran the delicious BBQ that kept staff and stud

ents’ warm. Thank you for the overwhelming help from staff who ran all of the field events for the day.

Thank you to all who participated and made the Athletics Carnival one to remember!

Finishing results: 

 

 

Ms Emily Simoes –  Junior Sub School Coordinator

This year we started an alumni program offshoot (pun intended), Diggers Plant Club.  The club met once a month with the aim to pot up 250 plants for our year 12s as a parting gift from the program. The other aim was to provide a relaxing outdoor space where students could chat with friends, share plant knowledge, and life and career aspirations.

I’m thrilled to report that we achieved our goal and over the past week each Year 12 student was gifted a plant.  The plants are a symbol and serve as a reminder to school leavers to stay connected to their roots, our school community, and to grow where they’re planted. As part of the program, we invite former students back to share their post-school experiences with current students in a relatable and meaningful way.  As future leaders and role models, their experiences hold valuable intel, and can be inspiring and motivating for those coming after them. We look forward to hearing about their journeys beyond the school gates.

A huge thank you goes out to all the students that attended Diggers, it was a pleasure working with you all and hopefully we can continue the good work for the 2023 Year 12s!  Another huge thank you to everyone that donated tins and plants – you made this project possible!

 

Ms Nicole Gurd – Alumni Coordinator

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Footscray Lacrosse Club – Recruiting

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Swimland Swim Club