From the Principal Class Team

Semester Exams and Tests

As we approach the end of the year our Year 9 to 12 students are busy preparing for the end of year exams.

Our Year 12 VCE students had their first VCAA exam on Wednesday, 1 November. This was the English and EAL exam. Their exams will continue for the next three weeks and will finish on Friday, 24 November. VCE teachers have prepared them very well and we wish each and every student well as they complete these exams.

Year 11 VCE students will start their Semester 2 exam on Wednesday, 8 November. These will be completed on Wednesday, 15 November.

Year 10 semester 2 exams will run from Wednesday, 22 November to Wednesday, 29 November.

Year 10, 11 and 12 students are only expected to be at school for their exams. It is expected that students use the times between exams when no classes are running for exam revision and preparation.

Year 9 students will also be completing Semester 2 common tests in English, EAL, Maths, Science, Humanities, LOTE, and Physical Education. These will be held in class time during the week starting Monday, 20 November.

We wish all our students all the very best with their exam. Good luck can be created with good preparation – so ‘happy preparation’ to all our Year 9 – 12 students.

Student and Parent Survey Results

Each year, schools are required to survey their parents, students and staff to gather important information on their perceptions of the school, and how well it is performing. The results of the student and parent surveys are now available schools. We value the information these surveys provide to us, and are using it to guide our planning and programs for the coming year.

Student Attitudes to School

The student survey covered 20 areas related to effective teaching practice, teacher-student relations, learner characteristics, social engagement and safety.

In 16 of the 20 areas, our students rated their experience in the top 25% compared to all secondary schools. This is an excellent endorsement of the work done by all of our staff.

Four areas were below this and we are currently running forums with students to explore these further.

 

Parent Opinion Survey

As with the student survey, the results of this year’s parent survey were also an excellent acknowledgement of the school, it’s programs, and the dedication and hard work of the staff team.

This year, 147 parents completed the survey which covered areas including parent engagement, school ethos and environment, excellence in teaching and learning, and positive climate for leaning.

Whilst we are still waiting for the Department of Education to release the state-wide comparisons, parents’ positive endorsement in all except one of the 19 areas was above 75%.

Parent general satisfaction with the school is at 91%. Thank you to all parents who completed the survey. 

Transition News – Big Day In

Starting secondary school can be a daunting experience for many new Year 7 students. And thinking about it can also be a cause of stress during the last part of Grade 6. So, to ease these fears and create a positive basis for the start of the year, we invited our Year 7’s for 2018 to experience the Big Day In last week.

Our newest students had an opportunity to meet our staff, as well as, peers from other schools, participate in activities designed to help them get to know each other, and to learn a little more about St Albans Secondary College.

Thank you to our Transition Coordinator’s Marlene Cassar and Ash Mana Mohan, and to the Wellbeing Team for their leadership on the day.

The next transition event is Orientation Day on Tuesday, 12 December and we look forward to welcoming students again on that day.

Year 9 City Experience a Huge Success

Over the past week Year 9 students and a range of staff members have been exploring and learning about the fabulous city of Melbourne. They have spent weeks preparing their focus areas of investigation with some developing projects which will highlight Melbournian’s favourite places to eat, the favourite tourist attractions, graffiti hotspots and many more aspects that combine to make Melbourne the world’s most liveable city.

The City Experience is an annual event for all Year 9 students and is embedded in the Year 9 Humanities curriculum. It is a wonderful opportunity for students to spend significant time in the city and absorb its history and culture. During their week the students will visit the Shrine, Art Galleries, travel on the Williamstown ferry and the Old Melbourne Gaol.

Humanities Learning Area Coordinator, Ms Pannu, has worked tirelessly with her team to develop an engaging, exciting and educational week of adventure. The school would like to thank everyone involved for their enthusiasm and commitment to this excellent program.