From the Principal Class Team

Facilities Update

The ongoing improvement and redevelopment of our school facilities will continue over this term and into next year as we strive to provide staff and students with a physical environment and resources that support a safe and productive teaching and learning environment. On Tuesday 31 October a new portable classroom was installed in that evolving are near the school oval and it will be operational for 2018 as our student numbers continue to grow. There are plans to undertake several significant upgrades and refurbishments over the term break that will deliver a new junior food technology kitchen, new staffroom facilities, improved sub school conditions in Middle School, a new home for our Breakfast Club, extensions to our gymnasium change rooms and toilet facilities, new seating in the recently created shade sail are near the oval and an upgrade of classroom furniture.

The gardens will also receive a makeover with new plantings and re-staining of our planter boxes and student seating structures.

Safety work will be carried out to ensure our larger trees are safe and access points to our school roofs will be upgraded to allow for the installation of large solar panel works to be done early in the year.

We encourage parents to ask their children about these developments which will all be worthwhile developments in our school.

The Rotary Club of Brimbank Central Awards Night

On Wednesday, 1 November the Rotary Club of Brimbank Central held a gala awards night to acknowledge excellence in community service in 2017. St Albans Secondary College was represented by our INTERACT Club who have been tirelessly working on redeveloping the outdoor Garden Area at the local SCOPE facility. This facility provides day respite for families who have severely disabled family members. As detailed in previous newsletters this project has been running for 6 months and is nearing completion.

The work of the INTERACT Club was supported by a VCAL Project Team and Rotary awarded 2 members from those groups Certificates acknowledging their impact and leadership. The awards went to Kobe Reid (Yr8) and James Falzon (Yr12 VCAL).

The INTERACT Club was then awarded a Community Service Award from the Rotary Club for their work at SCOPE and in addition, to everyone’s surprise they also received a Presidential Citation from Rotary Internationals home in America. The St Albans INTERACT Club was the only club in Australia to receive this award and one of a small number who received the award around the world. We are very proud of our INTERACT students and their sense of community. The school also was awarded a Community Service certificate to acknowledge its commitment to bettering the lives of those less fortunate.

We would like to acknowledge the efforts of all the INTERACT Club members, the Rotary Club of Brimbank Central, their President Mr Youings, Past President Mr Donnelly and Ms Barbara Rafter (interact Coordinator) for their on- going support.

The INTERACT Club plans to be bigger and better in 2018.

Congratulations, Ian Crocker

This week, Assistant Principal, Ian Crocker, was recognised by the Rotary Club of Brimbank Central for his significant contribution to education and to the community. At the annual President’s Handover dinner, Ian was presented with the Paul Harris Fellowship Award, the highest Rotary award for community work. Over the last 18 months, Ian has led a team of students to establish a junior Rotary Club at the school. Interact now has over 20 members, and has undertaken a number of community development activities, in particular, a garden regeneration project at SCOPE.

Without Ian’s leadership, this potentially life-changing program would not have been possible or as successful as it is.

Our warmest congratulations to Ian.

Parent visits to the school

We welcome parents visiting the school to speak with our staff. Positive, strong relationships with families are an important part of our support for each student, and essential to their success.

If you need to see a staff member, or have an appointment, we ask that you report to the General Office when you arrive at the school.

All visitors, including parents, are required to sign in prior to any meeting, or to any other area of the school.

We appreciate your cooperation on this matter.

And finally…

The Principal Team wishes all our students all the very best with their exams and semester tests over the coming weeks.

Principal - Ms Kerrie Dowsley

 

Assistant Principal - Mr Ian Crocker

Acting Assistant Principal - Mr Mario Orsini 

Acting Assistant Principal - Ms Janet McKenzie