Andrew Chisholm

Assistant Principal

Dear Parents and Students, 

As a very busy term 3 ends, this article covers a number of important items that students and parents should be aware of in the upcoming weeks. 

University Extension Changes

Many of you will by now be aware that Monash University has decided not to run any university extension opportunities for Year 12 students in 2020. We are working with Monash to find an alternative, but for 2020 at least, other arrangements will need to be made. We have surveyed all current Year 11 students who selected university extension to see what they would like to do as a result of this decision by Monash University and most of those surveyed have indicated that they would like to pursue University first year subjects in 2020.

The VCE team has been investigating other extension opportunities for our students in 2020 and as a result we have applied to become a university extension maths centre for Melbourne University in 2020. Melbourne University are also offering Physics, Chemistry, Planet Earth and Climate Change and Philosophy of Science at their campus in Parkville. Access into these subjects is slightly different to the processes used by Monash University in the past so for those interested it is worth looking at the Melbourne University extension website at: http://go.unimelb.edu.au/w9cx 

Any queries about university extension in 2020 can be forwarded to the VCE team at JMSS.

2020 Reef and Rainforest Trip

The provisional itinerary for the 2020 Reef and Rainforest trip in the last week of Term 2 and the first week of the holidays in 2020 has been released. Students can collect the itinerary from the VCE area. Payment can be made in instalments and the first payment is due in early November. Payment can be made via Compass. We again hope to get a large JMSS group to visit the Great Barrier Reef, Atherton Tablelands, Fitzroy Island, and Daintree Rainforest. Students will be involved in collecting scientific data for Coral Watch and Daintree research station as well as learning about a range of current research interests in the tropical sciences at James Cook University in Cairns.   

VTAC Processes for current Year 12’s

All year 12 students by now should have completed their VTAC applications, as well as SEAS statements and scholarship applications where relevant. There are still some students who have yet to register their tertiary choices on the VTAC site, and also finalise SEAS and scholarship. It is worth mentioning that all VTAC courses applications close at the end of September and if the fee for the VTAC application has not been paid, there is a significant increase in cost. 

October Tests

All students completing a VCE Unit 3 and 4 exam have October tests in the second week of the Term 3 holidays. These tests are an attempt by JMSS to replicate the content and conditions of the final Year 12 exams in November and so provide an excellent opportunity for students to receive realistic feedback on their performance in their subjects and allow them to diagnose with the assistance of their teachers any areas for improvement. All exams are held in the JMSS building. All students have received an email that outlines the date and time when each October test is being held. Students should be in JMSS school uniform and all official VCAA rules will be enforced.

With some disruptions to rail and roads planned over these holidays, students should plan carefully so that they are not late to these assessments.

A shortened version of the October Test Timetable is shown below. AM sessions begin at 9am and PM sessions begin at 12.30pm. Students should plan to be at school 1 hour before any October test.

VCE Unit 3 and 4 VCE Timetables, Oral Language, Extended Investigation and Music Performance exams.

Any student completing a VCE Unit 3 and 4 subject will also have received an exam navigator and individual timetable outlining all their exams and the locations of these exams. Students do need to show parents this document so that everyone in the family is aware of the times and locations of each of the end of year exams. Students doing EI, most languages and music will have an oral component or a performance scheduled in the first two weeks of term 4. These orals and performances begin in the week of Monday October 7th and the locations of these assessments are varied.  If your student is completing a language oral or music performance, please check the location of this assessment on your student’s exam timetable closely. Students have been told that they need to turn up to any exam at least an hour early to ensure they are not adversely impacted by traffic or public transport issues.

Andrew Chisholm

Assistant Principal