We are at the end of Term 3, and the exams are fast approaching again. The Year 12 VCAA external exams start on Tuesday 10th November and the Year 11 exams start on Monday 2nd 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 2021 in November of this year.

Our teachers have worked on their Term 3 Year 11 Progress Reports. These are due to the Coordinators Thursday 17th September. 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 will be due to Coordinators on Thursday 8th October (Week 1 of Term 4). 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 30th October 2020
Last day of Year 11 VCAL classes : Friday 6th November 2020 (work placements cancelled this year)
Monday 2nd November until Wednesday 11th November: Year 11 VCE Exams
Thursday 12th November until Wednesday 25th November: Year 12 VCE Orientation (Compulsory)
Monday 16th November to Wednesday 18th November – Year 11 into Year 12 VCAL Orientation (Compulsory)

Year 12 Students

The ‘September Exams’ will take place during Week 2 Term 4 in classes. VCAA (Victorian Curriculum & Assessment Authority) with DHHS have banned Practice Exams during the school holidays as we are still in lockdown. It is compulsory for students who are doing their external exams to attend.

Last Day of Year 12 Classes

VCE and VCAL : Friday 30th October

Final Assembly and Celebration – Time and date will be confirmed at a later time

It is with regret that we had to cancel the Year 12 Graduation and Awards Night. It is one of the most successful events the schools holds where we usually get 800 people attending.

The Year 12 Formal has been booked for Thursday 3rd December. We have this on hold at the moment as we await to see what happens with the lockdown restrictions and the social/safe distancing with events.

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.

The last day for students to put at least one course in their application is Wednesday 30th September. There is a fine that VTAC charge after this date.

All students have been made aware of this.

Enrichment programs for Year 12 students are continuing for English and Biology.

Some individual teachers are also running after school classes to best prepare their students for the exams.

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 via email at senior@stalbanssc.vic.edu.au if you have any queries or concerns about your child.

Ms Stav Bekiaris

Senior Sub School Leader

VCAL Year 11

Financial Literacy

Year 11 VCAL students have just completed their online Financial Literacy facilitated by The Smith family.

The focus of the financial literacy course was to provide the essentials of money management and the delivery of tools and techniques that will enable participants to achieve their financial goals.

The Smith Family has used selected content and activities from the Money Minded program, along with additional content, and developed this financial literacy course consisting of five two hour sessions .

The content of this course also allowed participants to undertake the six units required for the qualification FNS10115 Certificate I in Financial Services.

These units are:

Develop and use a personal budget
Develop and use a savings plan
Develop understanding of debt and consumer credit
Develop understanding of superannuation
Develop understanding of the Australian financial system and markets
Develop understanding of taxation

The program ran online and SASC was the pilot school for this new experience. Thank you to all involved.

YR 12 VCAL

Exploring Educational Pathways

Our year 12 VCALs are involved in an online careers learning initiative that aims to provide a positive first experience of Vocational Education and Training.

The aim is to:

Learn about possible careers for post school options
Provide labour market information.
Lift the aspirations of our students
Assist them in making informed decisions about the variety of learning pathways

Three, two-hour sessions, run over three days during Work Related skills classes has students listening to representatives of different Vocational Education institutions.

Students also go into smaller break out rooms, using Zoom, to speak to people involved in areas of interest.

Health, Community services, Business, legal and logistics, Hospitality and trades representatives discuss pathways and answer student’s questions.

A number of Apprenticeship Agencies will also speak with students about apprenticeships and traineeships.

Complex PDS projects

The year 12s have continued to work on their PDS issues project in a very different way this term.

Students have organised online activities and participated in programs to raise awareness of their chosen issue.

Some of the work has been to knit blankets for the Lost Dogs home. A feat for many who have never knitted before. Taking on the challenge of 10000 steps a day for Steptember for Cerebral Palsy. A video documenting student’s feelings about the positive and negatives of the lock down period. A video thanking staff at Western Health for their work during Covid. A sleep under the stars event (in your backyard) to raise awareness of homelessness. A Go Fund Me page to raise money to make hampers for people in need.

RU OK? Day, Wear it Purple day, Polished Man-Against violence of children are some of the other issues that students are developing projects about.

We are very proud of our students who have adapted to this work in a very different manner than previously. The skills of problem solving, communication and decision-making will be invaluable as they move into the world of higher education or work

Ms Laura Gough

VCAL Program Leader

Alba News

Issue 7 · 17 Sep 2020

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