Principal's Message

Dear Families,

This term as always has been a very busy term so far with our school undergoing a school review. Our leadership team has been collaborating with parents, staff and students to plan for our next four-year school strategic plan. Our Year 7 to 11 students have been involved in several different activities, while our Year 12 students are currently undertaking their final semester of their secondary education. We wish them all the very best as they strive to successfully complete their studies and get ready to embark on a new journey.

College Expectations

Attendance, Uniform, Punctuality

We greatly appreciate the support we receive from parents/carers to make sure that your child attends school regularly and punctually, is in full school 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 school winter uniform must be worn to and from school and on all school excursions, including interschool sport.

Punctuality

Students are expected to be punctual at the start of each day and for all classes. Any student who is late will receive a detention.

Parking Around the School

We have been receiving complaints from local residents about parents blocking driveways at the Deer Park and Cairnlea campuses, as well as double parking and stopping at the roundabout at Cairnlea to drop off their children. This is extremely dangerous and puts the safety of students' and other people at risk. 

Brimbank Council have also advised us that they will be conducting parking inspections at both campuses. 

We are aware that there is a shortage of parking however please ensure that you drop off and pick up your children safely and in a way that does not inconvenience others. Students can certainly walk a few metres if you need to park a bit further away. 

VUSC School Review

Our comprehensive school review, aimed at formulating a new strategic plan, commenced on Monday 22nd July. This plan will outline our goals and strategies to enhance student learning outcomes and wellbeing over the next four years.

I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the 12 parents across the college who generously volunteered to participate in the parent forum. During this forum, the school reviewer engaged with them to gather valuable insight on their perspectives about the school’s progress.

Their participation and input were invaluable as we shape the future direction of our school. Their dedication to our community’s growth and success is truly commendable.

Together as a collaborative community of parents, staff, and students, we are committed to creating an enriching and supportive environment for all learners and I believe our new school strategic plan will help us grow and enrich our students learning even further.

Jiangsu Chinese Sister School Visit

Our Chinese Sister School form Jiangsu arrived on Monday 22nd July, excited and ready to meet their buddies and host families. A great week was spent learning about each other’s cultures and differences in the education system both here in Australia and in China. 

We ended the week on Friday 26th July with a special assembly at each campus to bid our Sister School farewell. The highlight of the assemblies were the amazing performances presented by our Jiangsu Sister School students. These talented students captivated our staff and students with their exceptional singing and dancing performances. It was truly a delightful experience for everyone present. We are proud to have had the opportunity to witness the talents of the Jiangsu Sister School students and experienced cultural exchange through the arts. 

I would like to thank parents and staff for their continued support in fostering such meaningful connections and opportunities for our students.

We also had a delegation of 35 Principals and Teachers from schools in Jiangsu visit our Senior Campus on Wednesday 26th June. The delegation were in Victoria to gain a better understanding of the Australian/Victorian school and classroom culture, learning contexts, curriculum, pedagogical strategies and practices. The delegation conducted some classroom observations and had discussions with some of our students about their education. 

Senior Secondary Online Information Evening

Parents and guardians of Year 9 and 10 students were invited to attend an online information session on Monday 22nd July at 6.00pm, about the Senior Certificates, subjects and programs available in Years 11 and 12 at VUSC.

We invited all Year 9 and 10 families to attend this important event as vital information was provided for course counselling and subject selections for the senior years. Our staff are highly skilled and committed to helping students select the right course, to set goals for their future and achieve excellence.

As a college we aim to see all students succeed; to reach the goals they set for themselves, to develop their academic and creative talents and to be well prepared to live happy and fulfilled lives. Achievement of these goals is most likely when the school, the teachers, the student and the family work closely together.

Senior Secondary EXPO

We ran a Senior Secondary Expo for Year 10 students and their families on Thursday 25th July during period 4. The Expo provided information about VCE, VET and Vocational Major subjects, HeadStart Apprenticeships and Traineeships and career pathways advice. The students were buzzing around with excitement and asking lots of questions.

Year 10 Career Panels

The Careers Team held a Year 10 Careers Panel on Tuesday 23rd July at the Senior Campus. The panels began with professionals from various industries and careers introducing themselves and providing students with a brief overview of their occupation and organisation, the length of time they have worked in their current career and their main role and responsibilities.

Students were then invited to ask questions which were extremely well thought out such as “Who or what inspired you to follow this career?”, “What qualifications are necessary for your career path?” and “What were the biggest challenges in your career path and how did you overcome them?” At the conclusion of the panel event, we invited the guests to remain back for light refreshments.

Professional Learning Community College Visits

On Wednesday 24th July we had representatives from four visiting schools join us for our Professional Learning Team (PLT) Sharing Sessions and some classroom observations to learn from the amazing work that our teams do. Representatives from these schools were dispersed amongst presentation groups. As always, our teachers were prepared to support other schools in their professional development. They left completely impressed and wanting more information and professional development around what and how we do things here at VUSC.

Some of the feedback we received is as follows:

• All PLC members active participants in the inquiry process and highly organised presentations.
• An obvious focus on developing teacher practice to improve student learning.
• PLC seen as the most important aspect in school improvement.
• Principal dedicated to the program and an active participant; it was obvious that staff were very comfortable with the principal joining in on their PLC discussions.
• PLC sharing consistency
• Timetabling – Prioritising time for PLCs (2 hours weekly)
• Student engagement in all classes visited
• Student management – not a single student seen out of class during instruction time.
• Clean and orderly learning environment.
• Student work exhibited in the classrooms.
• Clearly defined lesson goals and instructions – all students were working and on task.

I would like to thank Mr Dowie and all staff for once again allowing these schools to come and learn from the great work that is taking place within our PLTs and classrooms. 

Showcasing Excellence In Government Schools

On Tuesday 30th July, VUSC was chosen to host Principals and Senior Educational Leaders from various schools to learn how we have improved students learning outcomes across the college. These leaders from various schools were excited to conduct some ‘Learning Walks’ to observe students working in collaboration, discuss how we have achieved excellence, going through our data that demonstrates excellence, discuss our numeracy strategies, and our classroom environment. Overall, they walked away impressed and asked if they were able to bring their teams of teachers to observe VUSC in action.

Minister for Education Visit to VUSC

The Minister for Education, Ben Carroll, visited our Junior Campus on Friday 2nd August.

Minister Carroll arrived at 8.30am and actively participated in our morning breakfast club, where he even took the time to make toast for our students. His engagement with the students during breakfast was not only heartwarming but also inspiring as he discussed their educational journeys with them.

Following the breakfast club, Minister Carroll addressed our Year 9 assembly, delivering a motivating speech about the importance of hard work and setting high goals. His presence and words resonated with our students, encouraging them to strive for excellence.

During his visit the College Board president and I had the opportunity to discuss the crucial need for funding to kickstart the stage two building project that would consolidate our campuses into one site. Minister Carroll was attentive and showed genuine concern, expressing his willingness to advocate for our cause with higher authorities.

As we eagerly await news on the funding and development plans, let us keep our fingers and toes crossed in hope for a positive outcome that will benefit our entire school community.

Year 12 Formal

Thank you to staff who attended and supported our Class of 2024 Year 12 Formal which took place on Friday night 26th July from 6.30pm – 10.30pm. Our Year 12 students looked amazing all done up and behaved beautifully on the night. It was such a special night. Thank you to Mr Polizzi for organising the event and ensuring all had a great time. 

VET Hospitality at Quatrefoils Restaurant

I'm pleased to share a delightful experience I had recently in support of our VET students (Victoria Poto Motunuu, Melisa Lealea, Aperaamo Lealea all in Year 11) studying hospitality.

On Tuesday 30th July, I and five other staff members had the pleasure of visiting the Quatrefoils restaurant at CRC to show our support for our VET students. We were treated to a delightful 5 course meal that exceeded our expectations in every way.

The quality of the food was outstanding, earning a well-deserved 5- star rating from all of us. Each course was a culinary masterpiece, showing the skills and dedication of our talented VET students. Not only was the food exceptional, but the service we received was equally impressive. Our students at the restaurant ensured that our dining experience was memorable and enjoyable, demonstrating professionalism and hospitality at its best.

I want to express my appreciation to the five staff members for joining me on this experience and for supporting VET students in such a tangible way. Our presence and encouragement meant a lot to our students and contributed to their growth and learning.

Thank You

A reminder to parents/carers that Compass is our primary way of communicating with families. Progress reports for every student are now available on Compass. We would like you to access these reports and discuss them with your child/ren. If you have any questions or concerns about anything, please feel free to contact your child's Year Level Coordinator.

Thank you to all parents/carers who ensure their child/children arrive on time for school each day, in uniform and prepared to learn. We greatly appreciate your support.

I wish everyone a successful Term 3.

Elaine Hazim

College Principal

*********************************************************************************************

Child Safety and Wellbeing at VUSC: Information for families and the school community

Victoria University Secondary College is committed to providing a child safe and child friendly environment, where students are safe and feel safe. 

The Victorian Government has announced new Child Safe Standards to further strengthen child safety across organisations, including schools. The new standards recognise the critical importance of families and the broader school community in maintaining and promoting child safety and wellbeing. 

VUSC has reviewed and updated our child safety policies and procedures to ensure they meet the requirements of the new standards. These are available to download below and can also be viewed on our school website. 

We are committed to continuous improvement in our approach to child safety and wellbeing and welcome feedback from families and members of our school community on ways we can further strengthen our child safety policies, procedures and practices. 

If you have any suggestions, comments or questions, please contact your campus and speak to your Campus Principal.