Principal's Message

Dear Families,

Thank You – Success Information Evening

Thank you to all the parents who attended the Year 12, Year 7, 8 & 9 Success Information Evenings earlier this term. Your ongoing support and involvement in your child’s education is incredibly important and plays a vital role in their learning, wellbeing and overall success at school.

We appreciate the time you took to attend and engage with the information shared on both evenings. As discussed during the sessions, I have included several tips in this newsletter to help you support your child’s learning and success throughout the year. Working together as a school community helps ensure our students are supported to achieve their best.

Tips to Support Your Child’s Success (Year 12)

1. Create a Supportive Study Environment

A good study environment can significantly improve focus and productivity.

These can help:

• A quiet, well-lit study space
• Comfortable chair and desk
• Limited distractions (phone, TV, social media)
• Easy access to study materials

Tip: Encourage regular short breaks 

2. Help Them Plan and Stay Organised

Year 12 often involves multiple assessments, exams and deadlines.

Encourage your student to:

• Use a planner 
• Break assessments into smaller tasks
• Set weekly goals
• Track exam dates and submission deadlines
• You can help by checking in occasionally, not by micro-managing.

3. Encourage Healthy Study Habits

Good habits improve memory and reduce burnout.

Important habits include:

• Consistent sleep schedule (7–9 hours)
• Regular exercise
• Nutritious meals
• Balanced study sessions instead of cramming
• Even 20–30 minutes of exercise can improve concentration.

4. Reduce Pressure and Focus on Effort

Year 12 results can feel overwhelming, especially with systems like the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR).

Instead of focusing only on scores:

• Praise effort and persistence
• Remind them one exam doesn't define their future
• Discuss multiple pathways (TAFE, university, apprenticeships, gap years) - this helps reduce anxiety.

5. Support Their Mental Health

Stress, anxiety and self-doubt are common in Year 12.

Watch for signs such as:

• Constant exhaustion
• Loss of motivation
• Irritability
• Withdrawal from friends or activities

Helpful actions:

• Encourage open conversations
• Normalise asking for help
• Suggest talking to a school counsellor or teacher

6. Help With Exam Preparation

Closer to exams, students often feel overwhelmed.

You can help by encouraging:

• Practice exams
• Reviewing feedback from teachers

Active study techniques like:

• flashcards
• summarising Cornell notes
• teaching concepts to someone else.

7. Maintain Balance

Year 12 should not be only about study.

Encourage them to:

• Spend time with friends
• Keep hobbies or sport
• Take occasional days off
• Balance prevents burnout and improves learning.

8. Celebrate Milestones

Year 12 is a major life stage.

Celebrate:

• Completing assessments and SACs
• Finishing exams
• Graduation events
• Recognition helps maintain motivation and confidence.

Tips to Support Your Child’s Success (Years 7–9)

The middle years of schooling are an important time for students as they develop independence, organisation and study habits. Below are some simple strategies that can help support your child’s learning at home.

• Establish a Study Routine - Encourage your child to set aside a regular time each day for homework or revision. Consistent routines help students develop positive study habits and reduce last-minute stress.
• Create a Positive Study Environment - Provide a quiet, organised space where your child can complete homework with minimal distractions.
• Encourage Organisation - Support your child to organise their binder, check their planner, keep track of upcoming tasks, and pack their school bag the night before.
• Show Interest in Their Learning - Simple questions such as “What did you learn today?” or “Is there anything you need help with?” show your child that their learning is important.
• Promote Healthy Technology Habits - Encourage students to limit phone use during study time and ensure they have a healthy balance between screen time, schoolwork and rest.
• Encourage Reading - Reading regularly helps build vocabulary, comprehension and writing skills. Even 10–15 minutes of reading each day can make a difference.
• Focus on Effort and Improvement - Celebrate your child’s effort and persistence, not just results. This helps build confidence and resilience.
• Maintain a Healthy Balance - Ensure students have time for physical activity, hobbies and social connections, while also maintaining good sleep routines.
• Stay Connected with the School - Regularly check school Compass posts and encourage your child to speak with their teachers if they need support.

Working together as a school community helps ensure every student is supported to achieve their best.

Daily Planner Usage

Effective Planner usage is an organisational skill that is an essential ingredient to a successful study program. As such, time and effort must be devoted to cultivating it as a habit. Parents/carers are asked to ensure that their child has a planner which is critical to our curriculum program every year - they are available at the general office for $15.

Many of the beneficial features built into our planners have little effect unless the students are very clear on the correct day to day usage of their planners.

Following are some tried and proven “musts” for efficient planner usage that parents and carers are encouraged to discuss with their child:

• The students and their planners must be inseparable partners at school and be brought home each night.
• In every class, all works set and the date that it is due should be recorded; this must be done immediately the teacher tells them; don't wait till afterwards, it's too easy to forget.
• After school, before they leave for home each night, they should look at the homework that has been recorded in their planner during the day for each subject and then take the required books and binder home. It is important to look extra closely on Friday nights before the weekend.
• If they haven't a great deal of homework to do on a particular night, they should look ahead in their planner for what is coming up, and make an early start, especially on assessment tasks. They may start revising for an upcoming test next week or do extra study to add depth to their understanding and knowledge.
• That night or before they leave for school the next morning, a good idea is to check what is coming up for the day ahead. Any preparations or prereading required? Any work due in? Any sport or music practise? When they know this, they can plan their day more effectively.
• Every Sunday night, they should spend 15 minutes planning their upcoming week. Also, on individual days highlight work that is due in. This puts them in control.

Organisation is a lifelong skill.

Should you have any queries or concerns regarding your child's progress please do not hesitate to contact their Year Level Coordinator.

Open Day - Monday 27th April

Parents/carers and their Grade 5 and 6 children who are interested in touring our school are warmly invited to our Open Day event on Monday 27th April. There will be tours in the morning as well as an evening presentation with information packs and interactive tours of several classes. Prospective families are asked to register for a morning or evening tour (or both) at https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1545436. Come along to see our students in action! In the coming weeks, our leadership staff will be visiting local primary schools with more information or visit our website at www.vusc.vic.edu.au.

VUSC is an AVID Demonstration School

It is with great pride that I announce that VUSC has officially been recognised as an AVID Demonstration School, one of only two in Victoria. 

This is a significant achievement. AVID - Advancement Via Individual Determination - is a global framework focused on university and career readiness, high impact teaching practices, and ensuring every student has access to rigorous learning opportunities. To be recognised as a Demonstration School means that our implementation of the AVID framework has been validated as exemplary.

So, what does that mean in practical terms?

It means that AVID is not just a program that sits in one classroom – it is embedded across our school. It means our teachers consistently use strategies grounded in Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organisation and Reading – what AVID calls WICOR. It means we are intentionally building students’ academic skills, confidence and agency.

It also means we have demonstrated a strong commitment to equity. AVID recognises schools that are actively working to close opportunity gaps and expand pathways for all students, regardless of their individual circumstances. This recognition affirms that we are creating classrooms where high expectations are paired with high support.

Importantly, Demonstration Schools are model sites. Other schools will visit us to see best practice in action. We will open our doors to share our learning and contribute to strengthening practice beyond our own community. That is both an honour and a responsibility.

This recognition belongs to our staff, who have embraced instructional growth; to our students who rise to the challenge of rigorous learning every day; and to our families, who have partnered with us in building a culture of aspiration and achievement.

Becoming an AVID Demonstration School is not the end of a journey - it is a milestone. It signals that we are on the right path, and it challenges us to continue refining, improving, and leading. Thank you for your ongoing support as we continue this important work together.

Generative Artificial Intelligence Policy

Our school has developed a new policy on Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI). It sets out guidelines and expectations around the appropriate use of generative AI by teachers and students at our school, and how to acknowledge and reference the use of AI when it is used. Teachers will be monitoring this closely and will make it clear to students when they permit the use of AI in their tasks and when they do not. The new policy was ratified by our College Board last month and can be viewed below, as well as an AI Guide for Students. 

Congratulations Ella Harris!

Our college congratulates Year 7 student Ella Harris, who competed at the Athletics Victoria State Junior Track & Field Championships recently. Ella starred in the U14 Women’s 3000m Race Walk winning a State Silver Medal in a time of 16:41.87 — smashing her previous PB by 24 seconds!

This was only her second time racing the 3000m distance, as she usually competes in shorter events for Little Athletics. To achieve a podium finish at State level in just her second attempt is an amazing effort. The weekend before, she also claimed in the U13 Girls 1500m Race Walk at the Little Athletics Western Metro Region Championships, clocking 8:06.03.

We’re so excited that Ella will now represent Victoria at the Australian Athletics Junior National Championships in Brisbane this April — her very first National Championships and her first time wearing the Victorian Team uniform. 

Ella also competes in Triathlon and Swimming, and we can’t wait to see what’s next for her. Hard work, dedication and determination paying off — we are beyond proud! 

School Drop-Off and Pick-Up

School drop-off and pick-up times are very busy around all campuses of the College. During these times there are many cars, pedestrians, and cyclists moving through the area.

We ask all families to please be patient and drive carefully so we can ensure all students arrive at and leave school safely each day. Please also be mindful of our neighbours and avoid blocking the driveways of residents who live in the surrounding streets.

Parents are encouraged to remind students to always use the designated crossings when crossing the road. This helps keep everyone safe during these busy times.

Thank you for your support in helping maintain a safe environment for our school community.

Celebrating Harmony Day

Each year we celebrate the rich diversity of our school community. Our college is proudly made up of students and families from more than 67 different countries, speaking a wide range of languages. This diversity is something we value and celebrate.

This year we celebrated Harmony Day on Friday 20th March. To mark the occasion, our SRC students hosted a lunchtime event celebrating the many cultures that make up our school community. Students sang songs, played games and performed, creating a joyful atmosphere that reflects and celebrates who we are as a college. 

In the lead-up to Harmony Day, teachers also explored this meaning with their classes during Home Group sessions. These discussions focused on multiculturalism, belonging, and recognising both our differences and the many similarities we share.

At our school, we believe everyone has a role to play in creating a safe and inclusive environment where all students feel they belong. As members of our wider school community, we encourage families to reflect on the ways we can all help ensure that everyone feels welcome, celebrate different cultures and communities, and speak up if we see discrimination.

Together, we aim to ensure that every member of our school community feels Connected, Protected and Respected.

Parent–Teacher Interviews

Parent–Teacher Interviews for all students will be held on Tuesday, 31st March from 1:00pm to 7:00pm.

We encourage all parents and guardians to take this opportunity to meet with teachers and discuss their child’s progress. Students are expected to attend the interviews with their parents so they can take an active role in discussing their learning and setting goals for further improvement or challenge in each subject.

On this day, only Year 12 VCE students and Year 11 VCE students studying a Unit 3 & 4 subject are required to attend school for Periods 1–3, according to their timetable. There will be no regular classes for Years 7–11 students who are not studying a Unit 3 & 4 subject.

Further information can be found on your Compass feed, and all Year 7 parents will receive a hard copy of the letter attached to the Compass post. To book your child’s interviews, please log into the Compass Portal and follow the booking instructions.

Athletics Carnival – Friday 27th March

Our annual Athletics Carnival will be held on Friday 27th March. This is a compulsory event for all students from Year 7 to 12.

The Athletics Carnival is a wonderful opportunity for our whole college to come together and celebrate student participation in a range of track and field events. Students are encouraged to take part, support their peers, and enjoy a fun and active day as part of our school community. Students are encouraged to wear their House colours or alternatively, their school PE uniform. 

Winter Uniform - Terms 2 and 3

A reminder that students should be in winter uniform for terms 2 and 3. Note that the College tie is compulsory for all students with the winter uniform. Our uniform supplier is PSW, Unit 2/51-53 Westwood Dr, Ravenhall or purchase online at psw.com.au. Good quality secondhand items may be available to purchase from local families on the Sustainable School Shop website. 

Enjoy the rest of the term and as always, please contact your campus office if you have any questions. 

Elaine Hazim

College Principal

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Child Safety at VUSC

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

Our child safety and wellbeing policies outline the measures and strategies we have in place to support, promote and maintain the safety and wellbeing of our students: 

• Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy
• Child Safety Code of Conduct
• Child Safe Standards Risk Register
• Child safety Responding and Reporting Obligations Policy and Procedure

All of our policies are available on our school website here. As valuable partners in promoting and maintaining child safety and wellbeing at VUSC, we welcome and encourage your feedback.