VCE VM News

Upcoming Events

Tue 31 Mar - Orienteering Excursion full day - VCE VM Year 12 Numeracy students

Tue 21 Apr - Holocaust Museum Excursion - all VCE VM Year 11s

Tue 12 May - P.A.R.T.Y. Excursion to LRH - all VCE VM Year 12s

Hi everyone

As we approach the end of Term 1, it’s a timely opportunity to reflect on progress and maintain strong habits which set students up for success. A key focus for our VCE VM program continues to be attendance. We expect all students to maintain at least 90% attendance, as consistent participation is essential for skill development, assessment completion, and overall achievement.  Well done to those students who have a 90% and above attendance!

Students have recently received their Learning Behaviour Update reports and we encourage both students and families to review these carefully. This is an important checkpoint—students should be actively checking in with their teachers to discuss their progress, celebrate successes, and identify areas for improvement. Seeking support early makes a significant difference.  Parent Teacher Conversations are scheduled for 1st and 2nd of April and we encourage parents and students to attend.  Bookings can be made on Compass.

It has also been a busy and engaging few weeks across the program. Classes have been completing Outcomes, and VET classes are continuing to build industry-specific skills as students progress through their competencies and practical assessments.  Several VM and VPC students are developing a coffee cart business, which operates every Wednesday from 10am to 12 noon at the Moe Latrobe City Library.  Most students have been finalising Work Placements.  Well done to those who have started placements already.  We are running classes on Wednesdays or Fridays (non-VET days) to support students to finalise placements for next term. Students should be working with us to ensure they are ready to continue or begin placements at the beginning of Term 2.

We’ve recently had several excursions and incursions.

Our 12R students attended an Interviews to Impress session in the city, developing valuable skills to prepare for future employment opportunities. Thank you to Brett, Cherie and Suze for arranging the event and taking the class. Other classes will have this opportunity later in the year.

A big thank you also to Marina, Holly, Brett and Jason, along with our guest Mark Johnston and the wider team, for putting together the Yarnin’ Circle last week. It was a highly successful event where everyone had the opportunity to be included and to learn more about Closing the Gap issues in a meaningful and engaging way.

In Numeracy, students from 12S and 12T took part in an exciting orienteering and mapping incursion led by Rob, who is currently ranked world number 2 in Adventure Racing. Students gained hands-on experience in navigation and teamwork, and we look forward to seeing them apply these skills during their upcoming excursion next Tuesday.

Write-ups and photos from these events can be found below.

As we head into the final stretch of the term, we encourage all students to stay focused, attend regularly, and take ownership of their learning journey.

Yarnin' Circle

The Yarnin' Circle was inclusive of all VPC and VCE VM students. 

To start the event we had Hollie Johnson perform the Welcome to Country in language and our students Alexcis, Shanaya and Destainy did the Acknowledgement.

The Yarnin' Circle brought together both staff and students who spoke about the importance of being part of a community. Reference was made how being part of a community can help with mental health and longevity in life. Mark and Karen spoke about the importance of community and the inclusion and value that it offers.  We are one community and volunteering and working with your community can benefit everyone by strengthening the ties we have.

Brett and Jason then spoke about the origin of a couple of Indigenous games which then proceeded to playing the game with the students demonstrating to their peers.

To conclude everyone enjoyed a feast of hot cross buns, easter eggs and fruit.

Year 12 Numeracy

As part of Year 12 Personal Numeracy curriculum and the Dimension and Direction area of study, students learn how to use landmarks, directional language and maps to plan routes and give directions.  This week students spent several lessons learning about Aboriginal songlines and knowledge systems that use art, song, story and dance to record and communicate cultural knowledge about Country.  As part of this, students were fortunate to have Aunty Nanette Channing Solomon, a Monaro Ngarigo Woman and local resident, visit the school and talk to students about the significance of her murals “You're Not Alone” and “Hall of Fame” that were painted at Kurnai College University Campus in 2025.  During the visit, students learned how they and the wider college community were connected to the mural and how it represented the many different people that helped students on their journey at Kurnai College and beyond to support their learning, wellbeing and future ambitions.  

As we finish Personal Numeracy in Term 1, Year 12 Numeracy students will be participating in an Orienteering Incursion and Excursion, where they will consolidate the skills they have developed throughout the Dimension and Direction area of study.  First, students will be given the opportunity to hone their map-reading skills to navigate an orienteering course around the University Campus before being challenged at an offsite bushland course.   Students will have the opportunity to learn from the best, as these sessions will be facilitated by one of Australia’s top Adventure Racers who has represented Australia and had success at international races such as One Water Race in the Stockholm Sweden and the Worlds Toughest Race in Fiji.  This will be a great opportunity for students to step out of their comfort zone in a safe and supported environment and develop a new unique problem-solving skillset that they can use throughout life.

Wood and Metal Technology

Our Year 11 and Year 12 VCE VM Wood Technology students have officially moved from theory into action!

The term began with students successfully completing their Online Safety certification, ensuring they understand the responsibilities and expectations of working safely in digital and workshop environments. This important foundation supports not only their classroom learning but also prepares them for Structured Workplace Learning and future employment opportunities.

With safety knowledge secured, students are now immersed in the exciting stages of designing and planning their individual wood projects. They have been developing design briefs, sketching concepts, selecting materials, and carefully considering measurements and production processes. The workshop has been buzzing with creativity, problem-solving and practical thinking as students transform ideas into workable plans.

Now comes the best part — putting their skills to the test.

Under the watchful eye of their teachers, Mr Brett Gay and Mr Dave Frendo, students are confidently using workshop tools and equipment to begin constructing their projects. From accurate marking and cutting to refining joints and assembling components, they are demonstrating growing independence and pride in their workmanship.

The VCE VM Wood Technology program focuses on building real-world skills such as teamwork, communication, planning, and resilience. It’s fantastic to see our senior students supporting one another, sharing techniques, and learning from both successes and mistakes — just as they would in a real trade environment.

We look forward to showcasing their finished projects later in the semester and celebrating the craftsmanship and dedication of our talented young tradespeople in the making.

Well done to all students for their commitment, effort and positive attitude in the workshop!

Interview 2 Impress Program

Our students recently had the opportunity to participate in the Interview 2 Impress program, an engaging and practical experience designed to build confidence and develop essential employability skills.

We extend our sincere thanks to the program coordinators, mentors, and staff who supported the day. Their commitment and guidance played a vital role in creating a positive and supportive learning environment for all involved.

Although the group was small, the benefits for those who attended were significant. Students actively engaged in learning the CAR (Challenge, Action, Result) method and took part in mock interviews, allowing them to practise responding to real-world interview questions in a structured and supportive setting.

Throughout the program, students demonstrated increasing confidence as they contributed to discussions, asked insightful questions, and applied new strategies during interview scenarios. It was particularly pleasing to observe their willingness to challenge themselves and step outside their comfort zones.

Feedback from both students and mentors was highly positive, with evaluation data indicating a clear improvement in students’ confidence and understanding of effective interview techniques. These skills will be invaluable as students begin to explore future employment pathways.

The program provided a valuable opportunity for students to develop communication skills, build self-assurance, and gain a deeper understanding of employer expectations. We look forward to continuing to offer experiences like this that prepare our students for success beyond the classroom.

Holocaust Museum

Upcoming Excursion

On Tuesday 21st April (the second day of Term 2), all Year 11 VCE VM students will have the opportunity to attend an excursion to the Holocaust Museum in Elsternwick.

This excursion supports learning in Literacy and provides important historical and social context to current classroom studies.

Further details, including consent and payment information, are available on Compass.

We look forward to a successful and productive term ahead!

Karen Anders

VCE VM Team Leader