WELCOME BACK

Welcome to all staff, students and their families to Vermont Secondary College for the start of the 2026 academic year. I would like to particularly welcome the Year 7 class of 2026, as well as students and families who are newly enrolled at the college in Years 8 to 12. I trust all community members had a safe and enjoyable summer break.

The students and staff are to be congratulated on how well they have settled back into school life over the last two weeks; it is a credit to you all.

Demand for enrolment in the college continues to remain high from our local community. For the first time in the history of the college our student numbers are greater than 1,700. See below for a breakdown of this figure:

Year 7 305

Year 8 313

Year 9 277

Year 10 291

Year 11 261

Year 12 258

Total 1,705

On an extremely positive note, three 10Mods have been installed, one before the summer break and 2 over the January break. These classrooms are double story and each 10Mod consists of 4 classrooms and office space on both levels. This brings a total of 12 new classrooms into the college. A 5Mod was moved to accommodate these new classrooms and we were able to have two extremely ancient portables demolished and the 5Mod, consisting of 2 classroom and office area, put in their place and be fully refurbished. We also had a new toilet block installed which will be accessible to the Year 8 cohort.

The delivery, installation and refurbishment of these classrooms have been funded by the State Government/Department of Education (DE) and we are extremely thankful.

The four external basketball/tennis/netball courts at the side of the new gymnasium are being fully resurfaced and will be completed within the next week or so.

A huge thank you to Mike Stevens, Assistant Principal overseeing Buildings & Grounds, for the many hours he has contributed to getting these significant improvements projects completed over the last few months.

Thank you also to the families who have donated to our Library or Building fund (both tax deductible). These donations are greatly appreciated and assist us to continually maintain and improve facilities and equipment for the school community. In this case the Building Fund will allow us to attend to critical roofing works and replacing the year 7 deck. We appreciate the support of the college community in helping us to support your child. Donations are always greatly gratefully accepted.

All staff (Teachers & Education Support) look forward to the 2026 school year and working productively with our college students and families by providing a supportive, happy and stimulating educational environment.

WELCOME TO NEW AND RETURNING STAFF

I’m pleased to introduce and welcome 15 new staff and 4 returning staff members for the 2026 school year. A number of these staff were involved in the Transition Program last year or started in Term 4 2025.

Teaching

Hailey Ferris – HPE/Humanities
Emily Devine – Foods/HPE
Liam Coulston – Politics/English
Angelina Fry – English
Luke Mayberry – ICT
Kylie Wallace – German
Lara Nolan – Politics/English
Amy Li – Maths
Peter Arcaro – English
Nenia Malupa – English
Meg Benger – French

Trainee Support

12. Nikayala Seamer – Sport trainee

Education Support

13. Miriam Parker – Inclusion

14. Nicole Lin – Attendance Officer

15. Peter Joyce - Gardener

Returning

16. Meredith Daniels – Psychology/Commerce

17. Sarah D’arcy – Science/Maths

18. Alyssa Di Benedetto - Science

19. Sally Todaro - Commerce

VERMONT SECONDARY COLLEGE VCE 2025 RESULTS

Vermont Secondary College is extremely pleased with our students VCE/ATAR results for the 2025 academic year. In an excellent year of results, Vermont Secondary College warmly applauds the class of 2025. Highlights include –

Congratulations to our Dux, Aden Arulananthan, with a study score of 99.75 closely followed by our second ranked student, Jonathan Ling, with 99.10 and third ranking, Hazel Karatasios, with 98.8. In total 7 students scored 98 or above, with 24 students scoring 95 and above.
59 students, of a cohort of 205, received an ATAR of 90 and above, placing them in the top 10% of the state. This is 28.78% of our student cohort.
119 students, of a cohort of 205, received an ATAR of 80 and above, placing them in the top 20% of the state. This is 58.05% of our student cohort.
158 students, of a cohort of 205, received an ATAR of 70 and above, placing them in the top 30% of the state. This is 77.07% of our student cohort.
177 students, of a cohort of 205, received an ATAR of 60 and above, placing them in the top 40% of the state. This is 86.34% of our student cohort.


VCE Class of 2025 ATAR	Number of VSC students that achieved within each range	Total number of VSC students above each range	% of 205 Year 12 VSC Students	State-Wide Placement = Top %
99 and above	2	2	0.98	1
98 and above	5	7	3.41	2
97 and above	6	13	6.34	3
96 and above	6	19	9.27	4
95 and above	5	24	11.71	5
90 and above	35	59	28.78	10
85 and above	32	91	44.39	15
80 and above	28	119	58.05	20
75 and above	19	138	67.32	25
70 and above	20	158	77.07	30
65 and above	11	169	82.44	35
60 and above	8	177	86.34	40
50 and above	21	198	96.59	50

VSC VCE 2025

VSC 2025 – Percentage of study scores of 40 and over = 7.6%
Median VSC Study Score = 32 (32 also in 2023 & 2024)
Mean VSC Study Score = 31.79%
English Mean Study Score = 32.00%
Percentage of satisfactory VCE completions = 99%
Number of students awarded the VCE Vocational Major (VM) = 15
Number of students awarded the VCE Baccalaureate = 19
Percentage of VET units of competency completed = 86%
Mean ATAR 79.4

I would also like to acknowledge the Year 12 students who completed their Vocational Major (VM) or a non-ATAR scored VCE. Congratulations on successfully completing your final year of secondary schooling and receiving a VM or VCE Certificate of Completion.

An outstanding result from our 2025 VCE cohort and staff in light of their first two years of secondary school (Year 7 and 8) classes being taught predominantly via remote learning and significant disruptions in 2022 with ongoing COVID related staff and student illness.

Thank you to all families for selecting Vermont Secondary College as your school of choice for your child’s educational journey. Well done and congratulations to the class of 2025 and best wishes into the future!

VSC VCE Data 2013 to 2025

2013	31.81	2014	31.19	2015	31.03
2016	30.22	2017	30.70	2018	31.17
2019	32.11	2020	31.45	2021	31.69
2022	31.0	2023	32.0	2024	32.0
2025	32.0

Tony Jacobs

Principal

Vermont Secondary College

VSC HOUSE CAPTAINS 2026

Congratulations go to the following 6 Year 12 students who have been selected as the 2026 House Captains:

Hotham – Imani Klair & James Plitas

Macedon – Leana Bulich & Emily Wilson

Stirling – Asman Brar & Juliet O’Brien

Well done to our 6 House Captains on your appointment and the college looks forward to working with you over the year. The 2026 VSC School Captains will be announced over the coming week.

VSC HOUSE SWIMMING SPORTS – THURSDAY 12th FEBRUARY

A reminder that the annual VSC House swimming sports will be held on Thursday 12th February at the Croydon Memorial Pool, Hewish Rd & Springfield Ave, Croydon.

ALL YEAR 7, 8 and 9 STUDENTS WILL ATTEND the swimming sports. Regular Year 10, 11 & 12 classes will be running at VSC for all senior students, apart from those registered and competing from the three senior year levels.

For full details please refer to the Sports Report in this newsletter.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (DE) YEARLY ENROLMENT CENSUS

The Enrolment Census by DE (Department of Education) is carried out each year in late February. Student enrolment and attendance is critically important to the college’s funding. If students have not appeared by the end of February, we will lose funding for them following the DE Census Audit. If students have extended absences i.e. illness or overseas, and there is documentary evidence of liaison with home e.g. letters signed and dated by parents/guardians, medical certificates, phone call records etc. then they will be allowed in our census count, and we will receive department funding for them.

In the past the meticulous records kept by our Attendance Officer in the General Office, Student Managers and classroom teachers have been critical in retaining students and hence funding. The support of parents/guardians in providing explanations for student absences also assists us to take care of the wellbeing of our students and is of vital importance. Your co-operation and assistance in keeping the school informed regarding student absences is essential. If you have any queries or concerns then please call our Attendance Officer, Nicole Lin, via the General Office or relevant Student Manager.

2025 UPCOMING COLLEGE COUNCIL ELECTIONS

VSC Council elections will be called for early next week and there are vacancies available for parent = 3, student = 1 and staff = 2 representatives. Information will be sent out next week in regard to the process, with nomination forms attached.

2026 VICTORIAN SCHOOL TERM DATES

Term 1

Tues 27 January - Thurs 2 April (Good Friday April 3)

Term 2 Mon 20 April - Frid 26 June

Term 3 Mon 13 July - Friday 18 September

Term 4 Mon 5 October - Fri 18 December

FOR VICTORIAN SCHOOL TERM DATES 2025 – 2030 GO TO -

https://www.vic.gov.au/school-term-dates-and-holidays-victoria

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS IN VICTORIA

https://business.vic.gov.au/business-information/public-holidays/victorian-public-holidays-2025

Library News

Vermont Secondary College

LIBRARY DUCK COMPETITION