Making an Impact

Michael Bartley

VCE - Vocational Major Coordinator

Our VCE Vocational Major students have stared the year very well, launching headlong into projects and assuming responsibilities without hesitation. Students have participated in valuable hands-on learning, as well as embarked on longer term projects that will challenge  and inform their learning across  Work Related Skills and Personal Development Skills studies.

The enthusiasm they are demonstrating is infectious,  bodes well for their learning outcomes in 2025!

Contributions to Community

Mercy Place Aged Care, Parkville – Valentines Day Visit

14th February 2025

Sheridan Dinsdale

Teacher - VCE Vocational Major Personal Development Skills

With support from the wider school community, a group of Year 11 and Year 12 VCE Vocational Major students planned and put together Valentine’s Day gifts for the residents at Mercy Place Aged Care. Through these meaningful interactions, the students developed important social awareness skills—appreciating diversity, understanding different perspectives, showing empathy, contributing to society, and building relationships. The kindness, care, understanding, and overall wholesomeness these students demonstrated during their time with the residents was most inspiring. 

Connie

Mercy Place Aged Care

Thank you so much for coming and for the very thoughtful gifts for our residents! It was a pleasure to have you all here so full of good cheer. It was infectious. 

Ioanna Eleftheriadis

Year 11

It was lovely hanging out with my fellow classmates. We felt so thankful that we got the opportunity to do something kind and heart warming for people that are currently not able to help themselves, so we helped make someone’s Valentines day lovely again. 

Besim Inal

Year12 

It was my birthday the same day - so love was in the air! When I was told I was going to an aged care home to give the residents flowers, I thought would be a nice way to spend my birthday. When I got there, I thought the place looked fancy. We were a bit late so we missed the Valentines Day event, but Ms Dinsdale sorted it and got us some one-on-one time with the residents and it was pretty fun. 

One of the residents asked “With these flowers can I get a kiss?“ I thought, if it is going to make her happy, then you know what? I don’t mind! Students said her smile doubled in size after the kiss!

The best part about our visit was seeing the smile on the faces of the residents.. I thought it was really worthwhile, because if you can make someone happy by doing something kind for them, why wouldn’t you?

School Improvement 

Tom Wilkinson 

Year 11

Over the first two terms of this year, Ioanna and myself and two teachers Mr Bartley and Ms Dinsdale will be painting the bins in the   A-Block courtyard. We are painting them in Brunswick Secondary Collage colours (purple, white, teal and gold).  After that we are going to do the bins around B-Block, then all the way down the walkway to F-Block,  behind H-block, D-Block and G-Block.

When I paint the bins there is a sense of mindfulness  -  just brushing the paint on - getting all my built up energy and putting into this project.

And I am hoping we get more students involved in this project, and other school projects to come. 

School Community

Jayden Rickard 

Year 11

At the BSC Swimming Carnival the Year 11 VCE Vocational Major class staged a barbeque, which was very successful. Everyone [on the team] was communicating well with each other, there was a lot teamwork and kindness showed towards each other, and we were respectful towards the junior year levels and teachers.

The VM crew were doing things they weren’t used to doing - a lot of people were cooking on the barbeque and everyone in our class was contributing to help - which was amazing to see  and to experience.

Michael Bartley

The smiling faces and happy chatter amongst the many students who came back for seconds and thirds at the barbecue suggested that the quality of the sausages and the service provided by the amazing 11 VM team was first class! 

Esta Ganci

Teacher - Food Studies

I found the Year 11 team to be an fabulous group to work with. They rolled up their sleeves and were so willing to assist in any possible way - they were totally amazing.  The students who were serving treated their customers so politely – even giving them praise and fist pumps for getting swimming place ribbons! Overall, the team used initiative and got the job done, right through to the end of the clean-up.