Principal's Report
Vermont Secondary College
CONGRATULATIONS TO SUZANNE PLANT
A huge congratulations to Suzanne Plant (Assistant Principal - Vermont Secondary College) who has just been appointed as substantive Principal of Glen Waverley Secondary College. Suzanne has been in the Acting Principal role at Glen Waverley Secondary College since the start of the 2024 school year.
Suzanne arrived at Vermont Secondary College in 2015 appointed as Assistant Principal overseeing the key portfolios of Teaching and Learning, Curriculum, OH&S, Publicity and supporting the Macedon House team. Throughout her time here Suzanne also taught Year 12 Physical Education with outstanding results with an unequalled dedication to the subject and her students.
Suzanne, thank you so much for your significant contribution to our college, we wish you all the best in the future. Congratulations again. We will be holding a formal farewell for Suzanne in Term Two, date to be confirmed.
END OF TERM ONE
Thank you so much for the continued community support of the college over the last nine weeks in so many activities, both within the classroom and in the broader co-curricular program. Thank you also to families supporting, not only us, but other families in the VSC community. As always VSC has been an extremely busy place and I thank the staff and students for their continued time, effort and enthusiasm.
Enjoy the break and we will see everybody back and ready to go for Term Two.
REMINDER – END OF TERM ARRANGEMENTS & KEY DATES 2024
A) Cycle 1 Reports are released to families and Student Progress Conferences (SPC) bookings are opened at 3pm on Thursday 28th of March.
B) Student Progress Conferences (SPC) are online starting at 1.00pm until 8.00pm on Wednesday 17th of April. Formal classes will not be running, and all students are asked to attend interviews online with their parent/guardian.
C) Term One concludes on Thursday 28th of March with a 2:30pm dismissal time. Friday the 29th of March is Good Friday and a public holiday.
D) Students return in Term Two on Monday 15th of April with Term Two finishing on Friday 28th of June.
E) Thursday the 25th of April is a public holiday for ANZAC Day.
WELCOME TO NEW COLLEGE COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR 2024
I thank members of College Council who are continuing on in their role as well as those retiring. Welcome to the new members and thank you for forwarding your nomination. VSC held its first Council meeting with our new representatives last Tuesday evening. Thank you to all who attended. At this meeting the following office bearers were appointed.
Council President: Frank Drost
Council Vice-President: Patrick Jackson
Council Treasurer: Kate Norman
Congratulations on these important roles/appointments and we look forward to another productive year.
The VSC Council is comprised of four groups:
Parents (6), Department of Education (DE) employees (5), students (2) and community members (co-opted up to 4).
Usually, the term of office is for two years, half of the members must retire each year, and this then creates vacancies for the annual school election.
Parents: In total there were five parent vacancies – three parent representatives for the next two years, 2024-2025, and two parent representatives for one-year 2024.
Congratulations to Sam Daly, Frank Drost and Craig Lawton duly elected for the next 2 years (2024 – early 2026). Congratulations also to Kate Norman and Rob Fuller duly elected to the one-year vacancies (2024 – to early 2025)
Patrick Jackson has one year of his two-year term remaining.
Staff: Congratulations to Chris Paragreen and Mary Zervos duly elected for the next 2 years (2024 – to early 2026).
Kelly Stals and Flora Moraitis have one year of their two-year appointment (2023 – to early 2025) to complete.
Student Representatives – Congratulations to Yan Chi S duly elected for the next 2 years (2023 – to early 2025) while Triyana K has one year of her 2-year term remaining.
Community Members (Co-Opted) - School Captains: Akhila Gollamudi and Amelia Ross.
Thank you to Chirag Patel, Kathlyn Moynihan and Jasmine Majidi for their time on College Council. Your input and participation have been greatly appreciated. A special thank you to Chirag who has been our Council President since 2022 after joining the council in 2019. Chirag has well and truly supported me, and the college, over those years and his support and guidance has been greatly appreciated.
COLLEGE COUNCIL REPORT TUESDAY MARCH 19TH.
by Frank Drost Council President
VSC College Council convened for the first time on Tuesday 19th March. The new council was welcomed, and office bearers were elected. This was followed by the forming of the various sub-committees in which council members participate: Finance, OH&S and the Canteen sub-committee.
As is required by the Department of Education, Council was presented a thorough overview of Child Safety policies which will help council to act in the best interest of our students. Council received updates on the various community events over the last period, an update on our new gym that is being built (it is anticipated that this will be finished by February 2025) and were informed of school correspondences.
As this was council’s first meeting of 2024, there were no reports from the various subcommittees. Tony Jacobs, College Principal, and the students presented their reports to the council. The college council approved the Year 8 City camp to be held later in the year.
Parent and student council members were elected by you. Please support them in their role by informing them of any matters relevant to the school and its community. The Council members are your way to have your voice heard.
Membership of the College Council is as follows:
Frank Drost - Parent Elected President
Patrick Jackson - Parent Elected Vice-President
Kate Norman - Parent Elected Treasurer
Sam Daly - Parent Elected
Rob Fuller - Parent Elected
Craig Lawton - Parent Elected
Yan Chi S - Student Elected
Triyana K - Student Elected
Akhila Gollamudi -Community Co-opted School Captain
Amelia Ross - Community Co-opted School Captain
Mary Zervos - Staff Elected DE Employee
Kelly Stals - Staff Elected DE Employee
Flora Moraitis - Staff Elected DE Employee
Chris Paragreen - Staff Elected DE Employee
Aidan Message - Staff Assistant Principal
Mike Stevens - Staff Assistant Principal
Cara Macfarlane - Staff Assistant Principal
Tony Jacobs - Principal Chair/DE employee
Pam Brutovic - Staff Business Manager
COLLEGE COUNCIL - COMMUNITY REPORTING MEETING – TUESDAY 16TH APRIL 2023
The VSC Annual Community Reporting Meeting will be held on Tuesday 16th April 2024 at 6.30pm. At this meeting the VSC 2023 Annual Report will be presented, and once ratified by College Council and by the Department of Education (DE) it will be placed on our college website. Members of the college community are welcome to attend.
Once ratified, the 2023 Annual Report will be available on the college website as well as the Victorian Registrations & Qualifications Authority (VRQA) website at: www.vrqa.vic.gov.au. Once there click on ‘State Register’ and enter ‘Vermont Secondary College’.
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR STUDENT LEADERS FOR 2024
I would like to formally introduce the Student Leaders for 2024 at Vermont Secondary College in Years 7 through to 12. Well done to our selected Student Leaders and I look forward to working with you over the year and I thank you in anticipation of your significant contribution to the college.
Congratulations go to the following six Year 12 students who have been selected as the 2024 House Captains: -
Hotham – Arwa M & Akhila G
Macedon – Maithili (Ma Tilly) P & Abby S
Stirling – Amelia R & Hongru (Aaron) W
Further congratulations go to Akhila & Amelia who have been appointed VSC School Captains for 2024, well done on these appointments and the college looks forward to working with you and your further contribution.
Well done to all students who have been appointed to the following leadership positions.
VSC Student Leaders 2024
HOTHAM MACEDON STIRLING
Senior School
House Captains
Arwa M
Akhila G
Maithili P
Abby S
Amelia R
Hongru (Aaron) W
Vice Captains
Rebecca M
Caitlin S
Madeleine G
Stephanie Z
Charlie B
Areeba S
Arts Captains
Amelie D
Emily H
Valerie G
Meesha K
Alanna Y
Sue Anne J
Jorja S
Blake W
Sports Captains
Lucy W
Ben L
Niamh B
Taj G
Finn M
Evie P
Year 10 Student Leaders
Grace C
Matthew P
Leane B
Emily W
Asma (Azzy) B
Neiva L
Tissa A
Social Justice Leaders
Eva C
Kaitlyn A
Ayush D
Nik H
Jack Turner M
Holly Y
Junior School Form Captains
Yana T
Jade F
Duru (Naz) E
Andre L
Theodora P
Ryanguru A
Sienna S
Sports Captains
Joel G
Vimal K
Zoe M
Olivia M
Alisha S
Indigo W
Rudra P
Arts Captains
Year 9
Hayley W
Samantha M
Grace E
Jitho J
Michael M
Danielle L
Zachary W
Year 8
Ruixi (Kristy) W
Emily M
Samuel B
Ethan C
Sophie Ro
Ruby Me
Ayaan Faz
Setiya M
Daanihal P
Sarakshi S
Xavier L
Maggie B
Year 7
Rohaan A
Shree R
Kaylee T
Jorden X
Huma A
Emma M
Haavin S
Ann Marie B
Aarav A
Emily F
Marcus O
WELL DONE TO THE VSC SWIMMING TEAM
Congratulations to the Vermont Secondary College swimming team who represented the college at the Eastern Metropolitan Regional (EMR) final on Tuesday. It was an outstanding team effort and well done to Amy Malander (Sports Coordinator) and Shaun Gillespie (Assistant Sports Coordinator) for organising and supporting the team on the day. Thanks also to Tuana Unal for her support of the team throughout the day.
The State finals are being held on Friday 28th April at MSAC and two of our swimmers as well as two relay teams, have made it through to the State finals. We wish them all the best and a full report of their fantastic results at the EMR finals can be read in the VSC Sports section of the newsletter.
Congratulations to our new National Youth Online Safety Advisors
Huge congratulations go to Chloe S - Year 8 and Ayush D - Year 10 who have been selected as Consultants in Online Safety for the National Project Rockit Youth Collective. This is a major achievement as Chloe and Ayush were among hundreds of young adults aged between 12 and 22 across Australia who applied for a position. They then had to sit through a rigorous selection and interview process. Chloe and Ayush will join young adults from around Australia to consult, create content and advise on matters promoting safe online use and making positive change.
VSC MARCHING BAND AND THE ANZAC PARADE
This year the VSC marching band will be involved in two ANZAC marches. On Sunday 21st of April they will be marching in the Ringwood RSL march.
Details about Sunday April 21st are as follows: Our Symphonic Band will march led by Ben Muddyman from the corner of New/Seymour Streets, Ringwood - (Ringwood Square).
The March will commence at 10am. The Band will proceed East along the Maroondah Highway, turning right into Railway Place opposite Melbourne Street and then continue around Railway Place to the Memorial Clock Tower.
At the Memorial Clock Tower, the VSC Marching Band will conduct the Memorial Service and wreath laying, performing the national anthems of Australia and New Zealand. After the service, students and parents are invited to the Ringwood RSL Sub-Branch at 16 Station St, Ringwood VIC 3134, for refreshments. Students will be dismissed from the RSL.
If watching the ANZAC Day parade on Thursday 25th of April in St Kilda Road in the city then keep an eye out for the Vermont Secondary College marching band, who will be marching up St. Kilda Road supporting our armed services and veterans. Our talented marching band will again be led by Ben Muddyman and supported on the sidelines by myself and many parents.
A huge thank you to Khristian Mizzi for all the administrative work and running around required to get these two important events up and running for the college, well done!