CURRICULUM

Message from Curriculum

“Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it’s having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome. Vulnerability is not weakness; it’s our greatest measure of courage.”

– Brené Brown. 

VCASS is alive with activity with the reignition of excursions, school tours, and live performances for our supportive community. However, it has not been without struggle or unexpected hurdles. Thus, it is important to remember that being vulnerable is to be brave. The mess is where the magic happens (Brown, 2015). The theme of Term One ‘How do we know our students?’ was actively investigated by teachers through a variety of innovative strategies. Years 7–11 have participated in the ‘Progressive Achievement Test’ (PAT) as a powerful diagnostic tool to inform literacy and numeracy skills. Teachers will use the data to inform targeted interventions in the cycle of improving student outcomes. 

It was fantastic to ‘get to know’ the students in a different way at Junior Camp, providing a valuable opportunity for student social inclusion and connectedness. The SHAW Program reminded Senior students to have wellbeing at the heart of their education in the final years of schooling. 

NAPLAN preparations have begun for Years 7 and 9 with the first practice tests familiarising students with the new adaptive online format. The main benefits include a more engaging interactive platform with reduced time between testing and reporting. Junior Humanities students participated in the Australian Geography Competition to encourage interest in social science skills and to reward student excellence. The new STEAM Science Gallery at Melbourne University was unveiled to the Year 9 Art class, exploring the juncture between art and science held together through creativity in tackling 21st century problems. On a similar note, Australian Philosopher Doctor Coleman visited VCASS to present his thesis to the Year 12 Philosophy cohort on the limitations of Science in relation to consciousness. 

The 2022 Debate Club Competition saw student teams meeting on a weekly basis to compete at the Haileybury City Campus. 

The Year 9 community outreach program ‘Kerrupon’ has challenged perceptions around marginalised communities with impactful experiences. Each week, Year 9 students have been exposed to a broad range of guest speakers and excursions including the Islamic Museum, Intersection Workshop, Immigration Museum, Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre, and Eureka Skydeck, fostering a holistic view of society and themselves within the community.  

Term One Parent Teacher Interviews were a fantastic opportunity to meet parents and reaffirm the shared commitment around student learning. I hope students were able to reflect on learning outcomes and revise strategies to achieve their aspirational goals. To balance performance commitments with academic work, students and parents/carers are all able to regularly check assessment / SAC dates via the VCASS VCE website and can view valuable ongoing feedback given by teachers on Compass Learning Tasks. 

To the VCASS student body, you have shown vulnerability in your ability to show up each day, being passionate about your craft and showing empathy to your peers. Have a restful Easter holiday!