Taylors Lakes News

From The Principal Class

Welcome

Welcome to this latest edition of the college newsletter.  We hope everyone is staying safe and well during these latest challenges. Like everyone else, we are becoming used to postponing or adapting events in line with the requirements and challenges of lockdown – an important skill and mindset to have at any time, but particularly in the current circumstances. At the same time, we appreciate how deflating this is for our students, their families and staff, especially when so much time and energy have been invested in planning for these events. The Year 9 and 10 Camps, Athletics Sports Carnival, College Production, Information Evenings, Course Counselling Interviews and Staff Professional Learning Days are just a few of many examples. 

 

However, what is evident throughout this is the commitment of all of our teaching and education support staff to ensure that, in spite of these challenges, our students do not miss out on the opportunities and support they need and deserve to be successful. They have worked tirelessly to provide a quality teaching and learning program (we know that many of you have seen first-hand evidence of this each day in your own homes!) and to maintain continuity in the extra curricular and wellbeing programs. Remote learning and working is very tough on everyone in different ways. We are extremely proud of the combined efforts of our staff, students and families in making this as successful as possible. 

 

Reduced online classes will now be scheduled on Mondays for the remaining of the current remote learning period. We recognise this period has been more difficult for students and their families and this is a strategy we are trying to implement in finding a greater balance between learning and wellbeing. Classes that only run on a Monday will still run and students will be expected to attend their online classes as normal. This will be different for each student depending on their normal timetable. When not online, students will use this day to begin working through their weekly learning tasks that will be uploaded by their teachers in the morning. Senior students might also be required to undertake their formal assessments on this day.

 

Essential Assessment for VCE/VCAL:

  • VCAA has confirmed that the Stay-at-Home Directions across Victoria will now enable school based essential assessments and examination preparation, where they cannot be conducted remotely, can be conducted onsite from 30 August 2021
  • Course Content will not be altered this year but the Consideration of Educational Disadvantage (CED) process will be employed again this year for all students undertaking a VCE Unit 3/4 Study
  • Examinations will run as normal this year – Performance Examinations begin Monday 4 October 2021 and written examinations run until Wednesday 17 November 2021.
  • The General Achievement Test will now take place on Thursday 9 September 2021 from 10:00am – 1:15pm.

A special welcome...

To the new members of staff who have joined Taylors Lakes Secondary College this term:

  • Paul Savvy - Food Technology/Health
  • Rosemarie D'Agata - Drama
  • Aaron Fong - Accounting/Commerce
  • Russell Blackie - Library 
  • Rowena Bernal-Richards - Mathematics Tutoring
  • Kristiana Markovski - Learning Area Support

We wish each of them all the very best for their time at Taylors Lakes SC. We also welcome back Allie McAllister  from leave.

Year 12 VTAC Online Student Interviews

 Students currently in Year 12 are undertaking an extensive selection process in choosing their tertiary courses for 2022 through the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC).  The Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) is the central office that administers the application processes for places in tertiary courses, scholarships and special entry access schemes at university, TAFE and independent tertiary colleges in Victoria (and a few outside Victoria). 

 

As we continue with our remote learning program for all of our Year 12 students, it is critical that students are further supported with their VTAC selection process and meeting their career aspirations remains a fundamental focus.  Therefore, the College has organised a VTAC Online Interview Session for all students with a member of the Year 12 Team.  This will occur on Monday 30 August 2021 and will run for 20 minutes. This is a great opportunity to talk to students about courses for next year, applying for SEAS and/or scholarships and receiving any additional assistance for the application process.  Parents, where possible, are strongly encouraged to attend this online interview session with their child.

Progress Reports and Parent Teacher Interviews

Semester 2 Progress Reports – Round 1 will be pushed out on Friday 3 September 2021 and these can be viewed from both parents and students.  PT interviews will run on Monday 13 September 2021 (Week 10 of Term 3). This year, PT Interviews will run remotely from 10am – 6pm. We have made this decision due to the uncertainly in the current restrictions. Teachers will have 4 breaks across the day – a lunch break from 12:30pm – 1:15pm (45 mins), an afternoon break from 3:00pm – 3:30pm (30 mins) and 2 additional 15 breaks across the day determined by the individual teacher. 

 

PT interviews will be held remotely via the WebEx platform. This is the preferred DET platform for interviews and we have used this platform already this year for a range of forums. Like last year, we will be using a booking system for this round of interviews through Compass. More information will be provided when the online booking system opens.

Student Success - VCE Premier's Award

Congratulations to Madison Cheal, for her outstanding academic results in 2020. Madison received her award for both English and Health and Human Development, where she achieved a perfect study score of 50. The Premier’s VCE Awards recognise the top-performing students in the state for each subject. Madison also received a perfect study score of 50 in Business Management in Year 11 in 2019. We would also like to acknowledge the hard work and fantastic support of her teachers Theresa Burlak and Chelsea Feist last year. We are so proud of Madison and wish her well in her current studies at Monash University.

and finally...

Earlier this term we officially launched our school café program. Café 3038 opened on Wednesday 28 July 2021 where both staff and senior students can purchase a coffee or hot chocolate across the week.  Located outside the study room, this café has already received very positive reviews for its quality and service. 

Many staff and students have already taken up the opportunity to get a coffee and we look forward to opening it up again once when we return to onsite learning.

 

Stay safe.

 

Danny Dedes

On Behalf of Assistant Principals - Rick Hudson, Sasha Mildenhall, Louisa Norwood and Theresa Burlak