DEPUTY PRINCIPAL LEARNING AND TEACHING

As we move towards the end of the semester it can be a very busy time. Good time management and effective use of this time are critical. Parents can play a crucial role in this and in doing so can really help to reduce the stress levels for their child. 

EXAMS

Exams will occur for all students in Years 9 to 11 in the last week of this term. Our Director of Learning and Teaching, Mr Emmet Brown, will be providing specific information regarding the exams and the processes that will be in place.  

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all students the best during their exam week. Like most things in life, there aren’t too many shortcuts to success. Generally, to do well in exams, you need to work consistently throughout the semester and apply a specific revision process in the lead-up to the exams. The more dedicated you are in your preparation, the more confident you can be that you will perform at a satisfactory level.   

REPORTS

Semester 1 reports will be made available via Parent Access Module (PAM) and SIMON on Friday June 24 (the last day of term). For students in Years 9, 10 and 11, reports will be updated in Week 2, Term 3 to include exam results. To access the reports:

• Go to the college website www.sjcmda.vic.edu.au 
• Login > SIMON/PAM > and enter your username and password. 

If you are unsure of your login details, please telephone college reception and they will be able to assist. 

• Once you have logged into PAM, go to your child’s profile by clicking on their name or photo. 
• Select the Student Assessment tab and it will give you access to all your child’s completed reports for the year.

Reports are also accessible for students through their normal SIMON profile.

I encourage you to discuss with your son/daughter the contents of their report which aims to communicate how students are progressing in their various subjects. The report is an important document and warrants parents/guardians and students taking some time to consider its contents and to reflect on progress and current levels of achievement.  

Questions may arise, such as: 

• 'Does the report highlight strengths and weaknesses?' 
• 'What should we be celebrating?' 
• 'Is there anything that can be done to improve in those weaker areas?' 

For example, the report might highlight that organisation is a concern, or that work is sometimes rushed rather than being completed to the best of their ability, or that data presentation is good, but data description is too general. If this is the case, ask your child is what can be done to address this. Report time is a great time to have these important conversations. Feedback is a critical element to improve learning, and reports can provide valuable feedback to keep students 'on target' for achievement. 

PARENT, STUDENT AND TEACHER CONFERENCES - VCE AND VCAL STUDENTS ONLY

Parent, Student and Teacher Conferences will be held on Wednesday July 13 from 4:00pm to 6:00pm at the Enright Campus, McAuley Maths/Science Area.

Our Head of VCE/VET/VCAL, Mr Mel Ficarra, will provide further information about making appointments, but I would like to encourage parents of students studying subjects at Year 11 and 12 to make the most of this timely opportunity. 

CHANGE TO COLLEGE CALENDAR - THURSDAY JULY 14

Please be aware that Thursday July 14 was initially scheduled as a home study day to allow teachers to partake in a Professional Learning Program. Our presenter is now unable to attend on that day and as a result this will now be a normal school day for staff and students.

VO & SENIOR SCHOOL PATHWAYS 2023 INFORMATION EVENING

The VO and Senior School Pathways 2023 Information Evening will take place on Tuesday July 26 and will commence at 7:30pm. Please mark this date in your calendar; it represents an important step in the Subject Selection Process for students in Years 9, 10, 11 and 12 in 2023. 

Information about subject selection and access to Web Preferences will be distributed prior to the meeting.

Also occurring on this evening is the Year 11 Snow Camp Information Session. It is a requirement of any snow camp that parents/guardians are taken through the Alpine Safety Code, therefore, your attendance at this information session will meet this requirement. If you are unable to attend this meeting you will be required to read (and acknowledge that you have read) the Alpine Safety Code before your child will be permitted to attend the camp. 

VCE STUDY TIPS SESSIONS

Our Academic Student Leader, Nuzhatul Mannan has been busy organising several Study Tip Sessions for VCE students. Sessions have included the following topics:

Various staff volunteered to lead these sessions, and they have been an excellent additional support for our VCE students. 

I commend Nuzhat for her enthusiasm, commitment to her role and her efforts to provide all St Joseph’s College students with additional academic support. I would also like to thank the staff who have volunteered to be part of this program for the support they have provided to our students.

VCE VOCATIONAL MAJOR (VCE VM) AND VICTORIAN PATHWAYS CERTIFICATE (VPC) PROVISION

As many of you will be aware, John Firth was given the task of reviewing Vocational Education in Secondary Schools and to make recommendations for a new certificate framework.

The Firth Review found that high-quality vocational and applied learning programs are already supporting some students to achieve excellent outcomes and be as prepared as they can be for their post-school lives.

However, the Firth Review found that we need to do more to make vocational and applied learning high-quality, highly regarded, relevant to the needs of students and employers, and available to all. Major changes are needed to make sure all Victorian secondary students have greater access to high-quality vocational training that meets their strengths and interests, leads them into further training and education, and towards a great career.

Key recommendations of the Firth Review:

• Victoria should move to an integrated senior secondary certificate, with vocational education embedded in the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE). This certificate will replace, and build on the successes of, the existing standalone Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) certificate. This will support students to develop both academic and practical skills.
• Vocational Education and Training (VET) delivered in secondary schools should be more closely aligned with Victoria's growth sectors and local industry needs.
• VET should be available to every senior secondary student, enabling students to mix general and vocational education, gain qualifications for all types of employment, and develop the specific technical skills they most need for success in work and life with a focus on work-based learning.
• A new foundation pathways certificate should be created to formally recognise the skills and achievements of students who are not ready to complete the VCE. This will support those students to make successful post-school transitions.
• All students who fully or partially complete vocational and applied learning subjects should receive an enhanced Statement of Results to provide a full picture of their strengths, capabilities and achievements when they finish school.
• Schools should receive more support to deliver vocational and applied learning.  This can be achieved through improving the capability of teachers and reducing operational and administrative burdens on schools.

As a result of that report, Victoria is moving to a new integrated senior secondary certificate that will bring together the VCE and the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL). From 2023:

• The VCE Vocational Major will replace the existing VCAL at the Intermediate and Senior levels. 
• The VCE Vocational Major is a 2-year vocational and applied learning program within the VCE. The program aims to equip students with the skills, knowledge, confidence and agency needed to prepare for the world of work and continuing education.
• The VCE Vocational Major will prepare students to transition successfully into apprenticeships, traineeships, further education and training, university (via non-ATAR pathways), or directly into employment.
• The VCE Vocational Major will support students to develop both academic and practical skills. It employs a more diverse range of assessment strategies rather than exams, alleviating some of the pressure that students face when considering the VCE.

For more information on the VCE Vocational Major please visit the Victorian Curriculum Assessment Authority website.

The new Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC) will be introduced as an inclusive Year 11 and 12 certificate that will replace VCAL at the Foundation level and will meet the needs of a smaller number of students not able or ready to complete a certificate at the VCE level. The VPC is benchmarked at Australian Qualifications Framework Level 1 and not recognised as a senior secondary certificate of education. This certificate should be provided to students on an as-needs basis, with discussions about the VPC’s suitability for a student best conducted between the school, student and their family. For further information please click on the link below for Victorian Pathways Certificate curriculum.

The Many Talents One VCE webpage provides students and parents information about the upcoming changes to senior secondary education in Victoria. vic.gov.au/oneVCE

SCHOLARSHIPS

In 2017 the college introduced a scholarship program to encourage and support the continued education of dedicated and hard-working students. This has been a fantastic success and it is great to be able to recognise and support the students in this manner.

I would like to take this opportunity to remind families that applications will open soon for the 2023 St Joseph’s College internal scholarships. To encourage excellence and to acknowledge our diverse student population, the college is excited to offer a number of scholarship opportunities to our students in Years 11 and 12.

Year 11 Founding Sisters of Mercy Scholarships

As in previous years, we are offering the Year 11 Founding Sisters of Mercy Scholarships. The college presents nine $1,500 scholarships annually to Year 10 students transitioning in to Year 11 at the college, who respect and display our Mercy Core Values and who have shown excellence both in their academic and personal school life.  We will also be offering the VCAL Excellence Scholarship

Mercy Academic Internal Scholarships

The college has introduced the Mercy Academic Internal Scholarships which are offered on the basis of academic merit to students continuing Years 11 and 12 at the college in 2023 and 2024. These scholarships have a tenure of two years. The scholarships are for the remission of 50% of the global fee each year of the scholarship and are offered to a limited number of Year 10 students ranked in the top ten percent of the Year 10 cohort. 

Continuing from previous traditions, the VCAL Excellence Scholarship and the Postgraduate Year 12 Award Scholarships will be awarded to the most successful graduating students of 2022. 

Further information in regard to all scholarships on offer and the selection criteria will be provided to families in the coming week via Skoolbag.

Mr Greg Kluske

Deputy Principal Learning and Teaching