Alba News

From the Principal Class Team

Year 12 2018 Scholarship recipients

Each year we have a number of students awarded a range of scholarships to assist them on the next part of their educational journey and our 2018 Year 12 students were no exception with the following students obtaining prestigious scholarships:

We would like to congratulate these students and any others receiving scholarships whom we are not yet aware of. 

We should note that the Mary Jane Lewis Scholarships were only awarded to nine students in the State, two of whom are our students. Many institutions are still finalising their scholarships prior to the commencement of their courses and we anticipate there will be more students from St Albans Secondary College to add to the list above. 

Congratulations also go to our MIPS team, Ms Cathy Armstrong, Ms Jacqui Hunter and Ms Colleen Lynch, who have done an amazing job in assisting our students gain access to these sorts of opportunities.

 

Year 12 2018 Top Achievers list and destinations

We listed the 2018 Top achieving students (those with ATARs above 80) in the December newsletter and as a follow up have outlined their destinations below:

Congratulations to these students and our entire 2018 cohort. Almost all of them are now placed in further education and training ready to undertake the next stage of their journey.

 

2018 VCE and VCAL Award recipient profiles

The recipient of our VCAL Excellence award, Cristina Said, started her senior school in VCE and chose to move to VCAL in 2018. In the VCAL course she grew in confidence and maturity, taking on tasks and responsibilities with enthusiasm and commitment.  In 2018 she completed a School Based Traineeship in Business Administration obtaining competency in all outcomes in Certificate III in Business. Cristina was a member of a team in the Western Hospital partnership where they refurbished a bedroom and kitchen area for the outpatients from the Rehabilitation ward. The objective of this complex project at Western Health was to help patients who are recovering from trauma or illness have a more positive experience at hospital.  She planned and organised school based activities for Multicultural Day, Youth Day, Valentine’s Day and made a community connection with Victoria Police for their issues work on Hoon Driving. 

The SWL (Structured workplace Learning) employer for Cristina, Marvel Stadium, is keen to explore traineeship or employment opportunities for her in 2019 and this is currently happening for Cristina who is working in her chosen field of Events Management with Marvel Stadium.  Cristina regularly spoke of her work placement and the positive experiences she had gained from working with qualified business people. She received complimentary reviews from her supervisor and co-workers. 

Cristina’s organised portfolio clearly documented her progress towards the outcomes and reflected a thorough understanding of each of the strands through evidence shown in personal reflections and classwork.

The recipient of the VCE Academic Excellence Award was Shani Nguyen, a Year 12 student who achieved outstanding academic results throughout her secondary school career.  Shani is a quiet, polite, attentive and conscientious student who is modest and humble in her achievements. She also achieved the School Dux with an ATAR score of 99.25.  Shani was an active learner who sought challenges in order to progress and who helped others through sharing her knowledge. She was an extremely hard worker and demonstrated dedication and focus on her goal to become a doctor.

In 2017, Shani completed two accelerated subjects; Vietnamese as a 2nd Language and Further Mathematics for which she achieved a study score of 50.  Her exceptional academic ability may be attributable to her ‘almost intuitive understanding’ of new concepts, but her outstanding academic results are the outcome of consistent curiosity, dedication to learning and hard work.  Shani was student of the Year in 2015 and was successful in attaining a Kwong Lee Dow Scholarship in 2016.    

We extend our congratulations and thanks to these outstanding students and wish them well for their future endeavours.

 

Year 11 and 12 parent nights

We had the Year 12 Parent Information evening on Monday 4 February for the parents of both our VCE and VCAL students.  This evening was well-attended and provided valuable information about the expectations of each program and the processes for the year at both the School and VCAA level.  Guest Speakers from Equal Education a Higher Education Student Advancement (HESA) program gave tips on managing time and stress levels and balancing activities to get the most out of this final year of secondary school.  Parents and students were provided an information pack, which included the Student Information Handbook.  We would like to extend our thanks to those families who attended on the night.

A similar format will take place at the Year 11 Parent Information evening on Monday 18 February where representatives from HESA will again speak with students and parents and information packs will be distributed.  It is important all students attend with a parent or guardian to ensure key messages are consistent between home and school and to assist parents reinforce these at home. 

 

Year 12 Study Camp

On Thursday 7 and Friday 8 February), Year 12  students took part in their study camp based at University College at Melbourne University.  The camp included a focus on 2019 studies including English and EAL workshops, some physical activity undertaken in House groups, a focus on wellbeing and mental health, and social events such as a dinner in Lygon Street and a movie experience at IMAX.  There were guest speakers and focus groups to motivate and provide support for students as they navigate their last year of secondary school.

Students attending this camp did our school proud with a number of members of the community who encountered this large group commenting on their positive behaviour and manners.  This is not an easy feat with approximately 250 students.

Congratulations to the 2019 Year 12 cohort and the Senior Sub School team for bringing together such an informative, entertaining and well-organised event.  It certainly demonstrated elements of being connected, protected and respected within our community, which is one of our overarching themes for 2019 as a whole school.  Thanks also go to the many others who contributed including the staff who attended and the Physical Education, Careers, English and VCAL Departments for running workshops, as well as the Equal Ed and Head Space Teams.

Sharing the LOVE - VCAL Valentine’s Day lunch and activities

On Wednesday 13 February, the Year 12 VCAL students held Valentine’s Day Celebrations during lunchtime.  These were well supported and enjoyed by both students and staff with a BBQ, games, a raffle, live music and fresh and chocolate roses and other treats available for purchase.  The students and their Coordinator, Ms Laura Gough, are to be congratulated on their planning, organisation and implementation of a very successful program for what has become a traditional SASC event. 

 

Year 7 Transition

This year we welcome approximately 300 new Year 7 students to our community. The change from primary to secondary school is a major milestone, which can be stressful for some students and their families. The students this year have generally made an excellent start to the year, and are settling in very well.

Thanks to the Junior Sub School team and the Year 7 teachers for supporting the students to feel comfortable so quickly. If there are any concerns or questions, please contact the Junior Sub School via the General Office on 9366 2555.

 

Whole School Assembly

Last Wednesday, 6 February, we held the first of our 2 whole school assemblies in the Gym. With close to 1500 students and 175 staff, it was an opportunity for us to come together to celebrate our sense of community, and to officially welcome the Year 7 students to the College. A special thank you to Karamvir Singh and Amy Le for speaking on behalf of the Year 7 students. Thanks also to the members of the Choir and the Year 11 Band for providing musical entertainment.

 

Grade 6 Parent evening and scholarship testing

For any families with Grade 6 students, or if you have friends who are interested in sending their children to St Albans Secondary College, the Grade 6 Information Evening will be held on Tuesday, 19 March at 5:30pm in the Performing Arts Centre. Anyone interested in applying for scholarships, or entry to the Select Entry Accelerated Learning class should contact the General Office for details.

Scholarships for 2020 will be offered in the following areas:

  • Academic Excellence
  • Sport
  • Visual and Performing Arts
  • Leadership
  • Citizenship

Applications for the SEAL class and scholarships close on Friday, 5 April. You will be able to apply on the school's website http://stalbanssc.vic.edu.au/ 

 

Progress reports

Twice each term we communicate to you regarding the progress your child is makin