Senior School Report
It is the beginning of Term 2, who thought that our term would start like this.
On behalf of Senior Sub School, I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank all senior students and their families for their continual support during the most difficult time we are currently in.
Teaching and learning remotely has been a dramatic shift in the way we have been working as a community at St Albans Secondary College. It is reassuring that we are all in this together.
Our Year 12 school captains wrote an article for Tomorrow’s Leaders 2020 online edition.
It is a challenging time locally and globally - especially for Year 12 students. School Captains from different communities shared their thoughts, hopes and dreams.
Hopefully it will give people hope to know that despite the tough current circumstances our future is in good hands.
Our school captains, Dea Vidovic and Shalom Tiatia contributed the following:
Our school values the importance of regular assessment of students and how it improves their learning and understanding, keeping them motivated and challenging them at the same time. This is something that will continue to do remotely with our senior students, keeping their schooling as ‘normal’ as possible.
Most students and families are concerned about the online assessment at VCE, VCAL and VET.
Year 11 students will have Progress Reports mid-term, Year 11 VCE Unit 1 exams and an End of Unit 1 report.
Year 12 students will also have Progress Reports mid-term, however, their mid-year exams will be postponed as we are waiting for the extension of the school year for Year 12 VCE and VCAL and revised Year 12 External Exam timetable and to be released by VCAA (Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority). The Year 12 Progress Reports will identify what SACs (School Assessed Coursework) were completed online.
As we are in uncharted waters with online assessment and still waiting for VCAA advice regarding authentication, it is important that students and families are aware that marks may change due to statistical moderation, the GAT (General Achievement Test) and individual student ranking.
The Senior Sub School will be posting information on Compass under ‘News Feed’ for students and families regarding VCAA advice for Year 12 assessment, so it is important that Compass is checked regularly for updates.
The following is written by Phyllis Stanislaw, one of our school Vice Captains in VCAL and what remote learning is like:
Hi my name is Phyllis Stanislaw, I am a year 12 VCAL student and this is my view on VCAL online learning.
Online learning for me has had its challenges but challenges are meant to be faced and overcome. I think especially this time of year and in this present situation we are in (COVID-19) completing placement hours, VET hours and projects in order to obtain a Senior VCAL certificate and VET certificate has its difficulties and also having no face to face interaction.
I am keeping motivated by staying on top of my classes and work as if I was at school but just the difference being in my home environment.
As VCAL student leader and with the VCAL class of 2020 we are supporting each other by continuing to be positive about this situation, communicating with one another, assisting one another, continuing to respect each other and with amazing teacher support, teacher aide support and family support we know we are not alone and there is help in every avenue. And that with this experience, it has challenged me and made me adapt to new learning ways and is given me more confidence, strength and compassion.
Work we are doing
Stav Bekiaris
Senior Sub School Leader
Laura Gough
VCAL Coordinator