Delahey Campus Principal Message
Hello to all members of the Delahey campus community
As you are all aware, dedicated senior campuses are unique in that Term 4 is a compressed one particularly for our Year 12 students, but also for our Year 11 students.
Our Year 12 VCAL students essentially completed their outcomes at the end of Term 3 and were just completing either some remaining VET modules or coming in during the Redemption period we provided to ensure the maximum number of them leave with a VCAL Senior Certificate. VCAL teachers are hearing positive stories from students about their workplace outcomes and hopefully, as was intended with VCAL, those experiences translate to a better preparedness for further vocational education and training.
Another important event on our calendar was that of the Year 11 CHASE showcase which was held on Monday October 10. Our Year 11 VCAL students, mentored by volunteers from CHASE, took on a health or wellbeing education project. Students worked with their PDS teacher to scope out the project, design it and realise its stated outcomes. Projects on display included themes around physical activity, mindfulness and family violence to name a few.
The day was organised and facilitated (as part of an outcome to be met) by our Year 12 PDS students. Our 2023 Year 11 Vocational major students came up to Delahey as guests to obtain a better understanding of what a Vocational alternative looks like for them.
Year 12 Celebration Day last Wednesday is significant as it is the final time the entire Year 12 cohort are on campus together as the class of 2022. Delahey staff took students back to the 50s (via 1978) with a “Grease” themed celebration of the end of Year 12 classes in the Delahey gym. We had an excellent turn out of students, many in costumes inflated, inspired or elaborate. There were many heartfelt thanks to teachers that have shepherded them through to this point and more than a few tears. As well as a lot of laughter and joy at the staff dance and admiring each other’s costumes, the celebration included staff baby photos and a wonderful powerpoint filled with memories of a final year that we have been able to spend together. A big thankyou must go to the entire student management team who put the day together, and we should not forget all the staff who rolled their sleeves up to help in every way to make it a celebration filled with pride.
Our Year 12 VCE students will be refocussing now on the important task at hand; preparing as assiduously and as boldly as they can for their upcoming VCE Examination period, beginning with the English exam on Wednesday. We have already seen evidence of this commitment by some students who have been coming in and working with their teachers on past exams, not only from a solution point of view but also a process point of view. This conferencing can only strengthen deeper learning so that their responses to exam questions sets them apart from the ‘typical response’
Last Thursday, our Year 10 students from both Kings Park and Sydenham came together at the senior campus to meet each other and some of their 2023 teachers as part of the Year 10 Delahey Experience Day. This day, along with previous ones, is an initiative from the Pathways Strategic Planning Team to support our Year 10s in providing a seamless, familiar and aspirational transition as they prepare for the last two years of secondary schooling. Students were formed into mixed-campus groups to work on Team-Building activities and learn a little more about each other. Some of the classes we visited were building constructions out of marshmallows, sticky tape and dried spaghetti as they started work on the teamwork and communications skills that are so essential to our Personal Development Skills Curriculum in the Vocational Major program. These skills are also key in exam- focussed subjects as the best students work together to study for assessment and challenge each other’s’ learning. Of course, it was also about just having a bit of fun as well and just getting to know my new classmates of next year a little earlier.
Students also engaged in a session with our Delahey staff to talk through the senior school expectations and learn some of the key strategies to make sure they get the most from their final two years of school. Pathways staff also met with each home group to explain the importance of focussing early on goals to prepare for leaving school with a plan in hand. We were incredibly pleased to meet the Class of 2024 and to see so many students eager to get themselves set for the next stage in their educational journey. A big thankyou to the Pathways Team, but in particular our wonderful campus leaders from Delahey and form the Junior campuses who no doubt made the day such a success.
As part of our Capital Works program, we were allocated some funds for new furniture in both the Study Centre and the library. A working group is currently finalising the proposal with Business Interiors which will hopefully deliver a fresh, inviting and functional ambience to the two areas.
Speaking of Capital Works, I’d like to say that all the buildings which were identified as having sealing issues in our roof and were re-built survived the deluge of the last fortnight! Yay!
Ok, that’s it for now. Stay, safe, healthy and happy.
Mr Renato Carinci and Mr Dan Sullivan
Campus Principals