Semester 2 – Term 4, 16th December 2015             

                       14-16 December Yr 7-9 Summer Activities 18 December Last day of Term 4 18 December Last day of Term 4 29 January Year 12 students commence 29 January Year 7 students commence 1 February Year 10 & 11 students commence 1 February Year 8 & 9 students commence

Next Newsletter: 1st February 2016

     Presentation Night was a great success on Tuesday 15th December at Flemington Racecourse. It was wonderful to see junior and senior students receiving awards for outstanding effort and achievement throughout the year as well as seeing our Year 12 students graduate. I congratulate all the students on their fantastic efforts this year and wish our Year 12 students every success in their future endeavours. Another group of students, supervised by Andrew Cordell, have just returned from a fantastic 12 day visit to China. Another excellent opportunity for our Chinese language students. This trip was funded by Jiangsu Province in China, with students only needing to pay a part of their air fare and the College Board contributing half of their airfares. Thank you to the College Board for their generous assistance to these students.

 

Term Four Important Dates

Junior Campus

 

College Principal’s Report

Senior Campus

Next year we will be reviewing our progress as a school and begin working on developing our next 4 year Strategic Plan. With the renewal of my 5 year contract, I’m looking forward to spending time with an expert reviewer measuring our progress since we merged and setting new goals for the future in partnership with the College Board.

The college has been developing a new website which is almost finished and will be ready for next year. We expect that this will assist parents and the community to gain a better understanding of the school and make contact easier. Parents will also now be aware that the College has a computer program called Compass which has a parent portal. This allows you to see your child’s attendance records, the work and homework their teachers have set and their results. I encourage everyone to use this to keep up with what is going on at school for your child. Reports will be available for parents to download on Compass on Thursday 17th December. If parents require assistance to download reports, the Junior and Senior Campuses will be open and teachers will be available to assist. Next year we will be welcoming a number of new staff to the college. They are Urvi Majumdar (English), Emma Ritchie (English/Humanities), Jo Pegoraro (English), Abbey White (Health), Joe Murray (Economics, Legal Studies, Business Management), Grant Anderson (Legal Studies), Miranda Orford (Music), Matthew Mallach (Strength and Conditioning Coach), Megarn Stock (Laboratory Assistant) and Jessica Rapa (Youth Worker). We are also farewelling the following staff and wish them all the best in their new ventures: Neville Box, Barbara Goad, Margaret Holowko, Sacha Barry, Jared Bayly, Jane Williamson, Shaun Faulkhead, Yen Hong, Andrea Ouchirenko, Megan Martin, Peter Mossemenear, Lorie Miller and Stewart Cain. I’d like to wish all families a Happy Christmas and all the best for the New Year. School resumes on Friday 29th January for Year 7 and 12 students and on Monday 1st February for all other students. Enjoy the holidays. Genevieve Simson    

    

Pick up and drop off Could parents/guardians please refrain from parking in neighbours’ driveways when dropping off and picking up students. Year 10 Rugby VET and VCAL Students We want to acknowledge the success and achievements of all our Year 10 Rugby VET and VCAL students who participated in the Walk-It-Out mentoring program run by Charis Mentoring here at VUSC. Be proud of your achievements, because we are proud of all of you. Don't forget to always check in and always be true to yourself. Charis Mentoring are a not for profit Pasifika organisation with a goal to advance the holistic wellbeing of young people through strength-based, innovative educational mentoring programs. Charis Mentoring is headed by Tia and Taua Suemai. Tia Suemai is a former international rugby player for Manu Samoa, Former Melbourne Rebels rugby Development officer and 1st Grade backs coach for Melbourne University Rugby Club (2015 Grand-Finalists). In addition Tia has a reputable background in Youth and Community work including gang intervention. Taua Suemai is a registered teacher of over 10 years and has four years of teaching experience in Victoria and New South Wales. She has worked extensively with marginalised and at risk youth. Together as a team they have over 30 years of experience in supporting young people. To complement this, Charis Mentoring utilise various supports throughout their program bringing in special guests weekly. Feedback from all the boys involved was hugely positive. They have benefitted in many ways and the shift in some attitudes has been clearly visible through the program. Some of the boys offered their thoughts on the program below. VUSC are extremely happy to welcome Charis Mentoring back for some further program work in 2016. Stay tuned!

 

VUSC News

Seti – “The program helped me very well to be proud of who I am and to appreciate my life. The program also helped me connect more with my culture, especially my family. Tia and the crew motivated me to do better in school and focus more on education.” Ralph – “The mentoring program inspired me to keep pushing towards the future. Also learnt more about my culture and what my name may mean through generations.” Miniti – “I found the program very inspirational and learnt a lot from the many speakers who presented. I enjoyed Tia’s company and learnt a lot about my culture and identity. He made me think about the quality of my choices and how it will impact on myself and my family.”

SCHOOL CAREERS WEBSITE

Our school's Careers website is an invaluable resource for students and parents to access. Students should have logged into the student secure area where there are many important resources including newsletters, resume builder, cover letter builder, practise on-line job application, career interests test etc. If students have not yet logged in, please see the Careers team for assistance.

VTAC Dates Change of preference closes 12pm, Monday 21 December 2015 Release of main round undergraduate offers Monday, 18 January 2016 Release of second round undergraduate offers Thursday, 4 February 2016 Tax File Numbers Any student will need a tax file number if he/she starts work (part-time and full-time) and all students planning on going on to tertiary education will require one when they start. Importantly, current Year 12 students are reminded that they cannot enrol in a CSP (Commonwealth Support Place) course at university without a Tax File Number, so it is worthwhile getting an application submitted early!

Students must now apply for a TFN online and have their identity verified through an interview at a participating Australia Post office. To apply and find out about participating Post Offices, visit Tax File Numbers at www.ato.gov.au or go to the link on the school’s Careers Website (under Important Info).

It’s that time of year again we are offering all students a

FREE STATIONERY PACK Pay Essential/Optional Items and Electives and

receive your FREE Stationery Pack.

Pack includes all stationery items listed on 2016 Booklist under the ‘Required Stationery’ section.

Stationery is to the value of $43.75. 

Buying or selling textbooks or uniform?

Sustainable School Shop provides the second-hand textbook and uniform trading system for the school. Our school’s 2016 booklist/textbook information for years 7-12 has been uploaded and is ready to use on the Sustainable School

Shop website. To get started, go to www.sustainableschoolshop.com.au and either register as

a parent or log-in if you’re already registered.

DET Student Scholarships 2016 Students in Years 4 – 12 are invited to apply for student scholarships administered by the Department of 

Education and Training. The scholarships are now open and range in value from $300 to $2400. Applicants will be 

required to submit their 2015 end‐of‐year results, which must be verified by their Principal. 

 

Many of the scholarships identify financial need as an eligibility criterion. Students on Youth Allowance, or whose 

parents/guardians hold a Health Care Card, a Low Income Health Care Card or a Pensioner Concession Card, meet 

this criterion. 

 

Students must lodge their application online by 1st February 2016. To apply or obtain more information, please 

visit www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/scholarships/. 

Note: Students interested in representing the college in interschool sport competition next year are asked to please 

see your campus Sport Coordinator for more information or the Campus Coach. 

 

Sports Academy Update 

As you would be aware our Sports Academy Programs have been busy all year, engaging our student athletes and preparing them for individual and team success. On Tuesday 8th December we had an opportunity to host 135 students, parents/guardians and staff at our Sports Academy Celebration Dinner, where we celebrated our individual student athletes and team / program success. It was a great night and I would like to thank the Sports Academy Staff Team for their support on the night and those staff who attended the evening to celebrate with us (Neville Box, Rob Bertagnolio, Lorie Miller). We would also like to thank Ellen Arnott (School Council President) and Julie Smith (School Council Vice President) for all your support this year and also on the night.

We were also lucky to have Morgan Mitchell one of our young Australian track and field athletes attend our evening to give an aspirational talk and present awards to our students. Morgan is a sensational young 400 metres runner, who Represented Australia at the world relay championships this year and is on track to represent Australia at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. Congratulations also to Iverson Fuatimau, Nathan Holtz-Ewe and Mr Peter Giles for being selected to represent Victoria in Touch Rugby, Softball and Baseball respectively, at the Pacific School Games recently. It’s fantastic to see our students and staff represented at such a high level. Well done guys!!

 TERM 1, 2016 

Week  Date  Sport  Year Level  Location   Coaches 

4  Fri 19th Feb  Senior and Intermediate Cricket  9‐12  Fairbairn Park  SQU, RGI 

4  Fri 19th Feb  Lawn Bowls  Open  Deer Park Bowls Club SQU, RGI 

5  Wed 24th Feb  Senior Boys And Girls Futsal  11‐12  Derrimut  RGI 

 

Sports News

It has been a long and busy year for our SHAPE (Sport, Health and PE) Team and as always is a collective effort, but I think it is important to recognise the individual staff who lead each program and coach our students. I would like to thank and recognise the following staff for going above and beyond their normal required duties to provide outstanding opportunities for our students (early morning training sessions, 5pm training finishes, coaching students during lunchtimes and taking out teams even when you had a light on day). 

Rugby Coordinator and Head Rugby League Coach – Mr. Tony Adam Rugby Union Coaches – Mr. Peter Mossemenear and Ms. Casey Nicholls Soccer Development Program Coordinator – Mr. Rocco Giovanniello (Senior Campus) Soccer Development Program Coordinator – and Mr. Tony Squeo (Junior Campus) Athlete Development Program – Ms. Rebecca Hogarth and Mr. Hamish Pearce Sports Academy Strength and Conditioning Coach – Mr. Stewart Cain VUSC Netball Program – Ms Abbey White Sport Administration Assistance – Ms. Julie Foley

We have created a strong and distinguished Sports Academy program at our College and it is the support and advocacy of many which has helped us achieve our program and student aims/gaols.

I look forward to welcoming another 34 keen Year 7 students into our ADP and SDP programs and 8 new enrolments into our senior Rugby Academy Program in 2016.

I hope you all enjoy your break with family and friends and find some time to ‘just relax’!

Mr Dale Marshall Sport, Health and PE Leader Sports Academy Awards:

Rugby League Academy (Boys): Community Spirit - Jeremiah Muriwai Best Forward - Ben Aho Best Back - Uala Salia Most Determined to Achieve - Tiui Misi Rugby Union Academy (Girls): Community Spirit - Junnina Papatua Best Forward - Toe Minute Best Back - Rachael Lotima Most Determined to Achieve - Quidelis Dominic Soccer Development Program: Most Improved Junior (Year 7-9) - Dagenet BELAYNEH Most Successful Junior (Year 7-9) - Martin NGUYEN Most Improved Senior (Year 10-12) - Sebastian LUTCHMUN Most Successful Senior (Year 10-12) - Trevor SSEMAKULA Athlete Development Program: Most Improved Junior (Year 7-9) - Khoa Tran Most Successful Junior (Year 7-9) - Lameck Maneneka Most Improved Senior (Year 10-12) - Timothy LE Most Successful Senior (Year 10-12) - Shelby Crameri Sport Leadership Program: Outstanding Sport Leadership (Year 9) - Kaychia Dominic Outstanding Sport Ambassador (Year 10 or 11) - Marina McNabb Outstanding Gold Sport Ambassador (Year 11 or 12) - Natalie Cassar Outstanding Platinum Sport Ambassador (Year 12) - Mikayla Huntly

2015 STATE FINALISTS Senior Boys Rugby League 9’s Champions Intermediate Boys Rugby League 9’s Runners-Up Senior Boys Rugby League (GIO Trophy) Champions Senior Boys Winners Melbourne Storm Cup Intermediate Boys Rugby League Cooper Cronk Shield Champions Girls U/14 Melbourne Rebels Rugby 7’s State Champions Girls U/16 Melbourne Rebels Rugby 7’s State Champions Junior Boys Rugby League Cameron Smith Shield Runners-Up Junior Boys Rugby Union 7’s Champions

2015 KEILOR DIVISION WINNERS Year 7 Girls Volleyball Year 8 Boys Volleyball Year 8 Boys AFL VUSC Track and Field Team   

 

 

HOUSE SYSTEM AWARDS:  

 

 

 

 

 

 

House Athletics Carnival     

First: ‐ Brack ‐ 792 

Second: Paterson ‐ 746 

Third: Monash ‐ 592 

Fourth: Mabo ‐ 508 

Fifth: Bradman ‐ 506 

  

House Swimming Carnival 

First: Brack - 302 Second: Paterson - 262 Third: Bradman - 226 Fourth: Monas - 198 Fifth: Mabo - 140  

 

Junior House Cross Country 

Carnival 

First: Brack ‐ 204 

Second: Mabo ‐ 136 

Third: Bradman ‐ 114 

Fourth: Monash ‐ 108 

Fifth: Paterson ‐ 104

2015 House Overall Champions Results 1st   Brack ‐ 1298 

2nd   Paterson ‐ 1112 

3rd   Monash ‐ 898 

4th   Bradman ‐ 846 

5th  Mabo ‐ 784