Welcome to our first edition of the St Catherine’s VCE Newsletter. The purpose of this newsletter is to inform parents and carers of VCE students of upcoming academic, pastoral and careers events.

In addition, you will find information to assist with supporting your daughter through her final years of School.

Upcoming Events

Term 1 Week 9 Events

Tuesday 27 March, House Cross Country, Kooyong Park

Wednesday 28 March, Easter Service at St John’s Church at 2.00pm

Thursday 29 March, Term 1 ends at 3.20pm

Term 2 Week 1 Events

Monday 16 April, Term 2 begins

Thursday 19 April, Year 11 Parent Social Evening at 7.00pm

Academic Schedule for Year 12 Subjects

Below is a list of subjects with SACs scheduled over the coming weeks. Please note: Subject teachers will communicate with your daughter regarding the specific date their SAC will run.

Term 1 Week 9

  • Japanese
  • Literature
  • Psychology
  • Physics
  • Visual Communication

 Term 2 Week 1

  • Accounting
  • Chemistry
  • French
  • Media
Message from Head of Year 11 and Head of Year 12

Being a Senior student can be an exciting journey, which is likely to be more rewarding if routines are established and balanced.

In this newsletter, we would like to briefly touch on how much homework VCE students should be doing. As stated in the School Record Book, it is expected that all Years 11 and 12 students will be completing a minimum of two and a half hours of homework per night. At times, your daughter might feel challenged by the amount of homework and it will be necessary for her to prioritise to ensure all deadlines are met.

Year 12 students have each been assigned a Staff Mentor who will be an additional member of their support team at School. In addition to their Head of Year, Form teacher and subject teachers, their Mentor is an extra adult with whom they can discuss their goals and progress during Year 12. They will meet with their Mentors in early Term 2.

Mrs Melissa Braddy, Head of Year 11 and Miss Jeanette Gunn, Head of Year 12
Study Advice from the Director of Teaching and Learning

There are no big secrets to ensure success to meet the challenges of VCE, but there are simple strategies to help students manage the journey.  The number one piece of advice I would give to any student is that the VCE is a marathon not a sprint.  Slow and steady is the name of the game.  Encourage and support your daughter to establish a regular study routine and stick to it rain, hail or shine.  There will be ups and downs along the way of course, but the important thing is to be persistent in doing small things every day and work effectively.

Mr Robert Marshall, Director of Teaching and Learning
Understanding the Authentication Process for School Assessed Tasks in Visual Arts

Each VCE Visual Arts subject (Media, Studio Arts and Visual Communication Design) has a School Assessed Task (SAT) which is the practical component of each study design. The weighting for each subject varies: Media 37%, Studio Arts 60%, VCD 40%.

As part of the VCAA requirements, staff must undertake authentication throughout the SAT. Teachers must comply with the authentication requirements specified in the Assessment: School-based Assessment section of the VCE Administrative Handbook 2018. This is important to ensure that ‘undue assistance [is] not … provided to students while undertaking assessment tasks’.

Students must be present at the designated Authentication Review class in order to comply with the VCAA regulations. Missing these set authentication dates will require a phone call to the Head of Year or the Head of Faculty on the day of authentication, along with a medical certificate verifying student absence. This is to ensure a fair and equitable process for all students is documented throughout the SAT.

Authentication is undertaken to ensure that:

  • Students are working to the timeline for each task
  • Students are keeping up to date with the work for these ongoing progressive assessments
  • all work undertaken is the student’s.

It is an opportunity to provide individual feedback to the student about their progress and how they are working to the VCAA assessment criteria. Without adequate authentication, a teacher cannot apply the assessment criteria fairly, so it is important that throughout the SAT each teacher monitors the work undertaken in class and ensure that any work completed outside of School is the student’s.

During and after each authentication, the student and teacher are required to complete details of the student’s individual practical work and sign off on the official VCAA Authentication Form. These records must be maintained by the School. Authentication forms may be requested by VCAA if an audit is undertaken, or if a student wishes to apply for the Seasons of Excellence then they must be submitted to the selection panel as part of the application process.

Mrs Brigid Weereratne, Head of Arts
Careers News

Over the past four weeks the majority of Year 12 students have had one-on-one appointments with Mrs Pauline van der Poel or Miss Sally Wilkinson to discuss their plans for 2019; including GAP years and courses at Victorian, interstate and overseas universities. Timelines for applications are discussed, as well as scholarships, SEAS and extra requirements. A number of girls are yet to make their appointments, so it is important that these students contact the Careers Office to organise an appointment time before the end of Term.

Applications have opened for the ANU Tuckwell Scholarship with applications closing before the end of term. Students have also commenced considering their applications for Bond University Scholarships, with applications opening in April.

Students wishing to study Medicine or Dentistry in 2019 must register online for the UMAT which is taking place on 25 July 2018.

Students who have attended our Overseas Information Sessions have been reminded to book into test centres for upcoming SAT or ACT tests.

The annual St Catherine’s School Careers Breakfast will be held on Thursday 10 May in the School Hall. The Breakfast provides an opportunity for Years 11 and 12 students to meet and network with members of the St Catherine’s community who work in a range of different industries. During a Year Level session in Week 1 of Term 2, the Year 11 girls will receive more information about the Breakfast, and in early Term 2 all Years 11 and 12 students will be able to nominate which guests they would like to sit with.

Mrs Pauline van der Poel, Director of Planning & Organisation, Careers Practitioner & VET Coordinator
Miss Sally Wilkinson, Careers Practitioner
Important Contacts for VCE

If any VCE students, or parents and carers, have additional questions relating to any of the information contained in this newsletter, please feel free to contact Mrs Tracey McCallum, VCE Coordinator on (03) 9822 1285 or email tmccallum@stcatherines.net.au.

 

 

 

Please note: While all information is correct at the time of publication, it may be subject to change.

 

Mrs Tracey McCallum, VCE Coordinator