The Times NOVEMBER 2020 4 December Progress Reports Published Year 10 & 11 10 & 11 December Activity Days 11 December Last Day 7-9 15762 = Wake 11 December Progress Reports Ms Peddle’s Message DATES & EVENTS & EVENTS DATES Published 7-9 14132 = Alberti Senior School Report UPCOMING IMPORTANT UPCOMING 28 January first day 2021 7 & 12 Middle School Report 29 January first day 2021 8-11 13938 = Melba Junior School Report 13719 = Cowan The Arts Report HOUSE POINTS TO DATE TO HOUSE POINTS Science Report LOTE Week IN THIS MONTH’S EDITION IN Youth Climate Museum of Staying at Home House Competitions MS PEDDLE’S MESSAGE It was wonderful to have all students and staff back at school following the second period of remote learning. It has been a very challenging year and the determination and commitment displayed by our students during this time is to be commended. This has been evident in the range and number of awards students have received for their academic achievement, community involvement and co-curricular program participation in 2020. Student achievements will be recognised in Award presentations which due to restrictions, will be assembled by Sub Schools in a video format for students and families. Sub Schools will publish the names of Award winners in the next newsletter. Congratulations to our Year 12 students who celebrated the end of their formal education at Pascoe Vale Girls College on 30 October. It is particularly significant to acknowledge their resilience and achievement in 2020. VCE students are now coming to the end of the exam period and we look forward to celebrating their success with results being released on 30 December. Thank you to all of our teachers for the dedication they have shown to student learning and the ongoing support provided to students as they have progressed from Year 7 to Year 12 at the school. Acknowledgement must also be given to Pamela Karmacharya of Year 12 who was awarded the 2020 Acquisitive Prize for “Liberation of our beauty” which is described in the Arts section of The Times. Progress reports for Year 10 and 11 students will be published on Compass on Friday 4 December. Reports for students in Years 7 – 9 will be published on Friday 11 December. Please contact your child’s year level coordinator if you wish to discuss progress or have any questions regarding college programs for 2020. I am very pleased to inform our college community that construction of our new Performing Arts Centre, Food Technology and Music facilities is completed. We now await the delivery of furniture for teaching spaces. The new building will be opened for the start of the 2021 school year. We look forward to welcoming you to college events in the new space. SENIOR SCHOOL This term has been very busy in the Senior School. All students had to orientate themselves back to PVGC after remote learning and finish off classwork and assessment. Can I congratulate every Senior School student on their smooth return to Term 4, and their preparedness to complete all set work. In week 3, Year 12 students had a three day Practice Exams program, to help prepare them for the end of year VCAA exams. This program was well received by students. All students approached these Unit 3/4 exams with maturity and demonstrated their commitment to their studies. On Friday 30th October, due to the lifting of COVID rules, we were able to celebrate the final day with our Year 12 students with a Graduation Ceremony. During lunchtime Year 12 teachers and students participated in a Graduation Ceremony at lunchtime. This was followed by a pizza & zooper dooper lunch and the screening of the Year 12 video during the afternoon. Students received their graduating certificate, Year 12 magazine (a BIG thankyou to Ms Noakes for producing the Yr12 magazine) and a small gift from the school. I hope by now, all Year 12 students and family members have had time to watch the Year 12 Video. I would like to thank the video production company, Ms Hall and Mr Leary for coordinating the filming for this video. It has produced some great memories. Exam fever has hit the Senior School. The VCAA End of Year exams started on Tuesday 10th of November and continue through to the 4th December. I would like to congratulate every Unit 3/4 student on their approach to these exams. Although you have been nervous and stressed, you have managed these exams with ease. Punctuality and preparedness has been paramount to your success. Well done! Some Year 12 students finished their exams and now will be facing boredom with not knowing how to fill in their free time, with no study commitments. Our Year 11 students have completed Year 11 exams, as well as 80+ students participating in completing their first VCAA Unit 3/4 exam. Well done, you have done yourself proud as well. 2021 VCE Unit 1/3/ VCAL Introductory Program began on Monday 23rd November. 2021 Unit 3 VCE / Year 12 VCAL began on Monday 23rd November and ran through to Friday 27th November and 2021 Unit 1/ Year11 VCAL began on Monday 30th November and runs through to Friday 4th December. This program aims to start students in their 2021 VCE/VCAL program, so that they can prepare themselves fully over the break, and get a head start to their 2021 school year. Essential teaching and learning will take place to ensure our students are well aware of the expectations and workload of 2021. It is essential that all work is completed and understood to enhance student learning. VCAL - YEAR 11 PERSONAL DEVELOPMNT SKILLS The Year 11 Personal Development Skills classes participated in two major events in the last weeks of formal classes. The first event on Monday 9th November was the Anti-Racism Awareness day. This was the culmination of our work on raising awareness about a community issue. On this day multicultural dress items were encouraged. There were some spectacular outfits showing the diversity of back- grounds of our students with their rich cultural history and traditions. Gold coins were donated. In addition to this the lunchtime activity included a Bake Sale, multicultural recipe book (made by students) sales and ‘Stand Together Against Racism’ badge sales. All money raised has been donated to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre. Thank you to all of the staff and students who contributed to the Anti-Racism Awareness day to raise funds for the ASRC. Through their hard work students raised a total of $487.60. The second major event was a visit from the Coffee Bus. In the morning of Thursday 19th November Year 11 VCAL students were involved in learning about the history of coffee and also about safety in a café style environment when using a coffee machine. Once this was completed students were then put in front of a coffee machine and shown how to make 7 different coffees and also hot chocolate. Students paired up to share a machine and practice their coffee making and also coffee art. There proved to be some very good coffee makers who achieved excellent ‘crema’ and also some talented coffee artists who created beautiful coffee art on their beverages. Towards the end of the training students were able to make coffee using their new-found skills as baristas for staff members. There were some very happy teachers who were looking forward to their daily caffeine hit so close to work! The barista training was an activity that had originally been organ- ised for the beginning of the year. I am glad that it was finally able to take place to finish off the year for our very patient and hard working Year 11 VCAL students. The certificate of participation can be used to show future employers of the training that has been undertaken. Thank you to Debbie, Natarsha and Cameron who provided the training on the day and well done to the VCAL students who showed great enthusiasm and resilience on what was a very hot day to be making hot coffee in a crowded bus! Congratulations 11VCAL PDS, well done on your achievements this year. Ms Hall MIDDLE SCHOOL It has been a challenging a year but we have survived! It has been great to see Year 9 and Year 10 students back on site this term. With remote learning being pushed aside students have settled into COVID 19 normality by social distancing, wearing masks and keeping healthy hand hygiene. Despite these added elements to their school routine which they have taken in their stride students have been focusing on their studies and getting back to school life including catching up with peers who they have not seen for weeks. This term has also seen Year 10 students preparing themselves for their ex- ams and the exciting start to the Year 11 2021 orientation program whereas our Year 9’s have been solidly working through course work and assessment. As the end of the school year approaches we encourage all students to make the most of the time left by completing all tasks to the best of their ability in time for the release of the final progress reports of the year. Ms Elisabeth Santomartino Head of Middle School YEAR 10 AWARDS On Friday 20th November over forty of our Year 10 students were involved in a celebration assembly to acknowledge their achievements over the course of the year. Students were nominated by their teachers across all subject areas and were awarded for their efforts. It was fantastic to hear the applause and encouragement displayed by out Year 10 students for their peers.