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This week saw significant progress in the construction of our new permanent modular $4.873 million building. The Permanent Modular School Buildings Program is integral to the next stage of the largest ever removal of asbestos from Victorian schools. This is a part of the Government’s $200 million investment in the Victorian School Asbestos Removal Program.

The section of our college to be replaced through the Permanent Modular School Buildings Program is known as the ‘C block’ and this is the entire top half of the now demolished ‘C Wing’. This demolition was completed in January and the construction of the permanent modular building has taken place in Bendigo.

Throughout this week, 37 modules are to be trucked down from Bendigo and moved into place by a significantly large crane. Once the individual modules are on site and in place, the final fit out will begin. At this stage we should have full access to the new building by early Term Three.

The Department of Education and Training (DET) have a web site with information on the Vermont Secondary College project. Go to:

http://www.schoolbuildings.vic.gov.au/schools/Pages/VermontSecondaryCollege.aspx

The building company behind the project is SENSUM and they can be found at: https://www.sensum.com.au/

Six portable classrooms were moved onto the school grounds late last year and it is important to note that these rooms are temporary whilst the new modular construction is completed. They should be moved off site in the second half of the year, giving us much needed grounds area back for the students. 

The previous ‘C’ wing contained 8 classrooms whilst the new construction will house 10 classrooms, including 2 purpose built science rooms, 2 purpose built ICT rooms, 6 generalist classrooms, replacement student toilets, a language faculty staffroom, an office for the Year 9 Student Managers, 2 new locker bays and a science storeroom.

It is always with some trepidation that I respond when a student tells me that they will indulge in a ‘gap-year’ after Year 12. I have visions of students lolling on couches, playing video-games and generally failing to contribute to their personal growth or their community. Thus, when one of my students, whom I have had the pleasure of teaching in both History Revolutions and Australian Politics via Distance Education, told me that she was taking a ‘gap-year’ I was mildly alarmed.

This was clearly not the appropriate response in the case of Emma Muscatello (Year 12 2018). Emma has been offered an internship in the Office of the Secretary General of the European Union in Brussels for 2019. This is an extremely prestigious offer that will allow Emma to become exposed to the mechanics of high-level international relations, to shadow high-level policy makers and government officials and also to undergo expenses paid travel around member-states and potentially further afield.

Emma’s achievement is a fine example of the benefits of undertaking language study and engaging broadly with the world. Emma has studied German whilst at Vermont and previously won the Sagse Scholarship (2017) which allowed her to travel to Germany on a cultural exchange, an experience which included delivering a speech at the New Zealand Embassy in Berlin entirely in German.

Whilst in Brussels, Emma will also undertake studies in French so she can further expand her knowledge base and better prepare herself for a future career in Law or Diplomacy. Emma is a fine example to all of us of the benefits of engaging fully with the opportunities that are presented, to working incredibly hard in pursuit of our goals and seeking to engage broadly with the world as an international citizen. All the best in the future Emma.

Aidan Message (History & Politics Teacher/ Head of Learning and Teaching)