From the Head of Senior School

Welcome to the midway point of Term 3. The Year 7 to 10 students continue their remote learning and last week the VCE students joined them. It is certainly a time of mixed feelings. Please know we are here to support all of you through this time and we encourage you to communicate to your Wellbeing Mentor on a regular basis. The Wellbeing survey is a great opportunity to give us feedback and we look forward to receiving student feedback regularly. We use the information we gather from the weekly student wellbeing survey to help us plan the weeks ahead.

Attached is a letter sent to all Year 12 students from the Victorian Deputy Premier and Minister for Education The Hon. James Merlino. It reflects on the student's Year 12 year and the impact this is having on both students and their families. Please read this as it also reassures the Year 12 students of the special considerations that will be included as their ATAR is calculated and it acknowledges the impact the pandemic is having of the Victorian students’ school year.

In week 3 we had the first of the Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences. Thank you to all families who participated, it was certainly a unique but valuable experience. The second round of conferences are scheduled in week 7. These are for Years 7-9 Semester 2 subjects and Year 10 electives and Humanities. A letter has been sent home to all families regarding this and how to arrange your conferences. We look forward to seeing you over Zoom once again.

The major events and dates for the remainder of the year are on the school’s website calendar but please be aware these may change due to any updates the government may release.

The end of year dates for Years 7 to 11

  • Examinations held in weeks 7 and 8
  • Final day of classes for Years 7 to 10 Tuesday 8 December
  • Early Commencement Years 7 to 11 week 9 Term 4
  • Final day of classes for Year 11 Friday 4 December

The major dates for VCE students:

GAT – Wednesday 7 October

VCE Performance Examinations - 12 October to 8 November

VCE Written Examinations – 9 November to 2 December

Results available to students – 30 December

The Casey Grammar School end of year dates for Year 12 VCE have changed due to the altered examination schedule.

  • Final day of Unit 4 classes Friday 16 October
  • Final day of formal classes Year 12 non-ATAR students Friday 16 October (return for Valedictory Day)
  • Unit 3 & 4 revision classes Monday 19 October to Wednesday 28 October
  • Final day of Year 12 classes Wednesday 28 October
  • Final day Year 12 Pathways Wednesday 28 October
  • Valedictory Day Thursday 29 October
  • Year 12 Wellbeing Day Friday 30 October

Ms Cathy Marchmont

Head of Senior School

Letter from the Victorian Deputy Premier and Minister for Education

Senior Debating Team

Our senior debating team participated in the first round of the SIS Debating challenge last week.

Year 12 students Maneesha Casey, Robert Kuzek and Year 11 students Lilly Hopp and Spoorthy Bhat debated against Balcombe Grammar and Berwick Grammar.

The competition looks a little different this year with only 4 schools involved and we are battling in the digital arena.

While video conferencing has become the new normal, it still felt a little strange to be debating online. However, a few technical issues aside, once again our students proved how adaptable and resilient they are in the face of change.

Unfortunately, as this was our first opportunity to debate this year, we were a little rusty, so there were no wins on the day. It was close though!

Our team had the difficult task of arguing that countries should be isolated – a hard sell during a pandemic that requires international cooperation.

We look forward to round 2, where hopefully the team now feel warmed up and ready to win.

Mr Gary Willis

Head of English

News from Science


This year’s National Science Week is moving online

Between 15 and 23 August, Science Week events this year will be held online and organisers (universities, research institutions, libraries, museums and science centres) will be sharing activity ideas for people to do at home (or while exercising in their neighbourhood). The 2020 school's theme is Deep Blue: innovations for the future of our oceans.

For those looking for ideas, the ABC Education website’s Experiments page (shorturl.at/dgqIJ) features a host of resources including science experiments suitable for students in Years 1-10. A short video of each experiment is accompanied by an outline of the key points to consider before and during the video, as well as suggested next steps to further increase understanding.

Our friends at Federation University - Life Sciences have also joined the celebration by offering a taste of Pocket Science. Pocket Science is an online event designed to be accessed from the phone in your pocket when you have a few spare minutes. Each day offers a short video clip and some interactive DIY science to do at home based on the research of the featured scientist. This is a free event and is suitable for any age group. However, registrations are essential.

For further information about National Science Week and planned events, visit the National Science Week website: https://www.scienceweek.net.au/

With a little bit of luck, the Casey Grammar Science Department will be hosting Science Week on campus later in the year (Term 4). Like previous years, it will be packed full of exciting teacher and student-led lunchtime activities. All students are encouraged to join in and have some fun.

Mr Daniel Isgro

Head of Science