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Your essential guide to education in Melbourne
HELP OR HINDRANCE? Technology in education leadernews.com.au
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Mind
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Every mind is different. Every mind has potential. With guaranteed smaller class sizes, highly awarded teaching staff and the acclaimed base of parallel education, Haileybury offers a unique learning environment that yields outstanding results.
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I SEE MY FUTURE St Josephs diverse and innovative curriculum enables boys to see their future within a supportive Catholic environment. See your future by visiting our 2009 Open Days.
> 2009 Open Days February: Tuesday 17 (9.30am to 11.00am or 6.30pm to 8pm) Friday 20 (9.30am to 11am), Monday 23 (6.30pm to 8pm) Thursday 26 (9.30am to 11am) May: Thursday 17 September: Sunday 13
August: Wednesday 12 November: Wednesday 11
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Year 7 2010 enrolments close Friday 27 February 2009. 5 Brenock Park Drive, Ferntree Gully, VIC 3156 P: 9758 2000 www.stjosephs.com.au
Leaders in boys education
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Whether it’s reaching the summit or reaching your goals, the opportunities are yours at Mater Christi – a Good Samaritan Catholic School for Girls. Experience the difference for yourself at our Open Day on Thursday 19 February, or call the college anytime to arrange a personal tour. Applications for Year 7 2010 close Friday 27 February. Call 9754 6611 for more details.
Education embracing diversity, quality, innovation and care. 28 Bayview Road Belgrave Victoria Australia 3160 P + 61 3 9754 6611 F + 61 3 9752 5180 www.materchristi.edu.au
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Open Day 19 February
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Igniting Boys’ Imaginations “Learning is a shared adventure. It should be exciting”, says Howard Kelly. As Head of The Hutchins Junior School in Hobart for over 8 years and latterly 8 years in the U.S. as Head of the University Prep School in Cleveland, Mr Kelly has brought a wealth of experience to Camberwell Grammar in his first year as Head of Junior School.
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He particularly enjoys boys’ energy, fun and sense of adventure. “Learning is something you do with someone not to someone, so I like being directly involved. Boys require energy and a sense of humour”, he says. Educating boys is about responding to their particular needs: “They are full of wonder and interested in finding out how things work. Class needs to be an adventure with different choices, projects and pathways. Boys love a quest - Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter so making learning a quest wins hearts and minds”. “Teachers here construct a curriculum to match boys’ needs and ignite their imaginations. Good boys’ schools value the academic and sports but they also require a vibrant performing arts program”, says Mr Kelly. “This breadth of activity can transcend gender stereotypes as boys enjoy the challenge and risk taking of a robust camping program but also the empathy gained through role play as part of a dramatic or musical production”.
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In conclusion he notes “A feeling of community and belonging is critical. Our daily program is structured so that each boy is well-known to everybody around him. We celebrate each individual boy.” 2009 Information Mornings Saturday 21 February at 8.30am All Levels with Scholarship Exams. Saturday 13 June at 10am - All Levels. Saturday 22 August at 10am - All Levels. Saturday 14 November at 10am - All Levels. Open Day Saturday 10 October, 9.30am to 2.00pm.
School Tours Tuesday 3 March, 9am to 10am - All Levels. Tuesday 12 May, 9am to 10am - All Levels. Tuesday 28 July, 9am to 10am - All Levels.
Camberwell Grammar School 55 Mont Albert Road Canterbury Victoria 3126 Australia www.cgs.vic.edu.au
Carey was one of the pioneers of co-education in private schools.Today, our boys and girls excel academically and reap the benefits of an environment that provides preparation for life beyond school. For more information, phone 9816 1242, visit our website at carey.com.au or apply on-line for a place in the future. Carey Baptist Grammar School. A Christian Co-educational International School. 349 Barkers Road, Kew. 9 Era Court, Donvale.
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Ruyton Girls' School Ruyton aspires to give each girl an opportunity to learn and grow so that she achieves educational excellence and personal fulfilment. Ruyton seeks to provide a supportive environment enabling girls to demonstrate that:
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as leaders they act with integrity, self-assurance, initiative and an awareness of the value of service; and as citizens they are enterprising, creative and have a commitment to community service, sustainability and a global society.
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The size of Ruyton makes it possible for each girl to be acknowledged and valued and for her individual needs to be supported. At Ruyton there is a sense of community belonging, where teachers, girls and their families work together and value each other. Self-esteem and confidence are fundamental to each girl’s personal, social and academic success. Many specialist programmes are offered across our Junior and Senior Schools; including Personalised Learning, Leadership, the Co-Ordinate Programme with nearby Trinity Grammar School, and Specialist Maths, Science and IT. For the full range of our programmes, please contact our Enrolment Co-Ordinator, Mrs Nadine Hibbert, at nhibbert@ruyton.vic.edu.au.
Academic and Music Scholarships are offered for entry into our Gifted and Talented Programme, commencing in Year 5. Ruyton’s co-curricular and sporting activities offer many choices: a wide range of musical instrument tuition is available; there are choirs, orchestras and chamber groups; lively musicals and drama; joint performances with Scotch College and Trinity Grammar School at senior level; specialist art and craft, ceramics, dance, photography, and a full range of House and School competitions and activities. Sports include: athletics, basketball, cricket, cross-country, equestrian, diving, hockey, netball, rhythmic gymnastics, rowing, skiing, soccer, softball, surf lifesaving, volleyball, water polo, swimming and tennis. The National Trust-listed Henty House, set in landscaped gardens, provides a beautiful and gracious backdrop to our vibrant and active campus, alongside state-of-the-art facilities. Our ELC, Junior and Senior Schools are linked together on the same site, creating a strong sense of collective and community spirit across every year level. Year Levels: ELC to Year 12 Annual Fees 2008: From $7,080p.a. (Kindergarten) to $18,660p.a. (Year 12) Student Population: approx 750. Religious Affiliation: Non-denominational Boys/Girls/Co-Ed: Co-educational Kindergarten and Pre-Prep; girls only Prep – Year 12.
The Best of Both Worlds Ruyton & Trinity
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Recognising the changing needs of their students as they mature, Ruyton Girls’ School & nearby Trinity Grammar (all boys) collaborate to offer the Co-Ordinate Programme in the crucial VCE years. Students can share a number of subjects across the Schools, increasing the curriculum choice at VCE and providing an introduction to the co-educational environment.
Inside Ruyton Ruyton Girls' School www.ruyton.vic.edu.au 12 Selbourne Road Kew 3101 Victoria Australia Tel 61 3 9819 2422 CRICOS 00336J
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Contents
To advertise, contact Karen Chandler 9875 8346 Photographs by Tony Gough and Josie Hayden Publisher: Sylvia Bradshaw Published by Leader Associated Newspapers PTY LTD, ABN 34 004 337 446 No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission. Graduation gown on Page 41 courtesy of Rhyme Graduation Products
Kristin Owen Education editor owenk@leadernewspapers.com.au
MLC students love multiple choice. At MLC, our students can afford to be selective about the subjects they study. That’s because we offer them up to 80 subjects in Years 11 and 12. Of course, there’s more to love at MLC besides the amazing subject choice. There are two outdoor education facilities, a term away from the classroom in Year 9, a list of past students that belongs in a Who’s Who of great Australian women achievers, school facilities that equal any in the world, a student-teacher ratio that can’t be beaten, a rich heritage treasured by all, staff who love what they do and students who love learning. For more ways to love MLC visit www.mlc.vic.edu.au or come along to an information morning from 10.00 a.m. to 12.00 p.m. on: Friday 27 and Saturday 28 February / Friday 29 and Saturday 30 May / Friday 7 August / Friday 9 October Tuesday 10 November from 5.30pm to 7.00pm (Twilight Tour). Bookings essential on 9274 6316. Methodist Ladies’ College 207 Barkers Road Kew 3101 admissions@mlc.vic.edu.au www.mlc.vic.edu.au A School of the Uniting Church in Australia
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Homework hell Technology in education Tools for success Fundraising tips Smoothing transitions Winning a scholarship
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CHILDREN can spend hours a day physically attached to an electronic device. This is so far removed from our own childhood experience, isn’t it? So we parents often grapple with the question of what, if any, technological equipment is best for our kids and, conversely, what exposure to it could be detrimental. For me, the issue comes up all the time. The mantra of my eight-year-old boy is: If it’s got a screen, I’m super keen. In our 2009 edition of DUX magazine, education journalist Shaunagh O’Connor asks experts where the boundaries should be. Turn to Page 16 to discover what they say. . . Have you ever been to a dinner party where children’s homework was vigorously discussed? I have. With the first slab of homework for the new school year soon to arrive home, our story on how much is too much and one expert’s new approach (on Page 12) is bound to demand interest. Speaking of parent-supported tasks associated with education, fundraising is seemingly omnipresent. On Page 28, specialists explain how to do it well. All this and more. Enjoy,
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The first word
Learning through discovery and loving it
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Small class sizes Individualised academic curriculum Warm school community 10 acres of land Farm animals and more www.villageschool.vic.edu.au
Our exciting curriculum programs take student learning beyond the classroom walls, where they learn more about themselves and the world they live in. Our Lady of Sion College Catholic Girl’s College Years 7 – 12 For more information or to book a tour, contact the Registrar on 9890 9097
9-13 Holloway Dve, Nth Croydon Tel: 97271752
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The academic, personal and spiritual growth of each individual is a hallmark of Huntingtower. Mr Sholto Bowen, Principal for the past 10 years, has a passion for helping every child realise his or her potential as a child of God. As Huntingtower is a school renowned for its academic standards, pastoral care, classical music and sporting success, its excellent results speak for themselves. Huntingtower’s 2020 Vision is to ensure that all students have the life skills needed to excel in the 21st century. Its curriculum is innovative and dynamic. Dedicated and professional staff ensure that each child is given optimum encouragement and guidance. Twenty-two acres of beautiful park-like grounds complement a superb learning environment and outstanding facilities. Huntingtower students are identified by their thoughtful and caring approach to one another, their teachers and their school. With 585 students in 2009, Huntingtower is able to provide an educational experience that is challenging and flexible, and one in which every individual is known, nurtured and loved.
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Our classroom is global
FINTONA G i r l s
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“Buildings don’t teach children, teachers do.”
Our School’s outstanding VCE results, 12% of students in the top 1% of the State with an ENTER of 99+ in 2008, are the culmination of the personal attention students receive in a small school. Scholarships: Academic & Music Scholarships are available for Years 5-11 for a 2010 entry. The Scholarship examination will be held on Saturday 14 March at Fintona. For more information and registration visit www.fintona.vic.edu.au
I endeavour to provide opportunities for my students to embrace the Japanese language and culture beyond the classroom. Yoko Kirkman, Japanese Language teacher, Fintona Girls School.
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ELC to Year 12 | 79 Balwyn Rd, Balwyn Vic 3103 Ph. 03 9830 1388 www.fintona.vic.edu.au
SCHOOL
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At Fintona, the dedication, drive and enthusiasm of our teachers have seen us become a leader in education. Our students are educated to be creative, independent and highly adaptive thinkers with a strong sense of community. The provision of flexible programs in a single sex, non-denominational school enables each girl to achieve her full potential academically and personally.
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Fintona parent
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Home Some parents want more, some want less. Who is right? MPR: QUV001 ED:
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HEN Loretta Piazza sent out a survey asking parents what they thought about homework, the responses came thick and fast. Ms Piazza, principal of a large Melbourne primary school, notes the 2008 survey had the best response rate of any survey the school has used. And no wonder. The topic of homework is a biggie and there are as many opinions on the rights and wrongs of homework as there are homework assignments. Parents, teachers and students are all affected by the questions of how much is too much, and what sort of homework is useful? Not to mention the 11pm tears shed by students and parents as they struggle to finish a homework task they don’t understand and don’t enjoy. Ms Piazza’s survey turned up parents who wanted more homework assigned, and those who wanted less. She discovered many students resented homework that was simply finishing activities started in school time, and wanted projects which let them ‘‘explore and be creative’’. ‘‘The only consistent thing was that there is an incredibly varying perception about the value of homework,’’ Ms Piazza says. ‘‘We found the parents of older students wanted more homework and those same students were saying, ‘No, because we do sport and guitar, and after school we want to relax and play with our friends’.’’ Add the facts that often students don’t understand the homework questions and parents are too busy or too tired to help. ‘‘A lot of students said: ‘We want things we can do quickly and without help because mum and dad can’t help for different reasons.’ Whereas other kids said: ‘I like things I can ask my parents for help with, so I can sit down with my parents for 10 to 15 minutes and we can do it together.’ ’’ Ms Piazza says. While the Victorian Government has guidelines for the type and length of homework, many schools tweak these suggestions to suit their needs.
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Battleground
Students select from 12 areas in Ian Lillico’s homework model: » housework » reading » be read to » grocery shopping » creating e.g. a cake or artwork » physical activity » teach your parents something » play a game with an adult » assignments or project research » relaxation or a spiritual pursuit » use a computer for work » a cultural activity e.g. music practice
He says a key to ensuring homework is useful is reinforcing it in the classroom. Educator and director of Melbourne’s parentingideas.com.au Michael Grose says good homework is always geared to the student’s age and educational development, rather than being ‘‘homework for homework’s sake’’. ‘‘For kids starting primary school, hearing them read is vital. Parents need to read to them and help them read. In middle to late primary school it’s important kids have larger project work to enable them to learn how to plan.’’ By secondary school, homework is set to encourage good study habits, Mr Grose says, but also to extend content. ‘‘And often schools in year 9 will change the homework around. Years 9 and 10 are often times when kids disengage from school and it can be tough to keep them going.’’ And a change of homework tasks or
dropping the amount right back is part of the plan to keep these students engaged. By the VCE years, Mr Grose says, parents can take a step back from monitoring homework but, throughout school life, if parents have a concern about their child’s homework requirements or performance they should head to the school to discuss it. ‘‘The first place parents should go is the class teacher in primary school or the year level co-ordinator in secondary school. Then state the difficulties without being antagonistic,’’ Mr Grose says. ‘‘Go in and say: ‘I see where you’re coming from, but this is the battle I’m having at home, what do you suggest? Should we keep going on in this line, or should we alter it and have an individual homework plan that suits my child?’ ’’ Former secondary school principal and author of Homework and the Homework Grid, Ian Lillico, devised his homework grid in the early 1990s as an alternative to traditional homework. ‘‘I was looking at an alternative to sedentary homework because kids were known to be getting obese and very sedentary,’’ he says. ‘‘And people were saying the old ways of homework were just not relevant; we have so many ways of accessing information, like Google and digital media.’’ Mr Lillico’s grid offers a choice of 12 areas of academic, creative and relaxing pursuits, so all areas of a student’s development are covered during the week and they are able to devote time to their passions. ‘‘I love people to vary that for their school and in Term 1 they might have an emphasis on maths and in Term 2 an emphasis on science and so on.’’ Mr Lillico says more than 3000 schools across Australia have adopted his grid in some form. ‘‘The grid helps time management, resource management, stress management and fatigue management. It allows students more opportunities to communicate in the home and provides them with more things to do in the home where they can develop skills for the workforce and society generally,’’ he says. ‘‘It gives opportunities to do things where parents can praise them instead of sitting in their room for hours really wasting time.’’
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WORK, REST AND PLAY
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The government specifies prep to year 4 students do up to 30 minutes’ homework a night, with no homework given at weekends or on holidays. Students in year 5 should be given 30 to 45 minutes’ homework a night and this should gradually increase to 45 to 90 minutes by the time they are in year 9. Those in years 10 to 12 should do one to three hours’ homework a night and up to six hours at weekends in peak VCE periods. The government states: ‘‘Homework should be appropriate to the student’s skill level and age; interesting, challenging, and where appropriate, open ended; balanced with a range of recreational, family and cultural activities; purposeful, meaningful and relevant to the curriculum, and assessed by teachers with feedback and support provided.’’ Ms Piazza now hopes to have students engaged in homework tasks and able to negotiate their homework completion. ‘‘That’s where a child might say, ‘I’m going to finish it tonight, can we hold off correcting until tomorrow?’ And the teacher can ask ‘Who else needs more time? Get it done tonight and we’ll look at it as a grade tomorrow’.’’ Nick Murphy, assistant principal at a Melbourne high school with an academic focus and strong commitment to regular homework, says his school’s policy aims to make homework an integral part of learning. ‘‘So we don’t present it just as an add-on,’’ he says. ‘‘For example, independent reading – which we want the kids to become involved in right at year 7 – is not presented as homework but that’s an activity we want to take place at home, so it might be seen as homework.’’ Mr Murphy says year 7 homework is about reinforcement of what has taken place in class, but by VCE, students are looking at additional content at home, including ‘‘quite a high level of independent research’’. ‘‘In the single subject I teach, which is 20th Century history, what I would expect to be done for homework is quite serious and intensive,’’ he said. ‘‘One of my (year 11) students just did a major research assignment on the genocide in Rwanda and how that might have been stopped – and that’s a huge open-ended question and quite hard to do sensibly and I knew they would have to spend quite a good amount of time doing it.’’
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Homework hell From Page 13
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‘‘And students must recognise that sitting down for three hours doing an assignment is very bad for their health, for their posture. They have to get up and have a break and do the dishes or whatever, so all the way through school the grid is very useful.’’ American educational researcher Alfie Kohn goes one step further when he says no research has shown that homework in any form has true academic benefits. The author of The Homework Myth says homework simply means students are ‘‘doing a second shift’’ after a day at school. Instead of set homework, Mr Kohn would like to let children and their parents decide what they do after school. ‘‘It’s not for schools to dictate to families
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what ought to happen after school is over. But I’d like for kids to pursue activities that help them develop socially, physically, artistically, and in other ways. ‘‘To suggest that six hours a day of academic tasks isn’t enough makes me uneasy because it devalues all other aspects of child development and human life.’’ He also says that there is no evidence to suggest that homework fosters timemanagement skills or responsibility. ‘‘I might be open to that possibility if there was a shred of evidence to suggest that homework is either necessary or sufficient to achieve those goals,’’ he says. ‘‘Unfortunately, no such evidence exists. ‘‘The claim that homework promotes selfdiscipline, independence, responsibility, good work habits, and so forth is nothing more than folk wisdom ‘‘Assigning projects that aren’t due for a while doesn’t teach children to manage their time effectively any more than throwing them in a lake teaches them to swim.’’ Doing ‘‘practice’’ tasks at home to reinforce the day’s work also comes under fire. ‘‘The more you learn about learning, the more you realise that practice problems reflect an outdated approach to instruction, one rooted in a behaviorist approach that
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was developed with laboratory animals,’’ Mr Kohn says. ‘‘Practice is a good way to get people – or other organisms – to perfect certain behaviours. It’s not a good way to help people understand ideas. In fact, it can actually interfere with thinking.’’ He adds, teachers who set practice-style homework should rarely give the same assignment to all students because it will be a waste of time for students who understand the concept and damaging for others. And for those who don’t understand, the set of practice problems ‘‘makes them feel stupid, or reinforces their erroneous assumptions, or teaches them that the point isn’t to understand but just to do whatever is necessary to come up with the right answer’’. While research to support the idea that homework at the secondary level is beneficial is dubious, Kohn says, there is no evidence to suggest it has any correlation with academic performance in primary school. ‘‘My bottom line is that the default should be no homework, except on those occasions when a given assignment is so likely to be beneficial . . . that it warrants infringing on family time,’’ Mr Kohn says.
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Technology
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Embrace technology as an essential tool for education Shaunagh O’Connor
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MAGINE walking into a library and trying to find the book you need by starting at one corner of the building and looking at every volume until you stumble on the one you want. After cursing this time-consuming, confusing system you may well put the library experience in the too-hard basket. But understand how books are catalogued and stored and learn the quickest way to find what you need, and the library becomes your new best friend. And that’s just how technology works, says Chris Waterman, head of Information and Communication Technology at a private Sydney K-12 school, PLC. Mr Waterman and his school have embraced technology in education and, he says, used wisely, technology is a fabulous aid to effective learning, much like that wellused library. ‘‘It’s exactly the same, except the world is a library, everything on the internet and in databases is there for us, and all we must do is teach students the same skills as the older generation got in using libraries, but such a resource has now expanded,’’ he says. ‘‘So technology is absolutely a help, it is, in fact, vital.’’ The school recently trialled a muchpublicised use of technology during an exam where year 9 students had to write a sonnet – the piece that was assessed – after researching what a sonnet looks like in any way they chose. Mr Waterman calls it the ‘‘phone-a-friend’’ task. Students could use the internet, emails or mobile phones to call those who could help. ‘‘You could use any resource that was available to you as part of your personal learning network to give you what you had to do in order to write a sonnet, that’s where mobile phones, the internet and access to all the other technology played its part,’’ Mr Waterman says. ‘‘Some had writers in the family they could ask, others had English teachers in the family they could speak with.’’ Mr Waterman says students need to be
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READY, SET, PLAY Pete Ciszewski, senior lecturer in multimedia studies with the faculty of life and social science at Swinburne University, spends his days at work looking at how technology benefits learning. And he gives it an A+ . With an interest in how digital games enhance learning, Mr Ciszewski’s research found playing games was a great way to change behaviours and impart knowledge. ‘‘The exciting prospect for us (researchers) of using games for educational technology is that, if you are subtle with your message and you don’t try to ram the message down someone’s throat, it looks like you have a much better transferral of knowledge. It’s a less painful process (than traditional learning) for all concerned,’’ he says. ‘‘There are people – some parents, some teachers – who are worried the process won’t be taken as seriously because it is based on a game, but it seems to have a good effect on students.’’ Mr Ciszewski’s department has been commissioned by the Department of Planning and Community Development to design a game ‘‘to get teenagers aware of and interested in the profession of town planning, because there is a major dearth of town planners out there’’. There has also been a commission by the Department of Sustainability and the Environment to devise a game for upper primary and lower secondary students,
making them aware of how to run a sustainable home. Playing the game and discussing elements learnt seems a good formula for success. ‘‘We do a before-and-after study where we ask the kids how many things you can do around the house to make it sustainable and before the kids could name two or three things, but afterwards, kids could name seven, eight or nine things,’’ Mr Ciszewski says. ‘‘And we’ve discovered, and it’s pretty obvious, that if you build too overt a message into a game the kids will feel they’re being preached to and they tend to switch off. ‘‘If you make the message a little more covert or subliminal it seems to work a whole lot better. ‘‘The kids are playing a game to them, but they come away with knowledge.’’ Mr Ciszewski says taking the technological tools students love to engage with outside of school, and using them inside, is a great way to teach. For this reason, the environmentally friendly home game is based on ‘‘firstperson shooter games’’, he says. ‘‘You see kids playing typically violent video games where you are a character and you run around and blow the head off other people, and a first-person game is where you are in this game. ‘‘It’s a very popular genre, and even a number of primary school children have had experience of this.’’ Mr Ciszewski has taken this immersive genre and adapted it to a game where the student, in first-person mode, moves calmly through a house, competing with fellowplayers to make environmentally sustainable changes. He is also working on games that can be used by teenagers on their mobile phones. ‘‘Mobile phone games tend to be quick games rather than long-term, saga-type games, they tend to be played while you’re waiting for the train or when you have a few minutes between classes, so we come up with mini fun games.’’ This all points to the fact, he says, that education doesn’t have to stay in the classroom, you can still be learning while waiting for the bus.
BUILDING BLOCKS Mr Ciszewski’s research also points to models of good web-based educational resources that parents and teachers can look for. ‘‘A lot of people produce electronic page turners where instead of turning a page you just click. Instead of reading text in a book you are moving through screens,’’ he says. ‘‘People tend not to stay on message with that, they will be distracted following a web link off somewhere, they will be better off reading a book if you want them to read efficiently.’’ There have been studies, he says, into how websites use cognitive load, which refers to how much material we can process at once. Good use of information architecture – what a website looks like – indicates its usefulness to a student. For instance, how does it label sections? ‘‘If a retail website uses terms like haberdashery and merchandise and I ask my first-year group of 18 and 19-year-olds, 10 per cent will know what ‘merchandise’ means, and language is important particularly for people from other cultures,’’ Mr Ciszewski says. ‘‘You can create a good interactive environment, but if you don’t label things appropriately you lose your target audience.’’
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aware of their ‘‘personal learning networks’’, and that goes far beyond text books to embrace everything offered by the internet, including private and public databases. Technology also embraces mobile phone, email, instant chat, iPods, and personal digital assistants – PDAs – such as Blackberries. ‘‘The aim of the sonnet-writing exercise was to see that when you are in a class it is not an enclosed four walls. Your learning actually extends beyond the four walls at all times; resources are available to you, and the technology lets you reach these outside the confines of a classroom,’’ he says. Such resources are ‘‘only technology to anybody over 25’’, Mr Waterman says. ‘‘To students, technology is simply the things they have grown up with. I think the best description of technology is something that was developed since you were born.’’
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STAYING INFORMED The head of the School Library Association of Victoria, Mary Manning, has noticed the vast majority of schools embracing technology, saying ‘‘this is the way the information society is and we’re part of it’’. The key to using technology as a great learning tool at all year levels, as opposed to a mediocre or poor one, she says, is equipping students with the skills to use it wisely. ‘‘Having them able to make an evaluation of sources of information, effective searching so they are finding the information suitable to them and to their level of reading, and once they get there, to actually select the information they want
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MINI TECHS Melbourne teacher and child development expert with her own education and parent support company Kathy Walker advises parents and teachers to steer clear of technology in the education of children from birth to eight years. ‘‘We are in a technological world and
Mount Lilydale Mercy College Catholic co-educational college conducted by the Sisters of Mercy since 1896
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• Offers a first class learning environment animated by a spirit of freedom, love and mercy. • Emphasis on co-operation and justice, preparing students to protect and enhance human values in the 2lst century. • Pastoral care, peer support, student leadership, retreats, camps, award ceremonies, indigenous Australian Program and parent involvement. • Large multi-purpose gymnasium, extensive playing fields, Centennial Hall, six new science laboratories, well equipped resource centres, etc. • Year 7 transition,Years 8 - l0 broad based curriculum, large range of VCE subjects. VET, VCAL, LOTE Japanese and Italian with sister schools in both countries, enhancement programs. • Co-curricular options including music, play, public speaking, EISM, sport, St Vincent de Paul. • Fees 2009 from $3,460. • Scholarships: Music Year 7; Academic, 8-11 to current students.
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there’s no point hiding from it and pretending it doesn’t exist, but in the early childhood years we are much more concerned about children having concrete, hands-on things to play with, that they need to have lots of practice at creativity and imagination because that part of the little brain is developing,’’ Ms Walker says. ‘‘We need them to have lots of language experience, we need to have them chatting, socialising with each other.’’ Ms Walker goes so far as to recommend that ‘‘children socialise, play and create away from all screens, and by that I mean TV, Nintendo, computers’’. For those three to six years, screen time should be kept to an hour or less. ‘‘Never set up a computer in your child’s bedroom, make the computer a communal place. When those children are teenagers those parents will be desperate for those teenagers to share with them what blogs, chat lines, and whatever else they’re up to,’’ Ms Walker says. ‘‘ So if you create a pattern early in life where you just hide away in your room watching TV and playing computer games, you’re not setting up a pattern where we don’t have to have secrets. We can search the internet in a healthy, open way with the rest of the family around.’’
from the
principal We aim to foster justice; compassion, hope and hospitality in the Mercy tradition. Our curriculum recognises that the school’s Catholicity permeates all aspects of learning. Rich and diverse educational experiences encourage high levels of motivation, independence and creativity, preparing students for a changing, challenging world. Our community nurtures self-esteem, promoting respect for each person’s uniqueness and dignity, supporting those suffering hardship.
Mr Bernard Dobson Mount Lilydale Mercy College OM
DEO
NIA
CUM
Like to discover more? Tours and enrolment information Contact the Registrar on 9735 4022 Email the_reg@mtlilydale.melb.catholic.edu.au
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Learning tricks
from that,’’ Ms Manning says. ‘‘Then comes organising the information and adding their view or creating a new piece of work, and finally, acknowledging the intellectual property of the work they used’’. Using information sources effectively, good enquiry-making skills and working collaboratively – all achieved by a wise use of technology in the classroom – are all objectives of the curriculum, the Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS), Ms Manning says. ‘‘(The Library Association) believes that skills should be taught from the word go. And as you build on that, by the time they get to year 9, 10, 11 and 12 students are becoming independent learners and people who can actually say, ‘I’ve got a whole new question here, a whole new research task, I’ll call on some of the skills I have used before, to get started’.’’
A CO-EDUCATIONAL SCHOOL – EARLY LEARNING TO YEAR 12 Yarra Valley Grammar Kalinda Road Ringwood Victoria 3134 CRICOS NO. 00356E Telephone 03 9262 7700 Email registrar@yvg.vic.edu.au www.yvg.vic.edu.au
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Yarra Valley Grammar’s culture of positivity, compassion and team spirit creates in our students a powerful confidence to achieve. From our Early Learning Centre to our Senior School, they can’t help but develop a ‘can do’ attitude. Call us now to arrange a visit or join one of our school tours. They win everybody over, hands down.
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I can do that.
LUTHER COLLEGE luther 26.0 ⳯ 4 2277707v13 BN: Q338158f
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In the Arts. In science. In sport. The context matters little but the pursuit of those goals and dreams is at the very heart of the Korowa philosophy. What are we known for? So many things. Certainly for our academic achievements.
Recent VCE results have consistently ranked Korowa as one of the top independent, non-selective schools in the state. Then again, we’re known for our innovative curriculum, for our firstrate facilities and for the dedication and expertise of the School staff. Nor should we forget our wide range of curriculum and co-curriculum activities. Through them we can discover the individual’s needs and interests as we seek to draw out that confident inner person who says, “I can. I will.”
KOROWA . CONFIDENCE Ranfurlie Crescent, Glen Iris VIC 3146
Telephone : 9885 0336
www.korowa.vic.edu.au
To learn more about the School, from our Early Learning Centre for boys and girls to our girls-only Prep to Year 12 curriculum, please contact the Admissions Office on 03 9885 0336. Or email admissions@korowa.vic.edu.au
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From their first day at Korowa students are encouraged, challenged and inspired to discover and reach their full potential. No matter where that might lie.
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“I CAN. I WILL”
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Hawthorn Secondary College challenges students to become optimistic, resilient, creative and critical thinkers. An emphasis is placed on personalising the learning for students. Year 7 & 8 students work with an integrated curriculum that values multiple intelligences and develops a higher order of thinking skills. All Year 9 & 10 students have Individual Learning Plans. In Years 11&12 an inclusive careers education and mentoring program exists and a diverse range of educational pathways are available. Students have access to leading edge computer technology, learning facilities and educational practices. Students in all Year levels are given opportunities to achieve success in and beyond the classroom with an extensive range of academic and co-curricular activities. New students are supported with a comprehensive transition, pastoral and orientation program to ensure that they feel happy and confident. New Middle Years Learning Centre (state-of-the-art facility) Applied Design Education Centre (arts, media & technology) VCE, VET & VCAL (extensive subject selection) Schools Access Monash Program Open School 2009: Thursday April 30 at 6.30pm
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Burgess Street, Hawthorn East 3123 Phone: 9804 6307 or visit us at www.hawthornsc.vic.edu.au
DISCOVER contemporary boys’ education in a faith and learning community inspired by the spirit of St John Bosco. EXPERIENCE the difference of engaging in “A Journey of Excellence”, where personal boundaries are challenged as boys experience a range of academic, social, artistic, sporting and technical opportunities. WITNESS the reality of boys growing into fine young men, good Christians and honest citizens. VISIT Salesian College Chadstone online (www.salesianchad.vic.edu.au) CONTACT our Registrar to see our College in action. A CATHOLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL FOR BOYS Ph: (03) 9807 2644 Fax: (03) 9888 1289 Email: salchad@salesianchad.vic.edu.au Web: www.salesianchad.vic.edu.au Bosco Street, Chadstone 3148
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Established in 1896, St Catherine’s has the unique mixture of a proud history combined with contemporary thinking. We are fortunate to be custodians of heritage buildings and long-standing traditions; however, our reputation as a leader in girls’ education, for over a century, is based on our readiness to embrace innovation. We take advantage of the best there is to offer in educational practice and applaud the benefits of new technology.
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ST CATHERINE’S SCHOOL
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We enjoy a reputation for excellent academic results, a supportive community, an outstanding co-curricular program, exceptional teachers, fine facilities and established alumni networks and yet we believe our greatest achievement is the quality of character which students of St Catherine’s exhibit. Our core philosophy is to nurture independent and thoughtful young women, with strong values, who are confident of their ability to lead and
17 Heyington Place, Toorak VIC 3142 T: +61 3 9822 1285
make a difference. Whilst the world around us changes, a moral attitude never goes out of date. When your daughter joins St Catherine’s she will tread the same floorboards as generations of amazing women before her, and like them, will discover her own path to a meaningful career and a full and relevant life. I look forward to meeting your family,
Sylvia Walton AO - Principal To request a copy of our award-winning Prospectus or to make an appointment with our Registrar, Amanda Bennett, please phone our Admissions Office on (03) 9828 3071.
E: admissions@stcatherines.net.au Visit our new website: www.stcatherines.net.au
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VCE 20 08
Support their literacy at home! (one of the best investments you will ever make) 10 4 Amy
Early Secondary
Just 4 of our many products
The 70 Fitzroy Readers build reading and writing. The stories progress in gentle steps from the very beginning to a high standard of early secondary. (They are called readers because their vocabulary is confined to the words the child is logically ready for at each stage.)
Used in 1000s of schools and 1000s of homes Fitzroy phonic materials are used by many high achievers. Our Readers and Word Skills expertly support the school curriculum in reading, writing, comprehension, spelling and grammar.
For more information or to place an order, visit our website or phone our office. www.fitzroyreaders.com or come and see the Readers at 593 Brunswick St, Fitzroy North 9am - 5pm Monday-Friday Ph. 9489 5700 (Schools / Libraries ring for an order form and simply fax back) 32QUVQ326441F/JH/8
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Primary
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the most effective and easy-to-use reading programme
Your children are our children too. We believe that a happy child learns best. ~The Staff at Billanook
Billanook - a member of the international Round Square network Billanook College is a member of Round Square, a world wide association of schools that share unique and ambitious goals. Billanook challenges students to grow beyond academic excellence and to make a strong commitment to personal development and responsibility. Billanook is dedicated to the underlying Pillars of Round Square
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International Understanding Democracy Environmental Sustainability Adventure Leadership Service to Others
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Billanook College
Beyond Academic Excellence From The Principal
T
he essence of our School lies in its people – the Staff, students and their families. It is based on a shared mutual respect.
As a School, we are entrusted with a unique responsibility; to create an environment that will challenge and encourage every student. We are responsible for each individual, not only those who are gifted or self-motivated.
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The true value of a Billanook education in each of the Primary, Middle and Senior Schools is in the engaging learning experiences and the positive relationships developed between students and Staff. I encourage you to visit us and see for yourself - to sense the character and spirit of the School and to learn first-hand that Billanook provides an education beyond academic excellence. Be assured of a very warm welcome. Alan B Ross Principal
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Acceptance, encouragement and support allow students to step outside their comfort zone and extend their personal boundaries. Billanook builds relationships that allow students to develop as confident, articulate, compassionate, active, lifelong learners. Billanook accepts you as you are. Students are successful academically when the whole person is enriched and supported – intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually. The Billanook learning environment helps develop young men and women who are able to be active participants in the global community. Billanook develops well rounded, confident young men and women. Billanook prepares students for professional and personal success in an increasingly competitive world. Billanook students are forever a part of the Billanook family.
Billanook has been awarded the Sustainable Schools Program 5 Star Rating Accreditation. Billanook is the first P-12 school to achieve this prestigious award in Victoria. It is Billanook’s vision to be the sole of sustainability by reducing our ecological footprint. The target is to reduce the College’s eco-footprint and the footprint each of us leaves as a commitment to environmental sustainability.
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Billanook First School to Achieve Sustainability Rating – A Model Green School
Parent Statement Our children are encouraged to achieve at all levels – socially, emotionally, physically, and academically. They develop as well-rounded, confident young adults, who learn acceptance, tolerance and resilience. In an environment where the ducklings thrive – what more could we want?
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Parents of Alex Year 4, Timothy Year 7, Cassie Year 9, Heath Year 11, Renate and Andrew, Past Students.
Please come and see for yourself... A visit to the College is an important opportunity for prospective students and their parents to experience the character and spirit of Billanook. We warmly invite you to visit the College • during the school day to see the College in action or
• for morning tea and a tour of the College with Staff and students on Saturday morning Both opportunities will help you learn about the School so you can see for yourself what a great place Billanook is.
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We like the fact that our children are happy and safe in a natural, peaceful environment.
We encourage you to do both. Personal tours and attendance at Saturday Morning College Tours can be arranged during business hours by calling the Registrar on 9724 1179, or online from our website www.billanook.vic.edu.au or via email registrar@billanook.vic.edu.au. 197-199 Cardigan Road Mooroolbark
Life skills
Tools f 10 tips to help your child thrive at school and in life MPR: QUV001 ED:
Erin Shale
E
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VERY parent hopes to give their child the very best start in life. We all want our children to thrive rather than simply survive whatever life throws their way. In my many years of teaching and careers counselling, I’ve had the pleasure of catching up with many ex-students. In all honesty, the kids who have excelled in life are not necessarily the ones who had the highest academic scores. They inevitably are well-rounded young adults who are confident with themselves, actively engaged in society and live their lives with optimism and drive. So what are the attitudes, skills and qualities that allow young people to get the thrive factor? Young people with the thrive factor have: CONFIDENCE, high self-esteem, self-belief EMOTIONAL intelligence – the ability to be empathetic, to know oneself and relate well to others AMBITION WILLINGNESS to learn from mistakes GOOD interpersonal skills ABILITY to express an opinion
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ABILITY to work both as part of a team and independently LEADERSHIP ability HONESTY, reliability, integrity GET-up-and-go ABILITY and willingness to accept responsibility MATURITY ABILITY to self-manage GOOD time-management and problemsolving ability INITIATIVE ABILITY to adapt to new situations and challenges
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2. TEACH AND MODEL Children learn through modelling. This means they learn a lot from their first and most important teacher – you, the parent. So, involve your children in family decisions, ask them their opinions about important events in the media and give them opportunities to taste independence and to show responsibility. Young people who thrive in life have the ability to accept responsibility and show initiative. 3. ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION Encourage your child to take part in competitions, activities and events both in and out of school. Students who participate in a wide variety of activities show that they are prepared to give life a go, that they are not afraid of new challenges. 4. HELP THEM DISCOVER THEIR PASSION What do you love doing more than anything else? What makes you happy? These are important questions that every student needs to find answers to. Some students are lucky enough to discover their passion early, others have to hunt around for a while. But one thing is certain; every student has an interest out there waiting to be discovered. And it doesn’t matter whether it’s a part-time job, tennis, cooking, playing the guitar or coaching a junior sports team. Having an interest gives young people a wonderful confidence boost. 5. INVESTIGATE SHORT COURSES Local TAFE institutes and local councils have a fantastic selection each semester.
Short courses are a great way for students to find their passion, make new friends, develop greater confidence and, most of all, have fun. 6. ENCOURAGE VOLUNTARY WORK Students develop leadership, organisational ability and many other valuable skills through volunteering. Voluntary work offers insights into other worlds and other experiences young people would otherwise not encounter. It fosters compassion, empathy, better communication ability and maturity – all attributes that belong to the thrive factor. 7. ENCOURAGE PART-TIME WORK This is a great way to develop many of the qualities and skills that feature in that ‘‘kit bag’’ for success. Landing that first part-time job helps students taste responsibility and learn how to work independently as well as in a team. It helps them develop greater self-confidence, better communication ability and learn how to manage time and juggle school and work commitments. Very shy students change dramatically from the reward and fun they experience. More confident students surprise even those who have
8. START A RECORD OF ACHIEVEMENT All students would benefit from starting to generate a resume – even those in primary school. Keeping copies of all achievements and involvement in special activities boosts self-esteem and is a good reminder that it might be timely to think creatively of new ways to make the resume more impressive. Could your child complete a Duke of Edinburgh Award, join Air Force Cadets or VGen, which is the youth arm of World Vision? Every student, regardless of academic ability, is capable of generating a resume that makes readers take notice. 9. ENCOURAGE RISK-TAKING Young people need to experience failure in order to develop the resilience to thrive. Give your children the message that trying and participation count, not winning. Children who are afraid to fail are often prevented from having many of life’s most enjoyable experiences. They also lose opportunities to achieve success. When children know that parents genuinely value effort and initiative, they are freed to experience life to the fullest.
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1. BE THEIR CHEER SQUAD It never ceases to amaze me the incredible power parents have to crush or uplift their children. Whether your child is five, 15 or 25, they need you to be around at the important times and events in their lives. They need your words of encouragement and to see that you take an interest in them. And, above all, they need your unconditional acceptance. Often, the students who have the greatest selfconfidence and who thrive down the track of life know their parents back them whatever path they choose.
‘‘Young people need to experience failure in order to develop the resilience to thrive’’
grown to expect excellence from them. Skills and confidence gained are fundamental in setting young people up to thrive.
10. BE THEIR SAFETY NET Young people will not have the courage to experience life to the fullest unless they know that they can count on their families. This is a message parents need to convey. Many young people have told me that they are afraid to let their parents down. The ability to thrive through the good and the bad begins at home. It begins with parents telling their children that their love is unconditional and that they are proud of all of their efforts and achievements. With a secure safety net, young people can fly in unexpected ways.
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So how can we help kids to flourish? Here are my top 10 items in the success ‘‘kit bag’’ to help your children to stand on their own two feet and stand out from the crowd.
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for success
» Erin Shale is a teacher and careers counsellor at a Melbourne high school. She is also a widely published author of books for teenagers and parents. Her latest book The Best School for Your Child is published by Finch Publishing and is available at major bookshops.
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Fundraising
Rolling in funds Raising money is about having a mixed portfolio
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HE old-fashioned primary school sausage sizzle is lots of fun and brings in a few dollars, but there’s a whole world of fundraising out there for all those Bill Gates wannabes at Melbourne schools. Thinking outside the square and following a few basic rules of business should get the funds rolling in. Head of Melbourne’s Our Community, Denis Moriarty, says the company ‘‘provides resources to schools and community groups on how to improve governance and fundraising capacity’’. ‘‘As in anything, you need a mixed portfolio, you can’t rely on just one thing, if something happens to your plan you’re a little bit vulnerable,’’ Mr Moriarty says.
‘‘We argue that in order for schools to do effective fundraising there are six pillars and the first pillar is special events, and a fete is a special event. ‘‘Some schools are raising $30,000 to $40,000 a year with a fete, and it’s not just by asking the butcher for the sausages. ‘‘They get rides, they still do the parents’ food and raffles, but there are more innovative things.’’ No matter how well resourced your school is, Mr Moriarty says, no school should put fundraising in the too-hard basket and recommends every school organise a fundraising committee as a first step. ‘‘Get a small group of parents, and these can be past parents or even local people who may not have a child at the school or may not even have children, but who are willing to support education,’’ he says. ‘‘Advertise for the committee through local papers. ‘‘Fundraising is a tiring job; the more
people you have doing it the more you can spread the work around.’’ Another trick of the trade is to let people know what the money is being raised for. ‘‘People are more willing to donate to a cause,’’ Mr Moriarty says. ‘‘There are so many things competing for funds from parents and others, whether it’s helping the school, the disabled, bushfire relief, international aid, so the more you tell people what you need the funds for, the more receptive people will be.’’ And remember, unless you ask for donations or funds, you won’t get them. ‘‘It’s amazing how often people have sent out a letter requesting fundraising funds and people will give, but you have to ask,’’ Mr Moriarty says. ‘‘That’s the first law in fundraising.’’ » Our Community produces The Complete Schools Fundraising Handbook, available at ourcommunity.com.au
2 is more than 1 Year 7 and 8 students at Caulfield Grammar School benefit from an extra teacher for every class. Students have two qualified teachers in core classes – the subject specialist teacher and also a Learning Mentor who closely monitors and supports each girl and boy in their academic and social development. It’s a unique approach and another reason why Caulfield Grammar is more than a school.
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To find out more about how we inspire the journey from Kindergarten to University, please call 03 9524 6300 or visit www.caulfieldgs.vic.edu.au Wheelers Hill Campus, 74 – 82 Jells Rd. Wheelers Hill Caulfield Campus, 217 Glen Eira Rd. East St Kilda Malvern Campus, 5 Willoby Ave. Glen Iris
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THE SIX PILLARS 1. Special events, such as a fete or trivia night 2. Earned income, such as sales to the public 3. Grants that come through an application process 4. Teaming with a business that will benefit both of you 5. Co-ordinated approaches to your school alumni 6. Inviting donations, such as bequests or sponsorship
Catholic Ladies’ College
Wednesday 19 February Tours 5 -7 pm Year 7, 2010 Information 7 pm
I warmly welcome you to meet our students and staff at our College Open Day at Twilight on 19 February Margaret McKenna Principal
To enquire about your daughter's opportunities at CLC please telephone our Registrar Julie Young 9439 4077
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www.clc.melb.catholic.edu.au 19 Diamond Street, Eltham
Catholic Secondary Boys’ College Faith Development Mutual Respect Dignity Self-Worth
Mazenod
Mazenod is a Catholic boys’ Secondary College founded in 1967, serving particularly the cities of Monash, Greater Dandenong and parts of Knox. The College is administered by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate founded by St. Eugene de Mazenod who is the College Patron.
FACILITIES Student and staff facilities are excellent with new buildings designed to benefit the environment.
CURRICULUM Students are nurtured through positive encouragement to achieve the highest level of literacy, oracy and numeracy appropriate to their level.
Kernot Ave, Mulgrave
EXTRAS Rich co-curricular includes wide range of sports and extensive musical/fine arts.
03 9560 0911 www.mazenod.vic.edu.au
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OPEN DAY Tuesday 24th February 2009
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TWILIGHT TOUR
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Adolescence is a time of discovery, possibility and rich potential. At Catholic Ladies' College, our dynamic and engaging programs transform student learning. Our all-girls learning environment provides a breadth and depth of educational experiences and opportunities for each student; the beauty of our nature setting complements and enhances the learning and teaching program. In educating young women for their places in contemporary society, we recognise the strength of our College story, its rich tradition and inherent values as we journey in partnership with our College familles. We proudly teach all girls!
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Caring Learning Community
bring out their best
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Strathcona recently marked a momentous occasion with the opening of the new and much-anticipated Creative and Performing Arts Centre. The Centre stands as a proud tribute to the School’s enduring culture of holistic education.
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Officially opened on 29 August 2008, the Centre is designed to facilitate the freedom of creative expression in the students. The space and resources will be enjoyed by students and staff in the areas of Music, Visual Arts, Drama, Multimedia and Food Technology for many years to come. The expansion of the Early Learning Centre will be ready for the commencement of the 2009 school year. Strathcona will now cater for 3 and 4 year-old sessional groups.
At Strathcona we strive to ensure that students maximise their academic achievements while encouraging them to participate in many co-curricular activities and leadership opportunities. We invite you to visit Strathcona and experience its uniqueness.
Main Campus: Senior/Middle School & ELC 34 Scott Street Canterbury Victoria 3126 Year 9 Campus: Tay Creggan 30 Yarra Street Hawthorn Victoria 3122 Junior Campus: Mellor House – Prep to Yr 6 173 Prospect Hill Road Canterbury Victoria 3126 Tel: +61 3 8779 7500 Fax: +61 3 9888 5440 Email: registrar@strathcona.vic.edu.au
www.strathcona.vic.edu.au
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Maroondah Education Coalition Promoting Excellence in Education
‘A College Which Performs’ Principal: Michael Phillips Phone 9870 2002 • Performing Arts Program • 1 to 1 Laptop Program for Years 9 to 11
• Excellence in the Performing Arts High expectations and future achievement
Facilitating 21st Century learning
• Excellence in Sporting, Debating and Student Leadership Enriching and
• 1 to 2 Laptop Program for Years 8 and 9 Effectively using technology to enhance learning • VCE, VET & VCAL Options and pathways for senior students
CROYDON Secondary College ‘Together we Create Successful Futures’ Principal: Michael McNamara Phone 9725 8277
Year 8 students build a transport vehicle as part of an inquiry based project ‘How Can We Survive?’
Principal: Dot Henwood
Deep thinking in practice
• Year 7 & 8 High Achievers program
• 1 to 2 Computer Availability
Making your best better
For all students in Yrs 7 to 12
• Advanced Youth Program
• Debating Excellence
Bringing learning to life
Full, on-going and highly successful programs at all levels Programs to meet individual learning needs
NORWOOD Secondary College A Rich Tradition, High Expectations Principal: Anne Shellard Phone 9871 0400 • Year 7 Homerooms
• VCE & VCAL The 2008 College Production of Grease
Personalised learning at its best
PARKWOOD Secondary College Values, Choices, Leadership & Excellence Principal: Vin Virtue Phone 9876 1633 • Yr 9 Aiming High Program Taking responsibility for your learning
Cultivating productive learning behaviours
• Emphasis on Integrating Technology across the Curriculum
• Advance Year 9 Naval Cadets Connecting students to the real world
“Norwood Senior Girls Footballers take out the State Title”
Phone 9871 4888
• Year 9 Experiential Program
We emphasise excellence in writing and have this goal as a key focus
• VCE, VET and VCAL
Excellent results - a future for all students
HEATHMONT College
• Croydon, The Writing School
Rock Eisteddfod Team State Finalists in 2008
broadening learning opportunities
• VCE, VET and VCAL
• New Learning Technologies
Enhancing 21st Century skills
31 Interactive White Boards to engage the learner
• Strong Student Participation in Sport
• Broad VCE Offerings Providing choice for students in Yrs 10 - 12
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Year 9 students experience cultural diversity as part of an integrated program on ‘Cultures’
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Fostering creative talent in music, dance and drama
Driving deep learning
Year 10 Science Students “Mission to Mars” excursion
Achieving your personal best
• Student Leadership Program Developing leadership capacity
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‘A Tradition of Excellence’ Principal: Barbara Bates Phone: 9870 4551 • Integrated Curriculum for Years 7 to 9
RINGWOOD Secondary College
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MAROONDAH Secondary College
Transition
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Avoiding the pitfalls on the way up the school ladder takes work Shaunagh O’Connor
A
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MAZING changes lurk in the minds and bodies of the average eight-yearold, marking the change from a cute little one to an inquiring, responsible young person. At home and at school, the eight-year-old moving into grade 3 has a lot on their plate, but with a bit of vigilance from parents and support from teachers, students will make a smooth transition into the second half of primary school. The principal at one large Melbourne primary school, Lesley McCarthy, says focus on the transition to grade 3 is growing. Mrs McCarthy has 19 years’ classroom experience from kinder to year 9, and nine years’ experience as a principal and assistant-principal – the latter being the person who often deals with transition troubles. She says there has been a recent recognition among her colleagues that children are leaving grade 2 – and the traditional infant-school environment of prep to grade 2 – not yet ready for the complexity, the extra load and the individual organisation and responsibility which is expected in grade 3. ‘‘In grade 2, children are still being encouraged, scaffolded and supported in all they do, but they enter a brave new world in grade 3,’’ Mrs McCarthy says. ‘‘In grade 2 everything is routine, children know exactly what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. ‘‘They do their reading and maths in ability levels and they are doing a task where they know exactly what to do. ‘‘We get to grade 3 and all of a sudden the curriculum literally doubles, and that’s part of Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS). ‘‘Science, humanities and history are added to the curriculum at grade 3 and content becomes more complex. ‘‘The other thing with grade 3 is that the children are expected to be independent and organised – most will be expected to use a diary.
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Transition
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LOST IN TRANSITION While the change from grade 2 to 3 marks a key time of transition in primary school, the changes just keep comingl. Melbourne secondary school principal Michael O’Brien is a 32-year education veteran who was responsible for enrolments for six years, says the change that seems to cause the most angst among students and parents is the movement from grade 6 into year 7. ‘‘Students are moving from a primary setting into a secondary one and parents are concerned about that because secondary school seems to be a much more adult-like environment. Kids are going to be exposed to a whole range of teachers and they are coming into a secondary school where you get kids from a whole lot of schools coming together and there are a whole lot of settlement issues,’’ Mr O’Brien says. ‘‘Starting the transition process as early as grade 5 is a good idea, with visits to the school so students can become familiar with the physical environment, get to know the teachers and have contact with those already at the school in peer-to-peer mentoring roles’’. ‘‘The other side to that is to work with mum and dad to get them more knowledgable about the school, who the key people are, understanding the curriculum, (and) where to go if different scenarios arise,’’ Mr O’Brien says.
ON THEIR OWN Monash University history professor and former co-ordinator of the university’s transition program Mark Peel says he impresses on students the benefits of transition. ‘‘The approach we take is, rather than say this is something to be frightened of or to worry about, we say transition is a good thing. People want transition, they don’t want any more school, they want a very different experience. Our job was to give them information about what the differences were, so they could be prepared for them and give them some simple strategies for dealing with the problems that come up.’’ Professor Peel’s research has included tracking a group of year 12 students through their experiences at university, and asking students who ran into trouble settling what they wish they had known to make the experience easier. ‘‘The big messages they put across are: choose your course carefully and especially choose something you want to do,’’ Professor Peel says. ‘‘It’s absolutely fatal at university to do a course that somebody else wants you to do, such as your parents or your career teacher at school, because at university you are independent and self-reliant and no one is going to chase you to turn up, no one is responsible for keeping you engaged, so if you are bored or disconnected you will stop coming.’’ Another lesson he would like to pass on is: Don’t take on too much work outside university, such as part-time work, believing the university workload will allow for it. Look at your workload first. ‘‘Be prepared for the informality of university. It’s a much more adult learning environment, there are no bells, you do your own timetable,’’ Professor Peel says. The independence university offers students comes with responsibility. ‘‘Everyone loves being independent but if you are independent you have to indicate when you need help. One of the things we had to get students to understand is that if they are struggling with something, we won’t know until they tell us. There are no school counsellors. We don’t see them every day, so we’re not going to know in a class of 200 who’s having problems.’’
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‘‘It’s part of that transition getting them ready for secondary school, but it starts at grade 3 and 4 so they can develop the process, the thinking tools, the habits of mind.’’ From about the age of 7½, children are grasping the concept of time and how long a minute, five minutes and an hour feels and, so it is reasonable to expect a heightened sense of time management from them. They are also beginning to be more aware of the world at large and worry about what is happening globally, and to be much more interested in complicated ideas. Alarm bells should ring if a child in grade 2 is not developing a sense of time, organisation and memory. ‘‘Signals that children aren’t ready for the responsibility of grade 3 are if they regularly: don’t remember to bring their home reading book to school, forget lunch, forget excursion notes, don’t take newsletters home, leave things in their bag and forget to tell their parents about them,’’ Mrs McCarthy says. Being able to remember simple things and making sure they are being communicated to their parents or to teachers is important. Signs children can’t remember include cases where they are constantly losing jumpers and hats and don’t know where they are and can’t remember to go and look for them. ‘‘At grade 2 level, that’s saying that they are struggling with individual responsibility.’’ But there are several things parents can do to encourage their grade 2 student to gain the skill they will need in the next year of school life. ‘‘We encourage parents of grade 2 children to be less involved in the day-today of organising students,’’ Mrs McCarthy says. ‘‘Get children to put their own home reading book in their bag, say,‘You make sure your lunchbox is in your bag. You know you have art today, do you have everything you need?’ I suggest they have a timetable on the fridge. ‘‘Then it can’t be, ‘Mum forgot to put my library book in my bag’, it’s, ‘I need to remember to put it in’. Gradually build up responsibility.’’
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e on up
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one ethos. one siena. The Dominican tradition is a rigorous one. It is centred on the pursuit of truth through prayer, contemplation, study and social justice, practices which don’t come easily for most of us. Yet Siena College students are encouraged in this tradition, to engage in critical thinking, to ask questions about the world and begin a journey of seeking the truth. It’s a high expectation and perhaps one we might not ask of ourselves. However, after nearly seventy years of teaching and training young Australian women, our results speak for themselves. Siena College students love learning.
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Contact the Registrar 9835
0200
A CATHOLIC SCHOOL IN THE DOMINICAN TRADITION EDUCATING YOUNG WOMEN YEARS 7 -12
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SCHOLARSHIPS ACADEMIC AND MUSIC Applications are invited for Academic and Music Scholarships for entry to Trinity Grammar School in 2010. The Academic Scholarships are open for all students entering Years 5, 7 and 9 2010, and Music Scholarships are open for boys with outstanding musical ability entering Years 6 -11.
Download application form at www.trinity.vic.edu.au/scholarships.
ACADEMIC - Applications close, Sunday 22 February 2009. Examination Date: Saturday 28 February 2009 [ACER Exam]. Apply online at www.trinity.vic.edu.au under Enrolment, Scholarships.
OPEN DAY - Saturday 21 March 2009 10:30 till 2:30pm
All welcome
TRINITY
GRAMMAR SCHOOL, KEW
60 Wellington Street, Kew 3101 Ph:9854 3600 Fax:9853 9457 www.trinity.vic.edu.au Email:admissions@trinity.vic.edu.au
Let School Plan pay your school fees Selecting a school for your child can be a challenge. Ensuring their school fees are paid on time can be an even bigger challenge. That’s where School Plan can help. School Plan pays your child’s fees directly to your school on time, every time. You simply pay School Plan each month in easy-to-manage instalments. School Plan can cover any fixed fees, whether they are compulsory or non-compulsory, including: Tuition fees, boarding fees, camp fees, building fund donations and extra curricular activities.
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- Applications close Friday 6 March 2009.
PUB: QUV DATE: FEB09
MUSIC
Auditions: Saturday 14 March and Sunday 15 March 2009.
Plus, if you call us on 1800 337 419 and mention DUX Magazine you will receive a FREE copy of Choosing a School For Your Child Guide - valued at $14.95(RRP)* A subsidiary of the Australian Scholarships Group
*Offer only available to persons 18 years and over and limited to 1 guide per household. Offer valid until 29 May 2009 or while stocks last, whichever comes first. School Plan Management Pty Ltd is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Australian Scholarships Group Friendly Society Limited ABN 21 087 648 879 on behalf of School Plan Pty Ltd ABN 16 007 413 756.
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For more information, call 1800 337 419 or visit www.schoolplan.com.au
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AVAILABLE AVAILA AVA ILABLE AT ALL CHEMIST WAREHOUSE STORES! ALTONA NORTH Ph: 9318 0711
BAXTER
BENDIGO
BOX HILL
BRUNSWICK
Ph: 5971 5122
Ph: 5443 4988
Ph: 9899 6087
Ph: 9380 5657
CAMBERWELL
CHELTENHAM
CLAYTON
COBURG MARKET
COLLINGWOOD
Ph: 9882 2399
Ph: 9583 5775
Ph: 9544 2444
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Ph: 9417 4377
DANDENONG
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ELSTERNWICK
FAIRFIELD
FITZROY
Ph: 9792 0522
Ph: 9848 3845
Ph: 9523 9372
Ph: 9489 8936
Ph: 9417 2917
FOOTSCRAY
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FOUNTAIN GATE
FRANKSTON
GEELONG
Ph: 9687 0275
Ph: 9878 4698
Ph: 9705 2277
Ph: 9783 9788
Ph: 5221 9940
GLEN WAVERLEY
GREENSBOROUGH
HAWTHORN
HOPPERS CROSSING
KEYSBOROUGH
Ph: 9802 9977
Ph: 9435 7455
Ph: 9818 3999
Ph: 9931 0040
Ph: 9798 2231
LILYDALE
MALVERN
MILDURA
MELTON
MOONEE PONDS
Ph: 9735 2511
Ph: 9509 4634
Ph: 5023 2383
Ph: 9746 8733
Ph: 9375 4300
MOORABBIN
NIDDRIE
NORTHCOTE
PAKENHAM
PRAHRAN
Ph: 9553 4850
Ph: 9379 1455
Ph: 9482 3099
Ph: 5941 8311
Ph: 9510 3169
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PRESTON
RINGWOOD
SALE
SHEPPARTON
TRARALGON
Ph: 9470 6626
Ph: 9870 5022
Ph: 5144 2338
Ph: 5821 6000
Ph: 5174 2003
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Being a Gen girl is a life-long experience Genazzano students appreciate and understand the responsibility they have to make a difference. In these challenging times, such women are needed throughout the world... empowered, inspired and ready to lead in a multicultural and global society.
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Your Business is our Business. Our part-time evening courses range from Certificate to Advanced Diploma in the areas of: Management Occupational Health and Safety Micro Business Operations Project Management Small Business Management Property Services (Real Estate) Business Training and Assessment Government (Investigation) Marketing
For more information: Contact The Centre for Management & Small Business on 8892 2013 or call 1300 BOX HILL (1300 269 445) Visit www.boxhillinstitute.edu.au
do what you like. like what you do.
Celebrating 120 Years (1889 to 2009) Genazzano FCJ College A Catholic Day and Boarding College for Girls Prep to Year 12 301 Cotham Rd Kew VIC 3101 Tel 03 8862 1000 registrar@genazzano.vic.edu.au www.genazzano.vic.edu.au
Pembroke Secondary College
• Friendly, helpful, small campuses • High expectations • Highly successful
PO Box 42 Mooroolbark 3138 Email: pembroke.sc@edumail.vic.gov.au
• Special programs in music, VET, VCAL, outdoor education, sport and technology
Follow your heart Sacré Cœur Open Day Sunday 1 March from 1:30pm to 4:00pm. Come and see what makes Sacré Cœur so distinctive. See our school in action, meet our students and talk to our friendly staff. Learn about our approach to individual differences which encourages girls to develop to the very best of their abilities. Scholarships for 2010 are now open. Register online www.sacrecoeur.vic.edu.au by Friday 6 March for entry into Years 5, 7, 9, 10 and 11 in 2010. Testing held 14 March 2009. 172 Burke Road, Glen Iris, Victoria, 3146 Ph: 9835 2713 Email: registrar@sac.vic.edu.au www.sacrecoeur.vic.edu.au
Sacré Cœur International School of the Sacred Hear t
Cambridge Campus Cambridge Road Mooroolbark 3138 Telephone: 9725 7733 Facsimile: 9725 4767 Mount Evelyn Campus Old Hereford Road Mount Evelyn 3796 Telephone: 9736 3650 Facsimile: 9736 1840 Senior Campus Reay Road Mooroolbark 3138 Telephone: 9725 4388 Facsimile: 9725 8327
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• Breadth of opportunity
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Thursday 30 April at Mount Evelyn Campus
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Wednesday 29 April at Cambridge Campus
32QUVQ324749F/JL8
INFORMATION NIGHTS FOR 2009
MPR: QUV001 ED: 33-61 Edinburgh Road Lilydale VIC 3140
Phone 9728 2211
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Email: office@laa.edu.au
www.laa.edu.au
161 Central Road NUNAWADING VIC 3131
Phone 9877 3555 Fax: 9878 3776
Email: admin@ncc.adventist.edu.au
www.ncc.adventist.edu.au
Edinburgh Adventist Primary 333 Centre Road Narre Warren South VIC 3805
Corner Edinburgh & Allenby Roads Lilydale VIC 3140
Phone 9796 0100
Phone 9728 8833
Fax: 9796 0153
Fax: 9728 8855
Email: admin@heritagecollege.com.au
Email: eaps@bigpond.net.au
www.heritagecollege.com.au
www.edinburghprimary.com
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Our schools believe that each student is unique and of immeasurable value. In partnership with parents it is our privilege to provide an environment of learning, nurture and service that will challenge every student. We know that choosing a school can be confusing and confronting. We know that the atmosphere of a school is appreciated only by firsthand knowledge. We invite and encourage parents and students to experience the special character of our schools.
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Wesley provides the ideal environment for success with an innovative middle years (Years 5-9) program, leading to VCE, VET and IB Diploma in our Senior Schools. Visit www.wesleycollege.net or call 8102 6888 for more information
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Wesley provides a rich academic, pastoral and cocurricular program, supported by a dynamic teaching staff which nurtures young people to identify and realise their potential.
Scholarships
A grand prize Research can boost your child’s scholarship chances MPR: QUV001 ED:
T
Among the first steps to a scholarship is to determine which school you want to apply for and contact the school or check its website for scholarships offered, what the scholarship covers, the exam date and cut-off for registering your child to sit (this date may be months before the exam itself). Also check registration fees. Some schools do not even require the student to sit an exam for a scholarship. The schools may simply advertise that scholarships for general excellence are on offer and invite a student to an interview. Industry sources suggest families speak directly to the school about exactly what the school is looking for in a scholarship recipient at that particular time – or in the next few years, as the case may be. For example, some schools are interested
St John’s Parish Primary School Mitcham
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St John’s Parish Primary School offers:
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School tours welcome anytime by appointment
32QUVQ329347F/JOX/9
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Comprehensive curriculum Excellent standards Stimulating learning environments Before / After school and vacation care
.FSDZ 4FDPOEBSZ &EVDBUJPO *OD " #
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HEY’RE hotly contested and there’s an entire industry set up to help your child get the prize. Landing a scholarship to the school of your dreams can be a key moment in a student’s life and sets their academic course for years to come. But it seems walking in and sitting the compulsory scholarship exam isn’t quite enough. Both parents and students have a variety of issues to consider and pathways to ponder. Fran Paroissien is a director of Hendersons Educational Services, a
Melbourne company that has prepared students for scholarship exams for 21 years. She says families who hope for a scholarship for their child fall into two groups: Those who would not otherwise be able to afford school fees – scholarships cover either all or some of the tuition fees – and those who have missed a place at their school of choice for other reasons, such as not enrolling early enough. ‘‘Schools offer scholarships to get and retain the brightest ones,’’ Ms Paroissien says. However, scholarships are awarded for excellence in areas other than academia; music, leadership, sport and artistic endeavour among them, depending on the school.
494 Whitehorse Road Mitcham 3132 Phone: 9874 1575 Principal: Mr Bert Benne
Scholarships
– Shaunagh O’Connor
Highvale Introduction Highvale Secondary College has a strong emphasis on teaching and learning. High quality teaching programs and a strong commitment from our staff to professional development, allow us to provide excellent educational outcomes for our students. Our students are able to develop selfesteem, responsibility, leadership and initiative and are encouraged to take on significant responsibility for their own learning. The college has a strong partnership with Monash and Deakin Universities. The college is served by public transport with a fleet of buses bringing students directly into the college grounds.
Curriculum An outstanding feature of our College is the vertical curriculum structure which provides individual programs for students and enables them to be challenged and supported at their respective levels. Languages: German, French. Comprehensive range of VCE subjects offered.
Academic Performance Highvale Secondary College is a school with excellent VCE results, high retention rates, excellent students attendance rates and a very high proportion of the students gaining tertiary entrance. Over 90% of the Year 12 cohort achieve that goal.
Student Care
Facilities
Education Co-Curricula
The school is divided into two sub schools
Fully integrated computer intranet and
Wide range of co-curricula personal development programs, leadership development programs, study skills seminars, close links with community groups, state and international competitions, debating teams, chess club, active student representative council, international students, camps, excursions, a comprehensive sporting program, fencing club, a range performing arts activities, extensive music program including school band and a variety of ensembles, students exchange programs, presentation evening, debutante balls, valedictory dinner and formals.
years 7-9 and years 10-12. Pastoral care is
extranet, Senior Study centre, modern well
provided by the Year Level coordinators,
maintained buildings, excellent grounds and
Student Welfare coordinator and Home
playing fields, gymnasium, tennis courts,
group teachers. Individual course counselling
performing arts complex, science laboratories,
for the students’ academic learning plans and
multimedia and visual arts studios, specialist
career counselling is a feature of the college.
technology centre.
Like to discover more? Highvale Secondary College Capital Ave, Glen Waverley, 3150 Telephone: 9803 5144 Fax: 9803 4130 Email: highvale.sc@edumail.vic.gov.au Website: www.highvalesc.vic.edu.au 32QUVQ359808F.LG.8
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And that’s where preparation comes in, ranging from after-school tutoring for years to a one-off session. To know if your child may be a likely candidate for a scholarship, see if their scores on their NAPLAN assessment (National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy; conducted in years 3, 5, 7 and 9) were exceptionally good. ‘‘There are other ways of telling if your child is up to this,’’ Ms Paroissien says. ‘‘Their teachers have said, ‘Your child is focused’; your child will be near the top of the grade, and be an avid reader. They will play games like chess, and make complicated models on computers or with construction materials.’’
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in students with a wide range of interests and/or leadership experience, in addition to academic excellence. Ninety per cent of exams in Victorian schools are administered by: the Australian Council of Educational Research, Edutest, and Robert Allwell and Associates. The exam components alter depending on which company sets the exam. ‘‘For instance, in the ACER exam, students do two pieces of writing – usually one creative piece and one asking their opinion,’’ Ms Paroissien says. ‘‘They do reading comprehension and maths problem-solving in grade 4 and 6, and maths-science problem-solving in grade 8.’’ She says all the exams are demanding.
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e to win
OPENING FEBRUARY 2009 BLACKBURN SOUTH
MAKE SURE IT’S A LOUVRETEC… PERFECT SOLUTIONS 32QUVQ358224F/LG/9
LET YOUR IMAGINATION BEGIN
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LouvreTec Melbourne
ENROL NOW!
Phone (03) 9770 4184
www.louvretecmelbourne.com.au
Ages: 6 weeks to 5 years old 168 Canterbury Road (Corner Holland Road), Blackburn South
For all enquiries and enrolments
PUB: QUV DATE: FEB09
call 9877 3930 or 0412 280 749
email info@starfishelc.com.au
Sunrooms, Conservatories, Patios & Pool Enclosures 32QUVQ368768F/KE/8
MPR: QUV001 ED:
Improve your lifestyle with perfect solutions
Our brand new, purpose built centre allows for open learning experiences where children have the opportunity to guide their own learning through play, discovery and exploration.
1300 WE IMPROVE
sunroomsplus com au sunroomsplus.com.au
PAGE: 142 COLOUR: CMYK
Vocational and Higher Education www.holmesglen.edu.au
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1300 934 677
Success for life
ation Informhts Nig 7.15pm
Years 10, 11, 12 and Monash University Foundation Year program
qu
For en
For further information please contact: 399 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 | Telephone: 03 9670 3788
32QUVQ334631F/JL8
uary 7 Febr ch 7.15pm 1 y a d ar Tues ay 26 M 7.15pm Thursd day 20 May isits call v s f Wedne iries and brie
Excellent results since 1920 Learning beyond the classroom Total student support Prestigious global partnerships VCE Scholars Program in conjunction with The University of Melbourne • Scholarships are available for full-time students • • • • •
622
9822 9
ALIA COLLEGE
www.taylorscollege.edu.au
405 Tooronga Rd HAWTHORN EAST www.alia.vic.edu.au
Wor kin g to
get her , lea rning t ogether
Information Night Wednesday 6th May 2009
College tours 6.00pm – 7.30pm. Information session 7.30pm in the Presentation Centre. Testing for the Advanced Learning Class – 2nd May at 9.00am.
• excellent academic results • orderly and harmonious learning environment • $7 million building project
2009 New Building 123 Church Road Doncaster VIC 3108 Tel: 9848 4677
Email: doncaster.sc@edumail.vic.gov.au
Internet: www.doncastersc.vic.edu.au
PUB: QUV DATE: FEB09
Provider: Monash University CRICOS Provider Code: 00008C
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8487A.11.08 Providers: Taylors Institute of Advanced Studies CRICOS Provider Code: 01160J (VIC);
ead of the curve ”
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e ah B “
32QUVQ325605F/LC/9
Marcellin College
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The Marcellin community provides many opportunities. We appreciate that the transition to secondary school is a special time for young men – one of great excitement tinged with a degree of nervousness. We are well aware of the importance of this time and act to make the transition a positive experience.
Marcellin College is a Catholic, secondary college for boys conducted by the Marist Brothers since 1950. The College was founded on the principles of St Marcellin Champagnat with emphasis on each student striving to reach his potential. The College motto is “Virtute ad Altissima” through virtue and courage to strive for the highest. We encourage our students to be young men of character, committed to the ideal of personal excellence so that they can contribute in a meaningful way to the community in which they live. The College cherishes a strong sense of community amongst the students, parents and staff. This does much to foster a safe and caring environment where the
students are able to grow in their education, and their understanding of themselves and the world around them. The College promotes ‘open entry’, encouraging students of all abilities. This philosophy continues into VCE and VCAL where the mainstream curriculum is augmented by extension programmes for the gifted and additional support for those with difficulties. The College enjoys excellent facilities with specialist classrooms, learning technologies, performance and sporting venues. The beautiful 15 ha property includes the playing fields used in the Associated Grammar Schools’ of Victoria competition and by the various Old
Collegians’ Sporting Clubs. At Marcellin, our commitment to providing boys with the best possible education is supported by our school philosophy, pastoral care and academic programmes, breadth of the curriculum, cocurricular offerings and facilities.
The simple formula for success at Marcellin. Students are encouraged to embrace the opportunities that are presented with a spirit of adventure and a determination to strive for the highest. We expect a commitment to personal excellence and the courage to grow.
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160 Bulleen Road BULLEEN Phone 9851 1589 Facsimile: 9851 1555
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www.marcellin.vic.edu.au
Catholic Primary Schools
Students say ...
Celebrating 2009 “In the footsteps of St Paul”
Holy Trinity Primary School St Peter Julian Eymard Reay Road MOOROOLBARK PH 9725 0595
Part of St Judes Parish Scoresby since 1985
10 Riddell Road WANTIRNA SOUTH PH 9801 8296
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Primary School Ringwood Wilana Street RINGWOOD PH 9870 7227
“Aquinas College is an awesome school you should totally come visit!”
Frankston
Dandenong
Cranbourne
Berwick
Rosebud
Bass Coast
www.chisholm.edu.au 1300 CHISHOLM 2 4 4 7 4 6 5 6
Q352264F
For a Course Guide, email your name and address to enquiries@chisholm.edu.au
We’re closer than you think Eastlink has made Whitefriars College even easier to get to than before. At Whitefriars College, we believe a boy’s journey through secondary education should be a positive and rewarding experience. We strive to build a community which supports each student to do and be their best. A strong feeling of belonging is cultivated. Students grow to believe in themselves, others and God. On graduation, our young men take pride in having become responsible, generous and capable citizens, ready to pursue success in all aspects of their lives. For more information about your son’s place at Whitefriars College telephone (03) 9872 8213 or visit our website at www.whitefriars.vic.edu.au
For more information regarding Open Days or to make a booking for one of our regular tours please phone the College. Reception: (03) 9259 3000 www.aquinas.vic.edu.au
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THE SKILLS PEOPLE
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Open Evening: 12th February 2009 Open Day: 11th October 2009
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DIRECTORY
DUX BERWICK GRAMMAR SCHOOL
ST MARGARET’S SCHOOL
CONTACT Mrs Susanne Tozer, Registrar Opening 2009, Tivendale Rd, Officer Vic 3809 PH 9703 8111 FAX 9703 8121 EMAIL info@stmargarets.vic.edu.au WEB bgs.stmargarets.vic.edu.au Opening 2009 Yrs 5-7 (Yr 12 by 2014) Boys only
CONTACT Mrs Susanne Tozer, Registrar 27-47 Gloucester Ave, Berwick, Vic 3806 PH 9703 8111 FAX 9703 8121 EMAIL info@stmargarets.vic.edu.au WEB www.stmargarets.vic.edu.au Non-denominational, Pre-Prep to Yr 6 Co-Ed, Yr 7-12 Girls 32QUVQ334635F/BR/9
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Canterbury Girls’ Secondary College Congratulations to the class of 2008 The highest performing (non-select entry) State school in 2008 40% of students achieved ENTER scores above 90 placing them in the top 10% of students across the State. Canterbury Girls’ Secondary College Focussing on academic excellence for girls The only accredited De Bono school in Australia with a focus on creative thinking to support our students into the 21st century
32QUVQ368798F/LC/9
Tours and enrolment information: Contact Peter Hillman on 9830 5099 www.cgsc.vic.edu.au
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Has relocated to a new purposely built facility
– 27 Medway Street, Box Hill – We offer quality care from 2 months to 6 years old. Fully Government Accredited 3 and 4 year old kinder programs
Mon-Fri, 6:30am-6:30pm
Phone: 9898 6974 146
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– TAKING ENROLMENTS NOW –
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E
N TO TOU O 14 L H P 38 O 5 HO 0 88 SC A N I O J
R
The Knox School PRE PREP TO YEAR 12
big decision...
small school...
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Smart choice! Discover the amazing programs and facilities we can provide for your child at The Knox School.
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•
A commitment to small class sizes meaning greater student - teacher interaction
•
Specialist teachers in language, arts, drama, music, sport and information technology
•
A new Year 8/9 centre for adolescent Health & Wellbeing
•
A unique Multimedia Studio where students can create audio and visual recordings
•
Free Music tuition from Year 3 to Year 7
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Compulsory camps and excursions at no additional cost
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Enrichment and support programs
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Free after school homework club
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An extensive Outdoor Education program, equestrian and ski teams
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Co-curricular activities including the Tournament of Minds, Rock Eisteddfod and J-Rock
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A strong sense of community - 800 students across the entire school, located on one campus (Pre Prep to Year 12)
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8 hectares of spacious grounds and excellent facilities
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Only 500 metres from the EastLink interchange
A co-educational, independent school with a global perspective The Knox School, 220 Burwood Highway, Wantirna South, 3152 Phone 8805 3800 | registrar@knox.vic.edu.au | www.knox.vic.edu.au
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DUX MAGAZINE 2009