St Catherine's Global Exchange Program

PURSUE YOUR PASSION EXCHANGE YEAR 9 1

FROM THE PRINCIPAL I am delighted to introduce the St Catherine’s Global Exchange Program. This program provides a breadth of experiences for our Year 9 students through outstanding opportunities with with our partner schools around Australia and in the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States of America.

At the heart of our engaged, dynamic and inclusive community, St Catherine’s School nurtures young women to be bold and creative, independent and resilient, and who are intellectually and spiritually prepared to contribute to a greater good and an enriching life both within and beyond school. The Global Exchange Program ensures a commitment to our School Charter through the “empowerment of independent and globally responsive young women”.

Our Year 9 Global Exchange Program is designed to offer an extensive range of in-country experiences from opportunities to study in regional or city schools with our partner schools around Australia and in three different countries, a variation in the length of time participating in the Exchange and a focused appeal to specific areas of academic and co-curricular interests of our Year 9 students.

PARTNER SCHOOLS The programs are designed as a reciprocal arrangement, whereby St Catherine’s families host a student in addition to their daughter living in the family home of their Exchange Partner; some opportunities include residing in the Boarding House of our partner schools. The Culford School in the UK is currently only a one-way program for St Catherine’s students, with no hosting responsibilities in Australia.

I encourage you to read through the following information including experiences from former students who have enjoyed their Exchange Program in previous years.

I look forward to supporting the future endeavours of St Catherine’s students with our partner schools around Australia and in gaining an educational experience abroad.

Yours sincerely,

United Kingdom • St Catherine’s School, Bramley • St George’s School, Ascot • The Royal High School, Bath Vancouver Island

Canada CANADA

• Shawnigan Lake School, Vancouver Island

United States of America UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

• Buffalo Seminary, New York State

Buffalo

Australia

New York Delaware

• • • •

Pymble Ladies’ College, Sydney, NSW Ascham School, Sydney, NSW St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School, Brisbane, QLD NEGS, Armidale, NSW

Mrs Michelle Carroll MEd, BEd, GradDipHlth, MACEL, AFAIM PRINCIPAL

Pursue Your Passion Each of our partner schools provide a unique opportunity.

Brisbane Sydney

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YOUR PASSION

SCHOOL

Rowing

St Margaret’s

Equestrian

NEGS

Dalton Plan (Academic)

Ascham

Multiple Disciplines

Pymble

UNITED KINGDOM

WALES Bath

Ascot

London

Bramley

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OVERVIEW

EXCHANGE FRAMEWORK

The co-curricular programs at St Catherine’s School provide opportunities for students to personalise their learning journey through self-selecting opportunities within our exciting cocurricular program. Engaging in such experiences aim to enhance the development of the whole child by complementing skills learned in the classroom and nurturing lifelong learners.

Through the co-curricular opportunities at St Catherine’s School from the Early Learning Centre to Year 12, we have prioritised six essential skills underpinning our programs: Resilience, Persistence and Responsibility

Cultural Learning and Global Citizenship

Leadership, Confidence and Aspiration

The St Catherine’s Global Exchange Program aims to: 1. Support the School’s Strategy – Towards 2025 by enriching the learning experiences of our students and to encourage the development of resilience, a positive outlook and a sense of responsibility. The Global Exchange Program assists the development of confident, capable and compassionate young women who will contribute effectively to our global network and community.

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2. Facilitate students’ knowledge and learning from a global perspective and to promote open-mindedness, leading to new thinking and the desire to effect change as a global citizen.

3. Support the School’s goal of academic achievement through a personalised learning approach which provides opportunities for students to participate in educational environments that require self-paced and independent learning, facilitated by the integration of technology as a tool for learning and communication as students access online learning materials to enable their study abroad.

4. Offer a range of academic and cultural opportunities to enable learning within a broader global perspective.

The Exchange experience encourages girls to adapt to new learning environments, thus promoting personal growth and qualities for becoming ambassadors for their family, school and country.

Outbound Exchange

Semester 1

Semester 2

Pymble Ladies’ College 4-8 weeks

Ascham School 2-4 weeks St Margaret’s School 8-10 weeks NEGS 2-4 weeks

Inbound Host

Ascham School 4-6 weeks

Pymble Ladies’ College 4-8 weeks

St Margaret’s School 8-10 weeks NEGS 2-4 weeks

5. Encourage a real-world understanding of the School’s values: Empathy, Integrity, Curiosity and Perseverance by promoting an inquiring mind and an appreciation of, and respect for, social, cultural and diversity of our global network.

6. The opportunity for our students to chose their own adventure, by experiencing the unique offerings at each of the Year 9 Exchange Schools, within Australian and overseas.

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AUSTRALIA Ascham School, NSW

Pymble Ladies’ College, NSW

www.ascham.nsw.edu.au

www.pymblelc.nsw.edu.au

Ascham is a Prep – Year 12 girls’ School located in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, close to the harbour, city and beaches.

It is known for outstanding academic results as well as providing an inclusive, warm, inspiring environment for day and boarding students. This environment enables girls to become an independent learner and develop into self-reliant, confident, compassionate young women with a sense of purpose in the world.

Pymble Ladies’ College is a day and boarding school for girls, established in 1916 and is situated on 20 hectares of beautiful park-like grounds on Sydney’s upper North Shore, The College offers a world-class learning environment that provides opportunities for excellence in academic studies, sports and the arts.

The development of an Ascham girls’ education is shaped by the Dalton Plan, students undertake a rigorous course of academic study with the guidance of her teachers.

This is an independent style of learning and would suit the acedemic girl who thrives through independent learning.

Students participating in this exchange will also experience opportunities to be involved in our wide range of co-curricular activities, including a broad choice of Sports, Music, Drama, Debating and more.

Choose your own adventure focus: Dalton Plan and co-curricular experiences Semester 1: Ascham students attend St Catherine’s School (4 weeks) Semester 2: St Catherine’s students attend Ascham School (4 weeks)

The school also affers a comprehensive curriculum with outstanding facilities and a nurturing pastoral care program that recognises and develops each girl’s unique strengths and qualities. Strong values of care, courage, integrity, respect and responsibility are instilled in the girls.

Involvement in the exchange program will assist the girls to embrace these core values, develop positive relationships, new friendships, confidence and independence.

Pymble Ladies’ College is a very large school with over 1,100 students. this exchange will suit a girl with a wide breadth of interests, including Performing Arts, Science and Robotics.

It is anticipated that 2-4 students will be involved in the program.

Choose your own adventure focus: Large Independent all girls school and co-curricular offerings Semester 1: St Catherine’s School, attend Pymble Ladies’ College (4-8 weeks) Semester 2: Pymble Ladies’ College students to attend St Catherine’s School (4-8 weeks)

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AUSTRALIA St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School, QLD www.stmargarets.qld.edu.au St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School, is situated high on a hill in beautiful leafy Ascot, in Brisbane northern suburbs.

It is an independent day and boarding school for girls from Pre-Prep to Year 12.

St Margaret’s is well known for its focus on academic excellence, quality learning and teaching, and its commitment to pastoral care. Its smaller size is its greatest strength, with a true focus on each individual child and personalised learning.

St Margaret’s girls are engaged, enthusiastic and energetic in all they do. They embrace the many co-curricular opportunities available, which make for very vibrant sporting, music and performing and visual arts programs. Additional clubs and activities also allow girls to explore a range of interests. Our students will be able to embrace these opportunities also, while strengthening their own skill set and gaining the benefits of learning in a new environment.

An exchange with St Margaret’s would suit students interested in experiencing a Rowing season in Term 3 as well as other co-curricular programs.

Choose your own adventure focus: An opportunity to participate in the St Margaret’s Rowing Programs and other co-curricular activities Year 9 Semester 2: St Catherine’s students travel to St Margaret’s (6-8 weeks)

NEGS, NSW www.negs.nsw.edu.au The NEGS School is known for a well-rounded education, where students learn with optimal student to teacher ratios, are aided in their learning through exceptional facilities, are encouraged to undertake wellbeing and co-curricular programs. Students are provided with an abundance of opportunities to grow and create positive change. NEGS is situated in a rural setting, with excellent facilities.

An exchange to NEGS would suit students who are interested in Equestrian experiences, as well as other co-curricular programs. The NEGS Equestrian Centre offers elite coaches, programs and training facilities to equestrian students around Australia. Coupled with its Academic prowess NEGS is the only boarding School of its kind where both students and their horses have access to outstanding programs in a number of equestrian disciplines. Not only focusing on competition riding and horse management, the NEGS Equestrian Centre facilitates an environment where students learn the highest standard of etiquette and conduct desirable to become well rounded horsewomen who can excel as future employees in all fields of the Equestrian Industry.

Chose your own adventure focus: Equestrian experience Semester 1: NEGS students travel to St Catherine’s (2-4 weeks) Semester 2: St Catherine’s students travel to NEGS (2-4 weeks)

Year 10 Semester 1: St Margaret’s students travel to St Catherine’s School (6-8 weeks)

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The United Kingdom Exchange was a fantastic opportunity that pushed me outside of my comfort zone. We spent the first three months showing our exchange sisters around Melbourne and teaching them the Australian culture. My favourite part was making extremely close connections with the girls from St Catherine’s School, Bramley.

UNITED KINGDOM

ALLEGRA DENNISON (YEAR 9) 2018 | ST CATHERINE’S SCHOOL, BRAMLEY

St Catherine’s School, Bramley www.stcatherines.info St Catherine’s School, Bramley is a day and boarding school for 720 pupils with a long and proud history. St Catherine’s School, Toorak and St Catherine’s School, Bramley have been successful partner Exchange Schools since 2008. Old Girls from Toorak and Bramley remain cherished friends across the globe and look forward to regular opportunities to catch up and even travel together as young women.

This Exchange Program is most suitable for students who are seeking a 12 week Exchange Program abroad. Students will need to demonstrate their ability to independently manage their academic work in conjunction with participation in the St Catherine’s School, Toorak – Rowing Program. Students from St Catherine’s School, Bramley will participate in the Rowing Program in Term 1.

The academic term at St Catherine’s School, Bramley concludes in late June, reducing the opportunities for further travel after the school term finishes. It is anticipated that between three and four students from each school will be involved in this Exchange.

Choose your own experience: This program would suit a student interested in continuing their Rowing experience and/or other co-curricular activities.

Term 1: St Catherine’s School, Bramley students attend St Catherine’s School, Toorak (12 weeks).

Term 2: St Catherine’s School, Toorak students attend St Catherine’s School, Bramley (12 weeks).

Participating in the United Kingdom Exchange Program is by far the best thing I have ever done and I feel extremely privileged and grateful to have been a part of it. I loved hosting an exchange sister here in Australia and then being able to return to her home and experience her way of life including attending her school and making new friendships which I have maintained and will continue to do so.

ZARA SEYFORT (YEAR 9) 2014 ST CATHERINE’S SCHOOL, BRAMLEY

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Going on the exchange has provided me with so many different relationships all over the world and many useful skills. My favourite thing about the Exchange Program is that I really felt part of the family I stayed with and experienced what life is like living with a different family. Overall, the exchange has been one of my best experiences ever and I would definitely recommend it to other St Catherine’s girls.

UNITED KINGDOM The Royal High School, Bath

St George’s School, Ascot

www.royalhighbath.gdst.net

www.stgeorges-ascot.org.uk

The Royal High School, Bath is a leading day and boarding school for girls aged 3-18 years. The Royal High School is a high-achieving day and boarding school with a positive ethos; life-long friendships are formed and learning is fun.

The School is renowned for first-rate teaching in the classroom as evidenced by their examination results and valued-added data, but ultimately, the girls are encouraged and supported to think for themselves, solve problems and be prepared to have the confidence to take risks and learn through their mistakes.

St George’s School, Ascot is a select entry thriving day and boarding school for girls aged 11-18 years. St Catherine’s School commenced the Exchange Program with St George’s School in 2013 and has flourished every year since this commencement. The School boasts a proud history with the Royal family and remains a sister school to Eton College.

The Royal High School, Bath is a new and exciting addition to the Year 9 Global Exchange Program in 2020. The City of Bath became a World Heritage Site in 1987 and provides a superb backdrop for this extraordinary Exchange experience.

This Exchange Program would be suitable for a student seeking a six week program and has a love of literature, history and music. Visiting Jane Austen’s House will be a highlight of their time in Bath. It is anticipated two students from each school will participate in this program and also likely The Royal High School student will participate in the Term 3 Heyington to Highlands Program in Fiji.

Term 1: St Catherine’s School students attend The Royal High School, Bath (6 weeks).

Term 3: The Royal High School, Bath students attend St Catherine’s School (6 weeks).

PIA ZAYONTZ (YEAR 9) 2019 | ST GEORGE’S SCHOOL, ASCOT

This Exchange Program is expanding with an opportunity to travel and host extending across Terms 1 and 2. This Exchange is suitable for students who are seeking a six-week program and who enjoy participating in a variety of co-curricular activities.

In Term 1, St George’s students visiting St Catherine’s will participate in the Rowing Program, however, this is not a requirement for the St George’s students visiting in Term 2.

Student Exchange Program One: Exchange Program One is suitable for students who are participating in the Rowing Program. We anticipate two students from each school being involved in this Exchange.

Term 1: St George’s School, Ascot students attend St Catherine’s School (6-8 weeks).

Term 2: St Catherine’s School students attend St George’s, Ascot (6-8 weeks).

Student Exchange Program Two: Exchange Program Two is not suitable for students who are participating in the Rowing Program. We anticipate two students from each school being involved in this Exchange.

Term 1: St Catherine’s School students attend St George’s, Ascot (6 weeks).

Term 2: St George’s School, Ascot students attend St Catherine’s School (6 weeks).

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CANADA

My time at Shawnigan Lake School was the simply best eight weeks I could imagine.

I made so many new friends from all over the world. Boarding was a great experience, with the constant entertainment and amusement from all the girls in the house.

ZARA BONGIORNO (YEAR 9) 2019 | SHAWNNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL

Shawnigan Lake School, Vancouver Island www.shawnigan.ca Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for Years 8 to 12, located on Canada’s West Coast, Vancouver Island. Shawnigan Lake School is predominantly a boarding school, with 90 percent of students boarding and more than 60 staff residing full time on a beautiful campus sprawling across 300 acres.

The Exchange Program with Shawnigan Lake School commenced in 2019 with two students from each school enjoying their Rowing experiences abroad. St Catherine’s students enjoyed the opportunity to represent Shawnigan Lake School and compete in the National Rowing titles in Canada. Ideally, this is a Rowing Exchange for St Catherine’s School students with the Program requiring students to travel to Canada in Term 2, and hosting students from Canada in Term 1 in the same calendar year. St Catherine’s students will reside in the boarding house whilst in Canada. A commitment to weekend and evening activities with other students is a highlight of the program. The School also boasts extensive programs in the Arts, Music and Performing Arts, in addition to wide range of Clubs.

Term 1: Year 10 Shawnigan Lake School students attend St Catherine’s School (8-9 weeks).

Term 2: Year 9 St Catherine’s School students attend Shawnigan Lake School (8-9 weeks).

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Reflections from St Catherine’s School Parents

Buffalo Seminary, New York

Exchange Life for our Family

www.buffaloseminary.org Buffalo Seminary is a private college preparatory day and boarding school for girls in Buffalo, New York, United States.

Founded in 1851, Buffalo Seminary is located in the historic Elmwood Village neighbourhood of Buffalo, New York and is registered on the National Register of Historic Places. The five student and faculty residences are renovated historic homes adjacent to the school building. The student cohort comes from a range of international backgrounds yet are all united in their ambition for a superb and challenging education.

Buffalo Seminary is a new addition to the Global Exchange Program. This Exchange Program is suitable for a student seeking only a short time abroad with a four week Exchange providing enough time to settle and for friendships to flourish whilst immersed in life at Buffalo Seminary. It is anticipated that two students from each School will participate in this Exchange Program with an opportunity to experience life at a co-educational day and boarding school.

Term 4: Students from St Catherine’s School will attend Buffalo Seminary school (4 weeks).

Term 1: Students from Buffalo Seminary students will attend St Catherine’s School as a Year 10 student, in the following calendar year (4 weeks).

Our family has had several exchange students over the last few years, including from the United Kingdom, France and Japan. Each one has been an opportunity to share our lives and community with a student from somewhere else, as well as learn from them about their culture and language. Our family life can be hectic at times, but part of the fun for the exchange student is fitting into a regular family and all its craziness.

One of the best parts of hosting an exchange student is being a tourist in your own country. A highlight for us has been the joy the girls experience in things we sometimes take for granted, like getting close to dolphins in the sea, holding a koala or feeding a

kangaroo at Healesville Sanctuary, and walking along a sandy beach. We have also climbed Sydney Harbour Bridge more times than we otherwise might and gotten soaked on a jet boat on the Sydney Harbour which I definitely would not have done if not for having an exchange student!

As a family, we have gained so much from these experiences, including having new expressions in our lexicon that make us laugh and reminisce about the girls I call “my other daughters”. Our girls remain in touch with our exchange students and, I imagine, will for life.

FIONA MENZIES (PAST PARENT)

Friendships and Experiences Last year, our daughter Sara was fortunate enough to be part of an exchange program with St Catherine’s School, Bramley, and this year our other daughter Pia was involved in the St George’s School, Ascot program. We truly enjoyed hosting the United Kingdom girls, and they quickly became part of our family. Their time in Australia was filled with exploring Victoria as well as many Rowing regattas, and the girls quickly became good friends through shared experiences. Sara and Pia delighted in showing their exchanges all they cherish in Melbourne. Their time in the United Kingdom was more challenging in many ways but so novel and exciting. They had opportunities for travel around the United Kingdom and Europe and they relished in making many new friends in the nurturing warm environments that both schools and families offered.

Having observed both year level groups of exchanges, it has been apparent that each girl’s experiences and challenges vary considerably due to personalities and family dynamics.

Sara and Pia both matured throughout their time and took on each situation with growing confidence, independence and self-understanding. They have increased empathy and worldly wisdom through their experience, as well as now having life long friends in United Kingdom.

Our whole family valued meeting the other families and appreciated entertaining and making the girls feel comfortable in our home. It was also a wonderful reason for us to re-visit our favourite parts of Victoria. The inevitable challenges along the way are what made our girls and our family bonds stronger. Sharing one’s home with a stranger who becomes like a sister or daughter is a wonderful experience.

ANNA AND SHAY ZAYONTZ 16

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How does a Reciprocal Exchange Work?

The Exchange Program is designed as a reciprocal program and requires students from each school to be housed with their exchange sister. For our St Catherine’s day students, this involves the visiting exchange student living in your family home; for our boarders, this involves the exchange student living in our Boarding House, Illawarra. It is expected St Catherine’s School students live with their Exchange student, either as a day student or boarder.

Travel With the expansion of the program in 2020, students may be required to travel to or from their Exchange School unaccompanied. In some instances, a staff member from St Catherine’s School may be available to accompany the girls to their destination; if this is not possible, a member of staff may visit students whilst on their Exchange Program at a time that is mutually suitable for each School and the relevant staff members. Where students travel unaccompanied, we will endeavour to utilise airline services such as “unaccompanied minor” or “meet and greet” to ensure a smooth transition through flight connections.

Student Curriculum Whilst participating in the Exchange Program abroad, students are encouraged to continue communication with their St Catherine’s teachers and complete work in key subjects as required. For most subjects, it is possible for students to be absent for some of the curriculum and receive an NA (Not Assessed) for the Semester Grade.

Mathematics and Science curriculum, however, is delivered to students via the St Catherine’s School Portal and assessment tasks are sent to the Partner School for completion by the students when appropriate. These subjects, being cumulative, require students to continue learning during their time abroad to avoid gaps in their content knowledge.

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Reporting

Risk Management

For assessment tasks where students are absent, an NA will be marked alongside the relevant task and a comment reflecting the student’s absence. With assessment and reporting online, students and parents are easily able to track their progress.

During the Exchange Program, the Partner School takes responsibility for all students in their care. To facilitate appropriate risk management, the following details are exchanged between schools:

Costs to Parents Each parent is required to pay for return flights to the country of destination and in some cases an additional levy to contribute to the costs of St Catherine’s staff attending. The School Partnership agreements allow for academic tuition at no charge (unless stated otherwise) and include providing access to school uniform, computer (if required) and text books. Similarly host families provide accommodation and meals as well as any other day-to-day expenses such as transport. Host families have traditionally also provided holiday opportunities with their Exchange student on weekends and during holiday periods. Students are required to take some spending money for their personal expenses. St Catherine’s School fees are to be paid, as per requirements of the ‘Business Practices’ document.

Selection Process Deciding to participate in the Exchange Program is a significant decision. Our students are encouraged to discuss the Exchange Program opportunities with their parents. As well as the extended period away from home and staying with another family and school, there is also the requirement to host an exchange student in Melbourne for the duration of the exchange, in most cases. This involves providing accommodation but also ensuring that they have an interesting and engaging experience in Australia. At times there are challenges, and it is important that the student and their parents are ready to manage the difficulties, as well as the delights of being a host and experiencing an exchange.

• Names, address and contact details of students’ parents • Medical information – specifically, medical history and any known allergies or medical conditions • Written ‘Informed Consent’ from parents for activities and events that are expected to occur on the exchange.

In the event that a student has a medical condition, allergy or medical history that requires additional care or protocols (such as Anaphylaxis) then appropriate documentation and management protocols are requested.

During the Exchange Program, the Partner School takes responsibility for day-to-day management of the student.

In the event of a medical or social issue arising, necessary communication will be facilitated through the Teacher-inCharge of the Exchange Program. It is important that the school staff are informed of any issues.

Communication Between Students and their Family Exchange students and their families are encouraged to communicate when appropriate. Whilst the internet can facilitate regular communication via email, Facebook and Skype, it is important that communication is regulated so that the nature of the exchange experience is not compromised, for example interrupting sleep patterns. Being away from home is a challenging experience and perseverance is necessary. If communication is too frequent, particularly during stressful times, it can hamper the development of self-confidence and reduce the ability to make the most from the Exchange Program.

Return to School The return to school following an Exchange Program can sometimes be a challenging experience as girls resettle into the cohort and academic programs. Our Head of Year 9 and the School Counsellor will assist the girls with re-entry to St Catherine’s by providing some strategies to transition smoothly.

Members of the Australian hosting family, 18 years and over, must have a current Working With Children Check (WWCC).

Each country has a different equivalent to the WWCC and members of the exchange family are required to have completed the equivalent documentation.

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St Catherine’s School 17 Heyington Place Toorak VIC 3142 Australia T: +61 3 9822 1285 F: +61 3 9822 7595 www.stcatherines.net.au ABN: 90 004 251 816 CRICOS: 00574F