News Issue 61 September 2018
Featuring from the ceo • asc INTERNATIONAL • TRINITY ANGLICAN COLLEGE • ESPERANCE ANGLICAN COMMUNITY SCHOOL • PRACTISING CHARITY • SERVICE LEARNING • DRAMA AND DANCE • asc SCHOOLS’ WEEK • CALENDAR • anglican identity
From the Chief Executive Officer THE REVEREND PETER LAURENCE OAM
Principals’ Commissionings
ASC Schools’ Week
Once every two years, students from across our 14 schools come together in Perth for ASC Schools’ Week. If I am to use one word to sum up the week, it is CELEBRATION. It is a celebration that involves hundreds of students and dozens of staff for many months as they rehearse for both the Eucharist in St George’s Cathedral and the Combined Schools’ Concert in the Perth Concert Hall. As pictures paint a thousand words, I will be brief here and let some photos of the week tell the story in the pages that follow. However, I would like to thank the two Artists in Residence and Guest Conductors – Mr Stephen Williams and Mr Trevor Jones as well as each of our Heads of Music who worked with Mr Philip Goldsworthy, the ASC’s Director Mission and Planning, in preparing for Schools’ Week. Thank you also to The Reverend Dave Deeney and The Reverend Cheryl Absalom who prepared the Eucharist and Mr Michael Newton, Music Coordinator at St George’s Anglican Grammar School, who oversaw all concert arrangements.
Contents From the CEO
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Feature Schools
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Feature Theme
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Schools’ Week Highlights
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ASCI Language School
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Curriculum: Dance and Drama
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Calendar 19 Anglican Identity COVER: Schools’ Week Eucharist
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As mentioned in the last edition of ASC News, this term we welcomed three new Principals to our schools – Gary Racey to St George’s Anglican Grammar School, Ben Lomas to Peter Moyes Anglican Community School and Steven Davies (above) to St Mark’s Anglican Community School. Both Gary and Steven have now been commissioned by Archbishop Kay and Bishop Jeremy respectively. The liturgy we use for a Principal’s Commissioning reminds us that the office is one of service rather than right. It is a privileged role, it is a privilege to be called and chosen to the office to serve the school community. Amidst the chaos of recent Canberra politics, those of us who lead are well reminded that the only legitimate basis for leadership is the service of humanity.
Vale The Reverend Doug Murray The ASC gives thanks for the life and ministry of The Reverend Doug Murray OAM PSM, who passed away on Saturday, 14 August. As well as serving for many years in the 1960s, 70s and 80s as Principal of Esperance Senior High School, Fr Doug served the Anglican parish of Esperance with distinction. We will remember him as the person who argued passionately for the ASC to establish Esperance Anglican Community School, which opened in 2008. The central gathering area in the first and main school building is named in his honour – Doug Murray Place. A faithful servant of God and the community of Esperance. Rest in Peace.
Samoan Service Learning Partnership
Service learning lies at the heart of learning to serve. In an Anglican school, service lies at the heart of our mission and purpose. Recently, I accompanied 20 Principals, Chaplains and Service Learning Co-ordinators from our schools to Samoa, to explore a partnership with the local Anglican school and parish. From that visit, all parties agreed on the merits of working cooperatively to enable students and staff from our schools and theirs to share opportunities for friendship, learning and living. I have appointed the Chaplain of Cathedral College Wangaratta, The Reverend David Jones, as the ASC’s Service Learning Co-ordinator. He writes of the Samoan experience: We travelled to All Saints’ Anglican School in Apia, where we were met with great enthusiasm by the students. This was followed by a formal welcome to Samoa and the school with a worship service, singing, dancing and some speeches under a marquee in the school grounds. We then visited the children in their classrooms and met with the teachers over lunch. The proposal is that the ASC enter into a partnership with All Saints’ Anglican School and the Anglican parish in Samoa to facilitate service learning with students from our schools, and there are many possibilities. What makes this partnership unique is that there is only one Anglican school and parish in Samoa.
as our involvement with the students and staff at All Saints’ Anglican School and the parish, we investigated the many other features that Samoa has to offer our students in such areas as culture, history, geography, geology, marine biology, environmental studies, and climate change. On the Saturday morning we attended a Eucharist at All Saints’ Church with the staff from the School and afterwards we shared lunch in the old vicarage which they are working towards renovating. That afternoon, we met with Archbishop Winston Halapua, the Archbishop of Polynesia, who has episcopal oversight for Anglicans in Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and the Cook Islands, within the Anglican Church in Aotearoa (New Zealand). Archbishop Winston is retiring soon and we were very fortunate to meet with him on his farewell visit to Samoa. All delegates came away from the visit feeling very positive about the benefits future visits could hold for our students; there is a great deal of energy behind this proposed partnership with All Saints’ Anglican School. It is hoped that the first service learning trip will take place in June/July next year. The opportunities in this partnership for our students and teachers are immeasurable. We look forward to growing our friendship with the people of Samoa.
The following days were spent investigating and gathering information of an educational nature for future visits. As well
ASC NEWS September 2018
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ASC Schools Support Anglicare Sleepout
New Chapel on its Way at PMACS
Whilst it was the worst of a Perth winter’s evening (cold, wet and windy), students from across our schools spent an evening ‘sleeping out’ at Optus Stadium as part of their fundraising for and learning about Anglicare’s mission to the homeless people of our city. One of the students who ‘slept out’, Dakota Franz, Year 11 at Peter Carnley Anglican Community School, writes of the experience: I chose to be a part of the Anglicare WA Sleep Out as not only was it a fundraising event but also an amazing opportunity to participate in a simulation to produce the many emotions hundreds of young Western Australians endure every day and night. Through the activities, I gained some perspective on the life of a homeless person and the challenges they face on the street. One of the activities we took part in was the Scavenger Hunt for Life and this really was an eyeopener as the actors treated us in the way that the homeless would be treated. It made me feel hopeless, as though I had no one to look out for me and assist me in my hardship ... I encourage other students to take part in such a wonderful and life-changing experience The Anglicare Sleepout raised over $80,000. Whilst the funds will be most helpful in supporting the work of Anglicare WA’s Street Connect program, the experience for many of our students will have life-time learnings.
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The Archbishop has been busy in our schools since the beginning of the year. As well as commissioning new Principals, she has also blessed the ground on which a new Chapel will be built. We gathered at Peter Moyes Anglican Community School in Mindarie on a perfect winter’s day to call upon God’s blessing of the site, those who would build the Chapel and those who will worship in it in the years to come. The worship of God is something that can bring together the whole school community. In many ways, worship is the defining mark of what it means to be an Anglican school, where we demonstrate who we are and why we are such a school. A dedicated Chapel serves to remind us, each and every day, that Anglican schools are quintessentially Christian, places which rejoice in a loving God who cares for all people, no matter what our circumstances might be. As the PMACS Chapel rises from the ground, we look to the day when hundreds of students each week will share the sacred space in worship, learning, prayer and praise.
Discussing Faith, Spirituality and Religion
2018 Youth Synod A Student Perspective
A subject of interest to me is Australian people’s attitudes to faith and the implications of this for our schools. Research published earlier this year confirmed that Australians want the values that underpin our Christian faith taught to students in schools. Mc Crindle Research’s detailed 2017 study Faith and Belief in Australia found that more than half of all Australians (55%) talk about spirituality or religion when they gather with friends. Does that statistic surprise you? It does me. A general perception is that Australians don’t discuss religion or their faith position with others, and that it is a personal and private matter, unless you are ‘super religious’ or an evangelist! This is simply not so. The study found that Generation Z (the 7 to 22 year olds … or ‘school-aged’ young people) is the most comfortable of all generations (Z, Y, X, Baby Boomers and Builders) talking about matters spiritual or religious. Some 65% or two in three Gen Zs often talk about these things. Compare this with my Baby Boomer generation where under half of us are willing, even occasionally, to discuss such potentially explosive topics! Indeed, 51% of the Baby Boomer generation claim never to talk about religion or spirituality with friends. We are told that, when matters spiritual or religious are discussed in Gen Z’s friendship circles, the seven most likely topics are Christianity, spirituality, the Church, Jesus, Islam, atheism and Buddhism.
This year, the Anglican Children and Youth Ministry team (ACYM) organised the first WA Youth Synod in 16 years. It was held at Christ Church Grammar School and offered delegates the opportunity to be involved in the future growth of the Anglican Church. We, Caitlin Whittle and Megan Ledward, attended as representatives of Swan Valley Anglican Community School and, despite not knowing most of the people there, we were quickly welcomed by fellow students from other Anglican schools, in particular John Septimus Roe Anglican Community School, Perth College and Guildford Grammar School.
What are the implications of this research for our schools? Surely, a key learning for those of us connected to Anglican schools is that these are the places where Generation Zs spend a majority of their waking hours in any given week. There will be no other time in their lives when our young people are more open to talking about faith matters than during their school days. That brings with it a tremendous opportunity for schools to encourage discussion around our Christian story and its relevance for life.
The main focus of the day was discussion on how to encourage youth back into the Church with special acknowledgment of the Indigenous, LGBTQI+ and migrant communities. After speeches from notable people in the Perth Diocese and during group activities, we shared our thoughts on how to create a more accepting and welcoming Church community. We had lengthy conversations about co-operation between churches, with particular reference to the partnership between the Perth Diocese and the Diocese of Eldoret, Kenya, and how Christianity is perceived and applied in different cultures.
Unsurprisingly, the study found that Australians are most prompted to think about spiritual or religious things through conversations with other people. For Gen Zs, after conversations, it is social media that is most influential on them. Social media is one of the main mediums of communication and conversation these days, especially for young people. We have all seen a group of teenagers sitting in a café on their smart phones, conversing with one another via the keypad and only occasionally looking up to talk in the traditional way!
A particularly interesting part of the day was learning about different interpretations of the Bible and discussing the Christian stereotypes perceived by many people outside the Church. We had many discussions about how to help people understand some difficult parts of Scripture, with an emphasis on ensuring that visitors were comfortable and accepted in the Church environment.
We have always known the power of the word. This study reminds us that there is no better time to share with others the faith and values that we know to be true than in their school days. This is another example of Anglican schools being at the forefront of the Church’s mission in our modern world.
The Reverend Peter Laurence OAM CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
There was an exchange of ideas at the end of the session to assess what our Church is currently doing, and what more could be done, to be relevant to young people.The most exciting ideas included events such as Bible studies, youth groups, discos, and through food and movie nights such as “Chips and Chat” sessions. As we all agreed, who doesn’t love food? Both Megan and I felt privileged and honoured to be part of an important event that aimed to encourage a contemporary view of the Christian culture and the breaking down of Christian stereotypes. Caitlin Whittle and Megan Ledward
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Feature School
Trinity Anglican College Providing a quality teacher in every class and encouraging students to be the best they can be goes beyond the four walls of the classroom at Trinity Anglican College. Trinity Anglican College has an outstanding reputation for providing its students with a solid grounding and extension in the four Rs. What, you may ask, is the fourth R riding on the tails of the very familiar three Rs of Writing, Reading and ‘Rithmatic? It’s Recreation. And if Writing, Reading and ‘Rithmatic make up the broader category of curriculum, then Recreation firmly fits into the co-curricular category. Together, they create a holistic offering that is both broader and more targeted than anything other local schools provide. At last count, the co-curricular program offered 71 activities across Kindergarten to Year 12 in roughly eight interest areas: Bands and Ensembles, Creative and Performing Arts, Environmental and Sustainability, Health and Wellbeing, Production, Service and Enrichment, Sport, and Technology. I say at last count, because the smorgasbord of activities changes with the seasons and terms – so, in summer, there might be triathlon on the menu but it’s replaced in winter by the environment group’s focus on crosscountry skiing.
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Trinity Principal, Mr Justin Beckett, is a big supporter of the cocurricular program. Providing a quality teacher in every class and encouraging our students to be the best they can be goes beyond the four walls of the classroom. Our co-curricular program plays to our students’ strengths and passions. Sometimes, a student who is not a natural leader in the classroom finds their niche as a leader on an environmental hike or tree planting. Our job is to engage students in any way we can so that all our students discover the joy of learning. Students forge friendships across the year levels and each activity becomes its own micro-community, offering a sense of belonging and achievement on a different level from their day-to-day academic group. Teachers, too, see students through different eyes. Sometimes it can be the key to unlocking potential that students keep well hidden in the classroom.
ABOVE: The performing arts is an area in which students from Trinity truly excel. Our production of High School Musical last year resulted in success in the Canberra Area Theatre Awards and the Georgy Awards for regional Victoria. This year’s Middle Years production of Seussical Jr has just bumped out of the Albury Entertainment Centre following three great shows which gained glowing reviews. LEFT: AFL girls’ football is just one of our co-curricular sport offerings, of which basketball and netball are the most popular in terms of participation. Our basketball club is the biggest in the league and involves nearly 200 students in 25 teams. Netball is not far behind with 100 players in 11 teams.
Like all good programs, the environmental focus in the Junior School is integrated across co-curricular and the curriculum. Upper Junior School leads our recycling, worm farms and veggie garden within the curriculum and, as part of the cocurricular program, it is involved in rubbish clean-ups, tree planting and building nestboxes for the population of gliders in the nearby greenbelt. The worm farms form a core part of the curriculum whereby students learn about managing the worms and harvesting the worm juice, along with preparing a marketing plan, designing labels and selling their worm juice at regular intervals throughout the year. Recycling has become a way of life at the College. Junior students collect the various categories of recycling bins to sort and manage each week. The co-curricular group performs rubbish clean-ups outside our College gates as well as in the broader community and directs the items to the appropriate recycling method. The group is currently working on building scarecrows from recycled items to enter in a competition in the region.
Protecting the environment extends into the Senior School with our Rural Fire Service cadet program attracting 26 students this year, more than double the number participating last year. All but four students are girls from Years 8-11. The program is designed to make young people aware of the RFS and emergency services; to expose them to the concept of volunteering as well as to educate them about fire behaviour and give them skills they can take into the community. On a much smaller scale, but nonetheless valuable, are our lunchtime structured activities, where students can play chess in a friendly, but still quite competitive, environment; and our Coffee Club, where students learn barista skills and run the coffee shop before school three mornings a week. If variety is the spice of life, then life at Trinity is definitely well seasoned, with something for everyone.
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Feature School
Esperance
Anglican COMMUNITY School EACS sees the Big Picture. Students develop their passion for learning by pursuing their interests through project-based learning guided by an advisory teacher and mentors from the local community. At a time when school enrolments are under pressure and understandable concerns about financial viability surface, it is important to remind ourselves of the significant advantages that ASC schools provide in the education of our children. This is especially so in a small school such as Esperance Anglican Community School (EACS). Ernst Schumacher wrote a book entitled Small is Beautiful: A Study of Economics as if People Mattered in which he wrote, ‘It is moreover obvious that men organised in small units will take better care of their bit of land or other natural resources…’. Applying such thinking to schools, research has repeatedly shown that small schools possess advantages that arise from Schumacher’s assertion of better care. Those of us involved in the community that is EACS know this intuitively and can point to many aspects of our School life which support the assertion.
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There is no doubt that a smaller school can provide a greater sense of social cohesion. Our recent parent satisfaction survey, which revealed levels of satisfaction well above national means in all respects, identified that students feel they belong in the School. We like to believe that the social bonds within the School community are strong and that it is a safe place in which to grow and develop. Indeed, the School is considered to be an inviting place in which students present themselves with pride. This sense of belonging is also true of staff members who meet regularly around a table to work collaboratively and share in decision-making in a flexible way. Parents and students see staff as helpful, caring and supportive, and able to be contacted easily. This sense of connectedness is a palpable and vital element in the success of what we are about. Of course, what we are about is educating young people in
mind, body and spirit, in a truly broad education which gives students the scope to not only develop their God-given talents in a way that honours these gifts, but also to identify hidden ones and give them a chance to flourish. Small schools tend to encourage participation in a broader range of activities simply because a wider cross-section of the population has to be involved to make activities viable. Overt selection and specialisation is avoided and students (and staff) who usually might not take part do participate in plays, concerts, art exhibitions, sport, community service and presentations. Unquestionably lives are enriched by a range of experiences that will last a life-time and certainly help fulfil the need to acquire so-called 21st century skills such as collaboration and teamwork, creativity and imagination, critical thinking and problem solving. Our parents see the range of opportunities provided by the School as one of its most significant attractions. So, too, are the quality of the teachers and the curriculum on offer which, for a
school in a remote location, is very heartening. Not only can we provide a curriculum which compares favourably with much bigger schools but we have also introduced the Big Picture Design because its philosophy of educating one child at a time fits so well with our philosophy. This Design allows students to pursue areas of individual interest through project-based learning guided by a dedicated advisory teacher. Mentors from the wider community also assist students through providing a weekly internship in an area related to their portfolio interest. The Design does not replace the traditional curriculum but, rather, develops learning in a more individualised manner, building on the interests and enthusiasms of the students. It really is a way of developing the passion for learning we cherish and preparing our young people for life. Schumacher spoke of the beauty inherent in small things. In the stunningly beautiful physical environment of Esperance, we believe that, in our own modest way, we are the genesis of something beautiful in the lives of our young people.
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Feature Theme
Practising Charity in the Primary School John Wollaston Anglican Community School A commitment to our community through service learning opportunities begins in the Primary School and continues throughout a student’s life at John Wollaston Anglican Community School. Primary students participate in a range of activities, including cooking for the Armadale soup kitchen and raising money through bake sales. Students are encouraged to find ways they can make a difference in the community, developing their own initiatives that the School can support. Year 5 student, Alison Gangwar, recently instigated a no bullying message on wrist bands to raise money for Anglicare. The JWACS – Care Forever – Bully Never wristbands were printed in three sizes and sold to staff, students and parents. One of the Year 6 classes chose to help the homeless through the Socks in the City appeal after viewing the Eye Contact Photographic Exhibition and learning more about the issues people face living on the streets. They inspired the School community to donate more than 1,700 pairs of socks and personally took them to Homeless Healthcare in Leederville for distribution through the Street Doctor mobile GP clinic. Supporting the homeless was the theme of this year’s Founders’ Day Service. Thanks were given for the community’s generosity in supporting the Socks in the City initiative and Anglicare WA’s Street Connect program.
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St James’ Anglican School At St James’ Anglican School we have one key focus area per term for charitable donations. The aim is that, as an Anglican school, we encourage our students to develop a sense of service and of thinking about others. To meet this goal, the four chosen charities are varied in who they support. Term 1 – we host a uniform-free day to support the Close the Gap campaign. The students are encouraged to wear either red, black or yellow in acknowledgement of Aboriginal colours. Term 2 – the students take part in the Jump Rope for heart activities. The funds raised support heart care research and for the students there are the health benefits and awareness of needing to look after your heart.
Term 3 – ‘Uthando Project’, a group of students create dolls that are then donated to African children who don’t have toys. This activity brings the community together as students, parents and grandparents all contribute to this worthwhile task. Term 4 – Christmas Shoebox Appeal. Individuals/families/small groups are encouraged to get together and fill a shoebox with gifts/essential items for people less fortunate than them.
Peter Carnley Anglican Community School The saying that ‘charity begins at home’ evokes the notion that habits of love and kindness are cultivated in every-day life. For the most part, charitable sentiments and habits are formed at home and nurtured at school. A loving home lays the foundation that enables family members to treat friends, team mates, neighbours, and even strangers, with kindness and compassion in ever widening circles. We asked Peter Carnley Anglican Community School students from Years 2, 4 and 6 why it is important to treat others fairly and why they feel it is important to be charitable in everyday life. Their responses show that charity begins at home for students at Peter Carnley Anglican Community School and can be as simple as a small gesture or act of kindness. I like to help kids in my class, especially if they have fallen over in the playground and hurt themselves. At home when my sister is sad when she misses mum, I play with her to make her feel better, we normally play magnets. I try to help my mum out by turning off the kettle and drying the dishes. Rafael Herft (Year 2) I am a bit of a class clown so I am always trying to make people laugh, if people feel down, I make funny stories up to cheer them up again. At home, both my parents work so I do everything I need to do in the morning and help out so my parents aren’t stressed. Hamish Sullivan (Year 4)
I spend time with my brother, and let him choose the games we play. When my little brother is annoying my mum and dad, I make him come under my bed and we watch YouTube videos, he loves it and my parents like I am entertaining him too. At school I try to always pay attention in class, but when I mess up, I try to stop, learn from my mistake and be responsible around other classmates. Edward Backhouse (Year 4) I think there are some kids who have low self esteem and are not able to reach their full potential. I try to be kind to anyone that is feeling low and try to be a friend to them. I think everyone deep down is a good person but needs to know the act of being kind to others really does spread. I attend dancing school and on Saturdays I like to help the younger kids. I feel I need to set an example for them, and as young kids, they mimic my behaviour and actions. At home, My Nan was very sick and this was very difficult for my Grandad, so my cousin and I really tried to help him and support him so he could catch up with work. Madison Hall (Year 6)
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Feature Theme
Service Learning in the Secondary School
Cathedral College Wangaratta 2018 has seen our students involved in service learning locally, nationally and globally. With community and care central to what we believe at Cathedral, service learning is an integral part of each student’s education. From Prep to Year 12, students take part in service, volunteer work and fund-raising activities and, as they progress through the College, they play a more active role in the selection and organisation of events for charities and causes that they themselves have chosen. This year our students have volunteered their time through community service programs with Anglicare, St John’s Village, Rangeview and the RSL, with our students and staff well represented at Anzac Day services across the North East. Closely linked with our formal Community Service program is our Social Enterprise program, where each student in Year 9 is involved in creating a business that gives back to their chosen
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charity. Students have embraced the chance to make an impact on the school community as they work their way through the collaborative, hands-on experience of creating a viable social enterprise. Students also have the chance to learn from, and work with, Social Enterprise initiatives such as The Big Issue and Thank You Water in Melbourne to further their understanding of the importance of service and selflessness. Over the summer holidays, students from the Middle and Senior Schools departed Melbourne for Kathmandu to spend three weeks trekking in the Himalayas as part of a Community Service Project. Visits to Thyangboche Monastery and Namche Bazaar were remarkable, but most memorable was the time our students spent at Puiyan Village. Involved in a community project at the local primary school where 35 students study in very basic conditions, our students helped improve the school conditions, as well as assisting children in the classroom. Cathedral students will continue to explore service learning experiences internationally with the exciting future of contributing to, and working with, the students and community of All Saints Anglican School in Samoa.
Swan Valley Anglican Community School Compassion and service are significant core values at Swan Valley Anglican Community School (SVACS). We aspire to put faith into action and to develop a deep awareness and understanding of the needs of others. When Jesus said, “Love your neighbour as yourself” he encouraged us to extend a helping hand to support and give what we can to others, especially those less fortunate. In today’s world, which at times can be harsh and yet interconnected, we provide students with many opportunities to serve as “We rise by lifting others” (Robert Ingersoll). This concept is emphasised across the entire school with service learning programs at subschool and whole school levels. It is embedded in the religious studies curriculum, civics and citizenship classes, and in cocurricular clubs. Through the work of Anglicare Ambassadors in the Secondary School, two major annual appeals provide hampers for up to
100 needy families through the Midland Ascension Emergency Food Relief Centre. Students also participate in an annual “sleep out” for the Homeless Youth, as written about on page 4, raising funds for the Street Connect Project. Several projects throughout the School support national charities, such as the Leukemia Foundation World’s Greatest Shave, The Heart Foundation Jump Rope for Heart, and Canteen’s Bandanna Day. Staff and students work together to create meals and pots of soup for the Salvation Army as part of Food Technology, Life Skills classes, and co-curricular service groups. At an international level, SVACS works in partnership with the Ellenbrook Anglican Church sponsoring an Anglican community home in Cambodia. Our students visit and immerse themselves in service learning by engaging with the village community. Through all these activities, we hope that our students will become compassionate, empathetic and responsible global citizens.
Georgiana Molloy Anglican School With one of the longest running service trip programs in the ASC, the annual GMAS Cambodia Service Learning trip celebrated its 10th year in 2017 and is a major annual event with many students and staff signing up to be a part of the team. Fundraising efforts are run throughout the school year to assist with the building of houses, water wells and, last year, the opening of the first Georgiana Molloy School Cambodia. In 2016, the inaugural GMAS Central Australia Service Learning tour took its first group of students and staff to visit the remote Indigenous community of Lilla, located in the Watarrka National Park. (pictured RHS page 12) Our students spent time with local children and engaged in different service activities, including weeding and gardening the local playground to ensure a safer play area for the children.
Georgiana Molloy (our namesake) was a remarkable woman, a witness of faith, service and justice. The young men and women at Georgiana Molloy Anglican School (GMAS) are inspired by our patron and actively take up the challenge to make our world a better place.
Service Learning, however, is not limited to service trips and tours, but a major part of our school calendar and focus. With “Service” being one of our student leadership portfolios, we have a high involvement in many community programs throughout the South West including assisting local community kitchens, volunteering for local events and being part of local environmental and wetlands conservation groups. We believe that, through service learning, our students will develop diversity awareness and personal leadership skills, and become active and productive members of their community and society.
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The Biennial ASC Schools’ Week celebrations brought together a range of people from every ASC school across the country. They came to Perth to meet, worship and perform in the culminating event of Schools’ Week - the Combined Schools Concert. Preparations for the Concert began more than a year ago but the arrival of the visiting conductors and interstate students started intensive rehearsals for the musicians. As well as Concert preparation, there was a myriad of activities: banners flying along St George’s Terrace; a prayer cycle which devoted each day to particular schools, their people, dioceses and specific ASC activities; a Eucharist at St George’s Cathedral; service learning; and Principals’ and Chairs’ meetings. And finally there was the Concert.
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Schools’ Week Eucharist
Anglo-Saxons, angels, asylums, Augustine and Anglicans were all woven by Bishop Kate into her homily at the ASC Schools’ Week Eucharist in St George’s Cathedral on Wednesday, 5 September. Commencing with a procession of Student Leaders carrying the ASC banner and their School banners, together with Chairs of Council, Principals and Chaplains, the Eucharist involved representatives from each of the 14 schools as readers, leaders of prayer, musicians, choristers and the Peter Moyes Anglican Community School Primary singers and liturgical dancers. We gathered on all sides of the Nave Altar to hear Bishop Kate Wilmot, Assistant Bishop of Perth, focus our thoughts on the Patron Saint of musicians, singers, teachers and students - Gregory the Great, and then on Eliza Darling, who had championed both women and those who were oppressed, as wife of the Governor in the fledgling colony of NSW. Bishop Kate, the ASC CEO, the Dean of St George’s and three School Chaplains administered Communion while Cantabile, a combined choir from Cathedral College Wangaratta and Cobram Anglican Grammar School, sang anthems by Henry Purcell and John Rutter. While the recessional hymn Rejoice in God’s Saints was sung, the procession of banners and school representatives were led out of the Cathedral by the Crucifer and Acolytes from St George’s Anglican Grammar School into the warmth of a glorious spring evening in Perth.
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2018 Biennial Combined Schools’ Concert
‘Music gladdens the heart’ the CEO wrote in his introduction to the 2018 Combined Schools Concert program, and so it did on Friday, 7 September. More than 460 students from all 14 ASC Schools were the stars of the show at the Perth Concert Hall for the ASC Biennial Combined Schools Concert.
The ASC was privileged to have two Guest Conductors who engaged with our students in workshops and rehearsals in the week leading up to the Concert to ensure musicians from each school joined together as cohesive groups to produce wonderful music.
2018 was the first time all 14 schools had performers taking part in the Concert, which featured a Combined Choir, Stage Band, Rock Band, Concert Band, String Orchestra and Concert Orchestra. The tradition of student leaders from each school acting as MCs enabled the audience to hear about music in each school as well as learn of the piece they were about to hear.
It was the fifth appearance from conductor Stephen Williams, who has taken part in each ASC Concert, and the first appearance from conductor Trevor Jones. Both conductors were an asset to the program, teaching and inspiring our young musicians.
Other features included a performance of Tarantella in A Minor by Chantelle Tran, the winner of this year’s ASC Piano Competition, and a performance from the Combined Schools Percussion Ensemble during the interval. The standard of music was exceptional, with students only coming together for rehearsals in the week leading up to the Concert.
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With a diverse selection of music ranging from John Fogerty’s Proud Mary to Fauré’s Requiem, the Concert played to an appreciative crowd of parents, as well as representatives from the ASC, the Diocese of Perth and from education, including the WA Minister for Education, The Honourable Sue Ellery MLC. This was the fourth biennial concert for the ASC which began after the success of the ASC’s 25th Anniversary Concert and we now look to what 2020 might bring!
What’s On
ASC International Language School
ASC International, in partnership with St George’s Anglican Grammar School, is proud of our very own language school where students can undertake academic English programs in order to prepare them for study in a mainstream secondary environment. Located in our CBD campus, students can study in our language school for up to four terms before moving on to any one of our CRICOS registered ASC school campuses for mainstream secondary study. The academic English course delivered in the ASC Language School is referred to as Preparation for Secondary Studies (PSS). This program is delivered by St George’s Anglican Grammar School teaching staff and monitored and regulated by the St George’s Anglican Grammar School Pastoral Coordinator. ASC International and St George’s meet regularly to ensure students are progressing and recommendations on pathways and articulation for all students are provided by the Language School teaching staff and the Pastoral Coordinator. The Preparation for Secondary Studies (PSS) Course is an English Language program specifically designed for students about to enter Secondary School programs to help improve their English language proficiency. The course includes some subject content to ensure that students become familiar with the vocabulary and terminology needed to successfully study secondary school subjects. Students commence in the level best suited to their current language ability. Students can commence at any one of three levels (Elementary, Pre-Intermediate and Intermediate) according to their level of proficiency on entry.
They then progress through and complete Intermediate level prior to transitioning into the Secondary mainstream courses. All levels help students to revise basic grammar, comprehension and vocabulary through practice in writing, speaking, reading and listening activities. They use course notes from different subjects to learn and reinforce academic concepts and terminology that will be required for Upper Secondary studies. The higher levels of PSS offer a mix of English intensive and academic teaching to help students transition smoothly into mainstream secondary classes. Additionally, students in our PSS program partake in mainstream curriculum such as Science and Physical Education classes at St George’s to ensure they maintain familiarity with mainstream class environment and content. Our PSS students also experience extended opportunities for learning and familiarisation with the Australian lifestyle throughout the term. Excursions to locations such as Fremantle and Elizabeth Quay are generally enjoyed by all. PSS courses start on the first day of each of Terms 1, 2, 3 and 4. The number of terms varies according to each student’s English Language proficiency and other learning needs before they commence mainstream studies in an ASC school.
ASC NEWS September 2018
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Curriculum
Drama & Dance St George’s Drama Students Never Surrender
Dance and Drama - learning for life at JSRACS
St George’s Anglican Grammar School is a small but mighty highrise CBD school and our curricular and extra-curricular Drama programs are popular expressions of our School’s focus on 21st century learning and pedagogy. Communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity underpin all that we do as highly engaged students work cooperatively on practical, solutionsbased inquiries and performances from Year 7 to Year 12 ATAR. Our subject’s motto is “never surrender” and a primary indicator of success is the development of students’ personal resilience and confidence. The annual House-based Theatre Challenge, an improvisational competition, is a great example of this as it draws together nervous students and staff in creating hilarious, spontaneous performances in front of a large audience.
Dance and Drama at John Septimus Roe Anglican Community School (JSRACS) is celebrated through a variety of performancebased experiences catering for all ages and levels. The curriculum from K-12 allows students to experience dance and drama, developing their skills and creativity. The skills and talents of the staff ensure the curriculum is varied and engaging, with students seeing live performances, having guest teachers specialising in various dance styles and incursions such as Bell Shakespeare. The Senior students attend a biennial drama trip to Melbourne, working in conjunction with Victorian College of the Arts to further enhance their studies of Drama.
Outside our dedicated studio in the Queen’s Building, we have developed a strong community partnership with the nearby State Theatre Centre. Each year, we produce a full-scale musical for the Studio Underground or Heath Ledger stages to rave reviews. While working there, students liaise with industry professionals across all areas of production from choreography to lighting and stage design. The connections we’ve made have led to many opportunities for work experience with theatre companies around Perth. In the last two years, St George’s have hosted the ‘Drama Australia National Conference’ and introduced a biennial, weeklong Melbourne study tour for Year 11 students to train with the Victorian College of the Arts, at Melbourne University. It’s an exciting time for our growing School, and Drama is proudly downstage centre.
The co-curricular program aims to cultivate their skills, whether as a dancer, actor, singer or backstage technician. Performances include Primary Musical, this year a delightful production of Shrek Jnr, and dance night. The Senior Secondary students have performed musicals such as The Wedding Singer and Grease, and productions of Grimm Tales. The Middle school students develop their skills in performances such as Witches and Hating Alison Ashley. The opportunities continue for dance students with Dance club and the biggest event in the dance calendar, Choreography night. The annual inter-house Theatre Sports competition is a chance for students to show off their improvisation skills. Dance and Drama at JSRACS will continue to enrich students’ learning and their development of life long skills, such as empathy, creativity and critical thinking, that all contribute to learning for life.
Opportunities for Dance and Drama at Frederick Irwin Anglican School Frederick Irwin Anglican School offers opportunities for all students, across both the Halls Head and Meadow Springs campuses, in Music and Drama. Music and Drama is compulsory for all students from Kindergarten to the end of Year 8. From Year 9 onwards, the programs become an option for those with a keen interest and allow them to explore more advanced techniques and performance contexts. Where possible, the Performing Arts Department provides performance opportunities including the Year 3 Musical, Secondary Whole School Musical, Chamber Concerts for newer performers and Music Evenings for more experienced musicians, and larger groups of students. Ensemble students (Soul Band, Secondary Vocal Ensemble, Percussion, String Orchestra, Flute or Guitar) are also invited to attend the Performing Arts Camp in Term 2, where students rehearse for two days in their performance groups before performing at a final concert on last day of camp.
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Calendar
Calendar Highlights of Fourth Term October, November, December 2018 Date
School
Event
12 OCTOBER
FIAS
ASC Middle Schools’ Band Day
16 OCTOBER
FIAS
Chamber Concert
17-19 OCTOBER
JSRACS
Middle School production, “Monkey”
22 OCTOBER
SGAGS
“On the Roof”
22 OCTOBER
JWACS
Technology Week Displays
23 OCTOBER
JSRACS
ASC Primary Strings Day
24 OCTOBER
PMACS
“Unplugged” Concert
26 OCTOBER
SJAS
Grandparents’ Day
26 OCTOBER
SVACS
Bandanna Day
27 OCTOBER
TAC
Relay for Life
30 OCT - 2 NOV
GMAS
Arts Spectacular
1-9 NOVEMBER
SGAGS
Art Exhibition
2 NOVEMBER
CCW
Music ‘Count us in’
2 NOVEMBER
PMACS
Christmas Night Market
2 NOVEMBER
WOLLASTON
WAASA Yr 11 Student Leaders’ Day
7 NOVEMBER
SMACS
Old Scholars Meeting
15 NOVEMBER
GMAS
Senior Music Recital
19-23 NOVEMBER
EACS
Big Picture Exhibitions
22 NOVEMBER
SJAS
Official Opening of Japanese Gardens
24 NOV - 5 DEC
SVACS
NASA Trip
24-28 NOVEMBER
TAC
Great Victoria Bike Ride
29 NOVEMBER
EACS
Surfing Comp
30 NOVEMBER
JWACS
ELC Nativity and Thanksgiving
2 DECEMBER
JSRACS
Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols
SEPTEMBER
SGAGS
Japan Study Tour
ASC NEWS September 2018
19
Anglican Identity
From the Chaplains
How do you teach students to be accepting of others? And what reasons do you give them to be accepting? You can legislate. You could make it law. You could reward. You could offer them something they value when they behave in a desirable way. But if you follow either of those options, have you changed hearts or only modified behaviour while you are around? The book of James implores its readers to live out the grace God has shown them: not to be double-minded but single-minded in following Jesus. Third term saw about 20 secondary students from St Mark’s ACS attend a weekend camp where we dug into the book of James. We were exhorted to live out who we have become as Christians and be those people around the School. Our students thought through what acceptance looks like and how to be people who accept others; they went home convinced that accepting others is a right response for Christians when meeting the other; not because that is a school rule and not because they will get some sort of reward for it. Rather, acceptance of others is motivated by God’s acceptance of us with all our foibles and imperfections. None of us is perfect and yet God still accepts us and treats us as perfect. If we have been shown that level of acceptance, then we get to live out that acceptance and treat people as we have been treated. That is motivation that lasts and changes hearts. That is God’s love and acceptance of us.
My name is Rev’d Maryann Leonard. I am the Chaplain at Cobram Anglican Grammar School and Priest-in-Charge of the Anglican Parish of Cobram. I have also been a teacher for over 30 years. For the last 18 months, the ever-changing face of the school landscape has been a blessing. I work as part of a team with the other Religion and Values Education (RAVE) teachers and we have worked to take RAVE up a notch. My role at the School sees me taking on many other tasks: teaching, welfare, child protection officer, priest, and confidante to all stakeholders. We are also beginning a program called ‘Good Grief’, a program to assist students with grief and loss. This year has also seen the introduction of Sacramental Studies from P-12. There is no curriculum available so, as a RAVE team, we are devising a suitable curriculum that will be evaluated at the end of term. We also have a number of students participating in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Holy Communion and Confirmation. These candidates will join those from the parish. Our partnership with the parish is growing. When there is a fifth Sunday of the month, there is one Eucharist in the parish and it is at Cobram Anglican Grammar. It is well attended by parish and the school community. The parish will also partner in the Breakfast Program begining in fourth term.
One way in which Anglican schools can speak into this malaise is in the recognition of God’s eternal time. The ancient practice of prayer and meditation is beginning to be recognised by scientists as a tool that helps us to be more effective with the time that we have available to us. Time to be still and wait on God, while seemingly ‘wasting time’, is perhaps the most important use of our time that we can make. In a world that seems to be mad with busy-ness, as Christians, we have the ability to participate in the sacred eternal and place into perspective the many demands placed on us. As we teach our students to practise the art of silent prayer and meditation in a variety of ways, we are also aware of the need for the broader Church to maintain our schools in prayer. This support, in and of itself, is both important and encouraging. As we pray together, we can be directed by God in a myriad of previously unconsidered possibilities.
The Lord has truly blessed our School.
The Reverend Scott Rowland
The Reverend Maryann Leonard
ST MARK’S ANGLICAN COMMUNITY SCHOOL
COBRAM ANGLICAN GRAMMAR SCHOOL
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Schools are busy places. This statement may be so self-evident as to be redundant. No matter which group within a school I speak with, teaching staff, administrative staff, grounds people, parents, students, other support staff, everyone seems to have a sense of having too much to do in too little time. Schools are no different to the rest of society in this sense.
Mrs Linda Pilton PETER MOYES ANGLICAN COMMUNITY school
The Anglican Schools Commission Inc 5 Wollaston Road, Mt Claremont, WA Postal Address: Po Box 2520 Mt Claremont Wa 6010 P (08) 9286 0290 F (08) 9384 5023 | info@asc.wa.edu.au | www.asc.wa.edu.au