News Issue 64 June 2019
Featuring from the ceo • THE BIG PICTURE AT EACS • JOHN SEPTIMUS ROE ANGLICAN COMMUNITY SCHOOL • GEORGIANA mOLLOY ANGLICAN SCHOOL • USING TECHNOLOGy for communication • SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS • VET yEARS 10-12 • CALENDAR • ANGLICAN IDENTITY
From the Chief Executive Officer THE REVEREND PETER LAURENCE OAM
RESILIENCE is the word! It is the hope of every teacher that their students are sufficiently resilient to handle whatever might come their way in life … at school and well beyond. The word resilience is applied to everything from people to the economy. Schools play a key role in helping build and shape resilient young girls and boys, women and men. The importance of building resilience from the youngest of ages lay at the centre of Saroo’s message to those of us gathered at HBF Stadium on the opening day of this term. Most readers will either have read his book, A Long Way Home, or seen the 2016 Oscar-nominated and BAFTA-winning movie of his life … Lion. Saroo described it as ‘grit’… and, without a doubt, the young
Contents From the CEO 2 What’s On 5 Feature Schools 6 Feature Theme 10 Biography 13 Curriculum: VET Years 10-12
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Calendar 15 Anglican Identity 16 COVER: Mr Jason Bartell, School Captains and two of the school’s youngest students with the statue of WA’s first Surveyor General, John Septimus Roe.
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boy in India who became the young adult in Tasmania has resilience in bucket loads. As we come to the end of term, the end of the first semester, and what for most people will be some form of mid-year break, we recognise that it isn’t only our students who need resilience. At times, it takes sheer grit to push through the activity of a school year. Days are full, marking is incessant. The very qualities that we seek to instil in the students in ASC schools are the qualities that both strengthen and sustain us too. We are blessed to play a part in forming resilient young people, just as we have been blessed by those who helped shape our values and character, our life and our beliefs. In all this, a bit of grit goes a long way!
Change of Nominated Superannuation Fund All WA-based staff will have received correspondence from me during the term, advising that we have selected MLC as our new default superannuation fund provider. As previously advised, information sessions will be held at schools for all staff (both members and non-members of the existing ASC Superannuation Fund) during June. There will be opportunities for all staff to attend individual one-on-one meetings with a People’s Choice/MLC representative over the period from July to October. These meetings will provide all staff (both members and non-members) with the opportunity to discuss their
The Reverend Cheryl Absalom, Fr Graham Smith, and Deacon Liz Flanigan celebrate the Eucharist at Caesaria Philippi, Galilee.
personal superannuation and financial arrangements and to gain a better understanding of the benefits and features of the new ASC Superannuation Plan. These sessions will also provide a further opportunity for non-members to join the ASC Super Plan if they choose.
Lions Australia Youth of the Year Congratulations to Hannah Bowden, Head Girl at Georgiana Molloy Anglican School, who was recently named Lions Australia Youth of the Year for 2019. There is more to read about this wonderful young person in the Feature School pages in this edition of ASC News and no doubt we will also read more about Hannah in the years to come.
ASC Golf Challenge Holy Week in the Holy Land
Many thanks to Brendan Kilmartin from John Wollaston Anglican Community School who coordinated the very successful third ASC Golf Challenge on Sunday 28 April. Frederick Irwin Anglican School, John Wollaston Anglican Community School, Peter Carnley Anglican Community School, John Septimus Roe Anglican Community School, Peter Moyes Anglican Community School and St George’s Anglican Grammar School all fielded teams for the event. The course was in excellent condition and I’m sure the resident kangaroos enjoyed watching some high standard golf. Brendan reports that the prize winners for 2019 were as follows: Champion School: PMACS Alan Wright, Matt Schleuter and Michael Hogan (three best scores) Champion Pair: Hilton Hardman and Michael Tamburrini SGAGS Best Gross Score, Best Net Score and Nearest the Pin: Michael Tamburrini SGAGS Longest drive: Brady Morris JWACS Most valuable player: Ben Lomas from PMACS who captained his team of eight players. Congratulations to all the prize winners and thank you to everyone who organised and participated. We look forward to the 2020 Golf Challenge which will be hosted by PMACS.
In the Footsteps of Jesus is a course hosted by St George’s College, Jerusalem and, in April this year, ASC pilgrims connected with GMAS, JSRACS, PCACS and SGAGS participated in it. Their intent was to explore the life of Jesus and to deepen their faith as they journeyed through the events and sights of Holy Week and the Holy Land. Over two and a half weeks, they travelled throughout Israel, passing into the West Bank and heading north through the Jordan River Valley to beautiful Galilee. What did the pilgrimage mean to them? The answer would be different for each person but, in the words of one, “we were honoured to have the opportunity to intertwine the steps we are taking on our own faith journey with the steps taken by Jesus himself”.
Bishops-in-Residence The Anglican identity of our schools is a core part of our shared mission, and this is overtly expressed through the ministry of chaplains and their engagement with students, staff, families and the whole school community. There are circumstances, however, when schools do not have a chaplain and sometimes this is unfortunately for an extended period of time. In this context, it was a joy for John Wollaston Anglican Community School to have Bishop Jeremy James spend intentional time with them in Term 1 and, more recently, to welcome Archbishop Kay Goldsworthy for a day in the middle of Term 2. Similarly, Dr Carnley recently spent a day at the Wellard and Calista campuses of Peter Carnley Anglican Community School. Meanwhile, in Esperance, the community has recently welcomed the new ministry of the Reverend Brett Guthrie to their parish and School.
ASC NEWS June 2019
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From the Chief Executive Officer (cont’d)
Retreat, Reflection and Study Reflection is a desire of the human heart but not something that is readily built into our hectic daily lives. We have to work at it. Ironically, it works well for many when it is imposed. Without such imposition, we find reasons to be busy, to be noisy, to do everything but be still. My experience is that those who are called to be leaders often make poor decisions in relation to taking time out for themselves. “I’ll do it when things quieten down a bit,” they say! That time is never. So the ‘imposition’ of an annual retreat is something to which we clergy are well attuned. Similarly, it is something that we build into the annual calendar for all leaders in ASC schools. May/June is the time to retreat! Almost 100 Principals, Business Managers, Senior Staff and Chaplains from all the ASC schools gathered recently either in Safety Bay (WA) or Beechworth (Victoria) to spend time with one another: listening, reflecting, praying, worshipping, walking, sleeping and fellowshipping.
As a former Anglican school chaplain and teacher respectively, the Archbishop and Dr Seach ‘walked the talk’ with our leaders, bringing insights from their past experiences that illuminated the scriptures and other sacred texts in ways that connected so helpfully. Retreats are times of reflection and learning. But they are not the only times when senior staff in our schools come together for Christian reflection. This year, all ASC principals are undertaking an introductory course in theology, the ‘Wollaston Leadership Certificate’. Comprising eight units of study (two per term), this certificate course will be completed in one year under the direction and guidance of Dr Seach. Our principals are coming together for eight days during 2019 to complete these studies, participating in lectures delivered by a number of the Wollaston College and Murdoch University theological staff. This is a huge commitment undertaken by the principals who recognise that their informed Christian leadership of our schools is one of the key ingredients in building strong and cohesive communities. They recognise that it takes time in reflection to grow. As it is in modern society, our schools are communities of young and older people of many cultures and faiths, and those for whom faith is not something deemed important at this time of their life. All are welcome in ASC schools.
Two 30th Anniversaries Two ASC schools are celebrating their 30th Anniversary this year with the first of these, John Septimus Roe Anglican Community School featured in this edition of the ASC News, and John Wollaston Anglican Community School to be featured next term. I extend congratulations to both school communities.
This year our leaders were truly blessed to have two outstanding Anglican leaders and theologians in their own right facilitate the retreats. Our WA-based retreat was led by Archbishop Kay, taking the theme, “Out of the shallows – in deep water with Jesus”. This was the first time our school leadership teams had spent such quality time with the Archbishop since her return to Perth last year.
Finally ... As you take time out during this mid-year school holiday break, may you be refreshed and renewed in your calling to serve the students and families who have chosen an ASC school for the education of their daughter or son. Every blessing
Our Victoria-based retreat was led by The Reverend Dr Gregory Seach, Warden of Wollaston Theological College, on the theme of “Our Proper Concerns: Education in the Anglican Tradition”.
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The Reverend Peter Laurence OAM CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
What’s On
Big Picture Design AT ESPERANCE ANGLICAN COMMUNITY SCHOOL
2018 was a tremendously successful year for the Big Picture students at EACS. The hard work of Mrs Lisa Marquis in guiding our young people in the Graduation Portfolio Program paid off with the successful offers of places, in their chosen courses at university, to all five girls who participated in the program. This is testament to the dedication and focus they applied to produce outstanding portfolios of work in one year of what would normally be a two-year commitment. Murdoch University’s Professor Barry Downs and Admissions Officer Kerina Puttman, who worked with us through the process of application, were impressed with the quality of their portfolios and the growth and maturity the girls demonstrated at interview. It has also been good to have them comment on the enthusiasm for learning that the girls are currently exhibiting in their first semester at Murdoch. 2019 is shaping up to be equally successful. We are about to launch Big Picture Personal Interest Projects to our Year 7 and Year 8 cohorts which will mean that, by the end of this year, our entire student body will have experienced the Big Picture Design, with over 80% working on specific Big Picture projects. In this regard, students across Years 9 to 12 are gaining valuable experience and knowledge through their chosen areas of interest. Very nearly 100% of this cohort are participating in at least one 10-week internship this year, with many completing multiple terms at a variety of work places around our community. We are currently working with 58 mentors, who work with us in supporting our students to explore their passions through real world contexts. These ‘outside’ experts provide strong support networks for our students and invaluable skills and knowledge that cannot really be taught in the classroom. We are involving our local community and parents at a much higher level than ever before and these positive relationships are having an amazing impact on the personal and social growth, and capabilities of our students. The Big Picture design for learning is helping us create 21st-century learners who will be better equipped for how their world of work will look in the future. We are so glad that the initial research and passion for Big Picture shown by Mrs Nicole Harris persuaded Principal Kerr Fulton-Peebles, to trial its introduction, and subsequently approve its continuation, as a core program at the School, which really sets us apart in the local education scene.
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Feature School
John Septimus Roe Anglican COMMUNITY School Celebrating the Past, Looking Towards the Future The recent passing of the former Prime Minister of Australia, The Honourable Bob Hawke, on 16 May 2019, reminds us of a time when stoic leadership, big ideas and brave decisions were the flavour of an exciting time in Australian history. In 1989, while Bob Hawke was the Prime Minister of Australia, the Anglican Schools Commission (ASC) made its own brave decision to purchase the Northside Christian School in Beechboro. The school was initially renamed Northside Anglican Community School then changed to Thomas Scott Anglican Community School at the beginning of 1990. During 1990, the Anglican Schools Commission purchased land in Mirrabooka and began building John Septimus Roe Anglican Community School (JSRACS) which opened as a K-12 school at the beginning of 1992. At the same time, Thomas Scott Anglican Community School became a primary school with all secondary students transferring to the Mirrabooka site. The two campuses were then governed under the auspices of one School Council. It is the date of the original purchase of the Northside Christian School that we reference as the embryonic beginnings of our fine School some 30 years later. Brave decisions require commitment and dedication. As all new schools can attest, the initial years, while the most exciting, can be the most challenging. The period between 1989 and
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1996 saw slow enrolment growth at Mirrabooka, a reluctance of families at the Thomas Scott Campus (now Beechboro Campus) to commit to sending their children to the Mirrabooka Campus at the conclusion of Year 7, and the consequential high debt servicing levels that are unavoidable when a new school is built, all combined to place a great deal of pressure on budgets and staff morale. Significant changes during the period between 1996 and 2001 focused on financial planning and budgeting, curriculum, organisational and management structures, building and facilities development and a deliberate up-beat approach to the future to boost teacher and student morale. These years saw a change in the confidence in the School from the students, parents and staff alike. I think it is fair to say that, from 2001, the School has not looked back. The period from 2001 to 2004 was largely one of consolidation and the maturing of a distinctive culture at JSRACS. We worked on putting into practice the manageable and practical aspects of a developmental approach to education which saw a focus on the early and middle years of schooling, in a K to 12 continuum. From 2005 to the present day, we have seen major additions and improvements to the facilities at both campuses, culminating in 2015 with the construction of what is a fabulous purpose-built facility for our senior students.
The passage of time is needed to develop a school and its ethos. At the end of 1992, the school was still largely embryonic. Mention the name John Septimus Roe Anglican Community School back then and most people would need to ask where it was. Mention the name in 2019, and there is instant recognition. It is known both interstate and, to a degree, overseas - certainly in parts of Italy, Indonesia, Germany, the United Kingdom and Singapore - largely due to our engagement in student and teacher exchange activities and cultural tours.
Principal, Mrs Catherine O’Neill, her staff and the School Council in the foundation years of the School when it struggled with debt and low student enrolments. The School community also acknowledges Mr Matthew Hughes MLA, currently the State member for the seat of Kalamunda, for his visionary and dedicated service to the JSRACS community over 21 years, from 1996 to 2017. Some may even say that my reference to Bob Hawke is a tip of my hat to our former Principal, a current serving member in the State Labor Party.
The last 30 years have seen a strong and robust development of JSRACS. Those familiar with both campuses would agree that the School has a good array of facilities but, moreover, it provides an excellent, nurturing educational experience across each of the four Phases of Learning, combined with strong pastoral care.
It is also very fitting to acknowledge the contribution made by the staff, parents, and students, past and present, who, through their commitment over the years, have enriched the School and helped make it what it is today. In particular, the School community would like to acknowledge the work of all former and current members of the School Council for their wise counsel and decision making which has ensured that the current Principal and his staff, as well as all former Principals, have been provided with the support needed to fashion the school we have today.
None of the strengths listed above is accidental. Our reputation has taken hold because student support, pastoral care and the creation of a purposeful learning environment are given the highest priority. I am confident that, in the years ahead, we will see a deepening and further growth in the confidence of the student body as they tap into the vibrant culture of JSRACS. Thanks are due to the ASC for its decision to establish a school in Mirrabooka and taking the additional risk of taking on the Northside Christian School at Beechboro. We acknowledge the difficult and daunting task that confronted the foundation
In 2019, we pause to reflect on the past 30 years and we look forward to the continuing growth and development of our School community over the next 30 years: John Septimus Roe Anglican Community School – celebrating the past and looking towards the future. Jason Bartell, Principal
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Feature School
Georgiana Molloy Anglican School
Growing Young Minds Through Music There is little remaining doubt that the extrinsic benefits presented by an education in music can enrich students’ lives on many levels. Learning music from a young age has been associated with a myriad of benefits for growing minds, including improved literacy, numeracy, social and behavioural skills. Time and time again, it has been proved that children who study music have greater levels of confidence, self-esteem, emotional regulation and concentration than children who do not participate in music education. Georgiana Molloy Anglican School (GMAS) is committed to providing students from Pre-Primary to Year 12 with the opportunity to experience a wide range of musical styles through listening, performing, composition, theory and aural activities. All courses are written with the aim of engaging students in an appreciation of how we utilise and consume music in our daily lives. Students explore ideas and emotions by creating and making music. They investigate aspects of sound and use specific skills, techniques and processes to plan, present and respond to musical works. A team of dedicated and talented music tutors are on hand to provide weekly tuition for cello, clarinet, double bass, drums, electric bass, flute, guitar, piano, recorder, saxophone, trombone, trumpet, viola, violin and voice. All GMAS music students are invited to join a range of music
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ensembles, bands and choirs and perform at school concerts and local and regional community events. Recognising the importance of implementing music education from a young age, GMAS is the only school in the South West region, and one of the few schools in the State, to offer a strings program to students in Year 2. The program is available to all students in that year group, providing an opportunity to experience the joy of learning an instrument for a semester with all instruments and tuition provided by the School. At the end of the program, students are invited to continue their tuition with the school’s regular co-curricular music offering. Kate Telchadder, Director of Music at GMAS, believes that implementing a strings program in the early years has the potential to create a life-long passion for music. “My experience is that students who learn to play an instrument at a very young age are much more likely to continue with their music journey across the years, as opposed to students who pick up an instrument at a later age,” Ms Telchadder said. “Music education is highly valued at GMAS, and we are passionate about providing a vibrant and inclusive music program capable of sparking a curiosity and love of music, starting with our very youngest students.”
Going Places: Lions Australia Youth of the Year Georgiana Molloy Head Girl Hannah Bowden has been named the Lions Australia Youth of the Year for 2019. The Lions Youth of the Year project is designed to give young people the opportunity to develop their leadership, networking and public speaking skills ahead of their chosen higher education or career pathway. After being crowned the State winner earlier in the year, Ms Bowden travelled to Geelong to represent WA at the national finals, held during the Lions Multiple District Convention in May. She competed against five other finalists to take out the national title. GMAS Principal, Mr Ted Kosicki, said that the school community was exceptionally proud of Ms Bowden’s achievements and ongoing association with Lions. “Hannah is a very articulate young lady who can convey her thoughts about current matters at hand through facts, feelings, values, insights and intuitions. She is a very valued member of this school community,” Mr Kosicki said. Keen to pursue a career in politics and international relations after she graduates from GMAS, Ms Bowden believes in seeking out and making the most of the many opportunities and experiences on offer, both at GMAS and in the wider community. “Our education can be whatever you want to make it. It can take you halfway around the world, it can inspire you. Education is sport, service, music, arts, maths, science, and politics. Education is every single time you learn something new,” Ms Bowden said, as she addressed her peers at a Secondary School assembly. “You absolutely have the ability to pursue your goals, your passions.”
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Feature Theme
The St Mark’s School App Download it for free!
The App is designed to allow St Mark’s parents access to information about events and daily activities at the School. Features include: Events The event calendar ensures that you are constantly up-to-date and in the loop with the what’s on - from exams to exhibitions! Notices Using ‘push’ notifications, we are able to provide quick information on upcoming events, as well as reminders and urgent alerts. Newsletter Receive the latest issue of The Lion’s Roar directly through the App every week. Contacts Call and email* important School contacts directly from the App. Customise You can set your preferences to ensure you get the information most relevant to your family. *if you have email enabled on your phone
Technology for Communication in ASC Schools St Mark’s Anglican Community School The parent community served by St Mark’s is largely comprised of so-called Gen Xers and, increasingly, Gen Ys. Collectively known as the ‘iGeneration’, they are digital natives and comfortable using technology such as social media, Skype and instant messaging.
For the iGeneration, digital tools and social networks are their preferred way to communicate, mattering just as much, if not more, than face-to-face interactions. The St Mark’s School App, which was launched in 2015, continues to be a very valuable tool. To date, the app has been downloaded nearly 8,000 times by the school community, including parents, staff, students, and prospective families. The app offers instant notifications, ideal for reminders and last-minute schedule changes, as well as a detailed calendar of events, key contacts, and links to the website and other online
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tools. Users are able to customise their feeds by selecting the year groups or special interest groups in which their children are involved. Other digital tools include SEQTA, which provides online access to course overviews and assessment schedules, as well as feedback and reports. The Parent Portal is a gateway to a range of other online tools, including secure online payments. St Mark’s continues to expand its social media presence, focusing firstly on Facebook and, more recently, on Instagram and Twitter. The analytics available to St Mark’s through these digital technologies gives us important insights into the online activity and preferences of our school community. For example, we know that Gen X parents and Baby Boomer grandparents are the biggest users of Facebook, while Gen Y parents, particularly women, are most active on Instagram. Interestingly, the data shows that men make the most use of the app. Access to this data is helping St Mark’s further refine and tailor our digital communications, ensuring our parents are provided with timely, relevant information when they need it and in a way that suits their communication preferences.
St George’s Anglican Grammar School St George’s Anglican Grammar School (St George’s) is at the forefront of 21st-century learning. The school’s technology-driven approach to education is apparent in the flexible and engaging learning spaces. Modern classrooms include touch-interactive whiteboards, and writable desks and windows that encourage collaboration and allow for enhanced communication, creativity and critical thinking. As WA’s first vertical school, the CBD location of the campus allows for close proximity to major telecommunication companies providing the School with access to paramount highspeed fibre internet coupled with the ability to maximise the connection through the business-grade high density secure wi-fi. These services are available across all three buildings that form part of the unique city campus.
macOS platforms, allowing students the option of selecting their preference and using what is familiar to them. This is, and always has been, a welcome option as there are many devices to choose from and each child has a unique learning style. Allowing students the option of using the device that best suits their learning can support their overall educational experience. St George’s provides a no-charge, full-cloud solution including full Office 365 and Adobe Creative Cloud suites, ClickView and Trend Micro subscriptions, amongst others. Integrating technology into the classroom and across the curriculum equips students with essential digital citizenship skills that prepare them for life. For a technology-driven generation, it is important to align their learning style with what they already know and use.
The network infrastructure is compatible for a BYOD (bring your own device) program, including both Windows and
Cobram Anglican Grammar School Cobram AGS embraces a variety of technologies that facilitate timely and efficient communications between teaching professionals and parents alike. We have had great success in employing Class Dojo for classroom communications, parent messaging and school-wide notifications as well as taking advantage of the application’s behaviour management facilities. We have also implemented the Google suite of products, including Google Classroom, which has both decreased the need for paper, making us more sustainable, and increased the expediency of document sharing and professional collaboration. Throughout all sub-schools, our focus for using technology involves collaborating with others, solving simple and then more complex problems, critical thinking, improving motivation
and offering an alternative for students with learning support needs. Technology has been transforming the way education is delivered for many years and also assists in keeping our students engaged. It is important to acknowledge that students as young as our Foundation Years are already interested and engaged in using technology before they enter our school gates. This creates amazing opportunities for our teachers to integrate various forms of technology into the classroom and make teaching and learning more effective. At its core, education is about the learner understanding the message. Simply injecting information doesn’t necessarily mean the student will understand. As teachers, we seek to ensure we are using the appropriate technology as a way of supporting learning and helping to deliver the message, rather than technology being the main driver of the communication.
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Feature Theme
Frederick Irwin Anglican School Frederick Irwin Anglican School is an e-Smart school, achieving its accreditation in 2017. Students in K-12 are taught rights and responsibilities, an awareness of bullying, online social and emotional skills and digital citizenship as part of a comprehensive Cybersafety curriculum. Our e-Smart curriculum is reviewed annually to ensure that it contains the necessary and up-to-date elements, and that these are being explicitly taught. Students are regularly involved in developing and delivering information on bullying and cyberbullying to a variety of audiences to increase ownership and uptake of messages. We also have a Cyber Leader program in which students in Years 6, 9 and 10 are involved in teaching younger students about Cybersafety topics.
Year 7 is a focus area in which we support our students by including one lesson per week of Cybersafety into the Year 7 curriculum. This is an ideal opportunity to teach them about how to stay safe when using social media. Students learn about a variety of topics, including digital footprints; digital citizenship; how to balance screen time; how to protect themselves from anti-social online behaviour; protecting personal information; how to use social media safely; how to be an upstander; and where to report issues or concerns.
St James’ Anglican School In an era of exponential technological growth, there is a plethora of arguments both endorsing our age of instant communication and vilifying the inescapable accountability which accompanies it. As educators, we are in a transitional phase: the technology that our students grow up with is distinctively different from our own childhood experiences. Long gone are the days of handwritten notes and scheduled parent meetings. We are constantly faced with the dichotomy of instant accessibility and accountability, and the need to look after our own wellbeing. Now, more than ever, we must use our technology to support us. At St James’ Anglican School, we utilise technology to provide timely electronic feedback to parents about the social, emotional and academic progress of each student. For younger students, teachers utilise apps to inform parents on their child’s day. From Year 3, students have their own iPads and are encouraged to upload their own work to showcase their progress.
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Student accountability is promoted through the use of SEQTA. Assessment due dates, programs, resources, marks and feedback are published so students and parents no longer have to rely on teachers for follow ups. We are developing a generation who drive their own learning. Absences, holidays and missed lessons no longer require catch-up sessions and one-on-one teacher time. To adequately support our students St James’ has adopted ZuluDesk and CyberHound school-wide. These systems ensure our young people are protected from the darker side of the internet. Many parents are concerned about the access students have to adult content; however, we understand that it is our responsibility to educate students on how to be responsible technological citizens.
Biography
School Psychologists Introducing the newest member of Peter Moyes Anglican Community School
We update our school community on cybersafety tips in a variety of ways, including the School Newsletter, Skoolbag, Twitter, webpage, parent portals and information nights/open days. We continue to strengthen our links with local community organisations to create consistent messages about wellbeing, bullying and the smart, safe and responsible use of digital technologies.
Our first Student Counsellor began working with students across the whole School in 2006. As Peter Moyes Anglican Community School has grown and evolved, so have the needs of our students. Dedicated counsellors situated in each of our sub-schools provide a caring and supportive service and are always seeking new and innovative ideas to enhance the wellbeing of both students and staff. We are excited to introduce Skye, an 18-week-old German Shepherd, as a trial “Puppy Buddy” for our Senior School students and staff. Students have welcomed and responded positively to Skye and our classrooms are elevated as students interact with Skye and each other. Thus far, the trial has proved to be a great success for everyone, including Skye, who is greatly enjoying being accepted as part of the PMACS community.
Since joining Cathedral College Wangaratta in 2017, June Stamp has played a significant role within the school community as School Counsellor.
Students need to develop skills to navigate their way safely through cyber communities, not avoid them completely. Finally, there is our wellbeing. It is true that the instantaneous nature of communication can be considered a hindrance; however, we need to change our perspective, as well as our practice. We use technology to communicate more efficiently, but we also need to be human. There is no denying the human touch is often needed, so it is important to educate staff on how to deal with these crucial conversations: when to respond to emails, how to de-escalate a tricky situation, and when to request a face-to-face meeting. Like our students, we must not lose sight of the importance of human connection.
Working with students, families and staff, June’s role is multifaceted and diverse in a Prep to Year 12 environment, with day-to-day counselling, group work, advocacy and guidance integral to supporting the wellbeing of the school community. At times, the overwhelming pressure on our young people can make it hard for them to make clearly thought out decisions and they can feel at a loss about where to find help. June’s strong ability to connect and reach young people has helped students as they face issues within their ever-changing world. She is passionate about providing links between school and home and working with teachers to enhance each student’s full potential and enjoyment of life. Previously, June has worked in numerous welfare positions in Child Protection, Foster Care and Family Services and found it particularly rewarding to work with teen mothers as they faced daily challenges while continuing their education. In addition, June is on the Board of Management of Women’s Health Goulburn North East, working to prevent violence against women and helping to start conversations around respectful relationships and gender equality.
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Curriculum
John Wollaston Anglican Community School Providing students with various opportunities for a bright future beyond school is at the heart of our Vocational and Educational Training (VET) Program. In 2019, we have 191 students undertaking VET studies in fields such as Nursing, Electrical, Hospitality, Animal Studies/Vet Nursing, Fashion, Mechanical, Aged Care, Teaching, Education Assistants, Engineering, Beauty, Retail and Administration. Students can try a range of careers, develop relevant skills and equip themselves with certificate qualifications throughout Years 10 to 12, giving them a competitive advantage for when they finish school. Working closely with our Registered Training Organisations, students can earn industry-approved VET qualifications such as Certificates in Outdoor Recreation, Visual Art, Hospitality and Business through in-school delivery, TAFE, industry colleges or private registered training organisations. Our stateof-the-art commercial kitchen and café provide an opportunity for Hospitality students to practise and perfect their skills. Through the Hospitality Group Training’s Chef Ambassador Project, students are exposed to young, successful energetic chefs who provide insight into their careers and impart their knowledge to the next generation.
Peter Carnley
Vocational Education and Training Years 10 - 12
Anglican Community School An exciting new journey awaits students at Peter Carnley Anglican Community School (PCACS), with options to study Vocational Education and Training courses that prepare them for the world of work. PCACS has a rich suite of offerings that provides an engaging Vocational Education and Training (VET) environment for students wanting to develop new skills and enables them to gain credit towards nationally recognised VET qualifications and the Western Australian Certificate of Education. The PCACS Trade Training Centre boasts modern industry standard equipment, enhancing student learning and providing opportunities for them to demonstrate best practices. The Certificate II Building and Construction (Pre Apprenticeship) pathway offers students entry into a range of different construction trades highly suited to today’s construction industry. In Year 11, students train in core areas of trades and undertake compulsory work experience placement. In Year 12, students will add to their skills base by completing specific trade training to industry standards (work-ready) as well as additional, compulsory work experience. PCACS has partnered with Skill Hire WA to provide industry trainers who facilitate this program and assist in placing the students in work placements. The Certificate II Community Services Childcare course is in its fifth year at PCACS and provides the opportunity for students interested in early childhood education to gain practical skills and knowledge needed for employment in a growing career pathway. In the classroom, students study units of work directly linked to practical outcomes of their work placements. An intense six-week first aid course and first-hand experience in the Early Learning Centre at the Calista Campus is where they gain the skills and knowledge of industrial practices. Both courses add breadth and depth to the suite of offerings at PCACS and are popular and welcome choices for any student who sees their future career pathway in these industries.
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Calendar
Calendar Highlights Term 3, 2019 JULY 1-6
ASC
NAIDOC Week
22-30
EACS
Year 9 Canberra Camp
24 JSRACS
Music of the Animal Kingdom
26 PMACS
Dedication of the Chapel of St
Gregory and St Cecilia
AUGUST 1-3
SGAGS
School Production
2
CAGS
NAIDOC Day
2-3 CCW
The Addams Family
8-10
ASA
Annual Conference, Hobart
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JSRACS
Jazz at The Ellington
13 SJAS Mary Poppins 13
JWACS
30th Anniversary Founders’ Day
14-17 SMACS Beauty and the Beast
Swan Valley Anglican Community School At Swan Valley Anglican Community School (SVACS), we endeavour to provide a range of VET (Vocational, Education and Training) opportunities through the certificate courses we offer and, in addition, individual student VET requirements are explored upon request. This approach enables us to investigate current offerings, given that the VET space is ever changing and there are a myriad of VET courses available which may be suitable for our students. Jess Haydon, the 2018 VET Beazley Medal winner, is testament to the success of this approach which allows students to pursue their areas of interest and explore courses directly linked to their skill sets. The onsite certificate courses we offer are in the areas of Business, Engineering Pathways, Sport and Recreation, Hospitality, Music and Furnishing Pathways.
16 WAASA
Anglicare Ambassadors ‘sleep out’
Optus Stadium
16-24 FIAS
Little Shop of Horrors
22-24 EACS
Esperance Music Festival
27-28 PCACS
Book Week
SEPTEMBER 11
CAGS
Moira Shire Youth Council
11-13
SVACS
Art Exhibition
13-15 TAC
Art Exhibition and Acquisition Award
16 GMAS
Taste of Year 7 Day
17-19 TAC
On site at Henty Field Days
To expose students to workplace opportunities, SVACS delivers a Year 10 Work Experience program, encouraging young people to engage in the world of work. Students attempt to source host employers in areas of their chosen careers or, alternatively, engage in workplaces where they can demonstrate a range of employability skills which are transferable amongst work settings. In addition, there are a number of Year 11 and 12 students who participate in Workplace Learning to complement their senior secondary studies. Vocational, Education and Training is an extremely rewarding aspect of a school setting where schools can bear witness to young people practising and mastering their skills in real-life contexts.
ASC NEWS June 2019
15
Anglican Identity
From the Chaplains
It has been said (I don’t remember by whom) that a saint is known not by their great acts, but by how they live at 2pm on a Wednesday afternoon. Anyone who has had a nine-to-five job understands this. It’s that time after lunch when your mind begins to wander, you stare out the window, you go and make coffee, you rearrange your papers: anything rather than writing that report or marking those exams. The medieval monks called it the ‘noonday demon’, the Greeks called it acedia, but it is most commonly known as sloth. Contrary to popular usage, sloth does not mean laziness. Rather, it is the neglect of the good in favour of other distractions. We have never been as busy as we are today. But how much of our busy activity is really done in service of the good? Or are we simply chasing after myriad distractions? It is easy to find ourselves day after day on the hamster wheel of fulfilling others’ expectations, building careers, and keeping up with the Joneses. But what is it all for? We often complain that we don’t have time to reflect and pray. The medieval monks had the same problem – and their job was to pray! Rather than say their prayers, they would distract themselves with other busy activity that felt important. If people as different as medieval monks and modern people have the same problem, maybe there is something deep in us that would rather be busy and feel needed than slow down and ask hard questions about what it’s all for. But unless we do that, we may just keep running on the hamster wheel.
The Reverend David Entwistle Chaplain, Swan Valley Anglican Community School
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The ‘Four Pillars’ of a Christian education at Trinity Anglican College are Learning, Character, Opportunity and Community and we are always seeking to provide pathways for students to make these pillars their own. For the second year running, Year 9 Food Technology students at Trinity served warming, nutritious cups of soup for a gold coin donation in aid of the Anglicare Victoria and Diocese of Wangaratta Winter Appeal. Proceeds will go towards helping local Anglican parishes as they care for people facing food, shelter and clothing challenges this winter. The Anglicare Victoria Winter Appeal fits well with the ethos of the ‘Rite Journey’ program that Year 9 students participate in, as it engages them with loving action towards the most vulnerable in our community. The ‘Rite Journey’ is a Year 9 program that intentionally seeks to move young people from childhood to young adulthood by providing them with opportunities to discuss matters of concern to them and to become increasingly responsible for their own choices. During the mid-year break, 30 Trinity students will visit Cambodia with an organisation called Raw Impact to participate in a house-building project as well as immersing themselves in Cambodian culture and history. The Winter Appeal, the ‘Rite Journey’ and the Cambodia service learning trip are just some of the ways students can embody the ‘Four Pillars’ at Trinity. The Reverend Bryn Jones Chaplain, Trinity Anglican College
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