focusinterview.
Valerieanne
BYRNES NAUTILUS SENIOR COLLEGE
Traditional learning outcomes at school aren’t achievable for everyone - for an array of reasons. Nautilus Senior
College seeks to address this issue for students in Years 9 and 10 who have already been - or who are at risk of - becoming disengaged with the current school system. Valerienne Byrnes, Principal at Nautilus, tells us more …
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i Valerieanne. Introduce us to Nautilus Senior College... Nautilus will be located within the current Community College at 77 Hastings River Drive, Port Macquarie and commences operation on the 30th January 2017. How does Nautilus differ from other colleges? Port Macquarie and the broader Mid North Coast is blessed to have a range of fantastic schools; however, there is evidence that for some young people, an alternative is required. Young people who are not academically inclined have not been finding success in the current education system, and the reasons for this are many and varied. Nautilus Senior College is an alternative, independent, non-denominational, special assistance school which will focus on wellbeing and personal development of its students. We will be offering the mandatory subjects differently, and the students’ vocational interests will be linked with their passions through project based learning. Many of these characteristics are offered elsewhere, but at Nautilus we will be offering
small supported classes, using community spaces. We will not have a school uniform, there will be no bell, and the school environment is very flexible, not dominated by a rigid timetable or curriculum. How was the need for such a facility identified locally? The Community College researched youth school completion rates, suspensions and family feedback about the plight of young people who are “different”. Our experience in our current youth outreach programs throughout the Mid North Coast, plus consultation with local youth agencies, parents and guardians showed us there was a need for alternative approaches to youth development. Nautilus Senior College will be one of eleven Community College auspiced alternative schools for disengaged youth across NSW. What is the teaching ethos of Nautilus? Nautilus Senior College has been created to offer an educational program that listens to, respects and partners with disengaged young people. The philosophy and practice underpinning this approach engages with the learners’ immediate reality to create a welcoming beginning. We promote that every day is a new
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day and we adjust our engagement to be whole person, whole family and whole community. We dedicate ourselves to assisting students to remove or manage life’s learning barriers, which vary for each student. At Nautilus we strive to have students focus on their own achievements, and to allow them to self-generate commitment to their own future. By building on the present and encouraging each student to envisage their future, the Nautilus program gives every student the greatest chance to succeed to the best of their ability. The adult learning environment of Port Macquarie Community College, of which Nautilus is a part, offers an opportunity for these young people to be immersed in an adult learning world. Here they are expected to adjust to making decisions and taking responsibility for their learning, and they will be respected like everyone else for pursuing this sort of pathway of learning. Who will be your inaugural team members? Our teaching and support staff come from a wonderfully wide range of backgrounds incorporating start up knowledge and leadership, alternative education and project based learning, vocational education and youth at risk expertise.
Marcel Hennes, Andrew Lord, Deb Tougher, Lloyd Godson and Katrina Humble will help make our youth outreach program even greater. They are an amazing group of individuals who are passionate about what they do. Of course, the school also benefits from the staff of the community college, who are looking forward to the expanded team. What is the eligibility criteria for students? Nautilus is for students who are not engaged in education or who are at risk of disengaging. They are students who need an alternate pathway to experience success. It is too difficult and misleading to generalise; however, every student accepted must demonstrate a desire to come and must demonstrate a desire to learn. We will commence with Years 9 and 10 in 2017 and then will expand our years subject to student demand and needs. The college will also provide a transitional class for those who are not engaged in work and may be considering Year 11 for 2018. How do students enrol in the college? Enrolment information is available on our website: www.nsc.edu.au or come to the college for assistance. Thanks Valerieanne.
• Need a school that understands that life is not always easy? • Want a learning environment that caters for your needs?
Year 11 transition program also available for 2017
Years 9 & 10 ENROLLING NOW Term 1 Monday 30 January Learn more at our website nsc.edu.au or phone 6583 7288 greater port macquarie focus. 99