Issue 4 / 7 November 2014 in numeracy and literacy awareness, social and emotional skill building, and the intentional building of relationships.
From the Principal Early Learning Centre Excitement is certainly building as the Early Learning Centre nears completion. Already the Year 11s are asking if they will be able to visit the students in the ELC to read to them. Practical completion is expected before the end of November, with everything pointing to a January 5 start.
Science at St Andrews Early this month the Prime Minister, Mr Abbott made an important announcement about the Government’s commitment to Science education in Australian Schools. Interestingly, the Prime Minister chose to make this announcement when he was visiting a sister Lutheran School, Luther College in Melbourne. This reflects Lutheran Schools’ commitment to Science education.
Staffing is in the process of being finalized, with strong interest in people wanting to work in a centre that is attached to the College. Enrolments are just about complete, and there is healthy interest for future years. Already we have applications from families where their child is just a couple of months old. Mrs Bronwyn Waters, our Early Learning Centre Director has done an amazing job pulling everything together and establishing an exciting vision for the ELC. Right throughout the process of planning and building the Early Learning Centre and as it begins operations next year, the College has been conscious of endeavouring to ensure that everything that goes on in the ELC will be coherent with the overarching philosophy of a St Andrews Education, so as to give the children the very best start to their educational journey. In the ELC we will be striving to build a strong child centred focus, a warm nurturing environment, strong foundations
The Prime Minister could have equally chosen St Andrews to make this same announcement. The study of Science, under the leadership of the Science Head of Department, Mrs Lotz is flourishing. Looking at subject selections for next year we have a record number of students studying Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) in the Senior School. This reinforces the steady upward trend that the College has seen in relation to students electing to study science at a senior level. In the Middle School as well as core, Science that every student must study, our students have electives in Science that they can choose to study at some stage over the course of Years 7 to 9. Forensic Science is one of the most popular electives, with the applied nature of the subject appealing to young adolescent minds. As part of our commitment to Science, this year we have introduced a new Science Elective - called STEM, which is a combination of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. Taught by Mr Brendan Smith, the elective has proved highly successful, with students appreciating the opportunity to integrate science with other subjects. There are also lots of opportunities for students in the Junior School to engage with Science. One of the advantages of a P-12 College is that Junior School students do have opportunity to use the specialist facilities of the secondary school. Every Thursday a Year 6 Junior School Science Extension Program runs in the College’s Science Labs. In this program, taught by secondary teachers, students engage in scientific