ASA NEWS July 2016
President’s Message As we read this edition of ASA NEWS, the federal election will have been decided. Regardless of the outcome, hopefully, the party leading our country will be concerned for our physical future through its initiatives in relation to sustainable power, climate change, the Great Barrier Reef and sustainable farming. The manner in which it plans for our emotional and spiritual future, particularly in relation to refugees, class divisions, volunteers, marriage, and religious freedoms will be as important, if not more so.
FEATURE ARTICLES
Healing Through Music...... 10
Leading the Way in Sustainability...... 20
St Aidan’s Earth Angels...... 24
Nurturing Tomorrow’s Environmentalists...... 28
A ResourceSmart School...... 40
Over The Fence Ministry Grabs Teens’ Attention...... 72
FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 1 In this edition of ASA NEWS you will read many articles One of the key outcomes of the Annual General about the wonderful initiatives being carried out in our Meeting in Perth in 2014 was that ASA would aim to schools in relation to sustainable programs and service be self-sufficient in terms of funding by 2020. At that learning – ‘food’ for our physical and spiritual bodies. meeting the membership agreed that the annual budget for 2015 and each year to 2020 would include a Executive Officer Honoured 20 per cent increase in subscriptions. We are now one- Many of you will have read that The Reverend Peter third of the way to becoming financially independent Laurence was awarded the Medal of the Order of of the ASC (WA) which is a significant achievement. Australia in the most recent Queen’s Birthday Honours. We are most appreciative of the generosity the ASC Peter was recognised for his service to education. has afforded and continues to afford ASA and hope that the excellent relationship we have developed will Peter has been the Chief Executive Officer of The continue to our mutual advantage and that of the Anglican Schools Commission (Inc.) (ASC) (WA) since schools we serve. 2003 as well as being the Executive Officer of Anglican Schools Australia (ASA) since 2011. He served as The addition of a second Chaplain to the Management President of ASA from 2008 to 2011. Prior to this Peter Committee has been most welcome and I am pleased was Principal of two Anglican K-12 schools; Trinity to advise that The Reverend Matthew Shorten from the Anglican School in Cairns, Far North Queensland and Diocese of Newcastle, currently Chaplain at Lake’s All Saints’ College in Perth, Western Australia. Grammar and The Reverend Natasha Darke from the Diocese of Adelaide, currently Chaplain at St Peter’s Those of you who have experienced Peter’s passionate Girls will join the committee in August. At that time we and selfless commitment over many, many years to will farewell The Reverend Andrew Mintern who will advancing the work of Anglican schools in support of stepping down from his position on the Management the learning and development of its many students will Committee to focus on his work as a parish priest. Jim Laussen with Overnewton’s Prep B Class, 2016. know how well deserved this accolade is. I am certain ABOVE: We are extremely grateful to the 130 people who that all members of ASA join me in congratulating • Undertaking collegial research and development Thanks responded to our most recent survey. This is 40 more Peter on this award. projects, which build the capacity of Anglican respondents than for the previous survey in 2013. Of the In closing, let me thank Wendy Hillman whose tenacity schools as contemporary Christian communities; Welcome respondents, 81 were regular conference attendees and tireless energy ensure that we are all able to enjoy • Strengthening advocacy for Anglican schools with At its most recent meeting in May, ASA’s Management and 49 had never attended a conference. The this publication each term; a publication that keeps a particular focus on government and the Church; Committee welcomed Mrs Debbie Dunwoody, Principal feedback from both groups has been invaluable in our us informed about the activities of fellow Anglican discussions as we plan the next strategic plan. I must say • Building alliances to expand our horizons including of Victoria’s Camberwell Girls Grammar and Mrs Judith schools from across Australia, that inspires us about the social justice partnerships with Anglican agencies; Tudball, Principal of St Michael’s Collegiate School in it was pleasing to note the increase in satisfaction with work being achieved by our students and our school Hobart to their first Management Committee meeting. the work of ASA as expressed in the survey responses. • Extending our network to embrace New Zealand communities and that strengthens the connections In addition to our day of discussion and planning for We look forward to building on this level of positivity. Anglican schools. that we all share as members of Anglican Schools the work of ASA, we spent a full day reviewing the Our strategic purpose - Inspired by Christ, our core The Strategic Plan will be delivered through three Australia. Without Wendy’s drive and enthusiasm we current strategic plan and preparing the next. purpose is to support and serve Anglican Schools in Core Activities, all contributing to the Christian life of would not have the publication we enjoy now. ASA’s Achievements fulfilling their Christian Mission - was strongly endorsed Anglican schools: by the Management Committee at its meeting in June I look forward to seeing all of you in Adelaide as we • Collegiality and Collaboration The current Strategic Plan 2013-16 established a strong and we trust that the membership will endorse it in direction for ASA, particularly in terms of strengthening celebrate being together and explore our conference Adelaide too. • Research and Development connections, networks and support between member theme of Rivers in the Desert. Future Priorities • Advocacy and Alliances schools through the annual conference, Chaplains’ Jim Laussen networks and new media strategies. Aligning the Building on the achievements of our current Strategic We look forward to presenting the strategic plan to you President, Anglican Schools Australia annual conference more closely to the Strategic Plan Plan, the key priorities for the next four years include: at the annual conference in August in Adelaide. Principal, Overnewton Anglican Community College has given a greater focus to the conference and this • Creating opportunities for collaboration and mutual has been well received. support, including connecting members between The new ASA Facebook Page, ‘Anglican Schools ASA conferences; Australia’, has been a terrific initiative with a large number • Enhancing support for School Chaplains, recognising Editor’s Note of followers already and regular postings about Anglican that ASA is one of their major collegiate networks; schools from across Australia. Additionally, the new • Stimulating discussion and sharing of knowledge Anglican Schools Australia invites principals, chaplains, teachers as well as chairs, governors and friends of closed Facebook Page specifically for Chaplains, ‘ASA on key issues and opportunities impacting Anglican Anglican schools to submit articles for publication in ASA NEWS. We are particularly interested in publishing Chaplains’, has given a fillip to their networking ability. schools; articles about school Religious Studies, Service Learning and Indigenous programs. Articles of approximately 1000 words in length, together with a selection of high quality digital images, are to be emailed to whillman@ FRONT COVER: St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School (VIC). . Submissions are published at the discretion of the editor. FRONT COVER BANNER (L-R): St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School (QLD), Launceston Grammar (TAS), Investigator College (SA), Georgiana Molloy Anglican School (WA). asc.wa.edu.au BACK COVER: Western Australian Anglican Schools Association’s Student Leaders’ Reunion with the Archbishop, May 2016. Photographer: Bronwyn Claughton.
2 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 3 Anglican Schools Australia ASA Schools Fly for Less Executive Officer’s Column Virgin Australia is not only the AFL’s airline of choice. world’s best airlines, Etihad is offering great discounts Members will be aware that last July we signed a major for individual and group travel across the world. travel partnership agreement with Virgin Australia, Five world-class airlines now offer generous giving ASA member schools access to beneficial discounted travel for our schools - Virgin Australia, pricing for individual and group travel in Australia and Etihad Airways, Singapore Airlines, Air New Zealand overseas, as well as a number of other partner benefits. and Delta. Members can access the respective From 1 July this year, Etihad Airways has become airline travel benefits when booking through Campus our newest travel partner. Recognised as one of the Travel, ASA’s selected Travel Management Company.
Peter Laurence
The Reverend Peter Laurence OAM, Executive Officer of Anglican Schools Australia (ASA) (and CEO of the Anglican Schools Commission in WA), provides an update on the development of ASA’s new strategic plan - Strategic Plan 2020, offerings for Chaplains and travel partnerships. In addition, he encourages individuals from member schools in which budget constraints prevent them from attending the Adelaide Conference, to apply for a ‘sponsored AUSTRALIA place’. Applications will remain open until The Smart Choice Friday 22 July.
Strategic Plan ASA Facebook Page Our Strategic Plan comes to an end this year. The The Management Committee aims to have the ASA is now on Facebook! Visit ‘Anglican Schools eminent post-graduate course for current Chaplains Management Committee met in early June for a one- draft plan available for comment by the Adelaide Australia’ at: https://www.facebook.com/Anglican- wishing to enhance their ministry skills through study day workshop with strategic planning specialist Dr Conference in August. Schools-Australia-254817018205932/ to find out what’s and practical reflection, students from all over the Liz Pattison to develop our new plan, which will drive happening in our member schools. We will also keep world study side by side. A benefit is that much of Adelaide Conference August 2016 ASA’s work through to 2020. Much of the day focused you posted about the latest Conference information the course allows Chaplains to reflect on ministry via Facebook. in their schools. Please direct any queries to me at on a consideration of the results of the Member Speaking of the Adelaide Conference, I remind [email protected]. Survey conducted earlier this year. With 130 members members that funding support through ‘sponsored School Chaplains contributing to the survey, it proved to be the most places’ is still available for individuals in member ASA is here to serve our member schools. For a long time, Chaplaincy Shadowing Program comprehensive data on members’ views since ASA schools whose budget constraints would otherwise we have recognised that one of the most important Operating for over ten years, this program allows was founded in 1999. prohibit attendance at our annual conference. areas in which we can offer support is that of School Chaplains to shadow one another for a week in Chaplaincy. There are five particular initiatives which their respective schools. Feedback suggests this is an Sponsored places cover Conference registration For interest, the respondents comprised: have this as their primary focus: invaluable opportunity and I urge Chaplains interested costs. Details, including the application form for in this program to attend the brief workshop prior to the • 42 Principals Master of Theology in Chaplaincy (University of Cardiff) sponsored places, are available on our website: www. Adelaide Conference. Enquiries should be directed to • 18 Members of Executive/Leadership Teams A second Anglican School Chaplain from Australia anglicanschoolsaustralia.edu.au. Applications close Philip Goldsworthy at [email protected]. • 43 Chaplains commences her MTh this September. Recognised on Friday 22 July. SmartFLY. The smarter option for school travel. • 17 Governors widely across the Anglican Communion as the pre- • 10 Others
4 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE Maximise your airfare budget JoinCONTENTS our PAGE SmartFLYFORWARD program ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 5 with SmartFLY. and receive*: We understand the value parents demand from student travel • 5% point of sale discount on all domestic flights with and believe travel expenses are one of the biggest cost areas Virgin Australia where your school can save. • 2% extra on your existing rebate from Virgin Australia That’s why we’ve partnered with Virgin Australia to help take domestic airfare spend the edge off your school’s domestic airfare spend through our • Discounted annual membership to access Virgin Australia exclusive SmartFLY program. airport lounges As an Anglican Schools Australia member, your school can • Two Velocity Pilot Gold memberships^ save up to 12% on domestic airfares and receive access to many other exciting travel benefits. • No joining fee or any other hidden fees.
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Chaplaincy Networking Day Chaplains’ Facebook Page This day which immediately precedes our Conference ASA Chaplains are now on Facebook! Initiated by The is an opportunity for Chaplains to share ideas and Reverend Andrew Mintern (Chaplain appointment to resources, ministry struggles and joys. It is a day not the ASA Management Committee) and supported by to be missed if you are a School Chaplain. This year it the ASA Office, the Chaplains’ Facebook Page, ASA will be held on Thursday 11 August at the Monastery Chaplains, is designed to allow Chaplains in member Conference & Function Centre, Glen Osmond in the schools to connect with one another throughout the Adelaide Foothills. See the Conference brochure or year. Chaplains can request membership of the closed ASA website for details of the day’s program. group. Recruitment of Chaplains Enquiries should be directed to Andrew Mintern at ASA partners with the WA Anglican Schools Commission [email protected] or Bronwyn Claughton at in an annual ‘recruitment drive’ for School Chaplains. With Anglican schooling growing in Australia and an [email protected]. ageing teaching and Chaplain ‘workforce’, ASA assists I look forward to seeing you soon at the Adelaide
Principals by conducting first interviews of potential Conference. In the meantime, always feel free to School Chaplains from around the world in places contact me at the ASA office on any matter where we where Anglican schools are strong in number, primarily can support you and your school. the UK. This list is made available to all Principals once a year. There is a strong take-up by schools, with most offered positions. Please direct any queries to me at [email protected].
Visit ASA’s Facebook Pages
For further information contact Karen Mantle – [email protected]
6 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 7 NEWS CHAPLAIN HONOURED
SCHOOL APPOINTMENTS DIOCESAN NEWS
PRINCIPALS APPOINTMENTS Mr Justin Beckett, Trinity Anglican College, The Ordination and Installation of The Right NSW/VIC (effective January 2017) Reverend Dr Richard Condie as the twelfth Ms Felicity House, Peter Carnley Anglican Bishop of Tasmania took place on Saturday Community School, WA (effective January 2017) 19 March 2016 at St David’s Cathedral. The Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia, CHAPLAINS Archbishop Dr Philip Freier, conducted the The Reverend Andrea de Vaal Horciu, The Anglican School Googong, NSW Installation and The Reverend Dr Peter Adam preached the sermon. Local, state The Reverend Lisa Perkins, St Hilda’s Anglican and federal Tasmanian political leaders and School For Girls, WA Aboriginal elders attended to represent the The Reverend Dr Theo McCall, Chaplain at Tasmanian community. Additionally, the heads St Peter’s College, has been appointed to a two-year term as Chaplain for Anglican of a significant number of other Tasmanian schools in South Australia (2016-2017). church denominations were in attendance, as well as representatives from the Anglican RESIGNATIONS schools, agencies and the 45 Tasmanian parishes. The heads of the three Anglican PRINCIPALS schools, Mr Stephen Norris, Headmaster of Mr Warwick Dean, The Hutchins School, TAS Launceston Church Grammar School; Mr (retiring December 2016) ABOVE: The Most Reverend Roger Herft AM, Archbishop of Perth, dedicates the Polson Room. Warwick Dean, Headmaster of The Hutchins INSET (L-R): Archbishop of Perth, Revd Joyce Polson, Revd Canon Gerry Nixon, Lynne Thomson (Principal), Ian Curlewis. Dr Ian Grant, The Riverina Anglican College, School; and Mrs Judith Tudball, Principal of NSW (retiring December 2016) St Michael’s Collegiate School processed as St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School (WA) has named 1968 and continues to minister to the girls, Old Girls CHAPLAINS part of the service. its new multi-purpose function room after long- and staff as Assistant Chaplain to School Chaplain, The Reverend Yvonne Gunning, Sapphire serving Chaplain, The Reverend Joyce Polson. The Reverend Gerry Nixon. In 2015 Revd Joyce Coast Anglican College, NSW The room, which will be used for school events, was bestowed with the title Chaplain Emeritus The Reverend Gerry Nixon, Chaplain at St student meetings, musical afternoons and as an in recognition of her significant ministry to the St HONOUR Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School (WA), was examination centre was opened on 2 March by Mary’s community. She was also among the first installed as a Canon in the Diocese of Perth Ian Curlewis, Chairman of the Board of Governors, group of women in Australia ordained as priests in The Reverend Peter Laurence, ASA’s Executive in St George’s Cathedral on 26 June 2016. This and dedicated by The Most Reverend Roger Herft the Anglican Church in 1992. Officer and Chief Executive Officer of the AM, Archbishop of Perth. honorary position recognises Revd Gerry’s Other accolades include being awarded Anglican Schools Commission (WA) was service to the Anglican Church and Anglican The Polson Room is an immense space, located Honorary Life Membership of St Mary’s Old Girls’ recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours. beneath the Elizabeth Myles Library, and schools over many years. Association in 2010 and receiving the Enduring He was awarded a Medal (OAM) in the overlooking the school’s playing fields. Surrounded RETIREMENT Service Award from the Australian Association of General Division for his service to education. by floor to ceiling glass panelling, it is an open, airy Religious Educators in 2013. Peter said he saw the award as “a huge The Most Reverend Dr Jeffrey Driver, and stunning room where the community loves to honour for all of us in Anglican schooling. Archbishop of Adelaide retires on 19 August gather. The room seats 220 people for dinner and At the Opening Joyce Polson said: “This room … it has truly been a team effort, working 2016. He will be farewelled by the Heads of the first of St Mary’s New Parent Dinners will be held should be a place to gather together and support alongside so many wonderfully dedicated South Australia’s Anglican schools on 27 July there in July. Former staff and long-term members one another in conversation, with food and drinks, and passionate educators over the past 35 2016. of staff met in the room for High Tea in May. It has with community.” It was a tremendous occasion years. That’s been the reward.” become ‘the hub of the school’. marked by reminiscing, humour and tributes. ASA congratulates Peter on this outstanding Joyce Polson has had a long association with St St Mary’s looks forward to its girls and community achievement. Mary’s. She joined the staff as Deaconess Polson in enjoying events in this beautiful space.
8 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 9 It is so often true that when we want to capture some John Howard OM, AC, Minister for Foreign Affairs, the profound and essential ‘truths’ about life our thoughts Honourable Julie Bishop MP, the Governor of Tasmania turn to the Greek masters, and so it is with these oft- (and Collegiate Old Girl) Her Excellency, Professor the quoted words attributed to Plato. They succinctly Honourable Kate Warner AM and Mr Dick Warner, the reveal that which we hold to be true about music: Tasmanian Premier, the Honourable Will Hodgman MP music is the universal language for mood and emotion. and Mrs Nicky Hodgman, Speaker of the Tasmanian Indeed since the beginning of recorded history, and House of Assembly, the Honourable Elise Archer MP, across all cultures, music has played a significant role the Bishop of Tasmania, The Right Reverend Dr Richard in the healing of our world. It was Aristotle at the end Condie and many other notable dignitaries. Most of his book Politics who wrote of the cathartic powers importantly amongst the attendees were some of the of music and this was certainly the power that was witnesses to the events, many of whom had not re- demonstrated most clearly on Thursday 28 April 2016 entered the Port Arthur site since that horrific autumn when the Collegiate Singers, the premier auditioned day in 1996. And as Aristotle writes, the music that filled choir from St Michael’s Collegiate School in Hobart, the still space that day was ‘most sovereign because performed three feature pieces at the official 20th … rhythm and harmony find their way to the inmost Anniversary Commemoration Service at Port Arthur. soul and take strongest hold upon it …imparting grace, With the theme of ‘We Remember’, the service was if one is rightly trained …’ (Aristotle, The Republic, III, held in response to requests from survivors and families 399e). of the deceased to mark the 20th anniversary of the Repertoire was chosen by Collegiate’s Director of tragic events at the historic site which resulted in the Music and Performance Mr Aaron Powell to reflect the devastating loss of thirty-five lives at the hands of a message that as challenging as life may seem, there is gunman. always someone looking out for you, or ready to lend The service was attended by well over 500 people, a hand and to help you get through the darkest of including Prime Minister, The Honourable Malcom times. The choir opened the service with a rendition of Turnbull MP and Lucy Turnbull, former Prime Minister His Eye is on the Sparrow words by C.D. Martin, music by Charles H. Gabriel, arranged by Roger Emerson. This piece was a beautiful way to open the service with its Healing through Music message of God’s infinite love. Musically beginning in unison it blossoms into three parts allowing the choir Port Arthur 20th Anniversary Commemoration Service to blend their voices so naturally and effortlessly that it achieves striking unison singing, sounding as one voice, with a stirring richness of sound when the harmonies commence. This emotive performance was followed Judith Tudball by a rendition of Rutter’s A Clare Benediction - a request of the organising committee. Judith Tudball, PrincipalA of nniversSt Michael’s AMusicry is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, th wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and The Service concluded with a rousing rendition of Collegiate School in Hobart, writes about charm and gaiety to life and to everything. You Raise Me Up words and music by Rolf Lovland the service commemoratingCommemor the 20th Ation and Brendan Graham, arranged by Teena Chin. For anniversary20 of the Port Arthur massacre in Plato (Watson, 1991) this performance, the choir was joined fittingly by renowned Australian Opera singer Amelia Farrugia, which thirty-five people were gunned down serviCe who was present at the site on that fateful day in 1996, by a lone gunman and another twenty-three leaving the Broad Arrow Café just moments before the were injured. Over 500 peopleport attended Arthur the historiC site gunfire commenced. Amelia had performed at the service at the historic site on Thursday 28 April 10th Anniversary Commemoration and was pleased 28th April 2016 to return for the 20th Anniversary to join with the 2016. The service was especially poignant for Collegiate Singers. Year 11 student Hannah Swindon the Collegiate Singers, the School’s premier was invited by Amelia during the sound check on auditioned choir, who performed three the morning of the performance to join with her in a sensitive performance of Lloyd Webber’s Pie Jesu. feature pieces at the service. Hannah bravely accepted this invitation just an hour and a half prior to the live national broadcast on the
THIS PAGE TOP: Image depicted in the Service Booklet for the Port Arthur 20th ABC and her strong and courageous performance Anniversary Commemoration Service, 28 April 2016. was testament to her talent and self-confidence. THIS PAGE BOTTOM: Singers at Port Arthur. Hannah took strength from the encouraging faces of OPPOSITE PAGE: Hannah Swindon and Amelia Furrugia.
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PA_20_Memorial_Booklet_v2.indd 1 22/04/2016 5:16 pm those in the audience to help her to perform to the best students to join the choral program, is shaped by the of her abilities. As Hannah later noted, “It was a solemn Christian values upon which the School is built. The but beautiful service filled with support and comfort Collegiate Singers regularly perform at significant civic for those who had lost loved ones. I was so proud of all events such as the Hobart ANZAC Day main Cenotaph the Collegiate Singers for the way we presented and Service and the Opening of the Legal Year Service at St performed. I know that all the girls there felt proud to David’s Cathedral as well as events such as the Festival represent our school at such an important event.” of Voices. The choristers take pride in being asked to sing at these special community events and this is reflected The words of the popular and poignant You Raise Me in their commitment to rehearsals, their diligent work Up contributed restorative power to those gathered. ethic and their professional conduct.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains; The choral program at St Michael’s Collegiate School You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas; is derived directly from the culture of singing, which in I am strong, when I am on your shoulders; turn revolves around the deeply embedded Anglican traditions. The School is proud of the strength of both You raise me up... To more than I can be. its Anglican heritage and its choral program, and is (Lovland & Graham, 2002) committed to maintaining a strong link between both In the serene calm of this now sacred memorial site of these important traditions. To have been invited there was no doubt that the healing presence of music to contribute to what has been declared the final contributed significantly to the beneficial and uplifting acknowledgement of this event in Tasmania was a nature of the event. Indeed, it is significant that in significant honour for our school. ancient Greece, Apollo was known as both the God Tasmania is in many ways a small and close-knit of music and of medicine. Studies have repeatedly community, and so it is almost impossible not to shown that music is capable of a number of health have known or met someone whose life was directly benefits including lowering stress levels, raising states of impacted by the events of 28 April 1996. These events consciousness, changing moods, accessing different took a punishing toll on many, and for some the pain states of mind, developing the brain and is useful in and suffering will perhaps never heal. As a school meditation (Martino, 2014). As Maggie Leung, the clinical community, we are so privileged to have been able to THIS PAGE: Julie Bishop, Lucy and Malcolm Turnbull, Amelia Furrugia and the Collegiate Singers. leader of the music therapy department at Brisbane’s honour through music not only the lives lost, but those Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital noted in a recent ABC who were injured, the survivors, and the police, medical radio interview there are observable benefits of music staff and emergency services workers who worked as a powerful tool which engages different areas of our SPECIALISTS IN OUTSOURCING OF UNIFORM together twenty years ago to allow good to prevail over brain to drive outcomes including emotional benefits, evil. As Principal of Collegiate, and a music educator, I SHOPS AND DESIGN OF NEW UNIFORMS. physical benefits and social wellbeing (Henchliffe, 2016). will carry with me the positive impact of this powerful Collegiate is pleased that the performance of the performance for the remainder of my career. Singers had such a profoundly positive impact on so many present at the Service and more broadly through References the simultaneous national ABC television broadcast. Henchliffe, J. (2016) From nursery rhymes to AC/DC: Lady Cilento emergency The School was touched to receive feedback from ward uses power of music. ABC Brisbane, 29 May -11:49:19 EST 2016. Retrieved across the country commenting on the stunning 29 June 2016 from http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-25/music-therapy- in-childrens-emergency-ward-lady-cilento-hospital/7443728 musical performances of the girls and their demeanour and poise throughout the heartfelt addresses. Kelcey Jowett, A. (trans). (1885). The Politics of Aristotle. Oxford at the Clarendon Press. Cited in Grocke, D. (2006). Music is a moral law’ – A quotation from Pato? Pitt, Year 12 student and our Arts Prefect, described Voices Resources. Retrieved January 08, 2015, from http://testvoices.uib.no/ her involvement as “moving and eye-opening, to see community/?q=colgrocke061106. firsthand the strength of the families who had lost loved Lovland, R.U & Graham, B., (2002). You Raise Me Up. Published by Lyrics, Universal ones or those who were witnesses to the massacre at Port Music Publishing Group. Retrieved 30 May 2016, from http://www.metrolyrics. Arthur 20 years ago. Being able to join these families in com/you-raise-me-up-lyrics-westlife.html commemorating the anniversary of such a devastating Martino, J. (2014) 7 ways music benefits your heart, brain & health. Collective event was an incredible honour and something I will Evolution. Retrieved 30 May 2016, from http://www.collective-evolution. look back on in years to come as not only a significant com/2014/03/13/seven-reasons-why-music-benefits-your-health/ part of Tasmania’s history, but Australia’s.” Watson, D. (Ed.) (1991). Wordsworth Dictionary of Musical Quotations. Wordsworth Editions Ltd. Ware, Hertsfordshire. Retrieved 1 June 2016, from https://voices.no/ Collegiate’s strong reputation for choral singing, with community/?q=colgrocke061106 specialist music lessons from the Early Learning Centre through to Year 12 and substantial opportunities for
12 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 13 Introduction parish life at St Peter’s Glenelg, The Reverend Dr Theo McCall, Chaplain at St Peter’s College, has been The diverse expression of Anglicanism in South appointed to the role. Australian Anglican schools brings a variety of worship, community outreach and Christian Education across Networking Group the schools. With twelve Anglican schools in the A third leadership group involving our Anglican State, two of the schools are situated in the Diocese Schools is a committee of six Senior Executive staff of The Murray and the remainder in the Diocese of known as the Anglican Schools Networking Group Adelaide. Two of these schools have links with the (ASNG). As the name implies, ASNG is always seeking Uniting Church and one school is an Anglican and avenues that will enable our Anglican schools to Catholic school. The schools are situated in the inner learn, work and serve together. This ambitious and city, inner and outer suburbs, with one school located enterprising group takes responsibility for organising in a regional country area. the annual Student Leadership Workshop and other Heads Forum staff professional development programs involving staff from all of our schools. The group focuses its School Principals meet together in a group known as attention on teachers’ needs that are not being the Heads Forum each term. The Anglican Schools addressed in the wider educational community. Liaison Officer acts as the group’s Executive Officer. One example has been the establishment of regular The Archbishop of Adelaide, The Most Reverend Dr meetings for our Learning Support teachers. This Jeffrey Driver, attends at least one of these meetings group is now driving its own agenda with our twelve and keeps the Principals abreast of what is happening school communities working very effectively to in the Diocese and, in turn, the Principals are able to provide professional development for these Learning discuss items on their agenda that have implications Support teachers who are often working in ‘silos’ in for the wider Anglican community. The Heads their respective schools. Forum is a very cohesive and collegial group (and a good gender balance of six men and six women) Encountering Anglicanism where discussion and debate relates to collective As part of a Memorandum of Understanding organisational matters as well as professional between AnglicareSA and St Barnabas’ Theological development opportunities, including the frequency Working and Learning Together College, the Mission and Community Engagement and program for sabbatical leave. The Heads have Steering Committee has developed resources for also participated in retreats with these retreats being schools, AnglicareSA staff and parishes about our led by The Reverend Christopher Welsh and The Christian faith and more specifically about the nature Jim Raw Reverend Dr Lynn Arnold in recent years. These are of Anglicanism. This innovative and dynamic group times of spiritual renewal for the Heads. Jim Raw, Anglican Schools Liaison Officer of people produced a USB card that contains three Senior Chaplain slightly different videos, each of which can be used in the Diocese of Adelaide, writes about in schools, AnglicareSA and our parishes. They also The Chaplains, under the direction of their Principals, the many ‘different and exciting’ ways produced a comprehensive PowerPoint presentation play a significant role in the spiritual leadership of that is designed to be used in conjunction with the South Australia’s twelve Anglican schools our schools. School chaplaincy in the Province has video. The PowerPoint begins with the origins of are working together to achieve outcomes developed in an innovative and exciting way with Christianity and then tells the story of the Anglican the Archbishop enabling newly ordained priests that could not be realised by the individual Church around the world. The PowerPoint includes to undertake their ministry formation in schools quotes and questions that will facilitate discussion in schools. He comments on the Heads Forum, rather than via the traditional pathway of working small groups. Chaplains, parish priests and AnglicareSA the Anglican Schools Networking Group in parishes and then moving on to schools. In 2012 staff can adapt the PowerPoint to suit their respective the Archbishop created the role of Senior Chaplain and the role of the Senior Chaplain for audiences. The Diocese is most appreciative of for Anglican Schools, a key responsibility of which Anglican Schools. In terms of the future, AnglicareSA’s funding of this project. is coordinating the formation program for newly he notes the formation of the Provincial ordained clergy ministering in our schools. The The video shows a number of clergy and lay people Anglican Education committee whose brief Reverend Andrew Mintern was the first appointee in the Diocese who answer questions about their faith. is to look into the feasibility of establishing to this 0.2 FTE role. He was also given responsibility In the school version, some Chaplains and Principals for mentoring School Chaplains, organising termly share their wisdom and insights into their faith and new Anglican schools. meetings during which events such as the Combined their work in our Anglican schools. At the beginning of Schools Service in St Peter’s Cathedral were planned this year one School Chaplain used a shortened and THIS PAGE TOP (L-R): Students from six SA Anglican schools exchange and driving discussions about the Christian Education adapted version of the PowerPoint presentation at postcards on the steps of St Peter’s Cathedral prior to the Combined Schools Service, 2012. curriculum. With Andrew Mintern’s recent return to their school’s Staff Induction Day. At another school, THIS PAGE: Combined Schools Service, 2012.
14 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 15 WDF12815_BlueChair_FullPageA4_FA01.pdf 1 8/04/2015 4:20 pm
THIS PAGE: The Archbishop of Adelaide and School Chaplains at the Combined Schools Service, 2012. a member of the School Council, who is also a parish Church and the wider community, was given to a C priest, used these resources in a presentation to Council. Provincial Anglican Education committee comprising M the three Bishops in the Province, three Principals and With our Anglican schools being mission fields, these Y three people associated with Anglican schools in the resources will hopefully sow seeds in the minds and CM Province. This group has engaged a consultant to At Woods, we believe that education hearts of everyone in our schools who have the MY undertake a feasibility study and is currently continuing is of the utmost importance – not just opportunity to see the video and participate in a CY its due diligence with a view to identifying potential for the children of today but for our workshop using the PowerPoint presentation. In addition CMY sites for a new Anglican school. world tomorrow. to the value that these resources will have in our K Conclusion schools, our parishes and in AnglicareSA, the process This belief has driven our team, for over of creating these resources brought together many One of the unique and defining features of Anglican half a century, to study how children people in our Anglican communities as they shared schools in South Australia is the number of schools and learn – from a behavioral, ergonomic their thoughts, beliefs and passions about their faith. their proximity to each other. The twelve Principals work and cognitive perspective – to develop furniture that is flexible, adaptable New Schools very well together and there is a strong sense of trust and cooperation that enables them to create and and stimulating. Over dinner during a Heads’ Retreat several years explore opportunities where the schools can work ago, there was a very collegial discussion about the together to achieve outcomes that could not be It’s this philosophy that inspired our ergo-dynamic PantoFlex chair. Designed by prospect of establishing new Anglican schools in South realised by individual schools. Principals and Chaplains one of the world’s greatest furniture designers, Australia. The last new school, St Columba College, from our schools have been working together for the Verner Panton, the PantoFlex chair promotes began in 1997 and is a combined Anglican and past eighteen months to generate the program for correct posture, improves blood and Catholic College, the first ecumenical educational the upcoming ASA Conference in August this year. oxygen circulation, assists the developing venture of this kind in Australia. With the support and Conference delegates coming to Adelaide will be musculo-skeletal system and most endorsement from the Heads Forum, responsibility able to see first-hand the work in our Anglican schools importantly contributes to an increased for continuing the discussion, undertaking research, from the many different perspectives of our Chaplains, attention span. And that’s only half the story. and growing the relationships between the Anglican our emerging leaders and our Principals. To find out more about our innovative range of educational furniture visit woodsfurniture.com.au or call 1800 004 555.
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16 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 17 Now also available as a fully multi-tenant enterprise solution suitable for groups or school systems!
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18 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 19 For many years, staff and students have had an solar and wind power rather than power derived by awareness of sustainability and the fragility of the internal combustion engines. The Food and Hospitality environment - particularly on Goolwa where the mighty department started thinking in terms of the food that Murray River meets the sea. It was only a matter of a could be grown on site that was hardy and provided a few short years ago in 2008/09 that many communities balanced diet for students.” along the South Australian reaches of the Murray River VET Programs saw the devastating effect of over-allocation of water In 2015 the College established a Year 11 Certificate from the system and the unsustainable impact of II in Conservation and Land Management Vocational human activity on the sustainability of the river system. Education and Training (VET) course at the Sustainable It was at this time that the ‘Building the Education Living EcoCentre. Conservation and Land Management Revolution’ funding became available and the College (CALM) students spend seven lessons per week at was able to secure a grant to establish a sustainable the EcoCentre. Certificate II in Conservation and classroom on a 10Ha site purchased by the College Land Management employs a competency based on the banks of Currency Creek, a tributary of the assessment system to assess skills and knowledge. Units Murray River just north of Goolwa. Interestingly, the site of competency include Occupational Health and had been used for jet boat racing despite its zoning as Safety, Environmental Sustainability, Recognising Fauna ‘Environmental’. and Plants, Nursery Practices, and Weed Control. These Vision units allow students to carry out natural area restoration activities. Owning the site enabled the College to develop its outdoor and environmental programs. The original This year the VET program has been expanded to vision was to provide a Sustainable Environmental include: Science Research and Sustainable Living program that • Certificate I, II and III in Conservation and Land focused on understanding what it might mean to live Management in a sustainable way – meeting our own needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet • Certificate II and III in Horticulture their own needs. • Certificate I in Agri-foods Specifically, the key planks of the program continue to Community Nursery focus on: The College has created a community nursery at • Ecological sustainability - in terms of water and the Currency Creek site. Students at all levels, from Leading the Way in Sustainability energy generation and consumption the junior Years to Year 12 are involved in the project. A highlight has been observing the CALM students Don Grimmett • Minimal [or zero] impact to the land Principal, Investigator College teaching younger students about the skills needed for • Sustainable agriculture/aquaculture production propagation and revegetation. Investigator College is a low-fee Anglican • Outdoor and environmental education. Students propagate and plant the plants; design school situated on two campuses at Goolwa The original concept of the vision is described by the pamphlets to sell the plants; and use the nursery as and Victor Harbor on the beautiful Fleurieu Principal, Mr Don Grimmett, who, while shopping for a a case study in business classes. To date the students Peninsula of South Australia – about an hour’s dishwasher with his wife, was adamant that they should have propagated more than 10,500 plants, which are available for sale to the college community and the drive south of Adelaide. purchase an appliance with four or five stars – “so that we could help the environment”. general public. Funds raised will help support future projects at the site. Mr Grimmett reflects that at the time he had also spent time with students working with slum communities in Students who have completed the Conservation the rubbish dumps of Cebu, the Philippines, where and Land Management course have gained permits everything is recycled. “In the west we have much to collect native seeds, grow the seed, propagate to learn about recycling and we are REALLY kidding seedlings and care for the plants in the nursery. ourselves if we think we are helping the environment Botanic Gardens SEEDS Program by buying any sort of dishwasher. So, at the Currency In what is a very exciting development for the College Creek site, if students generate 6kW of power during teachers Natalie Gilbert and John Freebairn have met the day – they then need to decide whether to have with Dan Duval and Michael Yeo from the Department lights at night or charge their iPods.” of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR) He went on to say: “The site has continued to develop regarding a partnership and pilot SEEDS Program. The as a catalyst for sustainable thinking by the College. project will see the College grow local threatened THIS PAGE TOP: Currency Creek Wetland Revegetation Program. THIS PAGE BOTTOM: Currency Creek Ecocentre. The Technology department started thinking about species in the College nursery and help to protect
20 - ASA NEWS -July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 21 these species. Investigator College will become the • Goolwa Wellington Local Action Planning Association home sites. • Currency Creek Community Open Day propagation hub for the SEEDS project and will work • Keep South Australia Beautiful • Year 8 Environmental Studies Community Open Days and P&F Activity Days with other schools both on site and in the local area. are regularly organised to encourage a whole Certificate in Carbon Management Year 8 Environmental Studies students use the This project will be overseen by the SEEDS Program at community approach to the importance of student Recently the College was privileged to host Mr Paul Currency Creek site for much of their work. Most the Adelaide Botanic Gardens. The project will target engagement and participation at the Currency Dullard, a consultant with the Catholic Education recently, they have assisted in propagation and specific private properties, with degraded Eucalyptus Creek site. Office in Victoria, who is one of the Australia’s first learnt to do cuttings with native plant material. odorata associations. These areas will be fenced and instructors in a new National Certificate (at Certificate The Currency Creek site continues to be developed revegetated with rare and endangered local species. • Year 9 Geography III and IV level) in Carbon Management and a leading for all Year levels (R-12) in curricular and co-curricular All revegetation will be provincial. Year 9 Geography students all study a unit on Biomes educator in environmental-related courses. Mr Dullard contexts. The breadth of the programs reflects the as part of their course. They investigate the wetlands, Investigator College is using funds generated from visited Investigator College to see our Living EcoCentre ‘buy in’ of the College but more importantly the wider measure water quality and undertake cause, effect plant sales in the nursery to construct a cuttings house and to meet with teacher, Mr Andrew Panozzo, who community, to the intentional inclusion of environmental and solution studies at the Currency Creek site. with a hot bed and controlled humidity and solenoid having recently completed a Certificate III course in sustainability as an imbedded component of the watering system in order to grow the endangered Carbon Management, will be offering the course to • Buddy Class and Community Service College’s teaching and learning program. species. students and other interested persons. Year 10 PLP students team up with Junior School In the future, students will spend extended periods Private Land Revegetation Project The course is aimed at students and persons who work, classes to propagate trees and plants at the of time at the site and, together with day visits, On another front in 2015 Investigator College or who are interested in working in carbon intensive Currency Creek site. will experience firsthand the issues, obstacles and committed to an exciting three-year project between industries or who are interested in sustainable living. ‘hardships’ that living in a sustainable way provides. • College Camps Program Natural Resources Adelaide Mt Lofty Ranges and a With the advent of Carbon Taxes and Trading Schemes Awards landowner to completely revegetate his property. commencing nationally and internationally, this course As part of the College camps’ program, students in Investigator College has received a number of awards and similar qualifications will be in increasing demand Years 5, 7, 8, 10 and 11 participate in an overnight This project will include all stages of revegetation from including Keep South Australia Beautiful (KESAB) and world-wide. Investigator College is one of 12 pilot activity which ensures they are connected to, collecting seed, weed control, planting, and follow-up local Business Awards for the work being pioneered at schools nation-wide studying and looking to offer this engage in and embrace elements of the great care and management of the planting. the site. qualification. outdoors. Staff and students have visited the site and are now Mr Dullard commended the College for its future- planning for the project. focused vision and its obvious commitment to University of Adelaide sustainable practices and education. “This is a facility In addition, Investigator College has entered into that will allow students to actually monitor the impact exciting educational partnerships with the University they have on the environment … it’s real, ‘hands on’ of Adelaide. The programs are part of the College’s learning,” Mr Dullard commented. commitment to bringing world-class learning Currency Creek Teaching and Learning Programs experiences to the South Coast, and our vision to Now that the facilities at Currency Creek are more expand learning to outside the classroom. For example, established and accessible, teachers are able to a 10-week Research Project was carried out by the embed sustainability themes into more of their University’s School of Environmental Science in 2014. programs as exemplified by the following curriculum A university student worked closely with college staff offerings: and students to produce a base-line environmental impact study of the EcoCentre. The findings have been • Year 4 Swamp Savers used in our expanded Environmental Science offerings Year 4 students participate in the Swamp Savers at all Year levels, as well as forming the introduction Program and use the Currency Creek site as their base to our nationally-accredited Certificate II course in for learning about biodiversity and the importance Conservation and Land Management. of the Fleurieu swamps (www.naturalresources. Other Partners sa.gov.au/). Over time many stakeholders have been involved in • Murray-Darling Basin Champions the design and implementation of our sustainable Field studies associated with the Year 5s’ projects for programs. They have worked with us on projects or the Murray-Darling Basin Champions Investigation utilised our EcoCentre at Currency Creek. We are Challenge were undertaken at Currency Creek. currently participating in projects with the following Students investigated native and introduced fish partners: using traps and lines and identification charts; and • NRM Education Mount Lofty Ranges native and introduced birds using binoculars and • NRM Education Murray Darling Basin identification charts. Others looked for fauna using 24-hour movement sensor cameras. They also looked • Botanic Gardens of South Australia THIS PAGE: Overlooking Currency Creek. for secondary evidence such as scats, tracks and INSET: Tree planting at Currency Creek.
22 - ASA NEWS -July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 23 The School’s Earth Angels group comprises waste auditing, management of a re-usable tuckshop approximately 40 Junior School students who work on bag system, and the maintenance of worm farms and action-orientated campaigns regarding social and composting systems. Year 6 leaders have recently environmental sustainability initiatives. Earth Angels led the charge on an Energy Audit, which involved provides learning and leadership activities for students collection and analysis of data around energy use who are interested in nature, gardening and reducing in classrooms. This has evolved into a student-led their ecological footprint. They strive to influence and campaign educating the school community about work in partnership with around 800 students, their energy use reduction and all classes signing the families, teachers and other staff. following energy pledge: I think the work Earth Angels does is extremely We commit to helping our school reduce costs, important to the environment and the planet, protect the environment, encourage student because we hope to inspire students to be clean learning and help the school building function and respectful towards the earth. as efficiently as possible. We pledge to use the classroom checklist including: turning things off Student, Emily when not in use, and closing the door while air- Working with the School Community conditioning is running. The Junior School kitchen garden is planted and Working with the Wider Community maintained by the Earth Angels students under the Always looking to increase environmental awareness guidance of co-ordinator Mrs Daley, one of the in the community, St Aidan’s Junior School partnered Junior School teacher librarians, and parent Ngaire with Brisbane City Council on the Active School Travel McGraw. This garden provides a bumper crop of program and Travel Together Tuesday and as a result produce throughout the year and is much enjoyed won the ‘Golden Boot’ award two years running. Bike by the entire school community. Students develop a racks were purchased for the Junior School in response planting calendar, based on research they do using to parent demand and systems were established to library resources and through consultation with keen provide support to teachers and parents who were gardeners within the school community or at home. keen to increase car-pooling opportunities, public Many school families donate cuttings, seeds and plant transport use, walking and cycling to/from school. The St Aidan’s Earth Angels stock to ensure there are always interesting crops for Junior School community regularly celebrates ‘travel students to work with and ensure a sense of ownership together’, ‘walk to school’ and ‘train to school’ days with amongst the entire school community. shared community breakfasts and prizes, all of which When crops are ready for harvest, the girls cook with help to keep families enthused and accountable. Megan Daley their produce in the Junior School kitchen, which was The School has built up some connections with St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School in Brisbane planned and built nearby the kitchen garden. Each local organisations and in 2015, St Aidan’s Junior has been a leader in environmental initiatives year students have learnt to make an impressive School hosted the Qld Early Childhood Sustainability for some years now and the Junior School array of healthy dishes, such as corn on the cob with Network (QECSN) Annual Conference, with over 120 herb butter, minted lemonade, Vietnamese Betel Leaf Earth Angels group has played a major part early childhood experts in attendance, and Megan salads, roasted beetroot salad and basil pesto. Bags Daley presented a session titled, ‘Children’s Literature in ensuring that sustainability is always on of beans, bunches of mint, parsley, rosemary and basil Supporting Sustainability’. The QECSN attendees the agenda across the school community. and whole lettuces are regularly harvested and taken used the Earth Angels’ garden to learn about school Megan Daley, who coordinates the group home by students in order to encourage the home and kitchen gardens and how to maintain worm farms and and is one of the Junior School teacher school sustainability link. ‘Totally Wild’ recently filmed compost in an educational setting. a segment in the school kitchen garden and kitchen, librarians, writes about the young girls’ work, St Aidan’s has worked hard to maintain their four star which you can see here their passion and enthusiasm for it, and the ‘Cleaner Greener Schools’ accreditation, which is a influence they are exerting on the school http://tenplay.com.au/channel-eleven/totally-wild/ nationwide initiative to ‘rate’ schools based on their community. season-23/episode-96. (27 February 2016) sustainability principles and practices. This process is undertaken every year and much documentation is I love participating in Earth Angels because not provided in order for this rating to be maintained. There only do we grow DELICIOUS food but we also are only a handful of Queensland schools with a four do really fun activities including energy audits, star rating and the school works hard to ensure this cooking and being on TV! level is maintained. Student, Lucy The hard work carried out by the Junior School’s Earth
THIS PAGE TOP: Earth Angels Earth Angels also oversees a number of projects Angels encouraging sustainable practices at St Aidan’s THIS PAGE BOTTOM: Megan Daley outside the garden, including community tree planting, was acknowledged in 2014 with a coveted award at the
24 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 25 Keep Queensland Beautiful Awards. St Aidan’s won the the classroom is meaningful and contains real life School Award for Resource Management, presented opportunities for students. Many classes use the kitchen at a ceremony by Keep Queensland Beautiful CEO garden for experiments and sustainability related work Rick Burnett and the Lord Mayor of Brisbane Graham and it is never a surprise to find signs in the garden Quirk. The award recognised the work Earth Angels saying ‘Bug Collection at Work, Please Do Not Touch’ or carries out regarding litter management in the Junior ‘Year 2 Bean Experiments’. Year 4 students have taken School, as well as their continued success with worm a particularly active role in helping with the worm farming and composting, and up-cycling of products farm, collecting of waste at lunchtimes and promoting in the Junior School kitchen garden and surrounds. initiatives such as ‘World Recycling Week’ and ‘Hairy Nosed Wombat Day’. I’d been following the Earth Angels long before I became involved about five years ago - it’s proving I am the Kindy Worm Monitor and I am very good to be a great asset to the broader community, so at feeding the worms and I am not scared of them I’m happy to contribute. The coordinators and because they are my friends. girls involved have changed over time but the Student, Georgia momentum keeps growing. I always enjoy seeing the diverse projects delivered, the skill-building, St Aidan’s strives to provide excellence in education the amazement and delight on the girls’ faces, in a caring, friendly, ethical, ecologically sustainable and the industrious drive the girls foster to solve environment. The Junior School Earth Angels is a firmly real world problems. established club within the school community but it has become so much more than a lunchtime activity. Parent, Ngaire McGaw The hope is that all current and former Earth Angels Classroom and Curriculum Connections walk through their educational and life journey with a sense of their environment and the impact which With sustainability woven through all areas of the an individual can have on this, and the quality of our Australian curriculum, many classroom teachers are environment. now connecting with the Earth Angels group and the school kitchen garden, ensuring that learning in
I am the Kindy Worm Monitor and I am “ very good at feeding the worms and I am not scared of them because they are my friends. Student, Georgia”
OPPOSITE PAGE: Earth Angels.
26 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 27 Being Environmentally Responsible with all staff in a positive way and for it not to become a laborious audit. Creating interest and involvement Launceston Church Grammar School (Launceston amongst school leaders was critical to the success of Grammar) recognises that environmental change is the review. Having the support and mentorship of Board a key factor that will influence the development of Member, Lesley Freak was invaluable. Support from the the School. Issues such as climate change, resource two Heads of Campus and Headmaster determined consumption and our increasing ecological footprint that the Australian Curriculum cross-curriculum priorities require management by governments, organisations would be the basis for reporting. and individuals. ‘The Sustainability priority has been developed around Launceston Grammar has a role in assisting students three key concepts: systems, world views and futures to understand environmental sustainability, explore and each key concept contains a set of organising the issues and be future leaders. We are fortunate to ideas that provide a platform for developing related have teachers who see their role as helping students to knowledge, understanding and skills.’ (http://www. become committed to the philosophies of sustainability acara.edu.au/curriculum/cross_curriculum_priorities. so that they embrace it in all aspects of their lives. html) In essence, environmental sustainability is about This provided an applicable backdrop for teachers ensuring the long-term quality and liveability of our to report against, with the expectation that not all natural environment. Launceston Grammar has made areas would be relevant to all topics. However, the a formal commitment to environmental sustainability, as way the cross-curriculum priorities have been written reflected in the School’s Strategic Plan’s key direction ensures they are flexible enough to be open to many to ‘Be Environmentally Responsible’. areas of learning. It was important to be flexible in the Our strategic objectives are to: collation of information, which was gained through • Teach sustainability across the School. formal reports from teachers and verbal conversations, in order to gain a clear, overall picture. The findings not • Implement environmentally responsible actions into only revealed a commitment to teaching sustainability, the school environments. but also that staff lead by example through their • Undertake an environmental audit of the School actions around the two campuses. Three examples are Nurturing Tomorrow’s and reduce our footprint. turning off lights, reducing printing where possible and facilitating a recycling program. One of the exciting Energy and Curriculum Audits aspects of the review has been that is has provided Environmentalists An energy audit was undertaken towards the end of a starting point for conversations about sustainability 2015 and staff are currently working through the findings Ben Clark and the recognition that ‘every little bit helps’. Since to determine the actions they will implement across starting the review I have often had staff come up and Ben Clark is the Development Officer at the two campuses to reduce the School’s footprint. say, ‘By the way we are also doing this...’ The Head of Tasmania’s Launceston Church Grammar Furthermore, this year we have committed to ensuring Languages recently informed me that teachers have School. Prior to relocating to Launceston sustainability is taught at all Year levels in the School put up signs in different languages in their classrooms in early 2015, Ben worked for the South by conducting a review of teaching practice. Being to remind students to turn off the lights. Australian public service for the Department passionate about sustainability and having worked As an example of Launceston Grammar’s commitment of Environment, Water and Natural Resources in the environmental and natural resources sector, I to teaching sustainability across the whole school, naturally would love to see sustainability taught in all in policy roles within heritage and natural I include a snapshot of examples of activities from topics where practical. various Year levels. resource management. Here he writes about the School’s commitment to environmental Finding the most appropriate mechanism to gather the information was a challenge, as I wanted to engage sustainability. Launceston Grammar ‘aims to nurture, challenge and inspire future environmental leaders and environmentally responsible members of the community’.
THIS PAGE TOP: Ben Clark. THIS PAGE BOTTOM: Recycling cartons. OPPOSITE PAGE (L-R): Gives you wings (Red Bull); Chook food; Identifying specimens; Recycling for art.
28 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 29 Early Learning-Prep Excursion to local recycling centre. Years 1 - 2 Cooking healthy lunches with a nutritionist. Years 3 - 4 Maintenance of a vertical garden with drought tolerant plants. Years 5 - 6 Camp to local windfarm as part of unit of work on sustainable energy. Geography - Unit researching and investigating the life cycle of a resource. Year 7 Home Economics - Learning where to buy local produce. English - Australian poetry: Human interaction with the environment over time. Technology - The changes in supply of timber in Tasmania and design in production and Year 8 housing. Physics - A study on renewable energy. Economics - Examination of environmental impacts of economic activity and the use of resources in terms of the ecological footprint. Year 9 Food Studies - Seasonal produce in our daily diet and the design of seasonal meals for the family. Citizenship - Study of Australia as a global citizen and how Australia’s actions as a global citizen reflect values of care, respect and responsibility. Year 10 Agriculture Science - Establishment of a vegetable garden producing a range of vegetables and herbs. Outdoor Education - Compost all food waste, grow own produce and adopt ‘a leave no Year 11 trace’ ethos on camps. Food and Nutrition - Inquiry into global food security and food ethics. Learn about Year 12 genetically modified food and organic foods.
Key Projects and propagation of native species. We hope working with the restoration team and UTAS researchers will The review also identified a number of key projects that inspire some of our students to pursue careers in have been or are being implemented at Launceston science and environmental studies. Grammar. This review has provided valuable information which • In July 2015 the School secured a national grant for will assist us raise awareness about the importance of $5,000 to assist with the costs of implementing a co- environmental sustainability. In addition, the baseline mingled recycling program in the Senior School in data we have collated has provided reference points Term 4. The program has been successfully adopted against which we can assess the success and viability by students and staff. Spin-offs are a noticeable of the programs we introduce. increase in the awareness of the importance of recycling and most importantly, a 35 per cent Future decrease in the amount of general rubbish. Sustainability is more important than ever for today’s • In December 2015 Launceston Grammar signed students and the School’s community leaders. Regional a Memorandum of Understanding with Greening communities play a significant role in the future of Australia to undertake conservation and restoration sustainable agriculture and the environmental job work in the Midlands. The program supports sector. Launceston Church Grammar School aims to educational activities with practical opportunities for nurture, challenge and inspire future environmental teachers and students to engage in biodiversity and leaders and environmentally responsible members of restoration; and, where appropriate, be involved in the community. research and education projects with the University of Tasmania (UTAS). The program of events for 2016 includes hands on work such as seed germination
OPPOSITE PAGE: Identifying specimens.
30 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 31 At Georgiana Molloy Anglican School (GMAS) in has been fully implemented at Year 5. Students are Busselton, in the pristine south-west of Western Australia, leaders when it comes to the actual garden and take we encourage staff, students, parents and the wider responsibility for composting general waste around community to be proactive in protecting this amazing the school to ensure a healthy garden grows. They place we call Earth. By implementing sustainable sell their produce at GMAS Market Days and use their programs at the base level of education and within the funds to purchase additional seedlings to continue the homes of our families we are contributing to a global garden’s growth. movement to ‘save our planet’. Because we have so many volunteers who assist with From Little Georgies (Pre-Kindergarten, three-year-old these activities, the Year 5s are able to give them a program) to our Year 12s there is at least one form special ‘thank you’ Volunteers Lunch using the fabulous of application they use to promote a sustainable produce that they have grown. They rely on the Home environment and to encourage a reduction in their Economics Department’s expertise to teach them how overall footprint. to bring a range of wholesome, healthy dishes to life!
Our programs comprise ‘tried and true’ sustainability Not only are our Year 5s learning to grow and cook practices coupled with new and innovative programs vegetables and prepare salads, but they are also initiated by our teachers. learning a range of sustainable skills that they can implement in their homes. Some of their produce also Programs assists our canteen in providing fresh ingredients for our Every day our Early Learning Centre students are students. encouraged to explore their environment. That may be playing in the nature playground at recess with its Waste Wise trickling stream and logs to climb on; going on a bear In 2015 we became a proud Waste Wise school. hunt through the nearby bushland - using their hands to Initiated by the Sustainability Committee, the School feel the rough bark of the trees; or simply just splashing has encouraged regular events to monitor and about in muddy puddles. reduce the amount of plastics that are released into The Early Learning Years’ Framework encourages our environment. One such event is the Junior School’s GENERATING SUSTAINABILITY ‘belonging, being and becoming’ and we can Waste Free Wednesday. Participating classes receive a confidently say that here at Georgiana Molloy we score for their total waste and are encouraged to waste AT GEORGIANA MOLLOY provide opportunities for our youngest students to less the following week. Our winners are congratulated belong to their environment, to develop, grow and in the newsletter providing an incentive for the class The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it. Robert Swan enjoy their environment, and to learn how to keep it as a whole to work towards reducing the amount of safe. plastic they use each week. The Middle and Senior Jacinta Foulds Schools will soon start on their waste free journeys! Most of the environmentally sustainable programs Jacinta Foulds, Marketing Officer at implemented in the Middle and Secondary Schools From Paddock to Plate Georgiana Molloy Anglican School, WA have been introduced by our Sustainability Committee, We have only recently signed-up to From Paddock writes about the School’s sustainable whose members work tirelessly to encourage students to Plate. The program goes hand-in-hand with the to adopt sustainable actions at school and at home. practices. She says Georgiana Molloy Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program as it promotes a wide variety of insights into farming “prides itself on being a true leader in this Projects enterprises. Students are taken on virtual tours 2008 saw the implementation of the first of many area” and is continually looking to develop encouraging them to learn the origins of food, reduce projects. It was the commissioning of a 1.75kW solar its programs and modify and improve its their waste and support Australian farmers. In addition, panel system that by 2014 had prevented 15,909kgs of the program aims to stimulate creative thinking and facilities. CO2 entering our atmosphere and has produced over inspire careers. 26,000kW of energy. Aquaponics In the ensuing years our Sustainability Committee has overseen the implementation of the following projects: Built in 2009, our Aquaponics facility hosts 100 yabbies, the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Project; 30 rainbow trout and leaf vegetables. The pond’s Waste Wise; From Paddock to Plate; Aquaponics; and nutrient water feeds our kitchen garden and the Cows Create Careers. soil from the garden feeds the leaf vegetable in the Aquaponics ponds. In addition biology students have Kitchen Garden THIS PAGE TOP: Year 5s proudly display their produce at a GMAS Market Day. the opportunity to study the marine organisms that THIS PAGE BOTTOM: Shovelling woodchips! The Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program grow in the facility.
32 - ASA NEWS -July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 33 Cows Create Careers
The Cows Create Careers Farm Module is an inventive Dairy Australia and Regional Development program that is delivered across 23 dairying regions in Australia - Busselton being one of those areas. Students at Georgiana Molloy are required to work in teams to rear two calves over a three-week period. During this time they receive information from local dairy farmers and industry leaders while completing assessment tasks.
A Focal Point
For Georgiana Molloy Anglican School to remain in this sustainable space we are constantly required to evolve and seek the most up-to-date and professional information on how to correctly teach our community the benefits of sustainability. Our Sustainability Committee plays a leading hand in this and every year works towards an action plan with new and improved ways of being better at what we do. Whether we implement new programs to bring in extra advice or whether we improve on existing facilities, Georgiana Molloy prides itself on being a true leader in this area and sustainability will remain an educational focal point for our staff, students and families.
THIS PAGE TOP: It’s feeding time! THIS PAGE BOTTOM: Shovelling woodchips!
34 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE H_36343EYAUS_AUS_S5_ASA Mag_297x210w_1Jul_EN_#150_p.indd 1 CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 201620/6/16 - 4:5835 PM Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative systems to help manage our water resources in a more efficient manner. The journey towards sustainability at The Hutchins School has been a dynamic process. Nine years ago Power of 9 the School ‘signed on’ as an inaugural member of the Perhaps, the most notable of our ventures has been Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative (Tasmania). the embedding of ‘education for sustainability’ in At the time, Hutchins was the only independent several learning areas, from Kindergarten to Year 12. school to be offered inaugural membership in the One such program has been our Power of 9 program, program. It provided a wonderful opportunity for which provides our Year 9 students with opportunities several staff members and students to learn and to develop skills, passion, positive attitudes, values and share ideas in a collaborative manner with member forms of knowledge necessary for planning a pathway schools, government agencies and NGOs. A key for a successful life with the expectation that each expectation of membership of the initiative was the student will make a difference to his local and global requirement for each participating school to draw up community. One of the program’s units is Sustainable a School Environmental Management Plan (SEMP). We Lifestyles. As part of this unit students have the developed our plan around issues that we could take action on and for which we could create sustainable outcomes. The issues that we identified fell under seven categories: • Education • Waste • Grounds • Water • Energy • Governance Hutchins’ Pathway to Sustainability • Social Sustainable Programs Since the launch of Hutchins’ SEMP many of our planned programs have been implemented – indeed Anthony Hyland they have become part of the fabric and culture of the School. One such example is waste management. Anthony Hyland teaches Design and Technology, History, Geography and In 2008 (even before our SEMP was finalised) Hutchins introduced a multiple recycling program that has Sustainable programs at The Hutchins School witnessed exponential growth over the years. We now in Hobart. One of his key responsibilities is recycle paper, cardboard, plastics, tins and mobile promoting ‘Education for Sustainability’ phones as well as ink cartridges from printers. An added opportunity to develop their awareness of sustainable throughout the School. Here Anthony writes benefit has been the development of a successful lifestyle practices. Students learn about the benefits of about Hutchins’ journey to sustainability. He long-term business relationship with Walkabout organic gardening and see how companion planting says it is a dynamic, ongoing process. Industries, one of Tasmania’s key providers of education of native species can promote good pollination and and employment for members of the community with reduce pestilence. Key outcomes have been: special needs. • Developing an understanding of what sustainability Another example has been the installation of several is; technologies to help reduce our energy footprint. Installation of sensor light switches have helped reduce • Developing an understanding of nested integrated unnecessary energy use. Our Senior School library has systems of sustainability; an array of solar voltaic cells that provide 12kW power • Exploring the four pillars of sustainability; to the grid. Furthermore, we have installed 1.5kW • Exploring a diversity of sustainable concepts and panels on top of our Science building. This too has a themes; two-fold advantage as our Science faculty utilises the THIS PAGE TOP: Anthony Hyland and students. THIS PAGE BOTTOM: Tiger Lamp made from recycled timber. Upcycled phone- digital readouts as a learning tool. Timing systems and • Developing an understanding of what embodied chargers provide the energy source. moisture meters have been installed in our irrigation energy is and the resultant carbon pollutants that OPPOSITE PAGE: Monster pumpkin from the Power of 9 organic garden.
36 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 37 are released into the atmosphere in the production teaching programs across all Year levels. Two examples of fruit and vegetables for sale in stores as opposed will suffice. Year 7 boys have designed and built LED to that which is home-grown; lamps which derive their energy source from upcycled unwanted phone chargers. The implementation of a • Developing an understanding of the nutritional successful STEM program, has seen students exploring values and cost savings of growing your own renewable energy options for the future. As I write this vegetables and fruit; and article one of our staff members and three students • Learning about project development and the are attending a National KidWind Challenge, 2016 JB Hi-Fi Education Solutions provides best in management of a school community project that class products, services and advice to schools in New Orleans, USA, in recognition of their research, nationally. Our brand new product portal allows supports the principles of sustainability and supports design and construction of wind powered turbines. schools to browse, compare and purchase the School’s SEMP. They came third! products 24/7.
Most importantly students have learnt what it is to be The Design, Production and Digital Technologies faculty Use the product portal to: a discerning consumer. At a personal level they have promotes the sustainable use of natural resources in • Access specialised education products not observed, researched and taken steps to reduce their the production of student projects. This in turn teaches available in store, including high quality Windows® own carbon footprint. In addition, they have taken ‘on our students how to use our natural resources in an devices under $670 ex GST board’ how they might influence others to do likewise. • Browse categories including computing devices, efficient and sustainable manner. servers and storage, audio visual and musical They have become responsible stewards for our planet. instruments Much more evidence could be provided on how • Filter categories by price, brand or promotion Other Initiatives Hutchins has embraced education for sustainability. • Add products to cart and manage purchases using Our Science and Design, Production and Digital However, the most important thing is that as a global quick view • Create an instant quote or place an order online Technologies faculties have been proactive in school, we recognise that education for sustainability is • Check out securely on your credit account embedding sustainability principles within their a key imperative of the 21st Century. • Arrange drop-ship delivery to your school
FOR EDUCATION
THIS PAGE TOP (L): Power of 9 organic garden. THIS PAGE TOP (R): KidWind Challenge.
38 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 39 St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School has been actively involved in implementing and delivering environmental sustainability programs at school and within the local community. During 2014 St Paul’s whole school Environmental Sustainability Team was formed to focus on delivering school environmental objectives. As a result, the School’s Warragul and Traralgon campuses are now registered under the ResourceSmart Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative (AuSSI Vic). ResourceSmart is a Victorian Government initiative designed to help schools take action to minimise waste, save energy and water, promote biodiversity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The School’s Environmental Sustainability Team, comprising staff and a student focused group, is currently working towards completing the various modules of the initiative.
Brooker Park Regeneration Project The School has drafted an Environmental Sustainability Policy and an Environmental Sustainability Plan is being developed which will focus on delivering key initiatives. As a part of the Environmental Sustainability Plan, St Paul’s led a multi-partner community project to revegetate a section of Hazel Creek which runs through the popular Brooker Park in Warragul, West Gippsland, Victoria to restore ‘the health’ of the creek and the A ‘ResourceSmart’ School habitat of the Growling Grass Frog (Endangered), the Warragul Burrowing Crayfish (Critically Endangered) and the Giant Gippsland Earthworm (Endangered). The Project Team included representatives from the Baw Baw Shire Council, West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority, Warragul Urban Landcare Group, St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School’s St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School (Vic) Environmental Sustainability Team and student is actively focused on delivering and groups. The outcome of this project has seen 0.55Ha revegetated by students and the community. implementing environmental sustainability programs. A particular highlight has been The Project Team was instrumental in promoting activities and events associated with the revegetation project. the School’s involvement in a multi-partner The aim was to encourage the school community and community project to regenerate a section the broader community to participate in plantings, of Hazel Creek in the popular Brooker Park working bees, educational activities and site visits/tours. Of note was a series of education seminars hosted by in Warragul, West Gippsland which was led St Paul’s to educate the community about protecting by the School’s Environmental Sustainability endangered species. Dr Beverly Van Praagh (Invert- Team. St Paul’s was a finalist in the Eco Consultancy) spoke about the endangered Community Leadership School of the Year Giant Gippsland Earthworm and Warragul Burrowing Crayfish and Dr Greg Hollis delivered a ‘Frog Stomp’ category of the ResourceSmart Education presentation on the Growling Grass Frog. Nearly 200 Awards 2015 for the part it played in this members of the community attended these seminars. project. In July 2015 students from the Warragul campus Early Learning Centre, Junior School and Secondary School THIS PAGE TOP: Planting trees in Brooker Park. (L-R) Sustainability Captain Jessica THIS PAGE TOP: Brooker Park before the Revegetation Project. Garcia with Teagan Coldebella and Isabella Sowerby. THIS PAGE BOTTOM: Brooker Park after the Revegetation Project. participated in a tree planting day at Brooker Park that
40 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 41 saw a total of 700 trees planted. Students were assisted Other Initiatives by their teachers and representatives from the Baw The School has also been actively involved in other Baw Shire Council. Shortly afterwards a community environmental projects including the construction of a tree planting day was held at the site which resulted greenhouse at the Warragul campus. One result has in 40 residents planting around 1000 trees. Planning is been the propagation of more than 9000 plants that underway for another joint project with the Baw Baw have subsequently been planted in the grounds of the Shire which will see St Paul’s students participating in Warragul campus. Additional seedlings will be planted at the Traralgon campus. Furthermore, a tree planting an additional tree planting session in Brooker Park. day at the Traralgon campus has been scheduled in ResourceSmart Education Awards August and on that occasion over 200 trees will be planted. St Paul’s was named a finalist in the Community Leadership School of the Year category of the As part of St Paul’s involvement in the ResourceSmart ResourceSmart Education Awards 2015 for leading this Program the School received grants under the Energy multi-partner Brooker Park community project. Efficiency Grants Program from the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development and The ResourceSmart Education Awards is Victoria’s Sustainability Victoria Partnership to implement various largest sustainability awards program. It recognises energy saving initiatives. This project has recently Victorian schools, early childhood services, students been completed with over a 1000 light fittings being and teachers for their sustainability projects. converted into LED lighting in specific buildings at the Traralgon and Warragul campuses. Power consumption On this occasion there were more than 180 entries from associated with the LED lighting is predicted to be over 100 schools across the state and all finalists were approximately half that of the older lighting installations. required to demonstrate to the Victorian community A further LED lighting project has been implemented how to take local action on climate change and how as a ‘pilot’ to test whether the efficiencies in electricity we can all work towards embedding sustainability in usage can be realised in line with those forecast in everything we do at school and at home. the project proposal. LED lighting has been installed St Paul’s secondary student Lauren Brewer, who was in the School’s oldest buildings - that had the most inefficient lighting. Lux level readings measuring light actively involved with planting trees and who created levels were taken before the installation and the the video for the ResourceSmart application said: “To results indicated that half of the light spaces did not know that you have helped the environment while meet Australian Standards for light level requirements. having fun and making new friends along the way TRUSTED Following completion of the LED upgrade, all spaces is great. We will all be able to go back there in 20 now exceed Australian Standards by between 22% years and say, ‘Look what we did, we helped make a and 102%. The School’s electricity usage will also be difference’.” monitored for several months to gauge efficiencies. After School Care Contact Us Today! HAVE YOU REGISTERED FOR ASA’S Rivers in the Desert CONFERENCE?
42 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 43 One way we contribute to the creation of socially aware and responsible future adults is the introduction of sustainable practices in our before and after school care programs. Children absolutely love these initiatives.
There are many ways to introduce the idea of our environmental footprint to the children in our care and we have a broad range of initiatives in place. The best part of their learning in outside school hours’ care is that most of these initiatives can be implemented in the home as well. And many are able to be implemented in schools too.
In the garden
We operate our outside school hours care services on school grounds, and often we find there is space for a garden in our area of the school. Building and tending to the garden is the children’s responsibility and with the encouragement and assistance of our Extend educators, the children maintain their garden by watering and fertilising the plants and planting new plants.
Parents can get involved too. Some of our parents bring us clippings or seeds from their garden to plant in ours. We give the children the chance to learn about forestation, the importance of planting plants The Future is in Our Hands and trees, and what trees bring to our environment.
Our gardens are not just for trees and shrubs. Some of our gardens are functional and provide us with herbs Darren Stevenson The good thing about primary school aged children or vegetables. The children have the opportunity to (well there’s actually lots of good things about primary learn where their food comes from and how it is grown. Darren Stevenson, Managing Director of school aged children) is that they’re seeking a bit The best part is they use the food they grow in cooking activities in after school care and vacation care. Extend After School Care, writes about of independence and wanting to make a mark on their little world. They can become really passionate Of course when you have a garden there are the introduction of sustainable practices about causes and initiatives, particularly when they always ways in which you can send the message of understand and buy into the ‘why’ of any initiative. in Extend’s before and after school care sustainability. At afternoon tea time, if there is any programs. He believes this is one way I know an eight-year-old who has been able to water left over in the cups or jugs, we make sure we pour that on the garden instead of down the sink. in which Extend can contribute to the convince her entire family to become palm oil free as a direct result of an environmental inquiry in her Year 3 Composting education of socially aware and responsible class. She passionately bought into the ‘why’ of palm adults. Established in 2002, Extend’s goal has oil free life and was able to enthusiastically introduce At some of our outside school hours care services, the concept to her family and assist her Mum in finding particularly where we have gardens to tend, the always been to enrich the lives of children palm oil free alternatives for everything in their house children learn about composting. We do this in a few and support schools and families. from crackers to toothpaste. different ways. Sometimes there are buckets for the children to put their food scraps in and then those are Little people can make a big difference when they’re emptied into compost bins. One of our services even empowered. And don’t forget, little people grow. We has a worm farm! are not raising children. We are raising future adults. Arts and Crafts As influential adults in the lives of the children in our care, we have the ability to create socially aware and Creative play is a fantastic way to help children responsible adults in the future. At Extend we take learn about recycling. There are some arts and THIS PAGE TOP: Planting a lemon tree. THIS PAGE BOTTOM: Look at the herbs we grew! that responsibility very seriously. But we make sure we crafts suppliers that specialise in selling only recycled OPPOSITE PAGE: Darren Stephenson. make it fun! materials. Although not all of our services have access
44 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 45 to these types of suppliers, where they can purchase they are very motivated to ensure they rise to meet good quality recycled materials, we are very pleased the challenges they’ve agreed to undertake. This is SPECIALISTS IN OUTSOURCING OF UNIFORM to encourage them to do so. where the concept of environmental monitors works SHOPS AND DESIGN OF NEW UNIFORMS. Of course you don’t need to find suppliers to use so well. recycled materials for craft. Some of our projects have Environmental monitors are children who volunteer to involved children bringing things from home for use in the service they attend. Dharshi, one of our super do specific jobs each day they attend the service. The creative team leaders, along with her team, helped jobs are very simple and include handing out paper the children build a totem pole made out of milk towels at handwashing time, watering the garden, or and oil bottles which now sits in the garden and the serving the fruit at snack time. They are there to ensure children enjoy every day. Another example is the dog there is no paper, water or food wastage. beds our children made out of old woollen jumpers. These dog beds were then donated to the local dog From the Extend Office shelter in that area. The Extend management and administrative teams Paper also actively participate in responsible environmental Many of our services now recycle paper. For basic initiatives such as recycling and electronic recycling we simply have two bins and one is sent to communication where possible. recycling. Of course recycled paper is also used in the arts and crafts aspects of our services, teaching our We make sure we don’t stop there. Every year our office children that you don’t need to throw out a perfectly teams volunteer their time to a charity that recycles good piece of paper if one side is used. Turn it over baby items (prams, cots, blankets, bottles etc). The and use the other side! items are then distributed to families in need free of Previously used coloured paper is separated out and charge. These items would all end up in landfill but Ahisa and ASA 2015 print.pdf 22/12/2014 11:02:37 AM cut up into small pieces for mosaic craft activities. The instead they are being gratefully reused by families children make the most amazing creations in mosaic who are ‘doing it tough’. A win-win. Our staff clean art activities. They just love it. Even cutting the paper car seats, pack newborn baby packs, and repair cots into smaller pieces with kids’ scissors is an activity the for this charity to ensure every item is clean and safe ‘Source local, interstate and children enjoy. They really are creating something for the next family. from scratch. international candidates for
For Earth Day this year we made bookmarks out of Environmental Crusaders teaching, leadership and recycled paper with a message on each bookmark We are proud of the initiatives we have for our executive level positions’ about sustainable living in our homes. children in our Extend services. They play and learn brisbane One of our services has gone a little further than this C at the same time. The children love to have a say in sydney though. They have actually made their own paper! their activities in outside school hours’ care. We can M We offer extensive advertising or confidential The children were fascinated by the technical aspects take the opportunity to encourage them to come Y melbourne of producing paper. After all, they never really think recruitment services for contract and up with new ideas for the program that involves perth about where their paper comes from. But when CM sustainable practices. Then when they see their ideas permanent positions they’ve made it themselves they can really see the MY london value in every single sheet. implemented it really does give them a sense of pride CY and passion in their cause. Electricity CMY Ask us about our Expert Teacher It’s a special responsibility we hold in the influence we contact us today, One of our services has stopped using the overhead K fluorescent lighting in the after school care room. They have on our future generation and we are honoured it could be the smartest Appraisal Framework, have replaced this bright, energy sapping, unnatural to have that responsibility. Using fun, games and move you ever make! used to assess every candidate light with soft energy saving lamps. Our team leader experiences, combined with open conversations p: 1800 734 758 Cat has noticed the positive effect the soft lighting with our children about the environment, our Extend has had on how calm the children feel as they get e: [email protected] children are encouraged to be mini environmental ready to go home to their families for the evening. crusaders and look towards a bright future. We thank www.smartteachers.com.au Responsibility our amazing and ingenious educators for taking Children love the opportunity to feel responsible for on this responsibility and making the experiences something. Often when they’re given responsibility incredibly rewarding for the children in our care.
46 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 47 In 2009 a 17-year-old Melbourne boy became the of interviews with children and young people both first person in the world to be diagnosed with a in Australia and the Philippines. While the Australian new condition: ‘climate change delusion’. Doctors respondents expressed anxiety about the future, and at the Royal Children’s Hospital reported that the frustration at the seeming inaction of political leaders, boy had attempted to stop drinking any water, and children and young people in the Philippines stressed had become obsessive about checking for leaking that for them climate change was not a future threat taps because he believed his consumption could but a current reality impacting their quality of life, contribute to global water shortages (The Sydney health and safety. They called for young people Morning Herald, 12/11/2009, ‘Dark clouds on a clear in developed nations to apply political pressure day’). for effective action. Respondents from Australia and the Philippines commented on their feelings of The case is just one example of a worrying trend. vulnerability and urgency, and the powerlessness of Obsession about the threats posed by nuclear war or not being able to have their voices heard. AIDS was woven into the mental health issues of earlier generations. Similarly, extreme weather events such These responses are realistic, in the light of projections as bushfires and cyclones leave increased rates of such as the recent UN warning that up to 20% of the severe mental illness in their wake for those who live in world’s population may live in regions where there affected regions. Mental health professionals are now is insufficient fresh water for basic needs by as early finding fear of climate change increasingly focusing as 2030. The sense of urgency reported by the young anxiety disorders in children and young people. respondents in ‘We stand as one’ is reinforced by the regular reporting of new climate milestones. For In this paper, I explore some recent literature on the example, over recent weeks it has been reported that effect of climate change on children and young the climate research station at the pristine Cape people. With its associated raft of environmental Grim in Tasmania has recorded sustained readings for challenges including threats to global fresh water atmospheric carbon over 400ppm, the level beyond reserves, agricultural disruption and loss of biodiversity, which the ability to keep global temperature levels Empowering Children and Young climate change will be a major material influence on within 2C of the long-term pre-industrial average the lives of the current generation of students. The becomes doubtful. Late autumn 2016 also brought challenge for educators is to find ways to empower People in a Climate of Uncertainty reports of a global coral bleaching event that children and young people to engage effectively with threatens not just tourism revenues but entire marine the issues without becoming overwhelmed. I finish by ecosystems in which up to 30% of species spend suggesting the need for integration of formal learning a part of their developmental cycle in coral reef Evan Pederick and the experience of natural environments with a habitats. Detailed studies such as ‘Four degrees of religious education program based on a theology of global warming: Australia in a hot world’, support the The Reverend Evan Pederick has been a creation care. member of the Diocese of Perth’s Anglican observation in ‘We stand as one’ that the impact of Children, young people and climate change imminent changes will be experienced sooner and EcoCare Commission since 2010. He is the The objective reality of climate change is now with greater disruption by the poorest countries and parish priest at St Michael’s Cannington established beyond serious question. Information communities (Christoff 2014). about the likely unfolding of threats to water, and is passionate about environmental A 2011 study by the Australian Research Alliance for agriculture and native species and the increasing theology. Evan is currently undertaking a Children and Youth similarly found that environmental frequency of bushfire, cyclones and other extreme degradation and climate change are among the PhD combining Franciscan theology with the weather events is available on an almost daily basis. issues that most concern children and young people evolutionary thought of Teilhard de Chardin. Children and young people are also well aware that (Strazdins and Skeat 2011). The study found that political leaders in our own and other countries are He is enthusiastic about sustainable city living, children and young people are generally very well failing to offer solutions. and rides one of Perth’s first Fonzarelli electric informed about the facts of climate change though scooters. The 2015 report by Youth Ambassadors for Plan they struggled to predict its future impact on their lives. International, ‘We stand as one: children, young This study reported a strong sense of frustration that people and climate change’, noted the sense of although climate change would principally affect frustration among young people who are told they their generation children and young people feel are the future but denied a voice in the present. The their voices not heeded by policy-makers. The study authors comment: ‘Climate change won’t wait for attempted to address the extent to which climate our generation to grow up and take action. Change change was affecting the emotional and physical needs to happen now and we will have a say in what wellbeing of Australian children and young people.
THIS PAGE TOP: Evan Pederick. our current and future world looks like’ (Morrisey et The authors noted that children and young people THIS PAGE BOTTOM: Hard at work clearing and planting. al. 2015 summary). The report was based on a series are at the greatest risk of the cumulative effects of
48 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 49 challenges related to climate change, including understanding of but a trust and rapport for the natural conveys fatalism, is interpreted as indifference and the relations of love that is the Trinity. By empowering greater susceptibility to water-borne vectors and world. As Winograd notes, the sense of interconnection can reinforce repression (Winograd 2016 loc. 4139). children and young people to become the hope that food insecurity as well as the longer-term economic, with living systems notable in Indigenous traditions Children, who do not have adult defences against depends for its emergence on sensitive listening, on social, emotional and cultural impacts. However is largely absent from modern urban life. Crucial to uncertainty or despair, interpret threats to their future the honest acknowledgment of our frustration and there is little current research or policy involvement the relocation of children’s lives within the matrix of wellbeing in concrete terms and are unable to live fears, on the building of local relations and sustainable that would allow this to be accurately quantified. The ecological systems is a ‘place-based’ approach with the ambiguity of abstract risk. For example, a practice, we are engaging in the theological hope authors noted that while most children and young which advocates the grounding of curriculum in local Habitat Heroes survey quoted in this chapter reported that the God of creation and Incarnation will renew people expressed positive expectations regarding issues and problems, and the enlisting of students that one in three primary age children fear a global and restore the earth - through the transformation of their personal future, a growing proportion expressed themselves as co-designers of active and experiential apocalypse in their own lifetime. In this situation, our own lives. pessimism about the quality of life in Australia due learning experiences. In particular, activities are teachers must learn to acknowledge their own In taking seriously the needs and the hopes of children to the environmental, economic and social effects selected that foster appreciation and understanding feelings about the future at the same time as helping of climate change. Following Albrecht (2007), the of the children’s own home communities and students to express their fears and develop emotional and young people in a time of climate insecurity, authors describe mental health issues including environments (Winograd 2016 loc. 249). The focus of resilience. I believe the re-imagination of our pedagogy is anxiety and depression associated with fear of learning is on the development of critical inquiry skills incomplete without an equivalent re-imagination The chapter recommends active strategies to give climate change as ‘sostalgia’: an environmentally so students learn to recognise bias and injustice as well of a creation-centred theology. Already, narrow children a sense of joy in natural settings, building up a induced distress experienced by people aware that as power relations and the moral dimension of social theological approaches that limit our faith to the sense of the sacredness and beauty of life. Children are their natural environment is undergoing stress. structures. For a critical environmental approach, hope of individual salvation in the next life are giving given opportunities to express their negative feelings formal subject content must be connected with real- way to an emphasis on the God who loves the Towards a place-based pedagogy about the future in a safe way, and in this context world problems and crucially with concrete actions in whole creation, and who in the resurrection of Jesus The challenge for educators is thus two-fold. Firstly, teachers also share their own feelings. Crucially, the conjunction with local communities to create just and initiates the restoration of shalom that is God’s original environmental factors need to be recognised as a urge to reassure children that everything is okay is sustainable outcomes. This approach also recognises intention for creation. The Church is re-discovering significant dimension of worry and stress for children resisted. The act of listening is itself empowering, and circles of praxis that begin with the immediate ancient theologies of creation that recognise our and young people, and the provision of pastoral shared feelings are honoured in silence. Children are classroom and gradually extend outwards to include created context as the true arena for God’s saving care must take into account sostalgia or climate- encouraged to ask even the hard questions to which the whole school environment, neighbourhood action, and understand human life as embedded related anxiety or depression as a contributor to the teacher doesn’t know the answer. Children are and local community (Winograd 2016 loc. 280). The within the matrix of all life. In Anglican schools, this mental health vulnerability. Secondly, teachers will also supported in taking action on their own ideas, overriding aim is to construct learning experiences in new theological emphasis might drive a reappraisal need to look for opportunities to provide positive for example, an environmental clean-up. Finally, which children are able to participate in creating a and integration of the religious studies curriculum learning experiences around climate change issues in teachers and adult care-givers show their own care more just and sustainable relational community. into the ‘place-based’ approach described above. by their actions. order to combat feelings of hopelessness and equip Religious education curricula in Anglican schools Two implications of the place-based approach are children and young people to deal effectively with Offering a theology of hope must provide a narrative both of creation care and future challenges. Given the breadth of the societal particularly worth commenting on. Firstly, engaging In theological terms, the approach detailed in of future hope, framed within the Christian kerygma challenge of climate change, such opportunities may children in the design and planning of learning ‘Education in times of environmental crisis’ is a of salvation. Grounded in the incarnational praxis be sought in virtually every subject area: for example, activities within their local communities means reminder of incarnation, or God’s way of making described by Winograd and others, faith education in society and environment, science, economics, providing support for meaningful intergenerational a difference by becoming the hope that creates Anglican schools can provide an integrating narrative literature and religious studies. The implication is that dialogue between children and local community a hopeful future. In an ecotheology based on that enables young people to articulate a message the global problem of climate change needs the stakeholders. For example, one school in the study the work of Teilhard de Chardin, the ecosphere of hope in a climate of uncertainty. global response in the re-imagination of an entire created the Farm Project, which brought primary age or noosphere is redefined as the ‘conversation’ of pedagogy. The integration of climate change issues children together with retired farmers and community References the more-than-human ecology. Where Teilhard into formal curricula needs to be sensitive to the gardeners. The result was that children learned about Albrecht, Glenn, Gina-Maree Sartore, Linda Connor, Nick imagined the noosphere as a humans-only sphere negative emotions associated with climate change the environment, and the cycles of plants and insects Higginbotham, Sonia Freeman, Brian Kelly, Helen Stain, Anne Tonna, of expanding wisdom that incarnates the Wisdom and Georgia Pollard. 2007. “Solastalgia: The Distress Caused by for children and young people, and seek strategies for and the study of soil and water systems not in the of God, ecotheology re-imagines it as the discourse Environmental Change.” Australasian Psychiatry: Bulletin of Royal empowerment. classroom but from working with elderly mentors, of ecological systems and the feedback loops that Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 15 Suppl 1: while building a sustainable community garden that S95-98. A recent book edited by Ken Winograd (2016) keep the whole ecology in healthful balance. In the contributed not just vegetables for the local food co- Christoff, Peter, ed. 2014. Four Degrees of Global Warming: Australia entitled ‘Education in times of environmental crisis: noosphere humanity must finally accept its vocation op but enhanced relations within the community. For in a Hot World. Kindle. London; New York: Earthscan/Routledge. teaching children to be agents of change’, aims to to be homo sapiens, the wise ones, tuning in to the children, the skills learned in negotiating and planning Morrisey, Imogen, Sinead Mulders-Jones, Natalie Petrellis, Mark provide resources for teachers to empower primary conversation of natural systems and engaging the the project in conjunction with adult stakeholders and Evenhuis, and Pia Treichel. 2015. “We Stand as One: Children, age children to be an active part of the public non-human world as a conversational subject rather Young People and Climate Change.” Australian Youth Climate working alongside community volunteers contribute a discourse around climate change and to advocate than treating it as an object of use. Ecotheology sees Coalition. https://www.plan.org.au vital sense of empowerment. for social and ecological justice. The pedagogical the intersubjectivity of the more-than-human ecology Strazdins, Lyndall, and Helen Skeat. 2011. “Weathering the Future Climate Change, Children and Young People, and Decision approach makes explicit the connection between Secondly, the place-based approach recognises and as incarnational in exactly the same sense as a ‘place- Making.” Canberra: Australian Research Alliance for Children and providing educational experiences and supporting engages openly with negative feelings associated based’ pedagogy, and so the wisdom of the Earth Youth. http://www.aracy.org.au children emotionally in the context of climate and with climate risk. In her chapter, Molly Brown itself becomes an Incarnation of divine Wisdom. In Winograd, Ken, ed. 2016. Education in Times of Environmental social instability. An important first challenge is to recommends that teachers get in touch with their own the most concrete sense, we must become the hope Crises: Teaching Children to Be Agents of Change. Kindle. New provide opportunities for children to experience the feelings of sadness, fear and anger about climate that we desire, so that the noosphere as the fragile York: Routledge. natural world first-hand, and to develop not only an change, as silence on the real threats to a safe future spacecraft of the earth’s hopes becomes an icon of
50 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 51 The Anglican EcoCare Commission
Radhika Roy, Project Officer Advocacy Commissions, Diocese of Perth The Anglican EcoCare Commission was established in Perth as a standing commission of Synod in 2006. The Commission was established to equip worshipping communities, schools and agencies with tools to explore environmental issues from an Anglican perspective. We aim to provide a theological basis for our approaches and actions and, where possible, work collaboratively and ecumenically with other church organisations and also with people of other faiths.
Initiatives
• Publication of the second edition of the Anglican EcoCare Journal of EcoTheology. This is a peer- reviewed journal presenting an environmental contribution to theology.
• Instigation of Wollaston Tree Planting Day, 3 July 2016. The EcoCare Commission hosted a tree planting event in July to celebrate National Tree Day. Anglican parishes, schools and agencies were invited to attend.
• Development of worship resources for parishes including bible studies, liturgy and hymns.
• Involvement in the People’s Climate March which drew over 8000 people in Perth.
• Hosting a Laudato Si workshop in collaboration with Wollaston Theological College to present perspectives on the Popes’ encyclical and educate both the lay and clergy on the importance of safeguarding the environment.
• Campaigning for divestment within the Diocese of Perth.
• Development of a set of Sustainability Guidelines to encourage/assist parishes to ‘go green’ via Anglican Community Fund Eco Loans.
• Representations to government on a variety of issues such as anti-fracking campaigns and a Senate inquiry into Direct Action.
HAVE YOU REGISTERED FOR ASA’S Rivers in the Desert CONFERENCE? Anglican Schools Australia Anglican LOG ON | www.anglicanschoolsaustralia.edu.au Schools Australia VISIT | www.aplaceformission.org
THIS PAGE: Revd Evan Pederick and an enthusiastic volunteer plant seedlings at Wollaston Conference Centre, Perth.
52 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 53 In April, educators from Australia and New Zealand the recipient end of much of the poverty tourism that gathered in Brisbane for the inaugural Transforming has sprung from Australians desiring to visit and help Service conference on service learning. It became the poor in Cambodia. Her emphasis and challenge apparent that the vision and need for the conference was to realise the lens through which we view arose from both a sense of celebrating and sharing these experiences. Instead of seeing the poor and all that is being done in our schools, while articulating destitute, we should be seeing the resilient, creative, the challenges and pitfalls of service learning. masters of living and learning who have been able to Hosted by the Australian Catholic University (ACU), make something from nothing. Instead of taking our the conference displayed ecumenism at its best as students to overseas experiences in the role of helpers educators across denominational traditions shared and fixers, we should be acknowledging that we are ideas and experiences. actually coming as learners. We and our students, are the subject and object of our learning, not the Human Dignity people ‘out there’. We bring our own baggage that As is best to do when beginning to contemplate an hinders our learning and impacts those we visit. She idea, we began with the philosophy behind the call encouraged us to flip the perspective - go overseas for us to enable students in our schools to serve others. to learn rather than to give, to come as learners from And so, some of the greatest thinkers in Christianity in those we visit. Students overseas will be willing to be Australia shared their thoughts around this subject. the teacher about their own expertise in culture, sport, With Br Damien Price we explored what it means to food, domestic activities. meditate upon the human dignity of those whom in Being Pilgrims meet. Br Damien is the Coordinator of Developing Nations and Cross-cultural Engagement, Oceania Jude Butcher, Director of Institute for Advancing Province, Christian Brothers. He challenged us to Community Engagement and Professor of Community create opportunities for encountering the other. Jesus Engagement1. at Australian Catholic University, in the Scriptures went so often to the broken and encouraged us to take on the role of pilgrim in our entered into their brokenness, was deeply present, service activities rather than tourist. When we enter valuing the dignity of those whom he encountered, into community engagement as pilgrim, we bring and people went away liberated. So we too are awareness and wonder, while acknowledging that we Transforming Service encouraged to imitate Christ in our service learning may not quite know the path ahead. Pilgrims become experiences in schools - spending time in the messiness familiar with the generosity of strangers, and as in the An ecumenical gathering of educators of the human condition, being a companion to others Emmaus story from Scripture, they even encounter as we acknowledge our own human complexity. Jesus in the stranger. This attitudinal change, moving Naomi Cooke away from the idea of being providers of service, is Poverty Tourism imperative for true pilgrimage in service. Community The Reverend Naomi Cooke, Chaplain at A significant part of this conference was spent in engagement is about journeying together with Bishop Druitt College, in Coffs Harbour, NSW, naming the dark underside of service learning. There others. Once again, we were reminded that genuine presents an overview of the very successful were many descriptions of it. It can be Poverty Tourism: engagement involves a reciprocity, where we are “When we stare, when we parachute in, when we transformed even as we seek to transform the world Transforming Service Conference held in come with our gifts to their need, our answers to their around us. Brisbane in April. Naomi has been in ministry unasked questions, our saving of their situations, our Spirit of Mutuality in Anglican and Uniting Church schools in opinion of their sacred story” (Br Damien Price). This Queensland and New South Wales since kind of experience can do significant psychological Listening to Sarah Barchelard was like sitting at the feet damage to those we are purporting to help. Sarah of a spiritual director. She has been described as one 2002. Barchelard articulated another side to the complexity: of the great new voices in theological ethics by the the “debilitating impact on students of being regularly former Archbishop of Canterbury,4. Rowan Williams. Her exhorted to ‘make a difference’ and take responsibility gentle sharing of her own life journey of experiences with service activities was illuminating: “Implicitly, ‘We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. for the world’s transformation, and the way this can issue in both anxiety and subtle arrogance.”. I realise now, I was trying to justify my existence by God is the friend of silence. See how nature – trees, flowers, grass – grows fixing the world – ‘to whom much is given, much is Seedlings of Hope in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence. expected’... I had to make a difference, and the more We need silence to be able to touch souls.’ Mother Theresa Keynote speaker Sr Len Montiel came to us from spectacular the better.” As educators, we so often Cambodia, and spoke out of her deep theological fall into the trap of presenting our service learning knowledge alongside her practical experience activities with this pressure, resulting in disenchanted as director of “Seedlings of Hope’, an HIV/AIDS graduates who never quite felt success in this arena. THIS PAGE: Transforming Service Conference. program. Her words were challenging as she is on Instead of seeing themselves as part of the whole,
54 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 55 part of the wide family of humanity, our programs serving others, which gave them space to dream and can emphasise their privilege and fall into the danger eventually create an initiative that honours the innate of encouraging an implicit arrogance. Instead she dignity of those who are homeless. Their initiative is not encouraged us to embrace a spirit of mutuality and only practical, its philosophy is grounded in valuing the to face the discomfort of our own powerlessness. First, human dignity of every individual. We were honoured she suggested, we must learn to be with things as in the conference when these two young men spoke they are. She encouraged us to build in our students to us at our conference dinner, and in particular paid a sense of communion, belonging and humility: that tribute to the educators who had contributed to their they are accepted and loved and ok. own journeys.
Contemplative practices such as meditation and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders mindfulness cultivate our capacity to let things Woven throughout the conference was the importance and people be, and to be with unknowing and of engaging with our own Aboriginal and Torres Strait vulnerability. And from this steady base, we can then communities. The presence on a forum of significant start to search how we can offer activities simply for elders and community workers gave us the chance to love of the world. She brought to us the teaching explore possibilities of our schools’ relationships with of American theologian, Frederick Buechner: true their local nation. We were reminded of the words of vocation is ‘the place where your own deep gladness activist Lilla Watson - “If you have come here to help meets the world’s deep need’. We were encouraged me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come to teach students that their own skills, interests and because your liberation is bound up with mine, then lives can be offered for love of the world and don’t let us work together.” have to be an overt service project. Community Partners Rules for Service Now of course, as always when educators get The Reverend Richard Browning will be familiar to many together, there were plenty of practicalities that as one of the most influential Chaplains in Australian were exchanged. Much of this was connected to Anglican schools through his deep thinking and the importance of developing deep, meaningful powerful teaching. From his role as Senior Chaplain and THIS PAGE: Transforming Service Conference. relationships with community partners, to invite them Director of Community at Radford College, Canberra, into the school context so that they can know the Richard is often invited to speak at conferences as he parameters of timetables, bells, risk assessments and Now also available as a fully multi-tenant enterprise solution suitable for groups or school systems! brings his great depth of theological contemplation logistics that we work with as educators. Community to the practical role of pastoring a school community. partners are invited to quite honestly assess what Citing a definition of poverty as the lack of power to they want to achieve from the partnership, and how change one’s own situation, Richard shared his basic these wants might intersect with the school’s. The EB-BASED rules for service in a school community: firstly, build importance of pre-briefing and de-briefing students healthy relationships, which are about body heart, in their service learning encounters was emphasised. USED IN OVER 1800 SCHOOLSFULLY W INTEGRATED APPLICATION mind, soul, and include relationships with one’s self, Looking towards future service learning professional SINGLE others, life and God: secondly, Give power; and thirdly, development, there was an awareness of including INTUITIVE, EASE OF USE never do for another what they can do for themselves. non-Christian religious schools in our dialogue. SENTRAL TEACHER BASED STUDENT & PARENT While acknowledging the integrity behind a student’s Renewal EDUCATION MODULES MODULES statement, “I just want to make a difference,” Richard gave us the tools to analyse the pitfalls that arise from It is always exciting to gather for professional • Assessing & Reporting • Messaging System our own good desires when not grounded with deep development with the best thinkers around. Being • Class & PxP Attendance • Projects & Resources • Learning Portfolios • Student Activities reflection and long term relationships. immersed with deep thinking for a few days has led • Timetabling • School Bulletins / to much renewal around service learning vision and • Enrolments & Finance Daily Notices Orange Sky Laundry practice in my community at Bishop Druitt College • Communication • Customisable Student • Health & Profiles Records Many of us had heard about Orange Sky Laundry, a in Coffs Harbour. The ripples from this conference will • Analysis • Updating of Family Details series of mobile laundromats servicing the needs of be far reaching, and I look forward to the ongoing • Continuum Tracking • Student Wellbeing • Student Plans the homeless across Australia, for which the founders, learning and conversations that Transforming Service • Wellbeing & Plans • Curriculum Reference • Parent Teacher Bookings Lucas Patchett and Nick Marchesi, have been has begun. • Canvas & Moodle • Student & Parent Portal awarded Young Australians of the Year. What many • House Points of us didn’t know is that these young men built years of • Careers & VET experience in working with the homeless through their Sydney 02 9029 3993 | Melbourne 03 9005 5304 | Adelaide 08 7200 3703 | Brisbane 07 3102 2576 | Perth 08 6102 3638 school service learning programs. Although young, [email protected] www.sentral.com.au they had spent years immersed in the experience of
56 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 57 Conference Overview “I had a dream I stood beneath an orange sky, with my brother standing by”, these best mates loaded Lia Sharma of St Luke’s Grammar School, NSW quoted two washing machines and two dryers into the back a survey that found 75 per cent of students reported of a van and set off to provide a free mobile laundry learning ‘more’ or ‘much more’ through service service to the homeless. Orange Sky Laundry has learning than in the classroom. Service learning grown from strength to strength and now operates is an integral part of the culture and structure of nine volunteer staffed services across Australia. It many schools, both independent and public. Like all operates in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Sydney, aspects of learning, some schools do this particularly Sunshine Coast, Canberra, Perth, Adelaide and South well whilst others pay little more than lip-service to East Melbourne. the area. In an attempt to rethink, reimagine and renew their efforts, service learning practitioners and I attended this conference as ‘a seeker’. Whilst All seekers gathered together at the Australian Catholic Saints’ participates in a variety of beneficial activities University’s Brisbane Leadership Centre from 14-16 April that fit the definition of service learning, these are for the inaugural Transforming Service conference. predominantly ‘gold coin’ events or activities that are The conference was a joint effort of the Anglican co-curricular without a defined link to the curriculum. Church of South East Queensland, Anglican Board With the support of the College, my aim was to see of Mission, Caritas Australia and Brisbane Catholic what others were doing, how they go about it, how Education that brought together participants from participants could get the most out of our service Anglican, Catholic, Lutheran, Presbyterian and Uniting learning programs, and, most importantly to bring back Church schools from across Australia, New Zealand some ideas that we could consider implementing. So, and Africa. It was an excellent example of Christians what did I learn? coming together to learn from each other for the What others are doing greater glory of God. It is easy to think of service learning in terms of Speakers engaged conference attendees in overseas immersion. Whilst I see the value of these conversation on multiple levels with a key theme experiences, I didn’t want to just hear about the being how we can transform the ‘what’ and ‘how’ great trips that people were going on. Our school of service learning to bring about outcomes of has a Pre-Kindergarten - Year 12 population of 500 Transforming Service transformed learners and transformed communities students. We offer overseas trips for HSIE, languages - both the school community and the communities and sport. Adding another annual or bi-annual trip to Then Esau said, “Let us journey on our way, and I will go alongside you.” (Genesis 33:12, NRSV) that they seek to serve. Keynote speakers posed an already crowded calendar would be difficult, so I thought-provoking questions regarding the dynamics was especially keen to hear about things that people Tony Card and motivations around service learning. These were were doing closer to home. Thankfully, many excellent supported by small group electives that allowed examples of just such opportunities were shared. The Reverend Tony Card, Chaplain at All participants to dig deeper into issues that were Saints’ College, Bathurst feels privileged to valuable to their community. Panel discussions Deanne Hamilton from Brisbane’s Canterbury have attended the Transforming Service showcased cultural awareness issues and suggested College spoke about students’ support of their local some great ideas for engaging school communities. Ronald McDonald House. This began with a gold Conference in Brisbane in April. He signed The conference concluded with an Open Space coin donation day to raise money to buy ingredients up for the conference to ‘see what others session where participants sought to tackle some of for senior Design and Technology students to use were doing’ and find out how they were their questions about the future of service learning. to prepare meals for the families staying in Ronald McDonald House. The project had an unexpected ‘going about it’. He was also looking for Meeting Needs result. Students taking in meals saw that there was service learning ideas to implement at All Guests at the conference dinner were treated to a need to assist families with cleaning in the house Saints’. He was not disappointed. Tony ranks an entertaining and engaging presentation from and the project expanded from cooking to cooking the conference as ‘among the best I have Lucas Patchett and Nicholas Marchesi, who had and cleaning. Other college clubs and classes came participated in service learning programs when they ‘on board’ supplying garden produce and eggs. A attended’. were at school. In July 2014, Lucas and Nicholas saw a number of local businesses also became involved. need among the homeless people of Brisbane. They Gold coin donation days are no longer necessary as realised that for the homeless the costs incurred in the project has become self-supporting. washing their clothes was what prevented many of In terms of social justice, Deanne sets classes the task them from doing so. They observed that this led to a of researching restaurants that support social justice loss of dignity and self worth among these people. THIS PAGE TOP: Revd Tony Card presents the College Bible to Steven issues. Students then go on lunch excursions to these O’Connor, the new Head of All Saints’ College, Bathurst, at his Commisioning Inspired by the Alexi Murdoch song Orange Sky, restaurants. They like food and in fulfilling this like they Service on Sunday 1 May 2106. especially its lyrics “In your love, my salvation lies” and THIS PAGE BOTTOM: Tony Card.
58 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 59
are helping to bring about social justice. Lynne Moten variety of reasons. Presenters stressed the importance from Adelaide’s Seymour College offered another of developing awareness and reflection skills in example highlighting social justice. As part of their ourselves and our students as we seek to engage with study into ‘sweatshops’ and the production of fashion, others. students watched the documentary, ‘True Cost’. A Sr Len Montiel, Director of Seedlings of Hope - a casual clothes day where the girls had to wear their Caritas supported program in Cambodia, challenged clothes inside out so that everyone could see where participants to consider how they see ‘them’. they had been made followed. The issues surrounding She noted that we can view ‘them’ as poor and the use of ‘sweatshop’ labour were further reinforced impoverished or as masters of living and teaching. with an English assessment task requiring students to The way in which we see ‘them’ will determine how write letters advocating for workers’ rights. we approach ‘them’. Sr Len’s view was supported by How they go about it Auntie Joan Hendricks, Elder and Theologian, who reminded participants that there is no ‘other’, we are A key feature of the majority of service learning all part of one race - the human race. programs was integration into the regular curriculum. This has the advantage of service becoming part of The concept of ‘never to, but with’ as a way of guiding normal culture and practice for students. Seymour our efforts was emphasised by several presenters.
College noted the benefits of microcredit through a The Reverend Richard Browning of Radford College, Canberra reminded the conference that this was a dedicated unit in mathematics. Catherine Carpenter from All Saints’ Anglican School, Gold Coast spoke non-negotiable principle of engagement, especially about their pen-pal program. Year 5 students make with overseas and Indigenous communities. contact with nursing home residents through letter Those who attended the ASA Conference in Canberra writing. Towards the end of the year they meet last year will remember the moving presentation given their pen-pal for a morning tea at the school. This by The Reverend Dr Sarah Bachelard, who recounted relationship is further enhanced in Year 6 when the her own struggles with feelings of inadequacy brought students reconnect with their pen-pals as part of their about by her engagement with service learning Australia as a Nation history unit, with the pen-pals at school. At this conference Sarah highlighted becoming primary sources of information. Integration contemplative practice as a method of coping of service into the curriculum is seen as a positive way with the challenges that service learning brings to to attach service to the currency of the school, with its participants. The need for effective reflection is many reporting a direct link to academic grades. paramount to protect participants and to get the most out of the program. Br Damien Price, a Christian Another key aspect of how schools go about their Brother with over 30 years’ experience in schools and programs has to do with the appointment of service service learning, highlighted effective reflection as a learning coordinators. This is seen as important in foundational skill that participants will need to develop avoiding duplication of effort, ensuring that events if service learning is to be truly transformational. and activities are properly planned and implemented, and in providing a single point of contact for outside This conference ranks among the best I have attended. organisations to contact the school. The good news for those who missed it is that you can catch up on what the speakers had to say by visiting Getting the most out of service learning www.transformingservice.com where you can view
Speakers highlighted the need for effective planning the keynote speakers’ presentations. Even better, ‘the and implementation, noting that not every program talk of the conference’ was that it should become a will work the first time, and some may never work for a biennial event. For further information contact Karen Mantle – [email protected]
HAVE YOU REGISTERED FOR ASA’S Rivers in the Desert CONFERENCE?
60 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 61 The recent Transforming Service Conference presented research that demonstrates the significant academic me with a number of challenges as a chaplain in value of well-embedded service in a school. St an Anglican school. The Brisbane conference was Aidan’s has positioned itself as a high performing a joint endeavour between the Anglican Board of school academically, and parents want to know that Mission-Australia, the Anglican Schools Commission the many activities their daughters can participate of Southern Queensland, Caritas, Brisbane Catholic in will value-add to the academic program rather Education and the Australian Catholic University. than detracting or distracting from it. Lia’s research indicates a good service learning program enriches It is not that the school in which I work is not interested academic performance by teaching the skill of living in service, service learning (or is it learning service?), reflectively, which assists students to articulate their community engagement or any of the other phrases learnings and internalise their behaviours. Service used to refer to this aspect of school life. It is not that learning also reduces rates of student depression and the school does not already fundraise, educate, anxiety. advocate, seek justice and perform service with community partners. St Aidan’s does all of these things Engaging with those who Serve with a good heart and great willingness. In the longer term, service opportunities can open up However, I am challenged by schools who engage career avenues for students and enable them to make in front line service and community engagement useful connections with potential mentors already over many years, often outside of school hours. I am working in the fields that interest them. It offers sites inspired by the schools that have put aside fundraising for engagement with alumni who are working in those for charitable causes in favour of higher stakes fields, which is something most of our schools are keen engagement through awareness-raising, hands on to do. Our St Aidan’s alumni have taken the example activities. And I am excited by the challenge for our of the Sisters to heart and we have a proud roll of old school to rethink its service, service learning and girls who have gone on to careers in service, including engagement in order to find a more coherent and frontline humanitarian and aid work in conflict zones holistic approach. around the world. It makes sense to engage with these women. Tradition of Service Understanding our Ministry Transforming Service Interestingly, St Aidan’s is one of only two remaining SSA schools – schools founded by the religious order For me, the big question is how we understand our Transforming School Culture the Society of the Sacred Advent. The nuns of this ministry as school alongside (and as part of) the order have a proud and long tradition of service in work of the church. Anglican schools, in this diocese Gillian Moses the hands-on, sleeves-rolled-up way: ministering to at least, are not necessarily hotbeds of Anglicanism working girls in late 19th and early 20th century Brisbane among either staff or students and their families. The Reverend Gillian Moses, Chaplain at and establishing clubs for them where they could Staff and families come with their own allegiances to St Aidan’s Anglican Girls School, Brisbane relax, learn new skills, and be formed in faith by the charitable and service organisations, most of which reflects on her attendance at the Transforming gentle presence of the Sisters; founding orphanages do admirable work. And while we do not want to take and schools for these working class women and girls up a sectarian position, our schools are supposed to Service Conference in April in Brisbane. Gillian to fill a need for education that was affordable and be part of the whole church engaged in the whole writes that she is ‘challenged’ by schools serious; travelling to rural and regional Queensland to mission of God, and our Anglican faith provides us with that have engaged in front line service and extend the benefits of education there; and working an excellent rationale for service and engagement. with men’s hostels in Brisbane. The Five Marks of Mission certainly apply here. community engagement over many years and ‘inspired’ by schools that have focused Service Learning Adds Value The Transforming Service Conference provided ample evidence of this kind of understanding at work in With such a tradition behind us, there is a cultural bias on ‘higher stakes engagement through Catholic schools, particularly in the Edmund Rice towards service. Yet it is also true that in a time-poor awareness-raising’ and ‘hands-on activities’ Schools. This mirrors my own experience of visiting culture, it can be easy to prioritise fundraising over Catholic and Episcopalian schools in the USA last year, instead of running fundraising activities for some other, more time-consuming forms of service. As where the Catholic schools most often connected charities. Most importantly she is excited Professor Jude Butcher of ACU reminded conference students with the work of Catholic agencies in the attendees, fundraising without relationship is low- by the challenge of rethinking St Aiden’s local community, while the Episcopalian schools’ stakes. It is not that fundraising is unimportant, but it approach to service learning. experiences reflected our own much more closely. ought to be occurring in the context of, and not instead of, a relationship between a school and a community Mapping a Path for the Future THIS PAGE TOP: St Aidan’s students on a service learning trip in Nepal with some of the students from their partner school. organisation. I was encouraged by speaker Lia Where to from here? I am currently mapping our THIS PAGE BOTTOM: School art installation for White Ribbon Day. Australia says Sharma, of St Luke’s Grammar School, who shared no to violence against women.
62 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 63 service, fundraising, and advocacy activities across We are also identifying opportunities for students to the school. This exercise has revealed that many engage in thinking about service and advocacy teachers don’t seem to regard what they do with across the curriculum. It has been easy for us to think students as service, service learning or community that service and service learning happen as part of engagement. So vocabulary might be an issue! It the Religious and Values Education curriculum, or in also reveals that we do a lot of fundraising, and that service groups such as Interact and Penguin Aid. But our fundraising causes often vary from year to year, other schools have shown that service learning and depending on what is fashionable, well-promoted or advocacy also happen in Maths, English, Science in the news. There is not enough relationship-building and Business classes, when teachers are assisted to to underpin the fundraising, which makes this a low- rethink the syllabus. In this context I find the concept stakes kind of community engagement. I think we can of a “justice facilitator in residence” very intriguing! do better than this. When these values are embedded throughout the The conference reminded me of the importance of school, in class, in our personal interactions and in our meeting regularly with our service partners to ask them engagement with community partners, then they are what they want from us, rather than telling them what much more likely to be integrated into the lives and we can give. Since the conference, I have sought out worldviews of staff and students. We become people our partners and met with them, and this is already of living faith, whose spirituality and praxis smoothly leading to opportunities for greater engagement align and integrate. and meaningful service. It has led to a mural painting The Sisters who founded our school hoped that their project with a local aged care facility, and highlighted girls would come to have a personal faith in Jesus other occasions for gathering and playing together Christ. This is the Jesus who fed the hungry, healed the with students from a local high school for migrants and sick, and sought out the company of the outcast and refugees. And as the coordinator of service learning marginalised. Our living faith is nurtured and formed in the school, for me this has meant getting to know when we do likewise. my counterparts in these organisations face-to-face, instead of the arms-length encounters that happen THIS PAGE: St Aidan’s students participated in the 2016 Clean Up Australia Campaign. through email or phone call.
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THIS PAGE: Chicks in Pink International Women’s Day Fun Run. St Aidan’s www.subiaco.snap.com.au students ran to raise money for Breast Cancer research.
64 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 65 Being involved with young people is an exercise in, Sharing Practice and an experience of, hope. Change is constant, This, of course, included sharing what is working in learning is everywhere and the new is eternally our schools, what had not worked and how we are present. When working with young people involved resolving the issues of working in ways that respect in service, therefore, there seems to be the possibility the dignity of all involved. It meant stopping to reflect of transformation on a daily, weekly, monthly, and on the many lessons taught to us by our partners, the certainly, an annual basis and it can be an enormously groups with whom we bring our students together positive experience. Given this, it was no surprise to to engage in service, and the lessons that we have me that the Transforming Service Conference was full been taught by our students, who constantly lead us of keen and engaged minds who had a very positive on. view of education, young people and the place of Service in their academic, ethical and spiritual In one session we heard much about what we have learned from our students that can help us to reflect development. on our practice and in that session I was reminder of The Place of Service the verse:
In some of our schools the programs offered in service The greatest among you must become like are called ‘Service Learning’, while in others ‘Christian the youngest, and the leader like the one who Service’, or possibly ‘Community Service’. Each of serves. (Luke 22: 26) these titles gives voice to a different understanding of exactly how service is incorporated into the life of Service and Learning their community. However, in every case the common As people with far more experience and thread was that service which draws us from our own understanding than I of the field of Service Learning wants and desire to understand and tend to the reflected on programs and experiences that had needs of the other was something that touched the worked well, I recalled an event that helped me to very heart of education. A space in which there exists understand the inseparable nature of service and the opportunity to transform education, individuals learning from each other, particularly in schools. An Learning to know and communities. In this context there was a lot of event that reminded me of the gift those we set out to discussion about the place of learning and the serve often give us and the capacity of our students place of service in the balance of that in which we to make and learn their own lessons. For while the the nature of service understand ourselves to be involved. interaction of service and learning can be a hard one to pin down, it can be very easy to recognise in Who is being served? Tim Russell action. Is the primary reason for schools to be involved in The event I recalled had almost nothing to do with Father Tim Russell, Head of Service Learning Service, learning or is it service? Regardless of that, is me, other than as a witness and, in so many ways, was at All Saints’ College, WA reflects on his the primary outcome of our efforts the service that is just another night in the context of a long program of rendered or the learning that our students gain? Or to attendance at the Transforming Service service among people living with complex disabilities. put it another way, when our schools are involved in A program in which we asked a lot of our students. Conference held in Brisbane in April. He Service Learning programs are the main beneficiaries This particular event, by intent, was a night which says the Conference reminded him “of how our students or the communities with which they was just about being together and celebrating as a interact? much we can be for each other and that community. On this evening the three schools involved, what we offer in humility can transform the Possibly even more simply put, who is really being All Saints’ College, Hale School and Methodist Ladies’ served? College, simply set the students free in a community experience of each other’s service and It is easy to think that what our students engage with that they had come to know. There was no set program and no prefabricated activities, yet what each other’s learning”. is an act of ‘gift giving’ an, us to them transaction, but unfolded was both the learning and service to which to see that as the whole (or even majority part) of the program aspired. the transaction is to engage in a grand arrogance. As educators, we know the incredible gifts that are being The evening was a simple celebration, the Annual given to us and to our students as we are invited into Nulsen Residents’ Cocktail Party. This evening sees the lives of those with whom we share our world who residents from all of the Nulsen Disability Services are often materially, or otherwise, less well off. So we community care homes get dressed up, come spent a lot of time considering what is learnt and who together and celebrate the year. At the Cocktail THIS PAGE TOP: Open Space session at the Transforming Service Conference is served and wrestling, together, with the ethics of the Party residents and their families, from a variety of in Brisbane in April 2016. THIS PAGE BOTTOM: Tim Russell and a student from All Saints’ College, WA. way we engage with our partner organisations and communities, come to share a night of dining and OVERLEAF: Tim Russell with primary school students at All Saints’ College, WA. communities. dancing. As we gathered it was obvious from which
66 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 67 WDF12815_BlueChair_FullPageA4_FA01.pdf 1 8/04/2015 4:20 pm
community people came as, quite naturally, those who who serve and those who seem young or weak or in knew each other formed into distinct groups. need of service to gain a model of what it is to offer real leadership, teaching, learning and service and to Then the music started. The students from each of the truly understand the nature of greatness to which we schools entered the dance floor, danced with the aspire. residents, who made their own way up, and wandered the room making sure no one was left out of the fun. Reflection
Suddenly the room was not a group of communities, In a brief reflection on the spirt of the conference, but one. this is what it felt like. People of immense experience, who had spent huge amounts of time refining their C A fellow staff member made the, entirely accurate, craft and honing their knowledge came together with M observation that the students were the ‘social glue’ that people in the infancy of their work in Service Learning. Y transformed the evening from something good into People of passion, people with ideas and people with CM something great. All evening they danced, socialised, At Woods, we believe that education questions all came together and gave themselves. MY and drew a variety of residents, family members and is of the utmost importance – not just Wisdom was sought and found, both from those with CY staff to eat, laugh and dance, together. for the children of today but for our years of experience and from those new to the craft. I CMY world tomorrow. This was barely service of any recognisable kind, at don’t recall any moment when questions were asked K least not in a way in which you could easily point and those with something to contribute chose to hold This belief has driven our team, for over out who was giving and who was receiving. What it back. Barriers of competition that hold knowledge, half a century, to study how children appeared to be was a community of deep care for understanding and experience as a thing to be learn – from a behavioral, ergonomic others in which no one was an outsider. A community owned and shared only in select circles came down and cognitive perspective – to develop which was known and experienced through the bonds and a unity from being in this together was forged. furniture that is flexible, adaptable of real joy and unity that almost spontaneously came The experience of the conference was one not only in and stimulating. into being. There existed the capacity to look beyond learning about service but of being a part of service, individual needs, wants and fears and to be open to where all of us who were prepared to immerse ourselves It’s this philosophy that inspired our others as a gift to each other regardless of communities in the relationship to each other were enriched and ergo-dynamic PantoFlex chair. Designed by from which they had come. Service in this space was encouraged in our practice, regardless of where we one of the world’s greatest furniture designers, simply something that made those serving and those had come from. Verner Panton, the PantoFlex chair promotes who were theoretically being served brighter, bigger correct posture, improves blood and and happier. For me, watching on it was an exemplar I am very grateful to all who organised and ran the oxygen circulation, assists the developing of the greatest kind of leadership, learning and service, conference and in doing so gave us a chance to reflect musculo-skeletal system and most importantly contributes to an increased one that tears down barriers, builds people up and on our own and each other’s programs, events, tours attention span. And that’s only half the story. creates unity. and experiences. I would like to thank the speakers who engaged with us so candidly and with such Understanding Luke vulnerability, as well as all who so generously opened To find out more about our innovative range of educational furniture At this event and through our students on this night, up their life’s work in this area to scrutiny and sharing. visit woodsfurniture.com.au I think that I came to understand what Luke was Working in Service Learning and heading along to or call 1800 004 555. saying a little better. Maybe he means that we have such a conference is a privilege that reminded me of it backwards. That we are not to look to our leaders how much we can be for each other and that what We’re for flexible learning and teachers to know the nature of service or to see we offer in humility can transform the experience of greatness. But rather we need to watch closely those each other’s service and each other’s learning.
68 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 69 As a Christian school in the Anglican tradition, the to bring students, staff, parents, Old Melburnians, and idea of service is central to our teachings, philosophy friends together once a term, to listen to speakers and faith. In accepting the maxim that ‘with privilege whose story may enrich or resonate with their own comes responsibility’, we accept the often complex life experience. Rather than pursuing high profile relationship that exits between wealth and poverty; ‘leaders’ we seek to invite ‘everyday’ people from capacity and incapacity; power and powerlessness. different walks of life whose life path may have taken It is for this reason that we seek to nurture true human them to places – literally or metaphorically, that others encounter based on the humanity and equality of all may only dream about. parties to our Service Learning Program. We who are strong have an To this end, the presentations are invariably united Engaging Hearts and Minds by the human story which members of our school obligation to bear with the failings community can identify with and learn from. This The School’s Service Learning area not only aims of the weak, and not to please initiative has been running since 2010 with an to connect its students with the wider community, anticipated audience of between 150-200 people ourselves. Let each of us please both locally and globally via active service, but also each time. In 2015, the speakers included Eddie to provide learning opportunities to examine the his neighbour for his good, to build Jaku, a 95 year old Auschwitz survivor; Michael complex social issues at play. Structurally, our Service him up. Romans 15:1-2 Coyne, photojournalist who covers wars, revolutions Learning program is made up of the following areas: and international events throughout the Asia-Pacific Local ‘Values in Action’ initiatives, International ‘Values region and Australia; Dr Brian Schmidt, astrophysicist in Action’ Trips, Charitable Giving, and Community and Laureate Fellow and Distinguished Professor Awareness. Through these initiatives, students are at the Australian National University; and Tim Cope, encouraged to engage their hearts and minds in Australian Adventurer of the Year 2006, who spoke of equal measure in relationship with those they serve. his journey from Mongolia to Hungary, following the Values in Action trail of Genghis Kahn.
In recent years the term ‘Values in Action’ has been This year, we have invited Elliott Costello, a used to describe a number of the programs that fall social entrepreneur and co-founder of YGAP - under the banner of ‘Community Service’. The Values an organisation that finds and supports impact in Action initiatives at Melbourne Grammar School entrepreneurs with bold solutions to poverty in the Service is central to our have evolved to centre on service learning, both in world’s toughest communities. In Term 2, to coincide a local and international context. There is particular with our celebration of National Reconciliation Week, teachings, philosophy and faith focus on reciprocal and meaningful relationships that we invited Benson Saulo, who was the first Aboriginal connect students to community, and these in turn man to be appointed as UN Youth Ambassador in Phil O’Connor allow for community engagement with the School. 2011. Later this year we will welcome Khadija Gbla, The mutuality of these relationships is paramount who arrived in Australia after three years in a refugee Phil O’Connor, Head of Service Learning at Phil has a passion for social justice and as is a recognition that they are undertaken with camp in Gambia and is now a passionate leader in Melbourne Grammar School, writes about equality and believes in the importance respect, humility and compassion for the individuals her community and an inspired advocate for equality. concerned, whatever their life’s journey to date. the School’s Service Learning Program. of creating meaningful opportunities for If you would like to learn more about Service Learning He explains that the program is structured students to be able to engage in these From working with primary school children to serving at Melbourne Grammar School, or more specifically breakfast for those who may wake up hungry, the about the Community Speaker Series, please feel around four areas: local ‘values in action’ complex issues. opportunities for encounter are many and comprise: free to contact Mr Phil O’Connor – Head of Service initiatives, international ‘values in action’ Tutoring with Smith Family Learning Clubs; Undertaking Learning on [email protected]. trips, charitable giving and community Breakfast Programs with St Peter’s Eastern Hills Lazarus awareness. These initiatives encourage Centre, St Mary’s House of Welcome and Prahran Mission; Aged Care Recreation with Benetas; Dinner students to ‘engage their hearts and minds and Mentoring programs with Ronald McDonald in equal measure in relationship with those House, as well as other initiatives throughout the year, they serve’. such as the Safe Steps Family Violence Response Centre Candlelight Vigil. Participation amongst current students is entirely voluntary but we encourage involvement across all parts of the School. THIS PAGE TOP: Phil O’Connor. THIS PAGE BOTTOM: Melbourne Grammar School students volunteering at Community Speakers the Safe Steps Family Violence Response Centre Candlelight Vigil. The Vigil promotes awareness of family violence. Another key initiative of the School’s Service Learning OPPOSITE PAGE: Community Speaker Series, Term 2, 2016. (L-R) Sammy program is the Community Speaker Series which aims Stevenson (School Captain), Benson Saulo and Will Hugh-Jones (Secretary of Values in Action Committee).
70 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 71 He says there is strong research that shows that those St Paul’s Headmaster, Grant Lander, was also in search involved in helping others, and arguably, selfless of a more meaningful service experience for students. behaviour are happier people and are more likely to “We recognise that as a community we’re privileged. develop strong grit, determination and self-belief in We have amazing facilities, excellent parental support their own lives. networks and we’re in a high achieving environment,” This is something he saw evidence of while working at a he said. “We didn’t want to have a group of students top public school in England. He sat in a meeting with who didn’t have an appreciation of what they’ve got the headmaster, security and senior management to and also recognition of what other people have and discuss ways of keeping vandals out of the school so the situation that they’re in.” that the football nets wouldn’t get ripped anymore. The Over the Fence Ministry has only been in operation Higher fences, sharp fences, cameras and more for a short six months but closer relationships with locals patrols were all among the solutions before the have been formed and those involved are happier. headmaster said: “Why not invite them for a game of The primary school children are also delighted and football, set up regular training with those close to our often inspired. The relationship between St Paul’s school and ask if our students can come to visit them and the community has improved greatly because in their school.” barriers have been broken down. By establishing stronger relationships between the St Paul’s transactional service program has also school and its local community the football nets were gained more meaning. never ripped again. As Reverend Stephenson says: “Our ‘transactional’ Years later, while he was building schools on the ministry now has more relevance and a positive Zambian/Congo border, Reverend Stephenson experience attached to it. We have funds to help the encouraged his six-year-old son to give his slightly primary schools; we can provide resources, help feed worn school shoes to one of the boys in his school who those children who rarely have breakfast or lunch at had never owned a pair before. Over The Fence Ministry school and finance functions that bring all parents “The look on my son’s face during the interaction said together for a meal.” it all,” noted Reverend Stephenson, who realized in Grabs Teens’ Attention Overall, everyone is better off and happier because that very moment he had made a grave error. Karen Simpson of the program - relationships have flourished, the “Until that moment my son had presumed himself to younger primary school students have mentors to Communications and Marketing Executive, St Paul’s Collegiate School, Hamilton, New Zealand be the same as the boy with no shoes. During the aspire to and the St Paul’s students have greater handover they had made a positive transaction but appreciation. their relationship had taken a negative turn because A new service initiative at St Paul’s School Collegiate half-an-hour she had more than 300 students signed- “The students love it and want to do more – they have the differences between them had been highlighted.” in Hamilton, NZ, has caught the attention of more than up. seen the light!” 300 teenagers. Reverend Stephenson realised for service to be truly Now, 20-odd students visit local primary schools three “We are seeing students who are being built up meaningful and to get positive results it had to reflect The program, dubbed Over the Fence Ministry, times each week with both parties benefitting from because they are building themselves up. They have that of the school in England – a symbiotic relationship connects students from the leading private secondary the relationship. been given responsibility and autonomy and they are – and that it could not be transactional. school with students of local low decile primary growing in character and are self-assured because of “We are doing something that involves more than schools. When he arrived at St Paul’s in early 2015 he saw a it.” just handing over money. What we are doing benefits great willingness from students to give to those less St Paul’s Chaplain, The Reverend James Stephenson, both people equally. We have formed relationships “We have discovered a ray of light within ourselves fortunate. contacted the local schools to ask how St Paul’s and have connected with the people we are helping, and everybody seems to be benefiting. If it feels so students could help and how the schools could work Serena said. The students held an annual 12-hour relay to raise great to help others then maybe human nature is not together to form stronger relationships. Students now money for a women’s refuge, shaved their heads to quite so selfish after all.” This is the exact result Reverend Stephenson was visit the primary schools to interact, play sport, read, raise money for cancer research and collected funds hoping for. With the success of the Over the Fence Ministry, do drama, engage in cultural activities, role model to purchase bedding and mattresses for a school in Reverend Stephenson will be introducing another two and form friendships. Reverend Stephenson is a big believer in Fiji that had been destroyed by Cyclone Winston. layers to the program. The first, a dedicated initiative transformational service (one that grows the One of the driving forces behind the program’s success “This was very admirable and something I was keen for the school’s senior students. Year 11 students will character of both the server and the served) in place is St Paul’s head of mission and outreach Serena to encourage but the youth at St Paul’s were in need volunteer their time at a local organoosation for a of transactional service (one that gives money or Lim-Strutt, 17, whose powerful chapel presentation of a ‘transformational’ experience. St Paul’s is a high set number of hours over a set number of weeks. The material goods). convinced the student body to get involved. Within decile school that is located in a low socio economic second being a service program for those who wish to area with low decile public schools.” volunteer abroad.
THIS PAGE: Serena Lim-Strutt.
72 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 73 sharing stories about their lives and their faith traditions is a wonderful image to hold on to in times where the media usually only represent conflict between people of faith.
Some Christians and people from other faith traditions argue that interfaith dialogue is dangerous for young impressionable people as it may lead them away from their belief systems. I, and many of my colleagues working with interfaith dialogue, have found the opposite to be the case. Engaging with people from other faith backgrounds has encouraged our students to delve deeper into their own Christian backgrounds. For example, hearing from a fellow 16-year-old Australian Muslim about his relationship with God and how it influences his decision-making led some of our Australia is one of the most multicultural and multi-faith students to consider how their faith influences their societies in the world. We are a relatively peaceful lives. When our students host the other schools in the society. However, recent incidents of racial and region at Melbourne Grammar we invite the students to religious intolerance have shown us how vulnerable our Chapel where we conduct an entirely student-led trust between groups with different faith and cultural traditional Anglican prayer service with a sung litany, backgrounds can be. We need to keep working at a sermon, bible readings, candles and incense as well educating young leaders in cross-cultural dialogue as speeches about the Anglican tradition and the and encourage the building of trust between ethnic religious life of Melbourne Grammar School. Leading and religious groups in our society. such a service made the participating students from our school study the Anglican faith more deeply and The great theologian, Hans Kung, once wrote that, several of them have expressed a renewed interest “There will be no peace among the people of this world and appreciation of the Christian faith within the Building Bridges without peace among the world religions.” Jonathan Anglican tradition. Sacks wrote that, “The greatest single antidote to violence is conversation, speaking our fears, listening I know our students thoroughly enjoy being part of Hans Christiansen to the fears of others, and in sharing of vulnerabilities this dialogue and they learn a lot from it. Not only do discovering a genesis of hope.” If this is true, which I they make friends with Australian Jewish and Muslim The Reverend Hans Christiansen, Senior believe it is, then it is paramount that Jews, Christians students, but they also learn to appreciate how Chaplain at Melbourne Grammar School, and Muslims come together to seek common ground important religious faith can be to young people in our has a keen interest in World Religions, and learn from each other. society. Their participation in the program strengthens their own faith and helps them recognise the benefits contemplative spirituality and interfaith It is for this reason that I involve students in Years 10- of living in a cohesive multi-cultural society. dialogue. The co-founder and former 12 from Melbourne Grammar School in the Building Bridges Interfaith Dialogue Program. The program President of the Mornington Peninsula At this stage the Building Bridges Program is only running brings Senior School students from Jewish, Muslim and in Melbourne but implementation in other states Interfaith Network is a Board member of the Christian schools together for six evenings and one full is currently being explored. I encourage Anglican Jewish, Christian and Muslim Association. day during a year. Students from Melbourne Grammar schools across Australia that are interested in finding Hans is an advocate for social and ecological visit an Islamic School, a Jewish School and various out more about the program to contact Building Christian Schools and as well as host students from the justice and is a member of the Anglican Bridges in Melbourne (www.buildingbridges.org.au three faiths at Melbourne Grammar for an evening. or [email protected]) or me at Melbourne Diocese’s Social Responsibilities Committee. Our students have eaten kosher vegetarian food Grammar School ([email protected]). Here he writes about Melbourne Grammar together. They have learnt about Jewish faith and As conflicts between groups of people from different School’s involvement with the Building culture. They have witnessed and taken part in a religious backgrounds across the world grow there is Bridges Interfaith Dialogue Program. prayer service in a Mosque and they have engaged in always a potential that the unrest may find its way into facilitated dialogue with Muslim, Jewish and Christian our society. To prevent this and to build a bedrock of students from around Melbourne. Most importantly, good will and understanding among people of faith
THIS PAGE TOP: Building Bridges Interfaith Dialogue Program. our students have made friends with Muslim and I encourage all our faith-based schools to engage in
THIS PAGE BOTTOM: Building Bridges Interfaith Dialogue Program. Jewish students living in Melbourne. Seeing 60 Jewish, intentional interfaith dialogue. I commend the Building OPPOSITE PAGE: Revd Hans Christiansen. Christian and Muslim students laughing together and Bridges Program to you all.
74 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 75 Getting to the Truth It’s like two men starving to death in the bush who stumble across some wild berries. The first man worries I think it’s fair to say that most of us who teach in that they are poisonous. The second man, who thinks Anglican schools want our students to find the truth. himself an expert in bush tucker, says they’re just The alternative is to search for what’s false. Or, worse, fine and begins to scoff down a mouthful. Still, the to search for nothing at all. first man remains doubtful. Perhaps his friend has But, getting to the truth, while avoiding what’s false, mistaken them for poisonous berries. So he searches takes a lot of practice on their part. Our students know on Google (because you can do that these days in that there ‘ain’t no easy way’ to the truth! They know the bush) and the Wiki page says that the berries are that they’ve got to learn to think critically. They need indeed fine to eat. Yet, he reasons that Wikipedia is to pick up skills in logic, reasoning, argument, analysis maintained by the general public and could be full and research if they’re going to get to the truth. of false information. For all he knows his wacky friend might be the one who’s written the Wiki entry! Trapped Not only that, but they also need to master these skills in a quandary he decides to pull out his volume of in a multitude of different contexts. Finding the truth ‘Berries That Are Safe to Eat in the Bush’ (as you do!). in maths is going to require learning a different set of Lo and behold, the delicious looking berries before skills to the ones used to find the truth in science, or his eyes really do look like the ones his book says are the truth in history, or the truth in music. That’s a big perfectly safe to eat … except the ones in the book undertaking! look a little bit lighter in colour than the ones in real life. Oh no! Perhaps they are not the same berries after all! But, even after our students have got a handle on Or perhaps it’s only that the ink in his book has faded! these skills in critical thinking, it’s still not enough to get How can he be sure?! Meanwhile his friend gulps to the truth, the goal of their Anglican education. To down another mouthful. With berry juice gushing get there, they’re going to need a whole lot of trust as down his chin, he splutters, “You better hurry up and well. dig in mate cos they’ll all be gone in a second!” Learning to Trust The first man can do as much critical thinking as he Critical Trusting Trust? What has trust to do with truth? likes, but unless he learns to trust his friend (or the Wiki author, or the author of his book, or his own senses), In maths we need to trust our common sense and he’ll never get to the truth about them berries. & Anglican Education basic axioms of logic before we can get to the truth of a theorem. In music we need to be able to trust our The story of the two men lost in the bush touches on the Alex Abecina sense of hearing if we’re going to sing a true harmony heart of the Bible’s message about finding the truth and learning to trust. In the Gospel of John, Jesus says, Alex Abecina is the Head of Ministry at together in the choir. In science we need to be able to trust that our measuring instruments are reliable and “I am the way, the truth …” (John 14:6). Jesus goes on Burgmann Anglican School, ACT, where that our universe is ordered, predictable, and rational to say that he himself can show us the truth of God, he serves as the Senior Chaplain, Religious before we can truly describe physical reality. In history the Father. Jesus’ words remind us that getting to the Studies teacher, and member of the we need to be able to trust the testimony of others truth of God depends on trusting that he himself is the way. Executive Leadership team. He holds who lived in the distant past if we are to know the truth of what really happened. Unless we learn to trust we degrees in physics and theology, and When it comes to Anglican schooling and the search become sceptics who end up learning and knowing for truth, it’s a good thing that Jesus remains at the has published works on the fourth century nothing. No trust, no truth. heart of it all. When we keep Jesus at the centre we theologian Gregory of Nyssa. affirm what we already know from our experience Critical Thinking and Critical Trusting of teaching subjects like maths, and music, and So, in a quality education, finding truth depends on science, and history; that finding the truth requires both critical thinking as well as what I want to call critical thinking, yes. But, more importantly, it begins critical trusting. by learning to trust.
THIS PAGE: Alex Abecina.
76 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 77 Life-changing Leadership Challenge Jo Hutchens
Director of Marketing & Community Relations, Thomas Hassell Anglican College, NSW
Thomas Hassall Anglican College, located in Middleton Grange in Sydney’s south west has been participating in the Kokoda Challenge since 2008. This is a journey that would challenge even the Originally a biennial expedition, the trek now occurs young Australian men and women. Participants are Thomas Hassall Anglican College has seen enormous annually under the expert guidance of Mr Phil Kaye, encouraged to link their experience to the curriculum benefits from student participation and many have most fit bushwalkers as they follow the path Director of Welfare (Senior Years) at the College. by undertaking research of the Kokoda Story and, gone on to serve in leadership roles in the College in Papua New Guinea on which Australia Mr Kaye has led the trek on three occasions and where possible, make a connection with surviving and in their lives after school. this year’s tour will be his fourth. Students undertake and Japan engaged in bitter warfare veterans of the Kokoda campaign. Additionally, the 96 kilometres of mountainous country with incredible approximately six months of training prior to the during World War II. It is an unforgiving experience also exposes students to the problems rainforests, beautiful streams and endless steep valleys expedition – a combination of walking, cycling, and rugged wilderness but the College’s faced by a developing international community together with unspoilt villages of kind, generous strengthening and a healthy eating regime. as they seek to understand another culture. Many people have a way of challenging students and students describe it as an unforgettable Mr Kaye says that those who take up the Challenge of the students, parents and staff develop lifelong adults alike . . . for the rest of their lives. and life-changing experience. become more connected to Australia’s national connections with their porters and in one recent case, identity, especially the sacrifice and service of financial support was provided for Bible College study.
78 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 79 Arden Anglican School students have been going Experiencing Country Life to Tumbarumba, New South Wales since 2013 to undertake a unique Country Experience. The program has been developed as a partnership between Wendy Mulder Arden and Tumbarumba Shire Council. From Arden’s perspective, students are given an opportunity to Wendy Mulder from the Marketing Department at experience the country first-hand. They see the Arden Anglican College on Sydney’s north shore beauty and the harshness of the country, get to hear writes about the school’s ‘Country Experience’ in accounts of the joys and struggles of living on the land and discover the similarities and differences Tumbarumba (NSW) for Year 10 students. Introduced in between their experiences as city dwellers with 2013 the program has been developed in partnership those of their new friends in the country. with the Tumbarumba Shire Council. At the The Tumbarumba community really enjoy having the end of each year the whole Year group Arden students visit. The country end of the program is visits the country town for a five-day coordinated by the enthusiastic Mr Paul McPherson, camp. They go to experience Noxious Weed Officer, Environmental Services at Tumbarumba Shire Council. Mr McPherson has country life, to visit local worked at the Council for 28 years and loves working business enterprises and to with today’s youth. He shared: “I get a real buzz out work with the Tumbarumba of being with the children and have a lot of time for them. I really like the consistent good manners, Shire Council on a warm personalities and diversity of the Arden number of local projects. students. Through this experience we all benefit as we share the knowledge of both our country and city communities with each other.”
Mrs Kathy Bush, Arden’s Year 10 Country Experience Coordinator, explained: “Country Experience was launched as an experience for students to give back to a community by volunteering to work in a totally different environment from their own. The experience helps prepare our students for life as it gives them a real understanding of how all communities work together to make Australia what it is. Providing primary produce is an important part of what our country does and at Tumbarumba the students meet the people who make this possible and try to support them, while gaining so many amazing experiences themselves.”
Students stay at Laurel Hills Forest Lodge which is situated near Tumbarumba and is noted for its large open spaces and resident wild brumbies. “Our students are always amazed at the open spaces and how beautiful the country is. They love having the brumbies near the campsite and also kangaroos and other wildlife”, said Mrs Bush. She continued: “There is no television and very limited phone reception and no Wi-Fi, so students have to keep themselves occupied at night without technology which is a new experience for most. In the evening students THIS PAGE (T-B): Partners in the Year 10 Country Experience. (Left to Right): play volleyball, cricket and other ball games on the Mr Paul McPherson, Mr Trevor Bridgland and Councillor Ian Chaffey (Mayor of Tumbarumba). oval until dark. Students then tend to play cards or
Arden Anglican School students at the Forestry Operations. we have arranged activities in the hall.”
OPPOSITE PAGE: Arden Anglican School students help paint Tumbarumba Turf Club.
80 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 81 Activities undertaken throughout the week include: students as they are always keen to get involved with • Working with Tumbarumba Shire Council on the physical activities and learn as much as they can projects such as mucking out stables and painting from his vast knowledge of the region. He refers to fences at the Tumbarumba Turf Club; helping out Arden’s students as ‘our students’.” What’s new for with gardening, painting and general chores at the In terms of what the experience teaches Mr McPherson Pioneer Women’s Hut; and planting trees. said: “The city students learn about the balance of Anglican Schools • Working for a half-day with Murrumbidgee Local life. For example, the practical steps farmers need to Land Services testing the quality of water in the take to manage stock in order to keep them safe from Australia’s travel Murrumbidgee River, planting trees and learning predators and disease in the country environment.” He about weed control. feels that the country students enjoy meeting the city • Visiting Hyne Mill to see a state-of-the-art timber mill students and learning about their different lifestyles As the ASA’s preferred travel in full operation. and cultures. Both groups love the experience, with provider, Campus Travel this • Visiting a working forestry site to see logging. Mr McPherson concluding: “Ongoing friendships have been made through this partnership, with many year will be introducing a raft • Enjoying a disco on the last night with students from students staying in contact via social media. It really is the local high school. of new initiatives: a great opportunity to share knowledge between the What does this mean • Service Level Agreement The students also participate in an Indigenous city and country communities.” for you? experience, attend the Boggy Creek Show - a two- Charlie Barnett (Year 10, 2015) saw the experience • Travel grant for schools hour live performance showcasing Australia’s unique Improved service, more “as a time of little stress and a five-day period during Snowy Mountains heritage (www.boggycreekshow. • Dedicated schools newsletter opportunities, deeper industry which students had the opportunity to build stronger com.au), help build shelters for emergencies in the insight, more personal support relationships without distractions of technology and • Bigger group travel team bush, go bushwalking and visit Sugar Pine Forest and and greater travel savings! schoolwork”. What struck him most, “was the amount Paddy Rivers Fall. • New deals with Virgin Australia, of stars in the sky and the utter stillness at night. The Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Mr McPherson noted that, “Tumbarumba Shire fact that no lights were on, or traffic was to be heard Council is very supportive of the Country Experience as we were going to sleep”. Air New Zealand and Etihad. partnership. In addition to allowing me to coordinate Rachael Egan (Year 10, 2015) said that prior to her As always, Campus Travel offers the experience, they also generously provide the departure for Tumbarumba, she had never been to a 24/7 global travel assistance. Arden students with access to the local facilities.” location in Australia that was further that a 40-minute When asked how the students find the experience, drive from the beach. She was fascinated by the Mrs Bush said: “Our students embrace the activities brumbies, enjoyed the bush walks and visits to the and enjoy being in the outdoors and interacting timber mill and Sugar Pine Forest, and was interested with the local people.” She added: “They always say to learn about the Indigenous tribe who had lived in how much better they know their Year group after the area of Tumbarumba. A highlight of the camp for the experience and how they have developed new her was visiting a giant waterfall set amongst moss- friendships. This can be put down to living in a small covered rocks, surrounded by freezing rock pools. community and not having technology to distract.” “The serene landscape was absolutely breathtaking, Mrs Bush went on to say: “Our representative from the and was a reminder of the beauty of the Australian Council, Mr Paul McPherson really enjoys having our landscape.”
Talk to the academic group travel specialists Ph 1300 724 349 [email protected]
ABOVE: Arden Anglican School students take a break in the shelter building ABOVE: Arden Anglican School students enjoying their Indigenous experience. campustravel.com.au they built.
82 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 83 St John’s students Kelsey Matushcka, Olivia Hutley, Mr King said the students who attended the innovation Spirit of Innovation Shihaab Azam and Hamza Khan are the first Australians summit have been enthusiastic about meeting with to win one of the four divisions of the annual Conrad other students from across the globe. Spirit of Innovation Challenge. It really was rocket science at St John’s Anglican “Sometimes I feel like we have more in common with Their winning idea is to develop a mobile application some of these kids than the kids at our own school!” College, Brisbane, when a team of Year 11 to regulate the colours of mobile devices to alleviate said semi-finalist, Tammy Bui. students and senior teacher Mr Nathan King anxiety, stress and poor sleeping patterns. Mr King said the students have already established beat the world in an innovation competition at Their ‘Lumos App’ idea is based on studies that show global links with other centres of innovation and have the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida in April. prolonged exposure to lighting patterns on various begun planning innovations for next year. Many devices can lead to mental and physical health issues. are looking at partnering with schools across North America and Asia to further develop those ideas, he They didn’t just win a trophy, but will also be offered said. help in establishing patents for their app as well as marketing and private entrepreneurial support to take “I can’t wait to come back,” said student Nikky Ly. “I their app to market. bet we can win again next year!”
Their coach, teacher Nathan King, is also the first In addition to taking part in student-driven sessions, teacher from outside the US to win the prestigious the teams toured the Kennedy Space Station, the Teacher of the Year award. Atlantis Shuttle Exhibition and the Saturn V Rocket. Students also spoke with astronauts Captain Kathryn Judges at the 10th annual competition included chair Hire, Jon McBride and Bob Cabana, Director of NASA. Nancy Conrad, wife to the late Pete Conrad, captain of several NASA missions and third man on the moon, plus three astronauts and representatives of Boeing, the US Navy and the famed Mayo Clinic.
St John’s had six teams among the 100 finalists at the three-day competition selected from more than 500 entries from more than 10 countries.
It was Mr King’s second trip to the competition having attended last year with just three college students.
He and fellow teacher Stavros Ikonomakis and college deputy Glenn Johnson have been teaching the Future Thinkers program at St John’s Anglican College for the past three years.
The program challenges students with real-world problems to solve. The innovations they develop are then submitted to the Conrad Challenge.
While the competition asks students to engage heavily in scientific and technical fields, winning teams needed to demonstrate skills across a wide variety of disciplines.
The four divisions are Aerospace and Aviation, Energy and the Environment, Cyber Technologies and Security, and Health and Nutrition which St John’s won.
Students called on their skills in maths, science, English, business, entrepreneurship and networking to clinch a
place in the semi-finals. OPPOSITE PAGE: St John’s students are inspired by their visit to the Kennedy Space Centre, Florida, USA. THIS PAGE: St John’s winning team in the Conrad Spirit of innovation Challenge.
84 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 85 One the two most memorable musical moments for me was when, as a very young 11-year-old, I stood with 80 other peers in front of an audience about to sing in a choir at an Eisteddfod. This was my first choral experience and it was at a school where winning Eisteddfods mattered.
An inspiration
As I stood, highly aware of the bead of sweat running down my forehead, I was relieved to see our conductor make her way to stand in front of us. She was from South Africa and had a kind, welcoming manner, yet she was able to mix this successfully with an expectation of excellence. She stood, looked up at us awaiting the ‘ding’ of the adjudicator’s bell. When this sound exploded through the silence she did something that I will never forget. Rather than indicating to the accompanist to begin, she reached into her dress pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. Square by square she unfolded this piece of paper and we, at first, wondered why it was blank. When the paper was returned to its full size, she revealed its hidden and hastily scrawled message. To my sheer delight it was a huge smiley face with the words ‘Good luck!’ positioned immediately below the face. Instantly I was assured, calm and placed back Smiley Faces in our rehearsal room. I sang my heart out that day, transfixed on this lady and lapping up every note, crescendo and enunciated ‘t’. We won that section and my conductor won my heart. Just under six years Phil Bohun later I graduated that school as Head Chorister and went on to study music at the University of Melbourne. Phil Bohun, the Teaching and Learning Arts How to keep them singing? Coordinator and Head of Music at Cathedral College Wangaratta, writes about providing Now the tables have turned and here I am today students with a quality singing education finding myself in my school choir conductor’s shoes busily creating the choral students and consolidating in a thriving school community that has the choral tradition at Cathedral College Wangaratta. experienced exponential growth over I think back to my first choral conductor and try to the past three years. The College’s choral imagine what steps she undertook and what trails program is developing rapidly, and one of the she blazed to provide my friends and me with such challenges is to remain true to the founding a life-changing experience. I recognise that life at Cathedral, like all schools, is busy and action-packed. visions and values, whilst at the same time The number of students has trebled over the last three creating, supporting and implementing new years and I am presented with so many new faces and innovative musical ‘vehicles’ to inspire and hidden treasures. My challenge at the moment and educate students in the magic of music. is how to discover the musicians who are quietly hiding away, unknown and in most cases, lacking the confidence and ‘front’ to approach me about becoming engaged in singing. In short, I wondered
THIS PAGE TOP: Phil Bohun and his young charges. what factors add up to a successful singing program THIS PAGE BOTTOM: We love to sing! and how do I reach the musical hearts of my students?
86 - ASA NEWS - July 2016 BACK CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE FORWARD ASA NEWS - July 2016 - 87 House Singing CD as part of the ‘Kool Skools’ Project in Victoria. This again is a competition that requires the ensemble One of the true gifts at our College has existed to travel to Melbourne and record at Studio 52 a since its foundation year and this is the House Music fully operational, professional recording studio. The competition. The very first was held in 2003 and inaugural female vocal ensemble, ‘The Unholy Trinities’ involved four Houses: Buffalo, Feathertop, Hotham and recently competed in the Generations In Jazz Festival Stirling, which are also the names of four of the most held in Mount Gambier, South Australia. The five girls imposing mountains in the nearby Alpine region of worked very hard to prepare their two songs and were Victoria. The competition brings together all students received very well. The experience of that weekend from Prep to Year 12 in a celebration of singing. Last and the stories the girls shared upon their return to the year the College founded two more Houses; Cobbler College resulted in 12 young ladies auditioning for the and Warby, and the rivalry has only heightened. From four positions vacated by graduating Year 12s. a musical standpoint this competition provides every student with the fundamental access and permission Finally, the Anglican Schools Commission’s robust to sing - this mindset must never be underestimated. network of schools allows for very many opportunities Each House is granted a number of rehearsal times for our school and for the musicians within it. The where the students congregate in their separate College is excited to be travelling 38 young voices to areas and learn the trade. They are focussed by the Anglican Schools Commission Combined Concert a Head of House and by Senior and Junior House in Perth in September this year. The ‘Cantabile Choir’ Captains, some of which are singers, but the great was established specifically for this purpose and has fact is, it does not matter if you are or are not a singer. already conducted a number of public performances. The most important requirement is that every member The students are from Years 5, 6 and 7 and all possess of the House gives their best and sings with gusto on that love of singing and drive to be the best they the day. For me, this annual event unearths a plethora can be as a team. The collaboration that they will of talent and as one walks from rehearsal room to experience by being part of the ASC’s ‘Massed Choir’ rehearsal room, and even between the singing lines - hundreds of voices - will further enrich their musical of each House, a voice can be heard that you did not lives and demonstrate to them that they, like the rest THIS PAGE: Cathedral College Wangaratta’s Choir with Bishop John Parkes AM and Peter Thompson (Anglicare) in Holy Trinity Cathedral, Wangaratta. know existed, a mental note is made, and a meeting of us, are part of something bigger than themselves. will occur with that student in the ensuing days. The competition is proof of the power of group singing. Final thoughts
Amazing Experiences All schools and all performing arts faculties are different of course and all choral programs remain One of the blessings for Cathedral College Wangaratta unpredictable, sensitive, demanding - and our has been permission to provide our gifted and talented success, like that of the choral conductor with the singers with opportunities to display their skills within our vocal sections of their choir, depends on how well we local community and beyond. The Wangaratta Jazz deliver our message and what opportunities we are Festival is a nationally recognised event that attracts able to provide. After 31 years immersed in the world national and international performers. The College of choral singing whether it be sacred, secular or as plays an integral part in supporting the Jazz Mass at part of musical theatre productions, I am still driven the Holy Trinity Cathedral on the Sunday morning and to create that smiley face reaction I experienced all in some years, performs on the community stage. The those years ago for my students. event is always a full-house and the experience of hymns sung to jazz music is one that leaves a lasting By the way, the other memorable moment I received impression upon the listener. The College has also was from my first Principal when upon wishing farewell established a premier jazz ensemble called ‘The from his office after signing the contract, he said quite Liturgies’ who are invited to perform at events around simply ‘Have fun’. If we are not doing that, not even a the region and are fortunate to be able to record a smiley face will help! Anglican Schools Australia Anglican LOG ON | www.anglicanschoolsaustralia.edu.au Schools Australia VISIT | www.aplaceformission.org
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