Staggfair Success
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Published for the Gippsland Grammar Family Issue 2, 2002 STAGGFair success he 2002 STAGGfair has again Youngsters enjoyed pony rides, ■ Above, Enjoying the fun of T been hailed a great success. jumping castle and other activities STAGGfair are junior school Parents’ and Friends’ Association on offer including the ever popular students Elise Di Sipio, Claire president Kim Bowring said it was the spinning wheel and raffles. Purcell and Natasha Pittorino. most successful in years, thanks to There were the usual and unusual, ■ Below, Graeme McLennan and fine weather and the support of the with competitions like the junior Frank Marocco, with a little help entire community. school bottle stall and even a snail race. from the flamboyant clown who In the serene and historic grounds The other feature, as always at entertained the multitudes at of St Anne’s Campus, a huge crowd these events, was the fine music played STAGGfair, serve up a selection basked in the sun and indulged in by our students. of fine wine and delicious food. refreshments and delicious food in styles from all around the world. INSIDE China connection established Page 3 New look Board of Directors Page 5 Help name Old Scholars Page 14 WINTER 2002 From the Principal looking to form focus groups to react to The trend is so strong that all students the plan. Those invited to be part of a entering Year 7 in 2003 have home focus group will not be drawn from the Internet access. Increasing bandwidth members of the consultative group. provision further enhances the viability They will be people with a common of a home accessible Intranet. interest in various areas of the School. Thus the School has signed an The Old Scholars are one such group agreement with a Melbourne firm, IMPAQ, n the middle of this year, my eighth and another might be the Parents and to provide a home accessible Intranet. The as Principal, I have paused to reflect Friends Association. School already has a developing Intranet I on the success of the School It is my hope that when people are service within the Senior School provided as a provider of quality education. asked to be part of a focus group they by IMPAQ and over the next six months Enrolments are still increasing and will respond positively. We need to test we will be developing “home” section we look to an enrolment of 760 in 2003 our proposals against the hopes and ready for full implementation at the and perhaps 800 by 2004. However expectations of the major stakeholders. beginning of the school year for 2003. enrolment figures are not everything and The maintenance of Gippsland Grammar An essential feature of this agreement certainly they should not be seen as the as a leading independent school is very is “Professional Development” for staff, main measure of success. In fact if that important to the development of our parents and students. Professional were the case I think we would have lost region and the strategic plan is a major Development strictly speaking is for sight of the School’s raison d’etre. instrument for this purpose. those in the relevant profession, and in However enrolment numbers are A prominent development of leading this case the provision is being extended an indication of a healthy climate and schools is the use of computer technology to parents and students. anecdotal accounts from parents of in the teaching/learning environment. Trial groups will be established in prospective students tell us that the School A number of schools have responded Term 4 or earlier if possible and I have is riding high. The context of my reflection with the introduction of a compulsory every confidence that this service will is the formation of the next Strategic Plan. laptop program. This has saved the greatly benefit the whole School The second plan has run its course with schools considerable expense by obviating community. most of its objectives attained and the the need to provide an adequate number As I write of this exciting development Board and the community consultation of computers for every classroom. I hear the questions from many, “what is group are considering where to go next. I have resisted this innovation because an Intranet and how will it benefit us”? The history of the School shows that I was unconvinced as to the magnitude In short it is a closed Internet, that is it in the late 1980s its enrolments were very of the benefit to the students and I did provides all sorts of information and strong and it should have been looking not feel it was appropriate to pass on two-way communication for the School forward to a very strong future. such an expense to parents. community only. The ability to instantly Unfortunately the collapse of the National Gippsland Grammar has long communicate with every individual in a Safety Council and the decision of Esso recognised the importance of computer meaningful way is the aim. to move its Head Office from Sale to technology and has provided its students Teachers will post homework, Melbourne saw the enrolments eventually with computer laboratories of both assignments, teaching programs and fall to 570 in 1998. How could the Board general and special needs and is working information sheets for all members of and the management of the School at the to spread the facilities to individual their classes to access. There will be no time have foreseen such negative classrooms. excuse for not knowing what is circumstances? The School is therefore addressing homework, even if you have been away Now, in this time of relative prosperity, the need for ready access everywhere in from school. Daily bulletins, the diary it is prudent for us to face the challenge the the School. A very good alternative and a personalised “My Day” will be of protecting the School against a similar to the compulsory laptop program is the readily available. This will greatly assist unforseen negative situation. My provision of an Intranet that is available those who are forgetful and parents experience of playing sport tells me that within the School and at home. who wish to know more than what their the best form of defence is attack and thus It is predicated on there being an children are telling them. There is much I see the next strategic plan as really about adequate number of computers more to tell but space here is insufficient the ‘offensives’ that we should adopt. throughout the School and that every for me to further elaborate. Let me say The initiatives, which are contained family has a computer at home that has that I believe this to be an exciting in the draft plan soon to be published access to the Internet. Over the past development that will again set us apart for the consultative community group, are seven years of interviewing students as a leading educator. possible actions to buttress the School’s as they enrol for Year 7, I have become healthy position so that the quality aware that the overwhelming majority education can be maintained. of families are in this position or are Very shortly and well before a further intending to be so by the time their edition of Veritas is published, I will be child enters Year 7. Tony Horsley 2 VERITAS WINTER 2002 Chinese students welcomed ippsland Grammar is attracting overseas interest as an G educational centre, with two senior students from China starting at Gippsland Grammar this month. The School has welcomed its first full-fee paying students from the world’s most populated country, with Xuepeng Jia and Tong Wang from Weifang City, Shandong Province. The pair will complete their Year 11 and 12 VCE studies at Gippsland Grammar, which, as well as providing an excellent education option for the students, will help foster a multicultural environment throughout the School. It is expected that the relationship between Gippsland Grammar and China will be an ongoing one, with further students interested in an Australian education. Our Principal Tony Horsley has welcomed the students and says attracting overseas students is an positive and motivated and enjoying life ■ Our Chinese students Xuepeng Jia and important multicultural step for the at their new school. Tong Wang have settled into class well. region. Xuepeng Jia and Tong Wang will in China starts at seven in the morning Xuepeng and Tong have come here study English, two Mathematics, until six in the evening and after other to do their VCE unlike exchange Information Technology, Business Studies studies we get home at nine or ten. students. It’s an experience that is and Accounting, while taking in some “China is very busy, it’s much more enriching for all concerned. The overseas one-on-one language classes and relaxed here. Conditions and education students fulfill their dreams and it helps curriculum support classes. are better (at Gippsland Grammar), more each and every student in the School The only English the pair knows is interesting, we have spare time to foster understanding, tolerance and developed from reading and writing, develop other areas.” respect for different cultures. and both have developed exceptional Xuepeng and Tong both plan to The new students are living at skills in this area. continue studying in Australia after the Gippsland Grammar School’s Studying is a bit different with completing their VCE at Gippsland Boarding House and both are extremely 17-year-old Xuepeng saying “School Grammar. Weddings, holidays - anything goes at auction nother Gippsland Grammar Items that always prove popular as current School families and staff, Auction Dinner will be held at dinner auctions include use of holiday Old Scholars are invited to get a A in Sale on Friday 16 August home or boat, catering services and a farm table or two together and catch up and its look like the range of items holiday.