The Optimist News & Highlights
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Autu Edition 12 / Autumn 2018 Blackfriars Priory School The OPtimist News & Highlights PRAYER STUDY COMMUNITY SERVICE From the Principal Blackfriars Priory School 17 Prospect Rd, Prospect SA 5082 PO Box 86, Prospect SA 5082 T: +61 8 8169 3900 E: [email protected] 2018 Head Prefect, Sebastian Deluca, School Principal, Mr Simon Cobiac and Phi An Tran. bps.sa.edu.au facebook.com/BlackfriarsSchool The Blackfriars Priory School Master Plan: CRICOS: 02485B A Bold, Innovative Vision for the Future Blackfriars Priory School has launched Stage 1 of our new Master Plan. Construction of Stage 1 will provide a specialist Year 12 Centre, specialised STEM facilities, general learning areas and staff facilities. The Stage 1 project, to be constructed during 2019, will be situated at the front of the school, in the south-western corner and along Highbury Street. This exciting development will reshape the image and landscape of the school for the first time in many decades. The concept of Blackfriars’ new Master Plan was developed by architects, Swanbury Penglase: Architects of human space, through a process of investigation, collaboration and consultation with staff, parents and students throughout 2017 and with reference to the school’s Strategic Plan 16-20. The Master Plan sets out a flexible framework for the development of the campus over the coming decades. The Blackfriars School Board recently appointed Swanbury Penglase to continue working with the school to design Stages 1, 4 and 5 of the Master Plan in collaboration with the Blackfriars Published by: Blackfriars Priory School Executive Team and with considerable input from teaching staff. Swanbury Penglase is highly recognised in the education sector having designed and supervised iconic buildings at St Submissions: To make a submission to Peter’s Girls College, Christian Brothers College, St Dominic’s Priory College and the new the next edition of The OPtimist, please Catholic Primary School at Hove among many other significant developments. forward details to the Development Stages 1, 4 and 5 of the Master Plan respond to the needs of contemporary educational Office via email: [email protected] thinking and research for tailored personalised learning in fit-for-purpose learning spaces. The spaces created will enable teachers to focus on the development of innovative learning Changing address? A reminder when methods to prepare students to take their place in a modern, flexible, problem solving and changing address to please advise the creative work-study environment. The spacious, flexible and environmentally sustainable Development Office so you can continue building will inspire senior students to deeply engage in the four pillars of Dominican life - The OPtimist to receive your copy of . Prayer, Study, Community and Service - and encourage students to see themselves as lifelong learners. Not getting The OPtimist? If you know of any Old Scholars not receiving The Modern teaching focuses on the development of creative thinking, collaboration, critical OPtimist, please direct them to the thinking and ICT rich learning, rather than traditional pedagogy that emphasised the Development Office. accumulation of content knowledge and expansion of predetermined skills. While educational research suggests the most important factor in effective education is the quality and work Cover: Principal, Mr Simon Cobiac, of educators and the quality of relationship between teacher and learner, well-designed and discusses the new Master Plan with innovative environments significantly support their efforts. Year 10 student leaders, Frank Snelling, Our Master Plan will deliver state-of-the-art, 21st Century facilities, ensuring students and Adriano Caiazza and Daniel Bui. staff at Blackfriars have access to contemporary learning environments. Mr Simon Cobiac Principal 2 Master Plan 2020 Above: The Blackfriars Master Plan overview produced by Swanbury Penglase. V ISI ON Left: 2020 VISION branding developed to accompany New Master Plan the launch of the Master Plan. Developing a campus to reflect the needs of Below: Conceptual mapping of the structure of contemporary educational thinking and research. Blackfriars to fit in with the Master Plan. PRAYER | STUDY | COMMUNITY | SERVICE 3 Student Wellbeing Student Leadership positions will also play a lead role in their mateship, leadership, outdoor education classes and attend senior student leader and resilience throughout the four days. The senior student leaders for 2018 were meetings for experience and to provide input The students and staff spent the first two selected through an intense process in the into important issues across the school. nights at a caravan park near Flinders Chase latter part of 2017. There were 12 Prefects National Park and the final night at a camp (Year12), 8 House Captains (Year12), 8 Camps with minimal amenities at Antechamber Bay. House Vice Captains (Year 11) and 8 House Year 7 students went on their camp to Deputy Vice Captains (Year 10) selected. Throughout the camp all students Douglas Scrub on 23 May for three full days These students then took part in a two-day represented the school with complete of activities. Students had an information respect when interacting with members of leadership camp coordinated by Blackfriars session presented by Wilderness Escape the public. The Wilderness Escape Outdoor leadership team staff and YLead, an Outdoor Adventures prior to their departure Adventures staff coordinated activities on organisation experienced in the formation of and also a range of conversations in class the camp and supported students with their young leaders. that supported their preparation. preparation. Key teachers and a range of The leadership groups have been meeting The camp was a challenging and rewarding other staff also attended and put in a tireless regularly throughout the 2018 school year experience and a great opportunity to amount of work to prepare students for the discussing and implementing a range of strengthen relationships with peers and camp, to support them in having an enjoyable initiatives across the school. The House staff. Students participated in orienteering, and rewarding experience on Kangaroo Captains have also been making consistent a high ropes course, hiking, trangia cooking Island. and valuable contributions within their and a range of other team based activities. For the second year in a row the Year 9 camp Houses, supporting the Heads of House. Fortunately, the weather was relatively was held at Port Elliot and Victor Harbor, Some of the initiatives include the Captains kind and a successful week was had by all with a focus on outdoor aquatic and beach committing to the Bite Back Mental Fitness students and staff. Challenge by The Black Dog Institute. This based activities and cycling. The whole Year is a free online positive psychology program The Year 8 students travelled to Kangaroo 9 cohort went on 6 March for four days. that is targeted to adolescents aged 12-18 Island for their camps in two separate Students had the opportunity to participate years, with a particular focus for 13 to 16 groups on 20 February and 27 February. in kayaking, surfing, raft building, bike riding year olds. The program is evidenced based Each camp went for four days. Students and a range of team based games. The and is a six-week challenge that covers had an early start, departing Blackfriars at weather was very kind and the location again gratitude, mindfulness, social connections 6.30am to reach the Cape Jervis Ferry and was stunning. make their way across Backstairs Passage to and identifying strengths, meaning and The Year 9 boys have really engaged strongly Penneshaw. purpose. in the new camp format at Port Elliot and The Prefects have been in consultation with Students participated in activities in their the activities provided by Surf and Sun, other schools to arrange charity events. One Key Class to develop skills in teamwork, based in Middleton, have been an excellent of these was a netball match with St Mary’s College. Our Prefects played a competitive game against the girls with a huge crowd on hand to watch. The Middle Years leadership positions were elected in classes through the early part of Term 1. Students in these positions have attended their own formation opportunities. The Year 8 and 9 students attended the Halogen Secondary Leaders day and the Year 9 students attended the YLead Altitude Day in June. Both days allowed students to network with other students and also hear from a range of inspiring speakers. Students in Middle School leadership 4 Student Wellbeing experience. We had many boys who learnt to The program has been very popular in the surf, kayak or bike ride for the first time. past, and we see the value in ensuring The Cyber Bully our Year 11 students are provided with an opportunity to attend this worthwhile On Wednesday 23 May, all Year 8 and 9 learning experience. RAA Street Smart High students watched Cyber Bully presented featured a realistic crash scene reenactment by Starrs Productions. This is a play that presents realistic issues for adolescents on involving vehicles, emergency services and cyber bullying. actors. The aim of this re-enactment is to be as close as possible to a real life crash. Students left with a range of thoughts about Our Year 11 students walked away with an the impacts of cyber bullying and how acute understanding of the ramifications that easily it can occur in contemporary times with so many adolescents using such a can occur when not treating the road with range of communication and social media respect. applications. Starrs Productions has been Mother’s Day Buddies working on these types of plays for students in schools for approximately 20 years at Through our Pastoral Care program, a schools across the country. popular element of recent years has been RAA Street Smart our buddy programs that occur across the school.