Tag: Schools

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Uniting Church WA calls for justice at its Annual Meeting of the Synod

The 43rd Annual Meeting of the Uniting Church Synod of WA was held over the weekend, Friday 13 to Sunday 15 September, at Scotch College Perth.

Members of the meeting, including representatives from Uniting Church WA schools, agencies, congregations and faith communities, made a range of decisions, including to:

  • support the 2017 Statement from the Heart, and urge the Commonwealth Government to listen to it and establish a First Nations’ Voice in the Constitution, and the Makarrata Commission;
  • call on the Commonwealth Government not to expand Cashless Debit Card trials, and instead work with communities on transitioning to a voluntary scheme co-designed with communities that includes holistic and coordinated support services;
  • call on the Federal Government to begin restoration of overseas aid cuts and commit to achieving the internationally agreed target of 0.7% Gross National Income (GNI) by 2030, beginning with a return to the top half of rich country aid donors by the end of the next parliamentary term;
  • call on the Federal Government for a compassionate and generous refugee sponsorship program; supporting the introduction of a new Community Refugee Sponsorship model to assist refugees to resettle in Australia.
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Wesley College wins Boarding School of the Year

Wesley College, a Uniting Church WA school, received the prestigious Australian Education Award for Boarding School of the Year on Friday 16 August in Sydney.

The Australian Education Awards celebrate the outstanding achievements of the country’s top performing schools.

“It is often said, the health and heart of a school is measured by its boarding community. This award reflects the wonderful work that happens in our boarding house, but also acknowledges the innovative facilities of the College as a whole,” said Ross Barron, Headmaster of Wesley College.

“To be named as one of Australia’s best schools is a magnificent honour and a tribute to our staff and their commitment to every student.”

St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School (Brisbane) was co-winner of the Boarding School of the Year Award.

The award recognises the most outstanding boarding school in Australia based on a range of criteria including:

  • Consistently high standards of teaching and learning
  • Academic and other achievements
  • Rigorous professional learning to improve teaching and curriculum delivery
  • Strong communication links with students, parents, teachers and the wider community
  • Effective management of facilities, finances and human resources
  • Demonstrated commitment to innovation and continuous improvement
  • Provision of a supportive home environment focused on student wellbeing.

Rodney Steer, Head of Boarding at Wesley College, joined Wesley in January 2019 and said he was not surprised to see the college receive this award.

“Having worked for most of my adult life in boarding schools across the country, it is my view that Wesley boarding is the finest in Australia,” he said. “Our focus is not only academic excellence, but each boy’s personal growth and wellbeing, in a nurturing environment that understands the importance of community and relationships.”

Wesley College was also a finalist in the 2019 Australian Education Awards including Best School Strategic Plan, Department Head of the Year (Claire Leong) and Innovation in Learning Environment. And in 2018, Wesley College was named as an Innovative School by the Educator, the leading Australian resource for senior educational professionals.

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Stories & Feature Articles

Scotch students experience Church in the City

It was an unusual sight, 350 boys from Scotch College Middle School pouring into Uniting Church in the City (UCIC) Wesley Perth on a wet and blustery morning in the CBD. The Year 7 and 8 boys were experiencing ‘Church in the City’ – a special excursion to get a better understanding of the heritage and identity of Scotch College as a school of the Uniting Church in Australia.

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Stories & Feature Articles

Seeing, naming and participating: the work of school leaders

One of the great challenges of the work of Uniting Church school chaplains and school principals is to be receptive to God’s Spirit moving in their communities. Our schools are full of the joy of children and the energy of youth. When you meet at a school you can feel the vitality of youth throbbing through the culture of these important places.

However, schools are not only celebrations of youth and places for learning. Clearly, learning is central to the work of schools; however they are also places where the Spirit of God moves among the community. We know God moves ahead of us and that faith and the values of the Gospel are gifts and graces from God (Eph 2: 1 John 4).

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Kokoda mateship: an enduring tenet

At midnight on Thursday 26 July this year, seven Scotch boys and two staff flew out from Perth enroute to Papua New Guinea to embark on the world-famous Kokoda trail.

All the months of preparation were over, there was no chance to fill in the gaps, and in reality, most of us had very little understanding of the challenges that lay ahead. Seven days later, we walked through the trail’s finishing arch in the town of Kokoda. The physical and emotional challenges faced throughout the seven days of trekking had left an indelible and lifelong imprint on the  spiritual psyche of us all.

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Wesley College opens refurbished wing

Wesley College, a Uniting Church WA school in South Perth, enjoyed the company of Uniting Church WA Moderator, Rev Steve Francis, at the official opening of its Clive Hamer Wing on Tuesday 12 June.

The newly-refurbished space is to become a magnet for innovation, where Wesley students can move their ideas forward and learn the skills that will be needed for the jobs of tomorrow.

“The integration of technology is outstanding – from our virtual reality gear, to our laser cutting machine, to the 3D printer. Students can broadcast their work, or make prototype games, or build robots. All these things bring together the traditional notions of technology and computer science, but start pushing them forwards,” said Headmaster, David Gee.

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Funding boost for chaplaincy in WA schools

YouthCARE, a provider of chaplaincy services in Western Australian state schools, welcomes the announcement by the Federal Government to continue chaplaincy funding.

$247 million will be allocated to schools across Australia as part of the National School Chaplaincy Program.

In his budget speech, Treasurer Scott Morrison announced the Federal Government would be “extending the National School Chaplaincy Program on a permanent basis, with a special new anti-bullying focus”.

YouthCARE Chief Executive Officer, Stanley Jeyaraj, said the decision provides certainty for a large number of state schools in WA to access chaplaincy services.

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MLC welcomes new Principal

The Commissioning of Methodist Ladies’ College’s (MLC) 12th Principal, Dr Marie Perry, took place at the college on Tuesday 6 March. The service was led by Uniting Church WA Acting Moderator, Rev Ken Williams, and MLC Chaplain, Rev Hollis Wilson. Students, staff and special guests were in attendance, and musical items were presented by the College’s Symphony Orchestra and Chorale.

Dr Marie Perry is a highly experienced educator who has taught all grades from Kindergarten to Year 12 and also delivered adult education. This breadth of experience has afforded Marie a keen awareness of the needs of every age group. As a leader, Marie has extensive experience in working with all sectors of a school community, and in the development of strategic partnerships for the mutual benefit of all parties.

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Throwing the Gospel into our community

Rev David Kriel was inducted into his new ministry role with Trinity North Uniting Church on Sunday 4 March at St Stephen’s School Duncraig.

Rev Greg Ross led the reflection. He handed out a piece of plasticine to  members of the congregation, inviting them to shape it, meditatively, how they please. He then gave examples of people responding to God’s call to do something different, people who were brave enough to step out of their comfort zones and into the unknown, while holding the hand of God.

He shared the story of Florence Nightingale, “who lived out her lifelong calling or mission to change her society so that it truly reflected the prayer of Jesus – may your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven,” Greg said.

“Moses,” Greg continued, “that historical figure who had his life completely transformed from being an adopted royal Egyptian prince who committed murder in a fit of supposedly justified rage to being the fearless leader upon which the nation of Israel was built, is one such figure from the foundation stories of our Judeao Christian faith who demonstrated that your life could be transformed, and that making change and being a leader of people was incredibly frustrating and exhausting.”

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Wesley unveils Science Centre for Tomorrow

Wesley College’s ‘Science Centre for Tomorrow’ was officially opened in August by WA Chief Scientist Professor Peter Klinken AC, in a fitting celebration of National Science Week. In addition to Professor Klinken, Wesley College welcomed local teachers, media, government and industry representatives along with its extended community to view the state-of-the-art facility for the first time.

The Science Centre is named in honour of one of Wesley’s longest serving and much cherished teachers, Mildred Manning, who taught biology from 1923–1970 and retired in 1976.

In planning for the Mildred Manning Science Centre, Wesley College’s team of leading educators researched: foremost secondary science facilities in Australia; University Science and Engineering learning spaces and research centres; medical and Science research facilities across Australia; and consulted internationally with experts in learning space design for inspiration before designs were finalised in 2015 and construction began in 2016.

Their vision culminated in a building that is designed as a living, breathing science experiment to excite students who can learn in a hands-on approach.

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