From the Principal

The year... half way there

As we find ourselves at the end of second term, looking forward to the up-turn in the year as the days start to lengthen again towards spring, it offers us an opportunity to reflect on the year so far.

A highlight in this issue is the piece written by Angelo von Moller, together with his beautiful photos from the Year 9 Experience. Angelo refers to the service projects as a ‘major highlight’, included for the first time in this program. This service learning, a core element of the IB, offers students at every level excellent opportunities to consider and define their own place in the community, locally and globally.

As the Principal of a school that made the dramatic move, back in 2012, to adopt the IB programs as our defining educational platform, I have had a number of years to wonder if the reality would live up to our aspirations. Would the IB actually turn out to be the impossible and elusive preserve of the academically elite, despite our careful research and determination? Could we make it flexible and accessible to accommodate all of our students?

Now, well into the Diploma journey for our first cohort, the evidence is beginning to be clear – and I couldn’t be more delighted – or relieved!

The Creativity, Action and Service (CAS) component has supported students to engage in an array of projects and initiatives far beyond the limits of their academic studies. This is just a sample:

taking responsibility for the School Production
securing a medical internship in Nepal
starting a running club for students (and teachers)
assisting in an orphanage in Thailand
taking part in a United Nations Youth Forum in New York
joining a climate action group
representing Australia in China in the Futsal Jiangmen Cup
taking charge of the student common room refurbishment
coaching the Arlington netball team
volunteering with the Asylum Seekers Resource Centre.

Later in this newsletter, Dan Symons makes reference to the impressive and innovative responses of the students to the Theories of Knowledge (TOK) classes. ‘This group of students took the opportunity to design a learning experience for the whole class, rather than deliver their material as a presentation.’

The first round of the Extended Essays (EE), often seen as the most daunting component of the Diploma Programme, is now complete. Chris Dite, the EE Coordinator, writes ‘In the final meetings with their supervisors the cohort was beaming with pride’. So, too, were their teachers, who have been delighted as their students rose to the challenge and achieved far beyond their expectations for them. He goes on to write: ‘Our next cohort has already begun drafting their research questions and there is no doubt that the bold and diverse efforts of the Year 12s have filled them with the same sense of fortitude and daring.’ This is exactly the culture we hoped to foster – genuine intellectual curiosity and courage.

Looking ahead, the next two terms will be no less busy and hopefully as satisfying as the year has been so far. Next term begins with the Preshil Philosophy Conference, with its extraordinary line-up of international philosophers. Full details are on our website, and please get your tickets quickly as this event has been sold out in past years.

I look forward to catching up with as many of you as possible at the magical Winter Solstice tomorrow night and hope the three-week break offers everyone some time for warmth and relaxation before it all starts again.

Marilyn Smith

Principal

marilyn.smith@preshil.vic.edu.au