PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

GLOBAL CITIZENS

There is a great deal of publicity now about ensuring our young adolescents are equipped with the skills and abilities to be global citizens. This means that they will develop a sense of belonging to others in the world. Increasingly they are linked to people outside their own local community through technology, especially the internet.

Many are broadcasting their daily activities and posting pictures via social media to the unknown whom they accept as friends. They, in turn, accept friends from all corners of the globe.  In days gone by the link to other residents of countries far afield was through accepting a pen pal or meeting an intrepid foreign traveller. Some people travelled, but the connection with home was via the mail. Now the borders have disappeared to some extent. Travel is easier and more take the opportunity to visit other places, experience daily life in places outside Australia and understand different cultures. People connect easily through Skype or email. We have expanded our knowledge of how others live through easy access to Google. Our own International students communicate often on a daily basis with their parents.

In SRC meetings and in assemblies, our Social Justice Captains voice their concerns for their fellow man, raise issues, demonstrate compassion and share what is happening inside and outside Australia. They are nurturing a sense of responsibility for helping others and this term through the SRC are supporting a fund raiser for asylum seekers. They regularly promote social equity.

As a school we welcomed a group of Chinese scholarship students in Term 1. We hosted twenty two students and teachers from Lycée la Pérouse, New Caledonia this term. Our students embraced the visitors and their friendliness was noted. The teachers remarked on the high calibre of the school and were exuberant in their praise of the culture, the programs and the opportunities. Our students also benefitted from learning more about French culture and by having opportunities to practise their French in class. Some of our students will experience time in Japan in the September holidays. Next term eight Vietnamese students and a teacher are visiting from our sister school in Ho Chi Minh City. Students last year went to Ecuador and a group are preparing to go to Peru with World Challenge in 2015.  We regularly host students through student exchange and through our international program we enrol students in year 10 in the Language centre and in VCE from China, Korea and Vietnam.

Our student cohort has many opportunities to mix with students from a range of countries, to experience different cultures and develop global awareness and understanding.

Clare Entwisle