Principal's Report

If no mistake you have made, but losing you are. A different game you should play.

Yoda, Jedi Master 896BBY-4ABY

Welcome to the Week 3 Term Four newsletter.

As I write our Academy students are in the final weeks of the Higher School Certificate examinations, indeed many of our students have actually completed their requirements already and are enjoying some hard earned downtime. For all of our Academy I students school will resume Monday 18 November when they will become the new Academy II. They are of course welcome at the Annual Presentation Day Assembly on Thursday 14 November and Celebration of Learning Day (COLD) on Friday 15 November. We trust that they have utilised their time wisely and will be focused and ready for the final stretch of their secondary education. For many of our graduating Academy II students the long break until next February will involve all sorts of adventures - work, rest and play - some will go into full-time employment, others into study. To them all we wish them every success in whatever paths they choose to follow - as the ancient philosopher Lao Tzu once said 'A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.'

Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.

Robert Frost, Poet (1874-1963)

What is the end result of education?

In the last newsletter I asked this question in a rhetorical way and sketched out a basic philosophy. In this article I propose to be a tad more mundane. Our society, indeed all societies fundamentally understand the importance of formal education. In ages past education was generally reserved for the wealthy and the elite but since the mid to late 1800s formal and compulsory education has become the norm. Whilst a degree of government involvement in public education had taken place in NSW from the 1840s the real underpinning of the current system took place with the enactment of the Public Instruction Act 1880. This Act essentially enshrined the notion that Public education should be 'free, secular and compulsory'.

We could argue whether it was technically ever 'free'; but it does remain largely 'secular' and the compulsory part remains intact; such that it is now a requirement that all students in NSW must enrol at school before they turn six - essentially the year they turn five at the earliest. From that point all students must complete Year 10 and upon completion of Year 10 and until the age of 17 must either be;

(a) enrolled full-time at school;

(b) enrolled full-time at a Registered Training Organisation (an example would be TAFE);

(d) a combination of the above (e.g. Apprenticeship or traineeship).

The last three require the permission of the principal who having sighted appropriate paperwork issues an exemption from attendance at school. For students at Uralla Central School Year 10 is effectively completed at the end of Week 5 Term 4 in every year.

Until such time as students have met the threshold for completing schooling they are required to attend school every day that the school is open for learning and must have a legitimate excuse from their parent/carer for non-attendance. Whilst at school they are expected to learn - not because I say so or their teachers say so - but because you say so. That is the essence of the democracy that we live in, we as a society have determined that this should be the case.

Some men see things as they are and say why. I dream things that never were and say why not.

Robert Kennedy, American politician, 1925-1968

Other news...

The new Junior School quad has essentially been completed and is being well used by all members of the school at different points. There are a few minor touches before it is completed and some landscaping to take place at the northern end.

We have also proceeded with the securing of various quotes for the area in front of the Hall and Canteen and hope to have something underway by the end of the year - certainly completed and ready for the beginning of next year.

The capacity to learn is a gift;

The ability to learn is a skill;

The willingness to learn is a choice.

Frank Herbert (1920-1986) Author of Dunes

A final word...

We welcome Miss Sarah Schivera from the International Teaching program at Indiana University in the United States of America who will be with us until the end of term. I am confident that together we will all learn immensely and as a consequence be richer for the experience. Sarah will be accompanying the Middle School excursion to Canberra and we hope she and they all have an amazing time.

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

Martin Luther King Jr (1929-1968)