Stories of MECS

Book Launch Transformational Education 2015

In 2011, Martin Hanscamp (MECS Principal at the time), took the innovative Middle School team, led by a much younger Sue de Pyle as acting coordinator, on a retreat to Daylesford. In pairs, teachers were presented with a word and statement penned by Stewart Miller (the Principal before Martin). The task was to develop and present to the rest of the team, our interpretation and understanding of those statements. In his inimitable way, Martin brought the word TRANSFORMATIONAL to the Middle School teachers. Perhaps unknown to many, the Middle School team were an integral part of the humble beginnings of the book, TRANSFORMATIONAL Education.

Following that, the entire teaching staff retreated to ADANAC (Yarra Junction), and again in broader teams, the acronym, TRANSFORMATIONAL, was presented, as we further explored the purpose and nature of Christian Education.

In 2012, a smaller team, supported with wisdom and insight from the late Harry Burggraaf, completed the chapters, and it was decided to share the book with other Christian school communities. Cameron Semmens, a friend of the Christian schools community, worked with MECS students to write poetry and provide illustrations. The prayer at the launch was that the book would travel far and wide, and support Christian educators globally. Since then, the book has been translated into Spanish, and is used in a number of countries around the world.

The photo above is the final writing team at the launch of the book early in 2015. Their roles are identified below then/now.

Left to right

Front: Andrew Schmidt (VCAL/retired), Carole Bird (Head librarian/retired), Di Emery (Assistant Principal Primary/retired), Jo Miller (Learning Support, then and now)

Back: Cameron Semmens (poet, then and now), Martin Hanscamp (Principal/retired to heaven), Gerry Beimers (Manager of Administration, then and now), Paul Oldman (Senior School Coord/Assistant Principal Plenty Valley Christian School).

The acronym that continues to capture our core understandings: