Glenunga International High School
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article has been nominated to be checked for its neutrality. Discussion of this nomination can be found on the talk page. |
| Glenunga International High School | |
| Labor Omnia Vincit (Latin: Work Conquers All) | |
|
|
| School type | Public |
|---|---|
| Established | 1898 (as Adelaide Technical High School) |
| Principal | Robert Knight |
| Faculty | approx 150 |
| Students | approx 1400 |
| Location | L'Estrange St Glenunga, SA 5064 Australia |
| Information | +61 8 8379 5629 |
| Website | http://www.gihs.sa.edu.au/ |
Glenunga International High School (informally known as Glenunga or GIHS) is one of the leading publicly funded schools in South Australia . It is located approximately four km from the city centre of Adelaide in the suburb of Glenunga, between L'Estrange St and Conyngham St, adjoining the major thoroughfare Glen Osmond Road. It is amongst the top public schools in the state in terms of academic performance and serves the surrounding Unley, Burnside and Hills suburbs. It is the only public school in South Australia to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.
The school motto, as shown on the coat of arms, is "Labor Omnia Vincit" - Latin for "Work Conquers All."
Contents |
[edit] Principal
Its current principal is Robert Knight, who has been at the school since 1992 and helped improve the standing of the school with features such as a large international student program (under the Intensive Secondary English Course)involving many students from China, Japan and a variety of south-east Asian nations; a selective program for gifted students entering high school (Ignite Programme), initiated as the SHIP program in 1998) and the adoption of both the local SACE and International Baccalaureate Diploma Programs. Knight's term has seen the enrolment increase by 700 students to 1400, many of whom are from areas outside the school's zone or from overseas, after it came close to being closed by the State Government in the mid-1990s due to falling enrolments. Robert Knight will retire before the end of 2007, with a new Principal yet to be appointed
[edit] History
The school was founded as Adelaide Technical High School in 1898 and was located at Brookman Hall, North Terrace, which is now part of the City East campus of the University of South Australia. The school population outgrew the campus, so in 1964 it was relocated to its current location in Glenunga and later renamed Glenunga High School in 1974. It adopted its current name upon the introduction of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in 1990-91, which was instigated to help save the school from closure due to dwindling student numbers. With numbers rising, GIHS attracted a large amount of government funding and construction projects, most notably the technology and science wing extensions, new administration block and a performing arts centre; since 2005 there have been various additional changes to the facilities available such as extra rooms. While facilities have been improving, the school campus has now come to a point where it is now suffering similar space issues as its predecessor as a result of such an expansion in enrollment numbers.
Recent changes include:
- The Gymnasium now houses three extra classrooms, which are used for Physical Education classes and a weights/training area.
- The focus room has been moved to a new location in the Mathematics Wing.
- There have been some lockers added, fixed or removed.
- The School Network system has moved off Novell and instead requires you to login with your full name (EG, john.smith).
- There are a variety of new staff members.
- Gradual upgrading of all computer systems within the school as well as the usage of Bess content-control software to help prevent access to non-curriculum based internet content.
- Air-conditioning in all areas of the school.
- A new outdoor shade area betweent the library and Mathematics Wing
- Tennis courts have been upgraded.
[edit] International Focus
Glenunga has a strong history of academic achievement in the IB Diploma Programme, with students often achieving scores in the highest range. Glenunga has several sister schools in countries as wide ranging as China, Japan, the United Kingdom, Thailand, Germany, Mexico, Brazil, South Africa and the Fiji Islands. GIHS helps organise regular student exchanges and school tours both to and from these schools.
GIHS also offers extensive second languages courses including English, Mandarin, French, German, Japanese and Indonesian. Other languages are available off-campus through various programmes, such as the Ethnic Schools Association and South Australian School of Languages.
It has also achieved accreditation from the European Council of International Schools.
[edit] Student life
Glenunga International High School hosts an array of extracurricular groups, many of which are student run. These include the Student Forum, Student Activist Alliance, a variety of community service organisations, International and Environment Club as well as various sporting teams. To actively encourage the creation and expansion of these groups GIHS maintains a Student Life Coordinator on its staff. The current coordinator is Jonathon Turland.
