Perth Modern School

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You have new messages (last change).
Perth Modern School
Savoir C'est Pouvoir
Established 1909
School type Government Selective/Public School
Principal/
Headmaster		 Dr Robyn White
Location Perth, W.A, Australia
Campus Subiaco
Enrollment 2006 approx. 1000 coeducational students
School colours Blue, Yellow, Red
Homepage http://www.perthmodernschool.det.wa.edu.au/


Perth Modern School is a public secondary school and Government selective school in the Perth suburb of Subiaco in Western Australia.

Perth Modern School, by its centenary in 2011, will become a purely academic selective school, catering for students with outstanding academic ability. The first cohort of Gifted and Talented students commence at Perth Modern School in 2007.

Perth Modern School has run a renowned selective Music program for gifted students in Years eight to twelve, although from 2007 selection into the program will only come from the academically selected students. As well as Music, Perth Modern School offers a specialised Ballet course with the Graduate College of Dance. This is a highly prestigious course and graduates often go on to promising dance careers.


Contents

[edit] History

Perth Modern School was established as the first Government senior secondary school in Western Australia in 1911, after lengthy representations to the State Government. Its charter was to offer a modern education to students of strong academic ability. Selection was by scholarship and both male and female students studied science and modern languages as part of their courses.

The Sphinx, representing wisdom and knowledge, was adopted as the school symbol; together with the motto: "Savoir c'est Pouvoir" ('Knowledge is Power').

Through the years, Perth Modern School developed a strong reputation based on the achievement of high educational standards and the successes of past students. Details of Exhibition winners, Rhodes Scholars and former Prime Minister Bob Hawke are on display in the historical showcases in the East Building.

In 1958 Perth Modern School ceased operating as an academic scholarship school and became a comprehensive high school. High academic standards, the traditions of the past and the establishment of the special Music Scholarship in 1968 are significant factors in the school maintaining a high profile in the state Education System.

When the school went comprehensive in the 1970s the standard of education dropped. With the aging population in the expensive Subiaco area the school relied on its music program and Intensive English Centre to boost student numbers.

The landmark decision by the State Government to return Perth Modern School to a fully selective, Gifted and Talented Government school starting next year (2007) has won approval throughout the community, with record enrolments for year 8, 2007. This is the first batch of the selective programme.

[edit] School Layout

The School is based around four main areas; the original Perth Modern School (the West building and Oval, but also incorporating the new, purpose-built Music rooms); the newer extensions (the Joseph Parsons Memorial Library, the East building, canteen, gymnasium, Metal and Woodworking rooms and demountables); the Visual and Performing Arts Department (the Photography Studio, Fitness Centre, Ballet Studio, Performing Arts Theatre and The Graduate College of Dance); and the separate building housing the Intensive English Centre (originally the Thomas Street Primary School, established in 1904).

[edit] Historic Buildings

Perth Modern School's West building, built in 1911, is now a Heritage Listed Building and was refurbished during the late 1980's. The refurbishment has won several awards and the building is now recognized as one of the premier venues for chamber music and general ensemble performance in Perth. The West building is linked by a covered walkway to another heritage listed building which currently houses the Society and Environment classes.

[edit] Famous Modernians

The famous ex-students of Perth Modern School include:

K.R. Allen, Rhodes Scholar
K. L. Cooper, Rhodes Scholar
J. R. Hall, Rhodes Scholar
Rolf Harris, performer
Paul Hasluck, Governor-General
Bob Hawke, Prime Minister, Rhodes Scholar
John A. Hay, Vice-Chancellor, University of Queensland, Hackett Scholar
A. E. C. Smith, Rhodes Scholar
Gregory Yurisich, internationally acclaimed baritone
Reigan Derry, Top 12 in the 2006 Season of Australian Idol
Alan Seymour, Acclaimed Author
Janet Homes a Court, Western Australian Philanthropist

[edit] Music

Perth Modern was one of two schools in Perth to have a special selective music program, the other being Churchlands Senior High School, however due to recent political decisions and the introduction of solely selective academic placement at the school this is no longer the case (with selective music moving to John Curtin College of the Arts) and the program will be completely phased out by 2011. The music program at Perth Modern School was of an elite level, and encompassed the Kodály methodology in its teachings. Most aural and theory concepts were taught with the aid of the philosophies of music by Zoltán Kodály, in which hand signs are used as a way of representing musical notes by holding the hand in a certain position for each note. This concept, more commonly known as solfa, is used at most music schools.

The music program placed an emphasis on singing and it was a requirement that all students were in at least one vocal ensemble. The school also had three wind orchestras, two standard orchestras (one string and one symphony) and two classical guitar ensembles as well as various other instrumental groups and Jazz ensembles.

An international music tour was taken every three years. The most recent was the April 2005 Tour, where music students visited Italy, France and London; singing and performing in an assortment of venues, and in various ANZAC ceremonies. One of the highlights of the tour was the ANZAC ceremony at Westminster Abbey in London where Her Majesty The Queen was present.

[edit] Dance

Perth Modern School also hosts The Graduate College of Dance, from which a number of acclaimed high profile dancers have graduated. The Graduate College of Dance is one of Australia's leading vocational dance schools. In conjunction with the Department of Education and Perth Modern, the College prepares talented dancers aged 9 to 17 (year 5 to 12) for the dance profession in a supportive and encouraging environment. The College's comprehensive curriculum, taught by internationally recognised teachers, combines professional dance training with a high standard of academic education to tertiary level.

The College is housed in a modern purpose-built ballet studio at the western end of the school.

[edit] Future

The State Government has approved funding to develop the school into a facility for Gifted and Talented students. This grant goes towards an extensive refurbishment and redevelopment (including a 72 bed residential college with state-of-the-art facilities, for those students from regional areas), to offer an exceptional learning environment aligned to the needs of the most able students.

The school's East buildings (including the canteen and 2 gymnasiums) will be refurbished or replaced, and new, purpose-built facilities constructed to create a physical environment suitable for the education of Gifted and Talented students, with much thought given to the use and interaction of spaces surrounding a central Resources facility. Final designs are now complete, with construction commencing in 2007.

By the end of 2006, the Intensive English Centre will move to Greenwood Senior High School, ending a long association with Perth Modern.


[edit] Contact information

Perth Modern School
Roberts Road, SUBIACO WA 6000
PHONE: (08) 9380 0555 FAX: (08) 9380 0550
Office Hours 8.15 - 4.00 Local Time (GMT+8)

[edit] Sources

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../p/e/r/Perth_Modern_School_f562.html"