St Michael's Grammar School

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St Michael's Grammar School
Pro Ecclesia Dei
"For the Church of God"
Beati Mundo Corde
"Wealth Cleans the Heart"
Established 1895
School Type Independent, Co-educational, Day school
Denomination Anglican
Slogan "Diversity Opens Minds"
Key People Mr. Simon Gipson (Head of School)
Mr. Allan Pizzey AM (Chairman)
School Fees AU$10,970–19,270 p.a[1]
Location St Kilda, Victoria, Australia Flag of Australia
Enrolment ~1,180 (K–12)[2]
Employees 250+
Revenue AUD$20 million (2004 approx.)
Colours Blue, Red, and White             
Homepage stmichaels.vic.edu.au

St Michael's Grammar School is a co-educational, independent day school, located in St Kilda, an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

The school was founded in 1895 by the Community of the Sisters of the Church, and is of Anglican denomination. St Michael's Grammar is located on a single campus, its original location, and covers all schooling years from Kindergarten to Year 12. The school is a member of the Association of Coeducational Schools (ACS).

Contents

[edit] History

In 1870, Mother Emily Ayckbowm founded a new Anglican religious order in England - the Community of the Sisters of the Church. The Community of the Sisters of the Church had been invited to Australia to further educational work for girls, and St Michael's was one of six schools established by them in different parts of Australia. They also founded schools in England, New Zealand and Canada.

On 23 April 1895, the Sisters opened St. Michael's in a converted 1870s mansion. The school's first building, constructed in grey stone, faces Marlton Crescent and now known as St Michael's House.

In 1972, the Sisters transferred the management of St Michael's to a School Council and the School was incorporated. In the early 1980s the school was close to bankruptcy. With the appointment of new Headmaster, Anthony Hewison, the decision was taken to admit boys to all levels of the school, thus making it fully coeducational, and embark on "modernisation" of the school.

In 1985 the School became a company limited by guarantee. Since that date the Sisters retain their deep interest in the School but no longer play a part in its governance. The School is managed by the Head of the School who is appointed by the Board of Directors.

St Michael's is one of the very few schools in Melbourne over one hundred years old and still on its original site. It is possible to trace the history of the school, building by building, from Marlton Crescent to the modern Senior School in Redan Street. Today, the School provides a comprehensive education for both boys and girls from Kindergarten to the Victorian Certificate of Education. [1]

On December 6th December 2007 St Michael's purchased The Astor Theatre Building in St Kilda to be renovated and used for future drama productions.

Hewison House, a former 1860s mansion was acquired by the school in 1988 and named after a former headmaster.

Masonic Hall in Crimea Street, built in 1876 as a Baptist Church was acquired by the school in 1995

St George's Presbyterian Church. Leased by St Michael's Grammar since 1990.

Marlton (now St Michael's House), an 1870s mansion which was purchased in 1892 during the depression and served as a boarding house between 1905 and 1975.

[edit] Academics

St. Michael's offers a wide range of subjects including core mathematics, science, English, IT, LOTEs (Languages Other Than English), arts and humanities courses. At primary school, students all study basic subjects including mathematics, English, science, history, Japanese, music and sport. A major focus of the school is drama, noted by many as the flagship subject of the school.

All Year 12 students study for the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), as the IB Diploma Programme is not offered.

[edit] House system

The pastoral care system is based on a House structure which deals with all matters relating to a student's wellbeing or curriculum needs. Each student is placed in a House Tutorial Group that is overseen by a House Tutor. There are five Houses and therefore five House Tutorial Groups at each year level. A House contains students from Years 7 to 12. Each House is led by two Co-Heads of House. The members of each House are led by Co-House Captains and Co-Vice Captains. The Houses meet on a regular basis.

The House Tutor and Heads of House work as a team to monitor the academic and personal progress of each student in the House Tutorial Group and House. Generally, the House Tutor is the first and main point of contact between the parent and the School. For more serious issues a Head of House is usually contacted. [2]

St Michael's Houses
Breen House
  • House Colours: Maroon and White
  • House Motto: "Courage and Honour"
  • History: Breen House came into existence in 1987. The house is named after Dame Marie Breen D.B.E, O.B.E, a distinguished former student of St Michael's who was a Senator for Victoria in the Federal Parliament.
Hughes House
  • House Colours: Navy and White
  • House Motto: "Duw a Digon" ("God is Sufficient")
  • History: Hughes House came into existence in 1922 and was named after Canon Hughes, a great friend of the School and the Sisters in the early part of the twentieth century.
Kilburn House
  • House Colours: Navy and Green
  • House Motto: "I Serve"
  • History: Kilburn House came into existence in 1922. It was named after the site of the Sisters' original convent at Kilburn in North London.
Mitre House
  • House Colours: Navy and Cambridge Blue
  • House Motto:"Primus Omne" ("First amongst All")
  • History: Mitre House came into existence in 1922. The Mitre signifies the patronage of the Archbishop of Melbourne.
Sarum House
  • House Colours:Brown and Gold
  • House Motto:"Veritas Vincit" ("Truth Conquers")
  • History: Sarum House came into existence in 1922. The Sarum crest is taken from the Salisbury Coat of Arms, Sister Bridget's family being connected with the Bishop of Salisbury.

[edit] Reforms after 2000

With the introduction of the new Headmaster, Simon Gipson, the administration adopted new approaches to the functioning of the school. Many of these have been created to support the school's marketing campaigns. Changes include:

  • changing of traditional terminology (ie. Headmaster to Head of the School, Sick Bay to Health Center, Campus to Educational Village, Homework to Out of Class work.
  • removal of corporal punishment.
  • severe cutbacks to the school's debating schedule, reducing the number of debates per round (there are 5 rounds in total) from 36 to 6.
  • removal of the Year 12 Exodus (Outdoor Education) program.
  • introduction of a new school uniform. The uniform was launched with a professionally-choreographed catwalk display, gaining much media attention.[3]
  • introduction of a 6 stage building plan (including the recently built Sisters of the Church Learning Center and the new playing surface for the oval)
  • increased marketing spending

[edit] Media and marketing

St Michael's has a marketing team of five full-time staff members, which is large compared to most Australian secondary schools. Their responsibility is public relations to the general community. Since 2000 the school has been active in promoting themselves.

St. Michael's has had a number of major marketing campaigns, more so in the period of the new administration.

  • in 1998, a number of year five students produced a cable television advertisement. While this advertisement was being screened, several students were caught smoking heroin [4]in the school bathroom, and were later expelled. Around the same time, several other students were caught possessing marijuana on a school camp[5], and were also expelled. This greatly jeopoardised the success of this particular campaign.
  • in 2002, a cinema advertisement using an older marketing slogan, "As Individual as your Child", was shown.
  • in 2004, the ABC's George Negus Tonight screened a segment comparing public and private education. St Michael's as an independent school was compared to Footscray City College in relation to educational quality, facilities and pastoral care services.
  • in 2004, the school decided to abandon its trademark hats, as a precursor to the introduction of the new uniform
  • in 2005, the marketing department marked the School's 110th birthday celebrations by producing commemorative stationary and merchandise.
  • in a 2005 listing of percentages of students awarded tertiary places, St Michael's ranked 69th in the state of Victoria, with 75% of students attending tertiary institutions.

The marketing department has been largely successful in informing the general public of the school, although it has created the phenomenon of the school being a broad target for public criticism due to increased awareness.

[edit] Extra-curricular activities

Drama has one of the highest voluntary participation numbers amongst students of any department of the school.

St Michael's also conducts an annual compulsory House Singing competition, in which all five of the school houses perform a musical item. The evening is regarded as one of the most important in the musical calendar. Speech Night is also a compulsory part of the St Michaels calender.

[edit] Other programs

[edit] Great Barrier Reef project

The Great Barrier Reef project, also known as Beyond Capricorn, involves students studying biology in Far North Queensland, participating in a month of research on the Great Barrier Reef. Activities include daily snorkeling from St Michael's Orpheus Island Research Campus.

Originally the program ran for a duration of one month, but has since been extended to include days in Townsville, Paluma, and Tully, to study Australian aboriginal culture. Palm Island, nearby Orpheus Island, has been removed from the itinerary after riots by the local aboriginal population in 2004.

[edit] Exodus program

When St Michael's student body was much smaller, the entire Senior School went on school camp together; this was the first "Exodus". As of 2005, "Exodus" camps have been split up between year and house groups for students in Years 7 to 11, with past activities including rafting and bush walking, most groups are visited by one of the School Chaplains to celebrate the Eucharist at camp. Each student from Year 7 to Year 11 experiences a minimum of five days of Outdoor Education each year, with the programs run by the Outdoor Education Group.

In 2004 the school announced the removal of the annual Year 12 Exodus, where students were given the opportunity to design their own camp, with the school suggesting students required this time to study for VCE exams.

[edit] European Touring Choir

The European Touring Choir consists of boys and girls aged between 13-18, and the group travels to Europe to compete in international choir competitions biannually. Locations the choir visits include Rome, Carrara, Pisa, Venice, Vicenza, Nördlingen, Hagen, Cologne, Voorburg, Amsterdam, Paris, Croissy, Munich, & Vienna.

[edit] Exchanges

Currently, St Michael's has three student exchange programs, with schools in Japan, France and Italy.

The Japanese exchange with Keio Shonan-Fujisawa Junior & Senior High School in Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture has been operating for 10 years. As of 2006 it is to be run in January, before the commencement of the school year.

The French exchange began in 1999, and takes place every two years, with Le Bon Sauveur in Paris. The St Michael's students usually go to France for 5 to 6 weeks, during their summer holiday (December-January). The return trip to Australia by the students of Le Bon Sauveur usually happens in July- August of the following year.

The Italian exchange is with the Liceo Scientifico G. Marconi in Carrara, Tuscany.

[edit] School uniform and awards

St Michael's Grammar School, like most other private schools in Australia, requires students to wear school uniform.

The uniform for each gender is different, and there are two varieties - both summer (Terms 1 and 4) and winter or formal (Terms 2 and 3, but required to be worn on all formal occasions). The major colours featured are Red, White and Blue.

Students who perform well in extracurricular activities may be awarded Colours, Pockets and Certificates.

  • Colours: for excellence in inter-school competition when compared with school students in general (or comparable standard where applicable). Usually awarded only to students in Year 12. Outstanding Year 11 students may be awarded Colours. This is in stark contrast with most other schools, who award their students colours for all-round participation and commitment.
  • Green Pockets: For participation in a major expedition. In recognition of a student's high level of skill, effort and contribution when compared with school students in general.
  • Gold Pockets: Gold Pockets are awarded mainly for sports achievement. This award is not given to the best student at that sport, but for the person that may have improved the most, helped with the team through support or often helped pack-up equipment.
  • Blue Pockets: For the first level of achievement when compared with other students at the School. Awarded to Years 11 or 12 students. Outstanding Year 10 students may be awarded Blue Pockets.
  • Red Pockets: For the second level of achievement in comparison with other students at the School. Awarded more liberally than Blue Pockets or Colours.
  • White Pockets: These are awarded only to students in Year 9 at the end of the school year. Few awards are given.
  • Head of the School's Certificates: For a display of particular commitment and excellence in other areas of the School service or achievement which are not recognised in any other way. The purpose of Head of the School's Certificates is to give recognition to the person who achieves in ways different from the usual within the School.
  • Service Awards: Where a student makes some contribution in an activity peripheral to one in which colours and pockets are usually awarded (e.g. assisting in coaching a sporting team; refereeing or officiating at sporting fixtures), a service award may be given. Service awards are given at two levels, gold and silver.
  • House Awards: House Certificates and House Colours recognise the achievements of students within the House. House Certificates are similar to Head of the School's Certificates and are awarded for contributions to House activities.

House Colours consist of a badge with the House Crest on it, which is worn on the blazer pocket. House colours are awarded on a very limited basis (perhaps one per House, per term) to students who have made an outstanding contribution to House activities. [6]

[edit] Principals

Principals
  • Sister Hannah, CSC (1895 - 1903)
  • Sister Adele, CSC (1903 - 1912)
  • Sister Mildred, CSC (1912 - 1925)
  • Sister Persis, CSC (1925 - 1933)
  • Sister Dora Beatrice, CSC (1934 - 1939)
  • Sister Eudora, CSC (1939 - 1944)
  • Sister Karina, CSC (1945 - 1949)
  • Sister Shirley, CSC (1950 - 1952)
  • Sister Gabrielle, CSC (1953 - 1954)
  • Sister Patricia, CSC (1955 - 1963)
  • Sister Scholastica, CSC (1963 - 1966)
  • Sister Gabrielle, CSC (1966 - 1967)
  • Sister Scholastica, CSC (1967 - 1968)
  • Sister Elizabeth May, CSC (1968 - 1970)
  • Sister Scholastica, CSC (1971 - 1972)
Simon Gipson (left), current Head of the School.
Simon Gipson (left), current Head of the School.
Headmistresses
  • Miss May Vicars Foote (1937 - 1946)
  • Mrs. Dorothy Benson (1963 - 1965)
  • Mrs. Margaret Thomas (1965 - 1979)
Headmaster
  • Mr. Anthony Hewison, AM (1980 - 1999)
Head of the School

[edit] Notable alumni

[edit] References

  1. ^ St Michael's Grammar School. Directory. Melbourne's Child (2008). Retrieved on 2008-03-16.
  2. ^ St Michael's Grammar School. School Choice Victoria. Retrieved on 2007-09-19.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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Members of the Association of Co-educational Schools Melbourne Victoria, Australia

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