King David School, Melbourne

The King David School

Lehavin Ulehaskil
"To Know and Understand"
Location
Armadale, Victoria, 3143
Australia
Information
Type Independent, Co-educational
Religious affiliation(s) Jewish (Progressive)
Established 1977
Principal Marc Light
Enrolment 800 (P-12)[1]
Colour(s) Gold and Blue          
Website www.kds.vic.edu

The King David School is an independent, co-educational, progressive Jewish day school located in Armadale, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The school currently caters for approximately 800 students from Pre-School to Year 12,[1] and is affiliated with the Victorian Union of Progressive Judaism.

The History

The King David School was first envisioned in the 1970s, by several progressive Jews in Melbourne, and rabbis from Temple Beth Israel. The school was first purchased in 1977, on Kooyong Road, a property still occupied today, the Joyce and Mark Southwick Campus, named after two key influential figures in the school's opening.

In 1978, the school first opened for business as a primary school, and it was the first ever Progressive Jewish Day School in Australia. Its principal at that time was Norman Rothman. Whilst there were initially 45 students, the school grew up until in 1984, its biggest current campus (now the Middle School) was purchased in Orrong Road, known as the Isador Magid Campus, after another key figure in the school's establishment. The school later opened its first pre-school on Alma Road, adjacent to Temple Beth Israel, the Joyce and Mark Southwick Pre-school.

The school rapidly rose in student numbers, and celebrated the centennial year of 2000 by extending to Year 12 for the first time in its history. In 2002, the school opened a third campus, the Levi Centre, which was a middle school for years 3-6. This campus was later converted to an administration building, and its lease expired in 2008.

Perhaps the most significant new campus was established in 2006, when a property on Dandenong Road was opened, the Magid Institute, a state of the art senior campus for years 9-12. It was originally an old mansion, but has been transformed into a modern new campus with automated lights and electronic sign-boards.[2]

Campuses

King David School consists of five campuses in the Metropolitan Armadale area of Melbourne, close to the city's Jewish community. These campuses are the Southwick Pre-school centre, the Southwick Junior School (prep school to year 2), the Magid Campus (year 3 to year 8), the Magid Institute (year 9 to year 12) and the school's newest campus opened in 2011, the Rebecca Magid Center for visual arts, sport, music and theatre.[3]

Curriculum

King David School prepares students for the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), achieving high academic results. The school's LOTE (Languages Other Than English) program includes Hebrew, French, Spanish, Russian and Mandarin.

Co-curriculum

King David School offers co-curricular programs in sport, music, drama, debating, outdoor education and in 2008 became the first known school to run a teacher sanctioned Dream Team league.

The school's sports program is facilitated through its membership of the Eastern Independent Schools of Melbourne (EISM).

Notable alumni

Notable staff

See also

References

External links