PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE

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Introduction and Values

Whether you are a new parent or student, an existing one or a prospective one, welcome to the Gold Creek School web site. I am delighted to be able to share my enthusiasm for our fantastic school with you. Gold Creek is a Restorative Practice School. This is reflected in our new Behaviour Management Policy being implemented this year and has been the focus of February staff development. Restorative practice is based on building and maintaining strong relationships and repairing harm when it has occurred. Underpinning the new policy are our school values which were determined by seeking the views of students, staff and parents. These values are:

Respect
Responsibility
Safety
Excellence
Honesty

Structure

Gold Creek is a Preschool to Year 10 school serving families from the Gungahlin area in Canberra. Our preschools are at Nicholls adjacent to the primary school and in the Hall village. The primary site headed by Mrs Brenda Ryan, caters for Kindergarten - which in the ACT is the first year of school - to Year 5. While part of a Pre to 10 school and sharing facilities with Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School, our primary students still enjoy education with a small school family feel.

Middle school caters for Year 6, 7 and 8 is led by Mrs Priscilla Wray. Middle school provides a balance between the subject rigour needed for students starting high school and the homeroom pastoral care traditionally offered in primary schools. Middle school students have their own area and can access the specialist staff and facilities in the senior part of the school with the opportunity to start specialization in ‘Pathway’ areas like music, technology, art, drama and PE. We work closely with teachers in feeder schools Ngunnawal and Palmerston Primary, Gold Creek Primary and those from other parts of Gungahlin to provide smooth transition opportunities for incoming students.

Ms Glenda Websdale is responsible for the senior students in Year 9 and 10. Students in these years still have a homeroom teacher with whom they receive at least one of the core subjects - Maths, Science, English and Studies of Society and Environment (SOSE). At the same time students have a great deal of subject and Pathways choice which helps them focus on their skills and interests in preparation for college. Students in our senior years have opportunities for work experience, leadership courses and a range of special programs outside the school. We are looking forward to forming exciting links, transitions and course opportunities with the new Gungahlin College and CIT in 2011.

Support

The school provides excellent support for students with gifts, talents and special needs.

The ‘Gold Program’ supports gifted and talented students. The Gold Program also covers the extension and enrichment opportunities and competitions we provide for all students. Identified gifted and talented students are clustered together so they are able to work with ‘like minds’ and each student has an Individual Learning Plan. Each sub school has a ‘Gifted and Talented Coordinator’ who works with teachers and the relevant head of subschool to ensure the needs of gifted and talented students are addressed. Based on the work of Susan Winebrenner and Dina Brulles the school has adopted the model of ‘School Wide Cluster Grouping’ for the class placement of all students.

Students with special learning needs are catered for within mainstream classes by learning support teams. Assistance may be provided by English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers or other support staff. Students with special needs also have Individual Learning Plans. Executive teacher Trish Cregan is responsible for mentoring teachers to help improve literacy and numeracy outcomes across the school for all students.

The Student Services area on the senior site is led by the Pastoral Care executive teacher and provides access to a youth worker, counsellor, chaplain, defence mentor, nurse and executive staff skilled at working with young people. The school chaplain divides her time between both sites. The primary site has access to a counsellor, defence special teacher assistant and learning support team staff.

Opportunities

Gold Creek offers a comprehensive program of Physical Education from Kindergarten to Year 10, music, dance and drama opportunities at various levels and a growing number of initiatives in environmental education on both sites. In March 2011 the primary site’s new Environment Centre will be opened officially and Year 4 students will be working in the classrooms from the start of the year. New soccer fields with synthetic turf have been constructed on the oval we share with Holy Spirit Primary School and the Department of Sport and Recreation. Students from K-10 have the opportunity to learn musical instruments through Musicorp. In addition students are welcome to be participate in the bands on either the primary or senior site. Students have a range of assembly and performance opportunities including singing, dance, public speaking and instrumental work. A school musical to be performed at the Gungahlin College is planned for 2011.

Students are able to participate in swimming, athletics, cross country carnivals and zone competitions as well as a range of team sports and clinics.

Student Culture and Leadership

Opportunities for students to develop their leadership skills are offered through the Student Representative Councils (SRC) on both sites, house leadership, sports leadership and cross age tutoring, helping at special events, leadership classes and a range of clubs. In 2011 each class in the school has been asked to identify an activity or project which will contribute something to the school through the year which involves every student in the decision making and activity as a way of further developing a culture of ‘giving’ or helping others. This requirement is not new. It builds on the work of some classes already engaged in activities like being a member of the ‘Clean Team’, gardening, recycling, raising the flag each day, visiting retirement homes and sports coaching of younger students. These class activities will be celebrated and acknowledged in assemblies and newsletters.

Parent Leadership

The school has an active and supportive school board led by Dr Ami Ward and Parents and Citizens Association (P&C) headed by Mrs. Sonja Davie. Meetings are held once per month on a back to back basis. Parents are welcome to come along to meetings to find out what happens, to stand for election to the board or to become part of the P&C.

We welcome enquiries from existing and prospective families about all aspects of our school.

Sue Jose

Principal

2011