PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE

Welcome to the Gold Creek School website.

Our school caters for the educational and pastoral needs of students from Preschool to Year10 through a unique sub school structure.  Each sub school has a deputy principal, executive, teaching and support staff. The Primary sub school led by Mr Peter Mobey is located on its own site looks after students from  Pre to Year 5.  Nicholls Preschool campus and Hall Preschool campus are both part of Gold Creek School. The Primary enjoys being part of a joint facility with Holy Spirit School sharing the library, canteen, hall, oval and special events like Anzac Day, sports carnivals and special days.

In 2007 and 2008 Gold Creek School and Holy Spirit School have hosted a community art show to display the work of our students in performing and visual arts and forge links with the wider Gungahlin community.  Community artists have enthusiastically taken up the invitation to exhibit.

The Middle School headed by Ms Claire McAlister is for Years 6 to 8 and is located on the senior site.  The needs of adolescent students are met in a structure that has main homeroom teachers and a minimum of lesson teacher changes.  Students have the opportunity to start to some specialisations in ‘Pathway’ areas like music, sport, art and drama. Students have their own Middle School play area, but are free to go into other parts of the senior site as well.

The Senior School Deputy is Ms Glenda Crick. Senior students in year 9 and 10 have homeroom teachers who are either their Maths / Science teachers or their English / Studies of Society and Environment (SOSE) teachers. There is a much greater degree of specialisation in preparation for college with students able to access over 30 ‘Pathway’ Courses.  Here again our homeroom structure, with one teacher taking two of the core subjects, facilitates continuity for the students. Senior site facilities include gymnasium, science laboratories, wood and metalwork areas, kitchens,  drama and dance rooms.

Students with special leaning needs are catered for within mainstream classes with support teachers, Special Teacher Assistants, Individual Learning Plans and links with a range of referral services.  A student services suite on the senior site provides access to a youth worker, counsellor and executive staff skilled at working with young people. The school chaplain works three days per week and divides her time between both sites.  From 2009 the school will be in a position to offer greater support to students performing below system benchmarks with the employment of two full time Learning Assistance teachers on the senior site in addition to the staff already employed on the primary site.

In 2008 the school has developed its ‘Gold Program’ which is the umbrella under which we provide support to gifted and talented students.  The Gold Program covers the extension and enrichment opportunities we provide for all students; competitions; the school’s Gifted and Talented policy; coordinating group and structures like class placement and Individual Learning Plans. Each sub school has a Gifted and Talented Coordinator who works with teachers and the relevant deputy principal to ensure the needs of gifted and talented students are addressed.  Full implementation of cluster placement of gifted students at each year level will take place in 2009.

The school 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.  Students from K-10 have the opportunity to learn musical instruments through Musicorp.  In addition students are welcome t be part of the bands on either the primary or senior sites.

The school has an active and supportive Board led by Mr Graeme Rochow and Parents and Citizens Association headed by Mrs Rebecca Tanner.  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

November 2008