Molong Principal:  Janis Glasson Special Features: Where choice is subjective By LINDA DOHERTY “Every student, every opportunity, every day” – that’s the philosophy of e2, an innovative collaboration of five schools in the central west of NSW providing unprecedented access to a broad curriculum choice for senior students. The Orange school education director, Pam Ryan, said e2 was a local initiative to address local needs, which included population-driven enrolment decline in some schools and difficulties delivering a comprehensive subject choice in the smaller schools. “It is based on the values of public education that every student is entitled to have every opportunity we can possibly give them and we do this by connecting the students’ curriculum across the geographic area,” Ms Ryan said. The reconfiguration of school timetables even meant that bell times had to be aligned across the schools, which are within a 70-kilometre range and include a special school, a central school and three comprehensive secondary schools. Now in its second term, e2 has resulted in an extra 11 Preliminary and HSC subjects (bringing the total to 55), alongside 16 TAFE courses on offer to 250 senior students. Extension subjects, performing arts and vocational education have been introduced or expanded and taught through video-conferencing between schools or by bringing the students together for block lessons on “Super Wednesday”. Teachers also post lesson work and tutorials on websites and some travel between the schools for face-to-face tuition. It’s what the e2 deputy principal, Bill Adams, calls a “smorgasbord of subjects” that is satisfying the desires of students – and their parents – to study the courses that suit their future career or study aspirations. About 10 students have already switched from private schools to the e2 schools due to the wider subject choice. “Trying to get students their first choice increases motivation,” Mr Adams said. The target subjects include extension Mathematics, English and History, Science courses, Music, Engineering Science, Geography, Dance and Drama. Vocational education includes Hospitality, Primary Industries and Building and Construction. All subjects are run during school hours and on Super Wednesday students travel to a host school for lessons. Most Year 11 and 12 students at Orange, Molong, Blayney and Canobolas schools are involved in e2, as are Stage 5 special education students at Anson Street School, who can now study Marine Studies, Viticulture and Agriculture taught by specialist teachers from Orange and Canobolas high schools. Mainstream students work with the Anson Street students in their vineyard, which will produce its first vintage in four years’ time. An important feature of e2 is that the schools maintain their own identity. “We respect the fact that every initiative has to work for every school. If something is not going to work for one school, then we don’t do it,” Ms Ryan said. The local touch extends to the smart logo and brochures designed by graphic artist Amanda Cox, a former captain of Orange High School, and the portraits of students taken by local photographer Craig Fenemor. Ms Ryan said e2 required an extensive set of new policies across the schools, including student assessment and attendance. Two new positions have been created for three years to support the initiative – the e2 deputy principal and one head teacher. The leading role played by the five principals has been vital to the success of the venture. “They work closely with each other and take joint responsibility for all our public school students. They have been inspirational,” Mr Adams said. e2 is the shared use of technology, equipment, expertise and electives at: • Anson Street SSP • Blayney High School • Canobolas Rural Technology High School • Molong Central School • Orange High School in partnership with TAFE NSW – Western Institute CAPTION: Dance is one of the new subjects on offer at the five schools that make up e2 PHOTO: Craig Fenemor This article was originally published in Side by Side, the newspaper for NSW public schools (Issue 10 June 2007), © NSW Department of Education and Training A study of the classics By BEN WYLD For most secondary students, cars tend to dominate discussion. But for students at Molong Central School, the study of cars is leading to careers within the automotive industry. For the past 10 years the school, near Orange, has been running its CAR project, which gives students the experience of restoring classic cars and gaining trade skills. The project grew after several students completed work experience in the mid 1990s with a local business called Collectable Auto Restorations. Its owner, Peter Lamb, helped the school’s careers adviser, Barbara Adamthwaite, develop a program to involve students in the restoration of vehicles under the supervision of community volunteer experts. Year 12 student Nathan Woodhouse, who acts as the floor manager, said the CAR project gave students vocational skills which allowed them to enter the industry after leaving school. Nathan, who will enter a trade apprenticeship as a structural fitter with the RAAF next year, said students receive a certificate which recognises their participation in the project. “A lot of students involved with the project have gone on to apprenticeships and traineeships in the automotive industry,” he said. For four hours every week, students (pictured) are involved in the restoration process, which includes stripping back and restoring paint work, rebuilding the motor, exhaust and electrical systems and repairing the upholstery. Panel beating and welding are also involved, while students also learn administration skills and actively seek sponsorship from the community. “Once the cars are finished they’re sold … and the money from those cars goes back into the project to buy and restore the next car,” Nathan said. So far, a 1949 Vauxhall Velox and a 1923 Fabrique National 1300S have been restored and sold. The Vauxhall won the students a special trophy at a national rally in 1998 and a district Rotary cash prize in 1999. Nathan said the current project, an unfinished 1911 Wolsley, was about to be sold so work can start on a 1978 Torana. “Hopefully the Torana will attract some younger kids [to join] the project as well,” Nathan said. School principal Janis Glasson said the program had delivered considerable benefits to the 60 students involved with the project. “It has allowed students to work and gain skills within the automotive industry and, in some cases, pick up automotive jobs,” Mrs Glasson said. Photo: David Lefcovitch This article was originally published in Side by Side, the newspaper for NSW public schools (Issue 4 September 2006), © NSW Department of Education and Training School Contact Details: Molong Central School Phillip St, Molong NSW 2866 Phone: 02 63668224 Fax: 02 63668220 School Email molong-c.school@det.nsw.edu.au Website: http://www.molong-c.schools.nsw.edu.au/

Coomealla No image available. Principal:  Jeffrey Seymour Special Features: Build it and they will come … first Ted O’Shannessy is proof that humility and success can co-exist. The teacher from Coomealla High School, on the NSW/Victorian border, taught William Nicholas who topped Construction in last year’s Higher School Certificate. Not that Mr O’Shannessy was letting it go to his head. “It is a thrill getting a student to get the top honour, I suppose,” he said. “I’m only just starting to realise – I had a mate who works at another school get in touch to congratulate me and [townspeople] have mentioned it to my wife. “People say ‘well done’ but you really can’t do these things unless you’ve got the students that are capable of doing it and willing to put the work in.” Mr O’Shannessy said the achievement of his 2006 Construction students – including Will’s first place, another student who achieved a Band 6 mark (above 90) and one who narrowly missed out – was “probably one of the highlights” of his 27-year teaching career. He reckons “the little things”, such as having a motivated group of students “who are prepared to listen”, make the difference. In the two years leading up to the HSC exam, the students built a transportable cabin, which is now used as a staffroom for PDHPE teachers. “They started right from scratch with the bearers, the floorboards, the whole works,” Mr O’Shannessy said. “They pretty much had a hand in every phase of construction – cladding, framing, painting and plastering¬ – all the trade skills apart from the electrical and plumbing.” The students had a “fair amount of nous” and pride in their work. “They were a very co-operative group, very independent workers, able to listen and keen to learn,” he said. A number of students – including Will – have secured electrical apprenticeships in nearby Mildura which bodes well for Mr O’Shannessy’s next group of HSC students who will be completing their own cabin. The structure – designed and outfitted as a one-bedroom unit – will be used as music studios. BEN WYLD This article was originally published in Side by Side, the newspaper for NSW public schools (Issue 7 February 2007), © NSW Department of Education and Training School Contact Details: Coomealla High School Silver City Hwy, Dareton NSW 2717 Phone 03 5027 4506 Fax 03 5027 4837 School Email coomealla-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au School Website www.coomealla-h.schools.nsw.edu.au

Wiley Park Girls No image available. Principal:  Bob Healy Special Features: Girls on the fitness trail Wiley Park Girls High students will soon be working up a sweat as part of a new initiative established with a $2,500 School Sport Foundation (SSF) grant. The Gym Jam program aims to encourage students to participate in physical activity through non-traditional activities, including Boxercise, aerobics and Body Jam classes. PE teacher Kaye Dyson said the program would target Year 7 to Year 11 girls at the school, where 98 per cent of students are from non-English-speaking backgrounds. “Our girls don’t do any outside sport, they usually don’t do much sport on the weekend,” she said. “This is about trying to add variety … and get the students interested in doing some of these kinds of things, as well as the traditional sports we teach.” The funding, from the SSF SUPRÉ Healthy Body, Healthy Mind grants to schools, will be used to buy headset microphones and a PA system for group fitness classes. Indoor classes, which will start soon, would also allow students to wear less restrictive clothing. “Because the activity is indoors the girls don’t have to worry about men seeing them and so they are freer to take their hijabs off and their long skirts and be a bit more active,” Mrs Dyson said. A recent visit by SSF ambassador Taryn Woods, a member of Australia’s gold medal women’s water polo team at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, provided the students with added motivation. “They thoroughly enjoyed it and were quite impressed with the medals Taryn had to show,” Mrs Dyson said. BEN WYLD This article was originally published in Side by Side, the newspaper for NSW public schools (Issue 4 September 2006), © NSW Department of Education and Training School Contact Details: Wiley Park Girls High School The Boulevarde, Punchbowl NSW 2196 Phone 9759 5849 ,9750 8623 Fax 9740 4251 Website: http://www.wileyparkg-h.schools.nsw.edu.au/