Werribee Secondary College
Encyclopedia
Werribee Secondary College is a state high school located in Werribee, Victoria, Australia. It segregates students into a mainstream group and an selective entry accelerated program. Established in 1956, the college recently achieved international accredication from the Council of International Schools
. The current college principal is K.S. Butyn.
Select Entry Learning Program or SELP. SELP is the only Department of Education accredited program in the City of Wyndham
.
In 2003, three police cars were dispatched to the school when muck-up day
activities went wrong after carloads of youths wielding baseball bats and wearing balaclavas arrived at the school. The students were thought to be from Galvin Park Secondary College
.
In May 2004 the College was hit by a massive fire that destroyed the school's technology and textiles wing. It caused up to A$2 million damage, including the destruction of students' VCE
assignments. Junior students had up to 12 days off school while Portable classroom
s were brought to the school site.
In August 2006 Werribee Secondary College received accreditation from the Council of International Schools
.
In July 2009 Werribee Secondary College was granted the IB program (International Baccalaureate). The college was the first government school in Victoria to offer students IB Program for Years 11 and 12. Until now 15 private schools hold this privilege. The school was originally granted the IB program in 2009, however due to financing complications with the previous Brumby state government, the program will start in 2013. 25 students are estimated to undertake the program in 2013.
classrooms, two health classrooms, a canteen and a toilet block as well as new Music Centre. The construction of a new art and technology wing (called the Raymond Findlay Centre) was completed in 2007. A new school library, staff resource centre, administration wing as well as an extension to current school auditorium were completed in 2009. The construction of a science block and general purpose classroom block is currently being undertaken.
The college has access to two playing ovals
; College Oval and Soldier's Reserve. College Oval is owned and maintained by the college and is used for purely recreational purposes. Soldier's Reserve is maintained by Wyndham City Council
and is used for any sporting purposes including interschool cricket, Australian rules football, rugby and soccer. The college's gymnasium located next to the Shirley Cameron Centre is used for basketball, netball and volleyball. Basketball courts are located adjacent to the College Oval.
In early 2011 the school successfully finished building a Language Centre and Science centre under government funding. The whole building holds about 12 rooms, 4 Science rooms, a ICT room, 1 Science laboratory and office at ground level. On second floor there are 5 LOTE rooms and one LOTE office. The Language building and facilities are frequently used for exchange students from China and Japan.
The college since July 2009 has been granted permission to hold IB program, and the college will begin the program in 2013 with an estimate of 25 students who will undertake the course.
As part of an "Internationally accredited school", the college invites students each year for a brief two week visit from overseas. Students from the college may also get the chance for a brief visit to other schools and places overseas.
The College also runs a music program, including a compulsory Year 7&8 SELP band and string ensembles, Junior Band, Senior Band, Guitar Ensemble, String Ensemble and various other small group performances. Achievements include performing at Melbourne's Hamer Hall.
Council of International Schools
The Council of International Schools is a non-profit association of international schools and post-secondary institutions which aims to improve international education...
. The current college principal is K.S. Butyn.
History
In 1997 the College introduced the gifted educationGifted education
Gifted education is a broad term for special practices, procedures and theories used in the education of children who have been identified as gifted or talented...
Select Entry Learning Program or SELP. SELP is the only Department of Education accredited program in the City of Wyndham
City of Wyndham
The City of Wyndham is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia, located in the outer south-western suburbs of Melbourne, between Melbourne and the regional city of Geelong. It has an area of and at the 2006 Census Wyndham had a population of 112,695....
.
In 2003, three police cars were dispatched to the school when muck-up day
Muck-up day
"Muck-up day" is the name given to an unofficial tradition within secondary schools where graduating final-year students are involved with pranks and other activities on their last official day of school. These pranks are known in the United States and some other countries as senior pranks...
activities went wrong after carloads of youths wielding baseball bats and wearing balaclavas arrived at the school. The students were thought to be from Galvin Park Secondary College
Galvin Park Secondary College
Galvin Park Secondary College is a government high school in the outer Melbourne suburb of Werribee, Victoria, Australia.Galvin Park Secondary College has a student population of about 1300, offering a curriculum for years 7-12...
.
In May 2004 the College was hit by a massive fire that destroyed the school's technology and textiles wing. It caused up to A$2 million damage, including the destruction of students' VCE
Victorian Certificate of Education
The Victorian Certificate of Education or VCE is the credential awarded to secondary school students who successfully complete high school level studies in the state of Victoria, Australia. Study for the VCE is usually completed over two years, but it can be spread over a longer period in some cases...
assignments. Junior students had up to 12 days off school while Portable classroom
Portable classroom
A portable classroom A portable classroom A portable classroom (in Australian English a demountable and often referred to as a demountable, a "Terrapin" or a "Portakabin" (after the two companies) in the UK and called a prefab in Ireland (not to be confused with a prefabricated building) is a...
s were brought to the school site.
In August 2006 Werribee Secondary College received accreditation from the Council of International Schools
Council of International Schools
The Council of International Schools is a non-profit association of international schools and post-secondary institutions which aims to improve international education...
.
In July 2009 Werribee Secondary College was granted the IB program (International Baccalaureate). The college was the first government school in Victoria to offer students IB Program for Years 11 and 12. Until now 15 private schools hold this privilege. The school was originally granted the IB program in 2009, however due to financing complications with the previous Brumby state government, the program will start in 2013. 25 students are estimated to undertake the program in 2013.
Campus
Until recently, the college's facilities had been very poor. Following the 2004 fire, over 70% of classes were situated in portable classrooms. In 2005, the College received funding from the Department of Education for an extension (called the Shirley Cameron Centre) of the College's "Eca-Centre" (gymnasium and auditorium) which contained two food technologyFood technology
Food technology, is a branch of food science which deals with the actual production processes to make foods.-Early history of food technology:...
classrooms, two health classrooms, a canteen and a toilet block as well as new Music Centre. The construction of a new art and technology wing (called the Raymond Findlay Centre) was completed in 2007. A new school library, staff resource centre, administration wing as well as an extension to current school auditorium were completed in 2009. The construction of a science block and general purpose classroom block is currently being undertaken.
The college has access to two playing ovals
Playing field
A playing field is a field used for playing sports or games. They are generally outdoors, but many large structures exist to enclose playing fields from bad weather. Generally, playing fields are wide expanses of grass, dirt or sand without many obstructions...
; College Oval and Soldier's Reserve. College Oval is owned and maintained by the college and is used for purely recreational purposes. Soldier's Reserve is maintained by Wyndham City Council
City of Wyndham
The City of Wyndham is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia, located in the outer south-western suburbs of Melbourne, between Melbourne and the regional city of Geelong. It has an area of and at the 2006 Census Wyndham had a population of 112,695....
and is used for any sporting purposes including interschool cricket, Australian rules football, rugby and soccer. The college's gymnasium located next to the Shirley Cameron Centre is used for basketball, netball and volleyball. Basketball courts are located adjacent to the College Oval.
In early 2011 the school successfully finished building a Language Centre and Science centre under government funding. The whole building holds about 12 rooms, 4 Science rooms, a ICT room, 1 Science laboratory and office at ground level. On second floor there are 5 LOTE rooms and one LOTE office. The Language building and facilities are frequently used for exchange students from China and Japan.
Education
The college holds a SELP program for academically gifted students. The college is the only school in Wyndham to hold this program. The program starts in Year 7 to 10 where there will be 2 classes; Year 11 to Year 12 where there will be one class.The college since July 2009 has been granted permission to hold IB program, and the college will begin the program in 2013 with an estimate of 25 students who will undertake the course.
As part of an "Internationally accredited school", the college invites students each year for a brief two week visit from overseas. Students from the college may also get the chance for a brief visit to other schools and places overseas.
The College also runs a music program, including a compulsory Year 7&8 SELP band and string ensembles, Junior Band, Senior Band, Guitar Ensemble, String Ensemble and various other small group performances. Achievements include performing at Melbourne's Hamer Hall.
Houses
The College has newly added 8 houses. These houses are further divided into home groups as an attempt by the college to initiate and encourage student bonding. The houses are named after people who have "Lived Worthily"... the College motto. The houses are:| House | Colour | Name After |
|---|---|---|
| Hollows | Yellow | Fred Hollows Fred Hollows Frederick "Fred" Cossom Hollows, AC was an ophthalmologist who became known for his work in restoring eyesight for countless thousands of people in Australia and many other countries... |
| Dunlop | Aqua | Edward "Weary" Dunlop Edward Dunlop Lieutenant Colonel Sir Ernest Edward "Weary" Dunlop, AC, CMG, OBE was an Australian surgeon who was renowned for his leadership while being held prisoner by the Japanese during World War II.-Early life and family:... |
| Evatt | Black | H. V. Evatt H. V. Evatt Herbert Vere Evatt, QC KStJ , was an Australian jurist, politician and writer. He was President of the United Nations General Assembly in 1948–49 and helped draft the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights... |
| Burnet | Red | Frank Macfarlane Burnet Frank Macfarlane Burnet Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet, , usually known as Macfarlane or Mac Burnet, was an Australian virologist best known for his contributions to immunology.... |
| Gilmore | Green | Mary Gilmore Mary Gilmore Dame Mary Gilmore DBE was a prominent Australian socialist poet and journalist.-Early life:Mary Jean Cameron was born on 16 August 1865 at Cotta Walla near Goulburn, New South Wales... |
| Chisholm | Blue | Caroline Chisholm Caroline Chisholm Caroline Chisholm was a progressive 19th-century English humanitarian known mostly for her involvement with female immigrant welfare in Australia. She is commemorated on 16 May in the Calendar of saints of the Church of England... |
| Murdoch | Orange | Elisabeth Murdoch Elisabeth Murdoch Elisabeth Murdoch may refer to:*Elisabeth Murdoch , mother of media tycoon Rupert Murdoch*Elisabeth Murdoch , daughter of Rupert and granddaughter of Dame Elisabeth... |
| Dynon | Purple | John Dynon |
Alumni
- Merv HughesMerv HughesMervyn Gregory Hughes is a former Australian cricketer. A right-arm fast bowler, he represented Australia between 1985 and 1994 in 53 Test matches, taking 212 wickets. He played 33 One Day Internationals, taking 38 wickets. He took a hat trick in a Test against the West Indies at the WACA in...
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Australian test cricketerAustralian cricket teamThe Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
) - Mike SheahanMike SheahanMichael "Mike" Sheahan is an Australian journalist who specialises in Australian rules football. He is Chief Football Writer and Associate Sports Editor for the Herald Sun, a panelist on the Fox Sports program "On the Couch" and former Media Director for the VFL .Sheahan attended Werribee High...
(Herald SunHerald SunThe Herald Sun is a morning tabloid newspaper based in Melbourne, Australia. It is published by The Herald and Weekly Times, a subsidiary of News Limited, itself a subsidiary of News Corporation. It is available for purchase throughout Melbourne, Regional Victoria, Tasmania, the Australian Capital...
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reporter) - Shanina ShaikMake Me a Supermodel (Australian TV series)Make Me a Supermodel is an Australian reality television series that is based from the successful British TV series of the same title except that men are also allowed to apply. It debuted on the Seven Network on 6 August 2008...
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finalist)