2013 Senior Admissions Handbook - The Southport School

26 The Southport School Senior Handbook 2013
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DOE)
The Duke of Edinburgh Awards programme is an internationally recognised, worldwide youth award scheme conducted
in over one hundred and thirty countries.
As well as being a lot of fun and providing valuable learning, a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is recognised by the wider
community as an award earned by self-motivated, determined and responsible young people.
The Southport School is a licensed operator and so offers students, on a voluntary basis, the opportunity to work towards
achieving this award(s). The vast array of extra-curricular and community service activities conducted by the School
easily satisfy all sections the Duke of Edinburgh Awards.
If any new student is interested, it is suggested to join early in the year to utilise many of the School’s activities for an
award. Please contact Mr Craig Humbley on 07 5531 9902, or further information regarding the DoE Award can be
found online at http://www.tss.qld.edu.au/Parents_And_Students/Senior/DukeofEdinburghaward/EdinburghHome.aspx
Round Square
The Southport School offers students of the school wonderful opportunities that are facilitated by the association the
school has had since 1974 with The Round Square. Acceptance as a member was the turning point in the direction of the
school. It facilitated the development of vision outside the confines of the state or the country, making the school and its
members, past, present and future, part of the world of education and a much broader experience.
TSS, for 17 years, was the only school accepted into the organisation in the Southern Hemisphere. Our association
has seen many members of our community involved with aspects of the organization impelling new experience,
connections and friendships. TSS is the environment of today, with comprehensive and inclusive programmes thanks to
its membership of Round Square and adoption of Hahnian (so named in recognition of the founder of Round Square –
Kurt Hahn) educational philosophy.
Round Square offers a clear philosophy of education which includes six pillars — the foundation of the development of
creative, responsible, caring people. The Pillars of Round Square facilitate experiences that are pursued for the sake of
knowledge and building character. These include International Understanding, an important quality for the times we
live in as understanding builds a base for real tolerance. Democracy and democratic processes — in the organisation of
the school it affords students the opportunity, and forum to question what is happening in their environment and with
grounding in Leadership skills and opportunities for positions of responsibility, empowers students to make change in
their environment.
Environmental Understanding challenges the students to accept responsibility for their physical environment both
school and wider afield. The school has a thorough Outdoor Education programme. Beginning in Year 3 the students are
impelled to develop skills, accept challenge and adventure through the grades with developmental degrees of difficulty
in each year group. This leads to the self-organised camp in Year 11. In Round Square schools, challenge is everywhere.
Students are not only expected to do well in conventional ways, but to serve and to lead. Leadership is encompassed
in the previous four areas with many of the students offered leadership opportunities. The last of the foundations is
Service. This is striving to achieve balance between self-improvement and self-denial in the interests of others. This is all
combined with the formal skills of education. The school, through the Round Square philosophy and Mission Statement
of the school addresses the whole person not fragmented parts.
Much of what your sons experience, or are impelled into, in their years at the school lay a foundation for their future.
The reward of this education will become part of your sons’ lives in their future. There is immediate benefit from
involvement in all of the activities the school offers, yet the reality is that years down the track a real understanding of the
Hahnian philosophy will sit comfortably and be a strong foundation. As your sons grow into manhood they will create
new ways and visions not only for themselves, but potentially for the whole human race.
To understand our involvement with Round Square and the opportunities available outside those that are interwoven
into the operating of the school, I present a concise account of Round Square.
Round Square Mission Statement
Round Square is a worldwide association of schools which share a commitment, beyond academic excellence, to personal
development and responsibility through service, challenge, adventure and international understanding.
Round Square’s member schools are widely known; but the common bond they share is less recognised and understood.
This bond is important, however, and powerful; for Round Square is an organisation that embodies one of the twentieth
century’s foremost revolutions in education.