2013 Senior Admissions Handbook - The Southport School

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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.
The Southport School Senior Handbook 2013 27 This revolution led to the creation of dozens of outstanding schools, and to Outward Bound, the United World Colleges, the Duke of Edinburgh awards, and other innovations. It continues to influence education in many countries, and inspires educators at each Round Square school. As of 2013, there are 81 member schools, with eight in Australia and a number of regional schools. Kurt Hahn’s philosophy of education inspired the vision of the Round Square, with quotes such as “in your disability is your opportunity” and “Plus est en vous” and “There’s more in you (than you think)”. You can see that he was driven to inspire and impel youth into learning experiences to develop the whole person. His motive for these innovations was educational. Hahn knew that self-discovery comes through challenges. Hahn died in 1974. The Times of London remarked that “no one else in our day has created more original educational ideas and, at the same time, possessed the gift of getting them into practice.” Student Exchange At TSS, Mr George organises student exchanges. Most often these are term-length exchanges of one student for another, though sometimes they are full or half year in duration. Exchanges are worked out on a school-to-school basis, with no tuition money changing hands and students travelling on tourist visas. Exchanges also bring young alumni interested in a career in education for ‘gap’ year (pre-university, post-secondary) internships at member schools as teaching aides. These experiences bring a fundamental alteration in human relationship. Students ask questions about their education and level of personal independence, returning with resolve and a strong direction for their future. It is a singular honour at any Round Square school to be sent on exchange. The Round Square network makes it possible to match an exchange student to a school with minimal bureaucratic burden and little cost beyond travel and incidentals. Because exchange is popular, each school is enriched by an annual inflow of visitors bringing the views and values of other nations and cultures, and by returning students whose perspective on society, education and the world has been deepened through personal experience. At TSS exchange is encouraged at Year 10 level for term four, which has proved to be the least disruptive academically. Other year group exchanges are certainly accepted, as are different times of the year. There are also short term national and regional exchange opportunities starting with a two week opportunity in Year 8. Students that have demonstrated a real commitment to Round Square at TSS are chosen for exchange. Round Square Service Projects Each Round Square school presents an array of service opportunities to its own students. The scope of activities is enormous, ranging from support for the ill and elderly to child care to maintenance and rehabilitation of natural areas to operation of life-saving. Internationally thousands of hours of such volunteer-service work are performed by Round Square students each week. Students also take on emergency service when help is needed. Schools train students in skills needed to be ready to help others in cases of emergency or disaster. From time to time, an opportunity to serve requires the efforts of a team from several schools. Such ‘service projects’ normally take place during school holidays, and may be structured in either of two ways: School-based projects are organised, staffed and logistically supported by a ‘base’ school. These are opened to all Round Square students once they are up and running and have proved to be successful. Round Square International Service Projects: (RSIS) Larger projects may be directed by Round Square itself. The organisation has the leadership, expertise and funding needed to take on complex, logistically difficult projects, such as school construction and disaster-relief projects mounted since the early 1980’s at locations in India and Kenya. Students at Round Square schools raise money each year to supply construction and emergency-relief materials. These funds are kept in The Prince Alexander fund (PAF) for ‘bricks and mortar’ purposes only. These projects are advertised and open to all Round Square Schools with students over sixteen being eligible. Currently there are projects in India, Kenya and Thailand. All service projects are organised according to the ‘Round Square Ground Plan’ policies and procedures, which promote safety and effectiveness. Each is followed by an evaluation to ensure service will have an educative result for each student. Mr George holds all information regarding what is available, and you can find information by contacting him, or by reading the school home page under Round Square or at www.roundsquare.org. Each year Round Square schools are asked to nominate candidates for the Kurt Hahn Prize, given to one or more students who have acted courageously to serve mankind or preserve life. This is Round Square’s only award. It reflects Hahn’s belief that great things — service of consequence, even heroism - are within the reach of prepared young persons, and that such deeds should be identified and celebrated. In 1981 Marc Napier (‘76 — ’81 Radcliffe House) was awarded the Kurt Hahn prize for his courageous effort in rescuing people from the surf whilst on surf patrol.
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2013 Senior Admissions Handbook - The Southport School

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