Shine, March 2009, Vol. 02 - Department of Education and Early ...

Principal appointed for
School News
Shine 35
new science school
Former Cheltenham Secondary College principal Peter Corkill has been selected from an impressive
array of applicants to head up the new John Monash Science School. By Tina Luton
PHOTO BY SHARON WALKER
Running Victoria’s first specialist maths, science
and technology school might be a daunting task
for some, but for newly appointed principal Peter
Corkill it is a prospect filled with endless and
exciting possibilities. “It is an incredible privilege to
be chosen to head up this school,” Mr Corkill says.
“There is certainly plenty of work to do but I am
looking forward to the challenge.”
John Monash Science School is currently being
built on the Clayton campus of Monash University.
It is part of a focused Victorian Government
initiative to invest in the state’s future by increasing
the number of skilled people working in the
maths and science industries, from engineering
to biochemistry. Due to open in Term 1 of 2010,
the school will eventually cater for 650 Year 10–12
students who have a passion for science and
mathematics.
As principal Mr Corkill, who was chosen from
a pool of global applicants, will supervise the
completion of the $20 million school’s building
program, hire teachers and staff, oversee the
student selection process and establish the latest in
administrative and curriculum procedures. It is a
huge task but then he is not exactly swimming in
unchartered waters.
Mr Corkill has taught mathematics and science
in Victorian secondary schools for 28 years, most
recently at Cheltenham Secondary College where
he was principal for the past four years. He has
also injected his passion, experience and vision
into the tertiary realm as well as overseas. In the
late 1990s, he spent more than three years as head
of mathematics at Jerudong International School
in Brunei. More recently he has been a member
of the Victorian Principal’s Reference Group of
iNET Australia working on school and system
reform.
During his time as principal of Cheltenham
SC, Mr Corkill continued to teach mathematics
and was instrumental in setting up a range of
innovative learning programs for students. These
included team-based inquiry learning for Year 8
students integrating science, humanities, literacy
and numeracy, and a Learn-to-Learn initiative
in Years 7 to 9 introduced in partnership with
two local secondary colleges and Cramlington
Community High School in the UK.
Both programs have been designed to improve
student engagement with and understanding of
learning, thereby raising achievement. He is hoping
that his enthusiasm and love of the disciplines
of maths and science will rub off on his future
students and encourage them to explore previously
unavailable options.
“I have always been passionate about mathematics
and how it can be taught well in schools and
inspire the students,” he says. “I am really interested
in pushing the boundaries in that area even
further at John Monash. I am very aware of the
expectations and equally excited by the opportunity
to create a very special environment for students
and for teachers.”
Mr Corkill would like to see innovative ICT
environments created for the students along with
The first principal of the new John Monash
Science School, Peter Corkill.
the chance for them to work closely with the
university on some of its research projects and
programs.
“I see great possibilities for curriculum
advancement both within and beyond the VELS
and the VCE,” he says. “Interfacing with the
university will present a real opportunity to stretch
and enrich students in ways that will make John
Monash significantly different to other schools
and the options they are able to offer. We wish to
both inform and eventually transform teaching and
learning through our work.”
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