The Gap State High School

Infobox Aust school
name =The Gap State High School


motto = "Ours The Future" | established = July, 1959 | type = State Secondary High School
principal = Mr Russell Pollock | city = The Gap, Brisbane | state = Queensland | country = Australia | campus = Suburban | enrollment= 950
colours = Green, Grey and White| homepage= [http://www.thegapshs.qld.edu.au/ www.thegapshs.qld.edu.au] |

The Gap State High School is located in the suburb of The Gap in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, with a student population, in 2008, of 980. The Gap State High School is an Education Queensland Secondary High School.

The school has an excellent academic, sporting, cultural, citizenship and leadership record. The school's slogan (not motto) is "Educating the whole person in a supportive, local community".

History of School

Since Opening in July 1959, the school has been prominent in academic achievement and in sports, in competition and co-operation with other Queensland State High Schools, and has contributed much to and gained much from the local community.

Campus

The Gap State High School's Leadership Training Centre is unique in Australia. The facility opened in August 2002 and features 22 adventure courses including indoor rock climbing and bouldering walls used to develop leadership and communication skills as part of The Gap Outdoor Adventure and Leadership Studies (GOALS) program, which is compulsory for all students. The Leadership Training Centre is open to other schools and the community and has been used by professional athletes and by the Australian Army for cadet training.

The performing arts centre has an auditorium that can house up to 150 students at any one time.

Sporting facilities include one turf cricket pitch, one concrete cricket pitch, two full size soccer fields, four basketball courts, a hall for volleyball, and four tennis courts.

chool Facts

* The School motto is "Ours The Future" which translates to "Creating Futures" or "Forging Future Leaders" referring to the Leadership, Outdoor and Personal Development Programme.
* The School uniform and School colours are Green, White and Grey.
* The Leadership Training Centre (LTC) incorporates instruction in the activity of rock-climbing into the GOALS programme, which is for students in years 8-11.
* The School Assembly Hall, the "J A Robertson Hall", is named after the Principal from 1968 to 1982.
* The School offers Chinese as a Language other than English in years 8-12, year 8 being the mandatory year: in years 9-12 a second language is optional.
* The School has a purpose built Leadership Training Centre (LTC), the only one in Queensland.
* The Gap are defending District Swimming champions after winning back-to-back titles in 2007-2008.

Prinicipals

# Mr Petty (1959 - 1963)
# Mr Tom Brady (1964 - 1967)
# Mr Jack Robertson (1968 - 1982)
# Mr S Rasmussen (1983 - 1988)
# Mr Bob Guthrie (1989 - 1999)
# Mr Regan Neumann (2000 - 2006 first semester)
# Mr Russell Pollock (2006 second semester - present)

tudent Leadership

At The Gap State High School leadership is an important element in the school culture. Younger students are guided and influenced by the older students as role models. The Gap State High School student body Executive team consists of four school captains (two captains and two vice captains), four Student Advisory Council (SAC) -Executive members two Presidents, a Secretary and a Treasurer - two Arts Captains, and two Sports Captains.

* School Captains- Damon Thompson and Kerry Marnane
* School Vice Captains- Cameron Mc.Clure and Lucy Heywood

* SAC Presidents- Robert O'Sullivan and Brooke Eason-Couts
* SAC Treasurer- Michael Roh
* SAC Secretary- Rhiannon Mc.Kinnon

* Sports Captains- Zac Tully and Louise Hodges

* Arts Captains- Emily Watson and Jeff Watson

Other leadership positions include six House Captains, Instrumental Music Captains, Choir Captains, Tech. Crew Leaders, Peer Supporters (yr 11s & 12s) for students in years eight and nine, Magazine Committee and Student Year Level Representatives for the student council.

School Houses

There are currently three houses at The Gap State High School, named Antares, Orion and Rigel. There were originally four houses until 1999-2001 when Mercury, the green house, was taken out. Students are placed in the same house as their siblings are in. This is arranged through an alphabetical system which assigns students to each House based on the initial letter of each student's surname. However due to the nature of last names, houses are usually unbalanced resulting in advantages/disadvantages.In 2007 the school leaders surveyed students for a school mascot. The outcome was an equal vote between a Gladiator and a Mountain Goat and hence "GAPTOR" was created. A Gladiator body with a Mountain Goat head. "GAPTOR" now makes appearances throughout the year on special occasions.

Antares

Facts about house

* Colour: Red
* Mascot: Ape
* Surnames beginning with: A-G
* House Captains- David Appleton-Seymour, Brodie Chapman
* Current Swimming, Cross Country and Athletics Champions for 2008

Orion

Facts about house

* Colour: Yellow/Gold
* Mascot: Lion
* Surnames beginning with: H-O
* House Captains- Shane Hurley, Connie Lumer

Rigel

Facts about house

* Colour: Blue
* Mascot: Eagle
* Surnames beginning with: P-Z
* House Captains- York Sauvage, Erin Trestrail

References

"Learning the ropes at school", Westside News (Brisbane, Queensland, Australia), June 12, 2002, pg. 7.
"The Gap State High Celebrates 40 years of memories", 2000

External links

* [http://www.thegapshs.qld.edu.au The Gap State High School] - official website
* [http://www.archbevis.com Hon. Arch Bevis MP] - Past student of The Gap State High School
* [http://www.bom.gov.au/announcements/media_releases/qld/010122.shtml Mr. Foley of the Bureau of Meteorology] - past student of The Gap State High School
* [http://the.gap.2001.googlepages.com Webpage for the Class of 2001]
* Edward Guglielmino past student of The Gap State High School