Emmanuel College, Carrara

Emmanuel College is an independent, co-educational, multi-denominational Christian school located in the suburb of Carrara on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. The College caters for students from Preparatory through to Year 12. Emmanuel College is a privately owned and operated educational institute run by the "Emmanuel Ministry of Education (Pty) Ltd".

Emmanuel College is renowned for its high quality of Information Technology, Performing Arts and Sports Programs; a reputation of a caring school and dedicated staff; and a beautiful campus.Emmanuel College Annual Report 2007, Page 1]

History

Emmanuel College was founded on 28 May 1984 and teaching commenced at the beginning of the following school year on 31 January 1985. Initially, the College catered only for Senior School students in Years 8 and 9 and higher year levels were added in the following years. A Junior School commenced operation on the site with over 150 students in January 1989. In the early years, staff and students were housed in demountable buildings. The College has embarked on a significant construction program over the last decade, which has transformed the face of the campus and replaced almost all of the original temporary buildings.

The most notable projects include the completion in 1999 of the IAC building, comprising a library and administration and information technology centres, an aquatic centre featuring a 25 metre swimming pool in 2001 and in more recent years, a Performing Arts Centre, gymnasium, a multi-purpose basketball and tennis court complex, an Early Years (Prep - Year 3) building and play area and an extension and renovation of the hospitality building. Most recently, in 2007, a state of the art, multi-million dollar Science Block was built to cater for all science needs. The building contains numerous labs and general classrooms equipped with the latest technology and equipment.

The former Science Block was transformed into Business and Film & TV classrooms, complete with modern computers and IT equipment. Other newly installed technologies include the installation of Interactive Whiteboards among many of the classrooms to further enhance learning, as well as the completion of air-conditioning the entire school. Emmanuel College celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2005.

Junior School

The Junior School of Emmanuel College begins at Preparatory and finishes at Year 7, with a total of 655 students. The Head of Junior School is Mr Jason Hewitt. The curriculum covers the subjects of English, SOSE, Science, Mathematics, PE, Technology, Music and Art.

As a class they also attend the library weekly and are encouraged to read nightly, to improve their spelling and creative writing skills. As a year level, all students attend a weekly chapel service with Dr. King, which encourages students to be involved with the Bible and God.

A progress report is written for each student after the first term, which is a short summary on how the child is progressing with the literacy and numeracy fields, whilst focusing on the conduct and effort of the student throughout their time in the class thus far. A full semester report card is written after the first and second semesters (Term 1 & 2, Term 3 & 4 respectively).

Year 6 students are introduced to the Science Labs of the Senior School and learn the expectations and rules for the lab and the equipment within it. This eases the transition that occurs between Junior and Senior School by introducing them to a major part of Senior School life.

Year 7 students are familiarised with many of the Senior School staff as they study one Year 8 elective each term (one lesson a week). This introduces the students to a some of the staff that teach these electives as well as showing what the electives are about. Whilst in Year 7, the students must also study a semester of both German and Chinese, to meet the teachers of the subject and to allow them to experience both languages before having to choose one to study in Year 8.

enior School

The senior school of Emmanuel College begins in Year 8 and students graduate in Year 12. The Head of Senior School is Mr Bewley. There are 658 Students who attend the Senior School.

Year 8

The Year 8 program is focussed on easing the students into the life of Secondary School. They experience, for the first time, having to change classrooms for each class and being in multiple classes each day. They are guided through the process with a Year 8 Orientation Day and are assisted by their Home Class teachers along the way.

Year 8 students study the core subjects of English, Maths, SOSE, Science, Christian Education, Computers and PE. They must also choose two electives from Hospitality (Cooking Studies), Music, Design Technology, Art and Drama, all of which they experienced in Year 7. They also have to choose a language from either Chinese or German, which they also experienced in Year 7.

Year 8 students are also introduced to proper time management skills, through the completion of study skills booklet and programme. They are expected to complete many more assignments than in Junior School, which introduces them to what they will experience later in school and university life. They are also given more comprehensive tests, to assess their understanding, knowledge and comprehension of their studied subjects. These assessment techniques (tests and assignments) teach them time management, study skills and the ideal way in which to complete assignments.

Extra curricular

Arts

The College offers many dance and instrumental tuition programs to students. There are also a large number of instrumental and vocal ensembles at the College including orchestras, concert bands, stage bands and choirs. Both Junior and Senior Schools also regularly produce high-quality musicals.

The orchestras, bands and choirs perform regularly, both within the school and outside. The groups also compete regularly at many regional, state and national competitions.

Performing Arts captains (one male, one female) are appointed in both Junior and Senior School to represent the school at many of the events bands and orchestras attend. Performing Arts awards are also awarded to one male and one female of each grade, from Year 3 upwards.

Sports

Sport is a compulsory element of school life for all students. Emmanuel College is a founding member of the prestigious Associated Private Schools (APS) sporting competition, consisting of eight private secondary schools on the Gold Coast. Students are placed in one of four houses: Luther, Taylor, Wesley and Wycliffe for College swimming, cross-country and athletics carnivals, from which the best performing students are chosen to compete on behalf of the College in the APS (District) and Gold Coast South District carnivals (the APS forms its own district in Secondary School). Students also have a wide range of sports to choose from in the winter and summer season competitions in which they compete against the APS member schools for the premiership. Within the team sport competitions, Most Valuable Player and Most Improved Player awards are given to students of each team.

Emmanuel College has an honourable sporting reputation. The number of State, Regional and District Representatives have increased significantly in recent years. The College has also emerged as a standout performer in the APS competition in recent years, in terms of the number of APS District Sporting Premierships won. Emmanuel's strength in swimming was illustrated in 2005 when it placed first in both Junior and Senior APS Swimming Carnivals.

The students are rewarded for their achievements in sport through the sports award system. Through this system, students can receive badges and trophies dependent upon their level of achievement. The awards include: Gold, Silver and Bronze badges, Sports Merit Certificates and Special Sporting Awards. As well as this, at the end of year Presentation Nights and Sports Award Nights, the best performing male and female of each grade (Years 4 - 12), are awarded Sportsperson of the Year awards.

Notes/ References

External links

* [http://www.emmanuel.qld.edu.au Official School Website]
* [http://www.emmanuel.qld.edu.au/sport/index.asp Official School Sporting Website]
* [http://www.faces.org.au FACES (Former Students Association of Emmanuel College)]
* [http://www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/t_standard2.aspx?pid=2982 Gold Coast City Council School Listing]