Wellington Secondary College

Infobox Secondary school
name = Wellington Secondary College

motto = Caring, Striving, Learning
established = 1972
type = State school
gender_label =
gender = Coeducation
principal = Ms. Mary-Jo Putrino
teaching_staff = ~70
students = ~1200
grades_label = Years
grades = 7 to 12
address = Police Road
city = Mulgrave
state = Victoria
campus =
colours = Blue, Yellow
emblem =
yearbook = "Vanellus"
newspaper =
*"Wellington Diary" (Weekly Newsletter)
*"The Wellington Way" (Termly Newsletter)
*"Chill Out" (Student Newspaper)
website = [http://www.wellingtonsc.vic.edu.au/ www.wellingtonsc.vic.edu.au]

Wellington Secondary College is a coeducational state school in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

The College is divided into three Sub-Schools and six Year Levels: Junior School (7 - 8), Middle School (9 - 10) and Senior School (11 - 12).

History

Wellington was established in 1972 as "Dingley Area High School". Its name changed to "Mulgrave High School", then to "Wellington High School" in January 1973. Wellington was originally intended for the Dingley area, but was relocated by the Education Department to the Mulgrave area.

*When first opened, the school had 147 students and 9 teachers. In 2005 there were 1068 students and 76 teachers.
*The college's "A Block" was destroyed by fire on the 28th of October 1987. [The Vanellus]
*In 2008 the college enrolled 240 year 7 students, the most the college has ever had, and resulting in ten year 7 homerooms.

Principals

Founding principal of the school was the late "A.M. (Gus) Fogarty", from 1973 to 1977. "M.B(Max) Peters" was appointed principal in 1978 after the death of Mr. Forgarty in 1977. Max Peters retired in July 1982 and "Jack Landvogt" was appointed in 1984, then retired in 1986. "John Coulson" was appointed in 1987, and introduced the school motto (Caring, Striving, Learning) and the college crest. "Mr. John Coulson" retired in 2004 and the current principal, "Ms. Mary-Jo Putrino", was appointed.

Houses

The House System commenced in 1988 and the titles are derived from the names of four ships from the historic First Fleet that landed the first permanent European settlers from Great Britain in Australia two hundred years earlier in 1788 under the command of the Governor, Captain Arthur Phillip.

Each house is led by two Senior House Captains (year 12) and six Vice House Captains (years 8, 10 and 11)

*Alexander (Blue)
*Borrowdale (Gold)
*Penrhyn (Green)
*Sirius (Red)

Students participate in a number of sporting and non-sporting activities during the year to gain points towards the "M.B. Peter Cup" for their house. There are three major house sporting carnivals in a year. They are the Swimming, Athletics and Cross-Country carnivals.

chool Layout

The school has two large courtyards surrounded by blocks of classrooms. There is an A, G, J, B, C, P, R and T block. The school also has six basketball courts and a large open area which is referred to as the "oval". The is also a large multi-purpose assembly hall with adjoining change rooms and a small gym. Wellington also has a "Senior school centre" which was named the "Hamilton Centre". There will be a million dollar upgrade to the school's facilities in 2008. [ [http://www.wellingtonsc.vic.edu.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=48&Itemid=53 Annual Report to the School Community ] ]

Curriculum

English

English is compulsory for all year levels, with the exception of students studying ESL (English as a Second Language). Students undertake many varied activities in developing their skills in this subject area. At the VCE level, mainstream students can choose to study either English, Literature or English Language (to be introduced in 2008 for units 1 & 2).

LOTE

The only Language other than English that is studied at this school is French. The school decieded in 2007 that Indonesian was not was not popular so the Indonesian was removed.

Students undertake French or ESL(English as a Second Langage) from years 7 to 8, and have the choice to study it in years 9 and up.

VCE Studies

Accounting
Automotive Technology Studies (VCE VET)
Biology
Building & Construction Carpentry (VCE VET)
Business (VCE VET)
Business Management
Chemistry
Community Recreation (VCE VET)
Community Services Work (VCE VET)
Dance (VCE VET)
Design and Technology
Economics
Electrotechnology (VCE VET)
English
English (ESL)
French
Further Mathematics
General Mathematics
Health and Human Development
Horticulture (VCE VET)
Hospitality - Operations (VCE VET)
Information Technology
IT Applications
Legal Studies
Literature
Mathematical Methods
Multimedia (VCE VET)
Music Group performance
Music Industry (VCE VET)
Music Industry - Technical Production (VCE VET)
Music performance
Music Solo performance
People and power
Physical Education
Physics
Psychology
Retail Operations (NAP)
Revolutions
Specialist Mathematics
Studio Arts
Twentieth Century History
Visual Communication and Design
Wholesale Retail Personal Services (VFE)
[ [http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/index.html#H3N40007F Victorian Certificate of Education Index - VCE - VCAA ] ]

Uniform

Uniform is compulsory at the College. Student leaders wear a distinctive blazer with a special pocket that denotes their actual appointment. Students in Years 7 - 10 wear a royal blue jumper that features the College emblem while the senior students wear a similar navy blue jumper.

Sporting Achievements

2000

Boys VCE soccer team won the state championship.

2007

Year 7 Table Tennis team won the state championship.

Media

An article [ [http://monash.yourguide.com.au/news/local/general/local-students-get-priority/1101975.html Local students 'get priority' - Local - General - Monash Journal ] ] suggested some schools were 'selling' places to international students and Wellington was one of the accused. The other being Glen Waverley Secondary College. Assistant principal Geoff Ellis said the school had room to grow and had no need to turn back domestic students. He reassured the school community that 'no local student is denied a place in favour of an international student' in the weekly Wellington Diary that was given out on the 7th of December 2007 [http://www.wellingtonsc.vic.edu.au/images/stories/Newsletters/20071207_diary%20december%207.pdf] .

Other

Wombles

"Wombles" were introduced in 1978. It is a term used for students (from years 7-10) who are rostered to provide a day of service to the College. Students are permitted to wear casual clothes when they have to "womble"."Wombles" from years 7, 8 and 9 usually clean up the school yard from rubbish. Where as a year 10 "senior womble" perform tasks such as distributing notices, running messages and locking the locker bays.

Palm Pilots

Everyday, a couple of year 8s are rostered to do "Palm Pilot" duties, which involves them going and recording the absences for the day.

Moodle

Wellington has a learning website that allows students and teachers to log in and upload IT assignments and do other things. You can even make a blog.

References

External links

* [http://www.wellingtonsc.vic.edu.au/ www.wellingtonsc.vic.edu.au]
* [http://moodle.wellingtonsc.vic.edu.au/ http://moodle.wellingtonsc.vic.edu.au/]