The McDonald College

Infobox Aust school private
name = The McDonald College


motto = "Strive for Excellence"
established = 1984
type = Independent, Co-educational, Day & Boarding
denomination = Non-denominational
slogan =
key_people = Ms. Maxine Kohler (Principal) Mr. Geoffrey A Markham (Chairman)
fees = AU$8,000–19,000 p.a [http://sydneyschild.com.au/schools/schools%20th_z.pdf Sydney's Child- The McDonald College] (accessed:19-06-2007)]
city = North Strathfield
state = New South Wales
country = Australia flagicon|Australia
coordinates = coord|33|51|30|S|151|5|13|E|display=inline,title
enrolment = ~495 (P-12)
num_employ = ~45cite web |url=http://www.mcdonald.nsw.edu.au/mcd/AbouttheCollege/annual-report/Annual%20Report%202006.pdf |title=Annual Report 2006 |accessdate=2007-09-12 |year =2007 |format=PDF |work=The McDonald College ]
revenue =
colours = Red, Navy and White color box|#FF0000color box|#000080color box|#FFFFFF
homepage = [http://www.mcdonald.nsw.edu.au/ www.mcdonald.nsw.edu.au]

The McDonald College is an independent, co-educational, non-denominational, performing arts, day and boarding school, located in North Strathfield, an inner western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Established in 1984, the school currently caters for approximately 495 students from Preparatory (4 years of age) to Year 12, including 37 female boarders from Year 7 to 12. It is Australia's only P to 12, independent school that provides specialist training in the Performing Arts on a daily basis.cite web |url=http://www.mcdonald.nsw.edu.au/mcd/AbouttheCollege/ |title=About the College |accessdate=2007-09-12 |work=The McDonald College ]

The college is a member of the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA),cite web |url=http://www.ahisa.com.au/Display.aspx?tabid=2230 |title=AHISA Schools: New South Wales |accessdate=2007-09-12 |year =2007 |month =April |work=Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia] the Junior School Heads Association of Australia (JSHAA),cite web |url=http://www.jshaa.asn.au/nsw/directory/index.asp |title=JSHAA New South Wales Directory of Members |accessdate=2007-09-12 |year =2007 |work=Junior School Heads' Association of Australia] the Australian Boarding Schools' Association (ABSA),cite web |url=http://www.boarding.org.au/site/school_detail.cfm?schID=83 |title=Schools: The McDonald College |accessdate=2007-09-12 |year =2007 |work=Australian Boarding Schools' Association] and the Association of Independent Schools of New South Wales (AISNSW).cite web |url=http://portals.studentnet.edu.au/studentnet/DeskTopDefault.aspx?tabid=98 |title=NSW Independent Schools by Region |accessdate=2007-09-12 |year =2007 |work=Association of Independent Schools of New South Wales]

History

Whilst officially established in 1984, The McDonald College has a tradition and history dating back to the establishment of the Ann McDonald College of Dancing by Ann McDonald, a dance and singing teacher, in 1926.cite web |url=http://www.mcdonald.nsw.edu.au/mcd/AbouttheCollege/our-history |title=Annual Report 2006 |accessdate=2007-06-19 |work=The McDonald College ]

On Ann McDonald's retirement her daughter, Margaret Markham, took over the Ann McDonald College of Dancing. In 1983 Markham saw the opportunity for establishing a specialist academic and performing arts school for gifted children, and subsequently, in partnerhsip with Ann Fraser and Maxine Kohler, agreed to change the Ann McDonald College of Dancing from a private company into a community-based, not-for-profit company limited by guarantee, thus facilitating the establishment of The McDonald College Limited.

The McDonald College commenced in 1984 with 75 students in Strathfield. The school moved to its current campus, formerly the site of the Telstra Training School, in North Strathfield in 1999.

Campus

Since 1999, The McDonald College has been located at North Strathfield, adjacent to North Strathfield Station. The school is close to the Olympic site and Bicentennial Park, and is 25 minutes from the Sydney Central business district.cite web|url=http://www.mcdonald.nsw.edu.au/mcd/prospective/onlineprospectus|title=Prospectus|accessdate=2007-09-12|format=PDF|work=The McDonald College]

Facilities include air-conditioned classrooms, science and computer laboratories, art studios and exhibition space, nine dance studios, music studios and recital room, acting studios and performance spaces, television studio, recording studio, library, canteen, adjoining facilities and play equipment for junior students, and a boarding residence for up to 30 girls.

Curriculum

The McDonald College is registered and accredited with the New South Wales Board of Studies, and therefore follows the mandated curriculum for all years. The school is however unique in that its curriculum includes a performing arts focus.cite web|url=http://www.mcdonald.nsw.edu.au/mcd/Academic|title=Academic Studies|accessdate=2007-09-12|work=The McDonald College]

Primary

In Preparatory year, the academic program is designed to ensure students achieve age appropriate developmental and learning goals. Students also have access to specialist performing arts programmes including drama, dance and music.cite web|url=http://www.mcdonald.nsw.edu.au/mcd/Academic/index_html/p2|title=Preparatory|accessdate=2007-09-12|work=The McDonald College]

Junior School (Kindergarten to Year 6) students participate in performing arts, together with the Key Learning Areas as set out by the NSW Board of Studies. A Gifted and Talented program is integrated at this stage to cater for students identified as 'academically gifted'.cite web|url=http://www.mcdonald.nsw.edu.au/mcd/Academic/p2/index_html/Primary|title=Primary|accessdate=2007-09-12|work=The McDonald College]

econdary

The Middle School caters for students in Years 7 and 8. At this stage, the academic curriculum consists of the core subjects in English/HSIE (Human Society and its Environment) and Maths/Science. Specialist staff are utilised for subjects such as LOTE (Languages other than English), Design & Technology, Visual Arts, Music andPDHPE (Personal Development, Health, and Physical Education). The Middle School day also incorporates a challenging performing arts programme.cite web|url=http://www.mcdonald.nsw.edu.au/mcd/Academic/Primary/index_html/Middle|title=Middle School|accessdate=2007-09-12|work=The McDonald College]

In Years 9 and 10 students are prepared for the New South Wales School Certificate. At this stage students continue with the core subjects and also choose electives. The performing arts programme is an extension to the mandated academic curriculum and typically supports much of the study in the electivecourses. Students participate in a performing artsprogramme for two hours each day. Students experiencing learning difficulties are assisted through the 'Learning Assistance Programme'.cite web|url=http://www.mcdonald.nsw.edu.au/mcd/Academic/Middle/index_html/Senior|title=Senior School|accessdate=2007-09-12|work=The McDonald College]

The Senior school (Years 11 and 12) provides students with the opportunity to focus on areas of their academicstudy and performing arts programme, in order to be prepared for the Higher School Certificate (HSC). Except for English and Maths, all other subjects are studied intensively for up to eight hours per week, and most students will sit for their HSC in two subjects during the first year of senior schooling (year 11). In the second year of senior schooling (Year 12) students sit for the remaining HSCsubjects, accumulating the HSC over two years, or longer if necessary. All students have the opportunity to choose any combination of subjects in the Creative and Performing Arts for HSCstudy.

Performing Arts

Upon enrolment at the McDonald College, students choose a core area of study, from Acting, Classical Ballet, Dance or Music. The selected core area will be studied for four days per week.

In Years 11 and 12, students also have the option of Musical Theatre as a core area of study. On the remaining day of the week, the elective areas of study, may involve activities suchas Photography, Sport, Hip hop, Short Film Making, Jazz, or Music Audition Repertoire.

Notable alumni

*Gina Brescanini - Artist with The Australian Ballet
*Josef Brown - Musical Theatre performer, former artist of The Australian Ballet
*Craig Cathcart - Former artist with The Australian Balletfact|date=March 2008
*Robert Curran - Principal Artist with The Australian Ballet
*Kathleen de Leon Jones - Member of children's group Hi-5; theatre and television actress
*Tim Draxl - Actor
*Camille Erskine - Classical Dancer with the National Theatre Ballet of Prague
*Rohan Furnell - Artist with the Australian Balletfact|date=March 2008
*Kip Gamblin - Actor, best known for his role as 'Scott Hunter' on "Home and Away"cite web |url=http://seven.com.au/homeandaway/meetthecast_kip-gamblin |title=Kip Gamblin |accessdate=2007-09-12 |work=Home and Away: Meet The Cast]
*John-Paul Idaszak - Artist with the The Australian Balletfact|date=March 2008
*Andrew Koblar - Actor/Dancer/Singer for the Sydney Theatre Company, Melbourne Theatre Company, Opera Australia
*Terry Kohler - Choreographer/Dancer for the Premier State Ballet, the Staatliche Hochschule fur Musik and Darstellende Kunst Mannheim
*Keian Langdon - Trainee dancer with the Queensland Balletfact|date=March 2008
*Sarah Murdoch - International model, wife of Lachlan Murdoch (also attended Pittwater House Girls' College)
*Bojana Novakovic - AFI Award winning actress
*Josh Quong Tart - Television and theatre actor; Singer
*Rhys Wakefield - Actor, best known for his role as 'Lucas Holden' on "Home and Away"cite web |url=http://seven.com.au/homeandaway/meetthecast_rhys-wakefield |title=Rhys Wakefield |accessdate=2007-09-12 |work=Home and Away: Meet The Cast]
*Nikki Webster - Singer (also attended MLC School)

References

See also

*List of non-government schools in New South Wales
*List of boarding schools

External links

* [http://www.mcdonald.nsw.edu.au McDonald College website]