King David School, Melbourne

Infobox Private School
name = The King David School


"To Know And Understand"
established = 1977
type = Independent, Co-educational, Day School
religion = Jewish (Progressive Judaism)
head_name = Principal
head = Michelle Bernshaw
city = Melbourne
state = Victoria
country = Australia
campus =
enrollment = 800 (P-12) [http://www.kds.vic.edu.au/ King David School: Welcome] (accessed:03-08-2007)]
faculty =
class =
ratio =
athletics =
homepage = [http://www.kds.vic.edu.au/ www.kds.vic.edu.au]
The King David School is an independent, co-educational, progressive Jewish day school located in Armadale, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

The school currently caters for approximately 800 students from Pre-School to Year 12, and is affiliated with the Victorian Union of Progressive Judaism.

History

The King David School was first envisioned in the 1970s, by several progressive Jews in Melbourne, and rabbis from Temple Beth Israel. The school was first purchased in 1977, on Kooyong Road, a property still occupied today, the Joyce and Mark Southwick Campus, named after two key influential figures in the school's opening.

In 1978, the school first opened for business as a primary school, and was the first ever Progressive Jewish Day School in Australia. Its principal at that time was Norman Rothman. Whilst there were initially 45 students, the school grew up until in 1984, its biggest current campus (now the Middle School) was purchased in Orrong Road, known as the Isador Magid Campus, after another key figure in the school's establishment. The school later opened its first pre-school on Alma Road, adjacent to Temple Beth Israel, the Joyce and Mark Southwick Pre-school.

The school rapidly rose in student numbers, and celebrated the centennial year of 2000 by extending to Year 12 for the first time in its history. In 2002, the school opened a third campus, the Levi Centre, which was a middle school for years 3-6. This campus was later converted to an administration building, and its lease expires in 2008.

Perhaps the most significant new campus was established in 2006, when a property on Dandenong Road was opened, the Magid Institute, a state of the art senior campus for years 9-12. It was originally an old mansion, but has been transformed into a modern new campus. [http://www.kds.vic.edu.au/history_of_kds.html King David School: History] (accessed:03-08-2007)]

Campuses

King David School consists of four campuses in the Armadale area of Melbourne, close to the city's Jewish community. The four campuses are the Southwick Pre-school centre, the Southwick Junior School (prep school to year 2), the Magid Campus (year 3 to year 8) and the Magid Institute (year 9 to year 12). [http://www.kds.vic.edu.au/pdfs/Location_Map_Flyer.pdf King David School: Location] (accessed:03-08-2007)]

The school has also recently converted purchased building Minimbah (on Orrong Road) into a music school, but plans to refurbish it into a sports and music center that is bigger and can accommodate a theatre as well.

Curriculum

King David School prepares students for the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), achieving high academic results. The school's LOTE (Languages Other Than English) program includes Hebrew, French, Spanish, Russian and Yiddish.

Co-curriculum

King David School offers co-curricular programs in sport, music, drama, debating, outdoor education and in 2008 became the first known school to run a teacher sanctioned Dream Team league.

The school's sports program is facilitated through its membership of the Eastern Independent Schools of Melbourne (EISM).

Notable alumni

*Talia Zucker - Actress who has appeared on such television shows as Neighbours and City Homicide as well as taking lead roles in Scooter- secret agent and soon to be upcoming film- Lake Mungo.
*Sara Reed - Young actress who appeared on the Australian Little Britain Live tour, and on Network Ten's Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? as one of the students. She learns singing at King David (which she described as one of her ideal jobs in the future) with King David singing teacher Debbie Sherr.
*David Eldar - Australian national Scrabble champion 2007
*Daniel Sterenzon - Also known as "Smiley" attended The King David School until 1997.
*Rabbi Dr Gersh Zylberman - Is a medical doctor and a Rabbi at Melbourne’s Temple Beth Israel also attended The King David School

Notable Staff

*Fernando de Moraes - A Brazilian soccer player who appeared in the A-League for the New Zealand Knights in 2006 and currently plays for South Melbourne FC in the Victorian Premier League. He is a member of the sports department and is much loved by the student population.
*Frances Flanagan - Daughter of Australian Sports Journalist Martin Flanagan and nephew of Richard Flanagan.* - Former teacher
*Mr Eric Aufgang - Substitute principal in 2000.*
*Yael Gaita - Wife of Raimond Gaita, author of popular novel, Romulus My Father.* - Former teacher
*Milton Sakkos - Victorian Futsal Academy Coach and Assistant National Coach.* - Former teacher
*Andrew Solewicz - Head coach of the Maccabi Warriors Big V division 2 basketball team. He serves as the head of sport.

References

ee also

*King David School (disambiguation)
*List of schools in Victoria
*List of high schools in Victoria
*List of schools in Victoria, Australia according to 2006 VCE results
*Secular Jewish culture
*Torah study
*Yeshiva

External links

* [http://www.kds.vic.edu.au King David School Website]