Lowanna Secondary College

Victorian Schools
Name =Lowanna Secondary College

Location=Newborough, Victoria
Region =Gippsland
Campuses =1
Number = 8821
Principal = Jason Bek
Staff = 140
Students = approx. 1124
Opened =1994
Years =7-12
System = VELS, VCAL, VET and VCE
Website= [http://www.lowanna.vic.edu.au www.lowanna.vic.edu.au]

Lowanna Secondary College is located in Newborough, Victoria. The college draws its enrolment from Moe/Newborough, and district towns of Yallourn North, Erica, Rawson, Willow Grove and the surrounding rural areas. In 2007 the school has a student population of 1124 [ [http://www.education.vic.gov.au/schoolsonline/Details.asp?LocationID=01882101 "Schools Online", "Lowanna College - Newark Campus] , Retrieved 22 April 2007] .

Achievements

POV-section|date=April 2008In 2006 Lowanna College was successful in receiving funding under the Department of Educations “Leading Schools Fund” Initiative to develop and implement a curriculum program for Year 7 students based on the concept of “Personalised Learning, using an Enquiry Learning approach”, and supported by a new information communications technology rich building facility. The aim was to change teaching practice and improve student outcomes throughout the College.

The initial funding gave us an opportunity to select and professionally develop a teaching team that would lead the Year 7 program in 2008, after trialling curriculum innovations in 2007 and developing a new student welfare and management approach for the college. The second stage of funding is helping us to set in place a second team of teachers, provide ICT facilities such as banks of laptop computers, and electronic SMART Boards, and commence the new building facility while upgrading our existing facilities.

The new “Year 7 Learning Centre” will be completed late 2007. This centre will be the home for our future year 7’s where they will have the opportunity to use the latest resources available to them all in the one area while still accessing the specialised facilities and programs of the college. The new centre will have audio and visual presentation areas, desktop and laptop computers, and facilities such as wet areas, kitchen facilities, conference areas etc. The Year 8’s will be accommodated in an adjacent building creating a new Junior School Complex.

The new Learning Centre provides for an open plan learning environment where students will work under the direction of the Teaching Team and other support staff. Students will be grouped within their home group classes but will have the opportunity of being able to work within the centre using the appropriate learning technologies or being regrouped in different ways (eg: extension and support groups) for particular learning situations.

Year 7 students will have their home group space, locker and the principal teaching team located within the facility.

Curriculum

The college offers programs in VELS and VCE, including units in English, Mathematics, Science, SOSE, Technology, Arts, Health and Physical Education [ [http://www.lowanna.vic.edu.au "Lowanna College", "Background"] , Retrieved 22 April 2007] . . Additionally, programs including VET, VCAL, the Jobs Pathways Program and Students at Risk are conducted to ensure that all students are catered for [ [http://www.inlearning.com.au/casestudies/lowanna.cfm "In Learning", "Case Study - Lowanna College"] Retrieved 22 April 2007] . Lowanna College is also a participant in Monash University, Gippsland campus's Cooperative Education program [ [http://www.gippsland.monash.edu.au/programs/coop/students/business.html "Monash University", "Cooperative Education at the Gippsland Campus"] Retrieved 22 April 2007] , the Monash Gippsland VCE tutoring program [ [http://www.lowanna.vic.edu.au "Lowanna College"] , Retrieved 22 April 2007] , and SAM (Schools Access Monash) program [ [http://www.gippsland.monash.edu.au/news/previous2006/bulletin20060710.html "Monash University", "Gippsland Campus Weekly Bulletin(Monday, 10 July 2006)"] , Retrieved 23 April 2007] .

Extra-curricular

Students are also offered the opportunity to participate in debating competitions, public speaking competitions, art performance and musical productions, international exchanges, community work, debutante balls, instrumental learning programs, sister school visits, Tournament of Minds, lunch time activities program, student leadership programs, school camps and sporting competitions [ [http://www.education.vic.gov.au/schoolsonline/SchoolIntroduction.asp?LocationID=01882101&PG=1&PGD=1&SN=&SS=&SP=&SR=&SG=&SNM=&ST=&SAW=&SEP=&SOW=&SPH=Default.asp:Home:Details.asp:Details&StartWith=A&SDI= "Schools Online", "Overview" (Lowanna College - Newark Campus)] , Retrieved 22 April 2007] [ [http://www.lowanna.vic.edu.au "Lowanna College", "Background"] , Retrieved 22 April 2007] .

Facilities

The modern campus operates as three individual "mini schools": Junior, Middle, and Senior. The campus features a school farm, special programs centre, and arts and technology wing, including a photography lab and auto workshop. The school also utilises a computer network and multimedia skills centre. Additionally, the school uses Interactive Whiteboards. [ [http://www.lowanna.vic.edu.au/iwb/index.htm "Lowanna Secondary College", "Interactive Whiteboard and Learning Objects"] Retrieved 22 April 2007]

Despite a commitment in 1998 by the former Kennett government contribute AU$270,000 to build only a 250 seat auditorium [ [http://www.dpc.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/pressrel.nsf/cc8a9528d0eda9684a2565b800012811/76dc013eda7887fc4a2565d80012d4a3!OpenDocument&Click= "State Government Contributes $270,000 to Moe Auditorium"] , Retrieved 23 April 2007] , a 580 seat auditorium now supports the college's performing arts program. A double gymnasium with sprung floor is used for the physical education and sports program. Both the auditorium and gym are also used by the wider community. [ [http://www.lowanna.vic.edu.au/fac/facilities.htm "Lowanna Secondary College", "Facilities"] Retrieved 22 April 2007]

College history

Lowanna College has a history which can be traced back to the 1920s. In 1928 the Yallourn Technical College was established, and over the following years, grew substantially to serve a wide area, including Moe

By the 1950s the growth of Moe, required a new school to be built in the town, and Moe High School was officially opened in 1954. Shortly after, in 1957 Yallourn Technical College moved to its current Newborough site. There was still a need for further educational provision and Newborough High School was opened in 1964.

By the 1990s the number of students attending secondary school had dropped substantially and governments were looking for schools to amalgamate. In 1994 the three secondary colleges amalgamated to form Lowanna College.

With a vision for a new single campus, the College successfully lobbied the government and a total of over 13.5 million was used to build the current campus.Fact|date=April 2007

ister Schools

Lowanna College has two overseas sister schools: The first, Taishou Middle School number 2 is located in Taizhou, China, whilst the second, Instituto Professionale di Stato, Castelfranco is situated near Venice, in Italy [ [http://www.latrobe.vic.gov.au/About/International/SisterCities/Taizhou/ "Latrobe City"] Retrieved 23 April 2007] .

References

External links

* [http://www.lowanna.vic.edu.au Lowanna College website]
* [http://lvillage.education.vic.gov.au/lv/lwc/school.nsf/HomePage/Welcome Lowanna College on Learning Village]