AME School

Infobox School
name = Association of Modern Education School
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city = Canberra
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head of school = Bernie Perrett
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grades = Kindergarten–10
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opened = 1972
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closed = 1996
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homepage = The Association of Modern Education School (or AME School) was opened in 1972 and ran as an independent community based school in Canberra until 1996.

Planning for the foundation of the school began around 1970 and the school took over the disused government school buildings in the Canberra suburb of Duntroon, which had recently closed. The AME school first opened in 1972 with Robin McConnell as headmaster. The school was a progressively run educational institution, which sought to foster an atmosphere in which kids were encouraged to develop their own particular talents, instead of sticking to a rigid set curriculum. The school enrolled students from Kindergarten to year 10.

Being socially and politically progressive, the school attracted an interesting and eclectic mix of students, many being the children of ANU academics and staff. Australian Senator Susan Ryan and former UN chief weapons inspector and diplomat Richard Butler were amongst the community of parents. Parent participation in the school curriculum was encouraged, strengthening strong ties and friendships between the school and families. Kids called teachers by their first names, which was unusual for the time at government schools in the ACT. The school was featured in the book "Good Australian Schools and Their Communities", published in 1973. The AME school also pioneered the teaching of the Japanese language in ACT schools, with the employment of [http://www.basis.act.gov.au/DUSLibrary/ImagesACT.nsf/3506a89b45287c52ca256abc000c49a8/6404b8b313e2f6344a256cc800823bd5!OpenDocument Saeko Ogi] as Japanese teacher in 1973.

In 1974, Bernie Perrett took over as headmaster and remained at the school until its closure. In 1977, the school moved to permanent newly purpose-built school builldings in the Canberra suburb of Weston. Facilities at the new school were improved over those in Duntroon. The new school buildings were also largely constructed of wood to give the design and structure of the new school an organic feel. Some AME students were involved in Canberra's punk music and alternative arts scenes.

The school closed in 1996 and the school buildings were taken over by the Orana School, a Rudolf Steiner school. In 2003, the Canberra bushfires narrowly missed destroying the school buildings as nearby pine forests were decimated.

Former AME School librarian, Ann Furnass, edited a book in 1988 covering the history of the school, "The AME School An Historical Record". Former teacher Steve Shann also published the book "AME School: School Portrait" in 1987.

Many of the former students of the AME school have broadly speaking gone on to work in social and political, humanitarian, creative or artistic fields.

Some former students

* Andrew Barr, MLA, ACT Minister for Education and Training, Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Industrial Relations, Planning

* Simon Holmes, former lead singer and guitarist with Australian rock band, The Hummingbirds

* Liam Egan, sound designer in the Australian film industry, see [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0250697 imdb profile]

* Michael Brissenden, ABC journalist with The 7.30 Report

* David Mark, ABC Radio News & Current Affairs journalist

* Kate Buchdahl, classical violinist

* Margaret Trail, Drama lecturer at Victoria University, Australia in Melbourne [http://www.staff.vu.edu.au/hmrp/staff/margaret_trail.htm]

* Steven Dargavel former MP, local member for electorate of Fraser (1997-1998); currently Acting AMWU Victorian Secretary

External links

* [http://www.library.act.gov.au/reflectionscd/REFLECT/data/h325/317.htm Photo of Primary aged children from the Canberra Times, 1979]