Mac.Robertson Girls' High School

Infobox Aust school
name = The Mac.Robertson Girls' High School


motto = "Potens Sui"
(Latin:"Mastery of self")
established = 1905
type = Public, Single-sex, Selective, Day school
principal = Jane Garvey
captains = Kellymaree Butler
city = Melbourne
state = Victoria
country = Australia flagicon|Australia
coordinates = coord|37|50|11|S|144|58|16|E|display=inline,title
campus = Urban
enrolment = ~950 (9-12)cite web |url=http://www.macrob.vic.edu.au/annual_report/2006_annual_report.pdf |title=2006 Annual Report to the school community |accessdate=2007-09-13 |year =2007 |format=PDF |work=Mac.Robertson Girls' High School]
newspaper = "Ethos" (school magazine)
yearbook = "Pallas"
mascot = Minerva
ranking = 1st (2007)
colours = Maroon, Green & Charcoal
homepage = [http://www.macrob.vic.edu.au/ www.macrob.vic.edu.au] The Mac.Robertson Girls' High School (also known simply as Mac.Rob or MGHS) is an academically selective, public high school for girls, located in the city of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Entry for Mac.Robertson, which is operated by the Victoria Department of Education [http://www.education.vic.gov.au/] , is by competitive academic examination. It is unique in its status as a statewide provider for girls in years 9 to 12. The equivalent for boys is Melbourne High School.

In 2001, "The Sun-Herald" ranked Mac.Robertson Girls' High School sixth in Australia's top ten girls' schools, based on the number of its alumni mentioned in the "Who's Who in Australia" (a listing of notable Australians).cite news| first = Frank| last = Walker| title = The ties that bind| url = http://newsstore.smh.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&sy=smh&kw=%22presbyterian+ladies+college%22&pb=all_ffx&dt=selectRange&dr=entire&so=relevance&sf=author&sf=headline&sf=text&rc=10&rm=200&sp=nrm&clsPage=1&docID=SHD01072295GNI6E8E6E| work = Sunday Life| publisher = The Sun-Herald| page = 16| date = 2001-07-22| accessdate = 2007-09-12] Ref_label|a|a|none

History

The Mac.Robertson Girls' High School traces its origin to the Melbourne Continuation School, the first government funded school in the state of Victoria, established in 1905 in Spring Street, Melbourne. Melbourne High School was a co-educational school, but the school's second principal, Mr Claude Searby, believed that boys studied better in a single sex environment. And so, in 1927, the boys moved to their current residence in Forrest Hill, South Yarra in Victoria, Melbourne, and became Melbourne Boys' High School.

The girls remained in the crumbling Spring Street building until it was condemned in 1930. The girls then moved to Government House. They were moved once again to King Street in 1933. In 1934 Victoria celebrated its centenary. Sir Macpherson Robertson made a gift of 100,000 pounds, 40,000 of which was to be spent on building what was to become The Mac.Robertson Girls' High School in the north/east corner of Albert Park Reserve. The building gained a national trust classification in 1987.

The school celebrated its centenary year in 2005 with Melbourne High School with a joined assembly. Mac.rob also celebrated by inviting Steve Bracks (the 44th Premier of Victoria) to witness the restarting of the school clock tower (which coincidentally would not start when the time came).

Mac.Robertson Girls' High School today continues and maintains a tradition of high academic achievement. Each year the school's VCE results are among the highest in the state, topping the statewide VCE results six years running (2002-2007 inclusive). Despite the school's impressive results for 2006, the highest in its long history, the class of 2007 were able to top it with a median ENTER of 96.8 compared to the previous year's 96.5, the median study score across all subjects at the school was once again 39.

Houses

The four Houses and their associated colours are:
* Naiads, River Nymphs (Blue)
* Dryads, Tree Nymphs (Green)
* Nereids, Sea Nymphs (White)
* Oreads, Mountain Nymphs (Red) Nereids official colour is white, although throughout the years it has come to adopt purple as its secondary colour.

The houses compete in four major competitions, each taking place annually:
* Athletics
* Swimming
* House Drama
* ChoralsOther competitions include lipsynching, warball, volleyball, softball, soccer, rounders and cricket.

School Magazine

The school's yearbook is called "Pallas", with the editor generally being a year 11 student. There is also an informal satirical magazine, "Ethos", with articles written by students and editorship shared by a group of year 11 students who are elected by the student body.

Notable Alumnae

*Jean Burns, Australia's youngest female pilot in 1937 and first Australian female Parachutist from an aeroplane on Australian soil.
*Judith Buckrich, academic and author Fact|date=September 2008
*Chloe Dallimore, actressFact|date=September 2008
*Beverley Farmer, novelistFact|date=September 2008
*Lili Wilkinson, authorFact|date=September 2008
*Alexandra Adornetto, author [cite web
url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/entertainment/author-14-lands-publishing-deal/2006/10/26/1161749253958.html
title=Author, 14, lands publishing deal
work=The Age
date=October 27, 2006
publisher=theage.com.au
accessdate=2008-07-24]
*Sally Kingsford, actor [cite web
url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2007/08/29/1188067156152.html?page=3
title=School for Scandal
work=The Age
date=August 30, 2007
publisher=theage.com
accessdate=2008-09-26]

Exchanges

Overseas Exchange

Macrob offers its students various chances to interact with students from different schools in other countries, which involve Japan, Germany and France.

Adelaide Exchange

Every year, an exchange takes place with Adelaide High School over the period of 3 days. This exchange changes it location every year, one year at Macrob and the next at Adelaide High School. The students compete in a variety of different events, such as Debating, Theatre Sports, Chess and Football,etc. The school that wins most events is awarded with the Prefect Cup to keep until the next Adelaide Exchange. The latest exchange was the 56th exchange (which took place in 2007). Macrob won the 2007 cup.

Notes

* Who's Who of girls' school rankings: 1.PLC Melbourne, 2.SCEGGS Darlinghurst, 3.MLC Melbourne, 4.PLC Sydney, 5.Melbourne Girls Grammar School, 6.Mac.Robertson Girls' High School, 7.North Sydney Girls High School, 8.Sydney Girls High School, 9.MLC Sydney, 10.University High School, Melbourne

References

See also

* List of schools in Victoria
* List of schools in Victoria, Australia according to 2006 VCE results

External links

* [http://www.macrob.vic.edu.au/ Mac.Robertson Girls' High School website]