The Bulletin Editor thanks David Sykes for these excellent notes of the meeting.
Welcome to visitors Vesley Phillips (Andrew T) and Gavin and Lynne Parker (David S), and Rotarian Stephen Bath (RC Highton and guest speaker)
Guests are always welcome and members are encouraged to invite their friends and family, and especially those who are interested in volunteering through Rotary.
Newcomb Secondary College – creating positive futures, in our children and the community.
Stephen Bath was introduced as the guest speaker by the evening’s chair Andrew Thornton.
Stephen started his working life as a cabinetmaker at Curtis Furniture, and moved into a teaching career after ten years in the trade.
He has held teaching positions at Hoppers Crossing Secondary College and Balmoral High School, and has been teaching at Newcomb Secondary College since 1997.
During his teaching life there have been significant changes in the way students are taught.
If we can remember, we all sat in rows, listening attentively to the teacher out the front....or as Andrew T did say after the meeting, planning on how to make the teacher’s life less than easy.
Today students learn through having problems or challenges set, and using their learnt skills to solve. And of great importance is for the students to be taught skills needed for their work/life future.
Computers are used as a tool and integrated into everyday use. Teams work to solve problems. All jobs today are technology enhanced.
Newcomb has developed links with Deakin University and the Gordon TAFE, to ensure the students are aware on what is available.
Newcomb is proud to be selected by the Australian government for a trial program P-TECH. P-TECH is collaborative partnership between education and industry. It provides a pathway for students to gain a nationally accredited qualification alongside their regular in school education and workplace experience guided by a mentor from one of our industry partners.
Sport plays an important part of the student’s development. The Victorian Sailing School is a campus of Newcomb Secondary College, and provides training in skills for the schools in the region.
Newcomb Secondary College Bike Tour is the only event of its kind run by a Victorian Government High school. It is organised and run by Newcomb staff that have a combined wealth of experience and knowledge. Newcomb Secondary College has been running Bike Tour annually for over 30 years.
Four different tour routes are now rotated through, covering regions in Victoria and Tasmania which many students may otherwise never see: The Great Ocean Road, Wilsons Promontory, the Victorian Alps and the Tasmanian East coast.
Each tour runs for 6 or 7 days, over 350 – 450 kilometres in all sorts of weather over all sorts of terrain. It is a genuine opportunity for students to push themselves physically in a new situation. Many students kick start new habits of health and fitness or set goals based on an old ‘mark’ as they prepare for, then complete one or several Tours.
All students at Newcomb Secondary College are given the opportunity to learn a musical instrument and participate in one of the College bands
Stephen has showed us how the school environment has adapted to the challenges and for the students to have skills to suit their employment prospects.
President Bryan thanked Stephen for enlightening us on the changes in education and adapting the current and future needs.
This was our first vocational visit and continues our association with Newcomb Secondary College through offering scholarships to students.
