"Parenting teenagers is a bit like whitewater rafting - but I want you to have both sides of the picture. Scary, hectic, and uncomfortable - yes; but also thrilling, stimulating, challenging and ultimately very rewarding”.
- Ian Grant.

“Of all the natural events that occur in the family life cycle, the emergence of adolescence is the one most likely to test parental flexibility and tolerance.” Dr. Michael Carr-Gregg1

June 29 2019 - FINAL Letter From The Alpine School. (Altitude 1600m).

Letter Snapshot...

Hello again and for the last time this term.

Here we are at the start of our final week and I think that students see that their time at the Alpine School Campus is now definitely finite! Seven sleeps they keep telling me. Mind you, some students are ready to leave. There are still many important tasks for us all to attend to, and I welcome the greater independence and personal drive I witness in our students, your sons and daughters. It is a delight to work with young people in our environment and see them “doing”! They just get on with the job now, for the most part, and set their goals and review their outcomes. They are finalizing their CLP work for when they return home, and the presentation day was yesterday where the Principals, Liaison Teachers, representatives from the Department of Education and Training and other key stakeholders were here, it was a triumph. I hope you can all cope with these skills and abilities upon their return, and that your sons and daughters use these skills appropriately?

At the end of my letter is a two-page document detailing the learning areas undertaken by your son or daughter, and their relationship with other curriculum areas. The SRC trust that this document also provides another way for you to understand the complexity and depth of learning undertaken in this truly excellent educational program and location.

Thank you for contributing to another successful term of the Alpine School. The “Separation Phase” of the Alpine School Experience concludes for the community of Term 2, 2019 on Saturday, June 29, signaling the beginning of the “Reintegration Phase”!

DEPARTURE DAY

You can meet your son or daughter after 9.30am on Saturday

9.30am – 10.00am
School doors open for families/guardians to arrive and reacquaint with their children

10.00am – 11.00am
All parents and students meet into dining room for student presentations.
Student Presentations will involve a summary of their CLP as a group, then each individual student will talk about their most important learning from the program that they can use in the future.
Show the end of term movie.
Staff to read a ‘farewell story’

11.00am
All parents and students depart.

NOTE: If you arrive after 10.00am, please enter the school building quietly as presentations will be in progress
OR If you are running very late (after 11.00am), please call. It can be a source of concern for the ‘last’ students to see all their friends leave and have no idea why mum/dad is late. Please drive carefully.

If you intend your son or daughter having any other travel arrangements not with you, and have not already done so, please contact us regarding travel permission forms or other details.

Lastly, Please drive carefully, remembering that vehicle chains must be carried by law and they can be hired in Bright, Harrietville or Omeo.

With every good wish on behalf of the Alpine School Team

Mark Reeves (Principal) & David Chelbna (Campus Principal - Alpine School)

[This is a snapshot of the most recent letter - please download and read the letter for full information]

• Fifth (FINAL) Letter: 21/06/2019

Second Letter Home from The Alpine School Campus (Altitude 1600m),
Friday May 10, 2019

Letter Snapshot...

Welcome again to the community of the Alpine School Campus. Congratulations again on the achievement of being personally, as a team, as a family and as a school selected to participate in this Alpine School experience. The purpose of these letters is to provide you with a perspective of the intended program here at the Alpine School. What your son or daughter experiences, and then of course what they may communicate to you, may vary! This is quite normal! We will not be writing about individuals, more about the experiences of the community as a whole.

It seems amazing that a couple of weeks have passed already. As we indicate to your son or daughter, the time here seems to pass at an accelerating pace. I think it is something to do with the familiarization of the living situation here. And familiar they certainly seem to be! I am very pleased with how readily our students this term have settled-in.

Students are again this coming week heading out on their overnight expeditions, carrying their backpacks and all their alpine camping gear. We start locally with an overnight expedition, and after the visiting weekend, we head out on a more ambitious expedition. Please be reassured that all expedition routes are reviewed for safety and access and modifications made as deemed necessary, to ensure that the safety of your sons/daughters remains as paramount.

Visiting Weekend Reminders

Parents/ Guardians visiting weekend is approaching and this time is specifically a weekend about you as a family and about your relationship to your son/daughter and is an integral part of the whole Alpine School separation and reintegration process. Give them your undivided attention and take interest in their experience here and their return and reintegration over the Winter period will be so much better for all of you. If you are not able to make the visiting weekend of Saturday, June 1st and Sunday, June 2, or would like to talk to us about any of the matters raised, please do not hesitate to do so.

• READ THE SECOND LETTER: Letter 2: 10/05/2019

The Student Program Timetable details the daily program for students participating in the Alpine School Year 9 School for Student Leadership (SSL) Program at Dinner Plain in Term 2 2019.

This has been included to assist liaison teachers, schools, families and the community to stay in touch with what students are doing on a day to day basis. The Term Timetable also highlights how the day unfolds for students.

For more detailed information on daily events, read student articles in Student Life and lesson resources in Alpine Lessons.

Alpine School Campus Term 2 Student Program - 2019:

Alpine School Term 2 Alpine School Student Program 2019 [PDF]

The Alpine School Campus at Dinner Plain has welcomed the following Year 9 Schools teams for our Term 2 2019 Alpine School Campus, School for Student Leadership (SSL) program:

Schools teams in attendance at the ALPINE SCHOOL CAMPUS for our Term 2 2019 Alpine School SSL program are from:

• Warrnambool College
• Williamstown High School
• Taylors Lakes SC
• Timboon P-12 School
• Tarneit P-9 College
• Terang College
• Camperdown College
• Western Heights College

Term 2 2019 School for Student Leadership program at the Alpine School Campus commenced on Sunday 28 April 2019 (Student Arrival) and concludes on Saturday 29 June 2019 (Student Departure)

2019 SSL - Alpine School Program Key Dates

Expressions close last week of term 2 in the year prior to the program.
Notification will be given in term 3 of the year prior to the program.
Community Information evening conducted as time and local requirements dictate in the term prior to program.