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Fourth Letter Home to Parents - June 14 2018
Letter Snapshot...
Hello again! We trust you all enjoyed the visiting weekend a couple of weeks back, despite the long distances involved for many of you? The weekend was for you. We have heard many varied and mixed reports from your sons and daughters about the weekend, but more good than otherwise, which is totally normal! Some said, “It was great to see my family, but I couldn’t wait to get back to the Alpine School!” You need to be assured that the time of real settlement at the Alpine School Campus is now happening for your son or daughter. Paradoxically, the time of departure is also rapidly approaching. I am sure you will notice the difference in your son or daughter between the recent visit and the conclusion on Saturday June 30th.
The program following the visiting weekend deliberately focuses upon the concepts of separation, mourning and overcoming aspects of adversity. Many of the challenges of the program are used as metaphors for the part of their “Portfolios” dealing with risk and challenge.
DEPARTURE DAY
In preparation for the departure day (Saturday June 30th) the broad outline of the morning proceedings at the Alpine School will be as follows…
9.00am – 9.30am - Alpine School staff will hold a departure ceremony for students
9.30am – 10.00am - School doors open for parents to arrive and reacquaint with their children
10.00am – 11.00am
- All parents and students meet in the dining room for student presentations.
- Student Presentations will involve a summary of their CLP as a group (1 minute), then each individual student will talk about their most important learning from the program that they will take away with them to 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.
As the departure day rapidly approaches, some parents and families may wish to make arrangements for their son’s/daughter’s travel off the mountain with other families. In the past, some families have mentioned buses and other arrangements. Can I remind parents that if you intend making this arrangement, that you please advise our Business Manager, Sally Doyle at the Alpine School of your intentions.
We look forward to seeing you reunited with your son or daughter on the morning of SaturdayJune 30 between 9.30am – 10.00am in the morning.
SPECIAL NOTE & WINTER TRAVEL & SKI CHAIN ADVICE
The ski season opened last weekend, so please check road conditions: via http://www.bom.gov.au/vic/forecasts/mounthotham.shtml
If you are travelling through Bright and Harrietville via Mt Hotham to Dinner Plain, you will pass through the Mt Hotham Ski resort. You do not have to pay a resort entrance fee, if you are driving straight through. If you chose to stop in the Hotham Ski Village for more than 30 minutes, you will need to pay a resort entrance fee for your vehicle of $50.
NOTE - Vehicle chains must be carried by law These can be hired in Myrtleford at Rays Ski Hire, Bright at the Bright Ski Centre or Shell Service Station, Harrietville at Hoys Ski Hire or at Omeo at Billy’s garage.
With every good wish on behalf of the Alpine School Team
Mark Reeves (Principal) & Russell Shem (Campus Principal - Alpine School)
[This is a snapshot of the most recent letter - please download and read the letter for full information]
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Today was the Alpine Campus’s Local Learning Project (LLP) Day with Omeo Primary school. Half of Omeo Primary School’s 40-something kids came here to do 20 minute workshops with our students. The workshops had to be on something to do with the local environment or wildlife. The Alpine School Campus students all worked in groups of three to make the workshops. We had four lessons to come up with an idea, plan the lessons and activities and complete all of the work. It was a very successful day and I think that the Omeo kids, as well as the Alpine kids, had a great time.
My name is Morgan and today for my LLP (along with Amelia and Joy) I ran a lesson about Introduced Species. I really enjoyed the entire experience of choosing a topic and then planning the lessons. I am also really glad that I chose a group that I ended up working really well with. For the lesson we first made sure that the kids knew what an Introduced Species is so the rest of the lesson would make sense, then we played a game where three teams of ‘Introduced Species’ would have to take resources (tennis balls) from the team of native animals. After we played the game we each talked about one introduced species found around here (fox, rabbit and deer) then we made chatterboxes and decorated them like a fox, deer or rabbit. I think that my presentation went really well and I think I accomplished my goal of being confident when talking and doing my presentation.
- By Morgan Griffiths
My name is Elias and today we ran lessons about Brumbies. Overall it was a really good day for us, I was in a group with Fletch and Dom. When making this lesson I actually learnt a lot about Brumbies. In our lesson we had a page of facts and a few games. We set it out so we did:
- Intro
- Game (Ollie Ollie octopus)
- Facts
- Game (Scarecrow Tiggy)
- More facts
We set it out like that so that the kids could have time to listen to the boring stuff and then even it out with the fun games. The way the games related to our lesson was that we actually changed the name, so instead of Ollie Ollie octopus, it was Barry Barry Brumby and instead of Scarecrow Tiggy it was Brumby Roundup. I really enjoyed the day it was really fun.
- By Elias Lanyon
I’m Josie and today Sean, Athina and I talked to the kids about Alpine Huts, specifically JB Hut. We had a PowerPoint presentation, a talk and a craft activity. We had four sessions to plan our presentation before the big day. The most popular thing we did with the kids was crafting, the kids had to go outside and collect leaves, twigs and grass etc. to stick onto their paper hut, they then got to name the hut. We had two 20 minute sessions to give the kids one of the best sessions of the day. Overall it was a very successful and interesting day.
- By Josie Carrigg
Hi my name is Finn, I did a class on wombats for LLP. In this class we first did a treasure hunt to find map pieces out behind the basketball courts. Once the students had found all the maps pieces that they needed they put them together. Then we went down an old track off the drive way to this little area where there was two trees that had fallen down, so we sat there to tell them some info about wombats like their diet, behavior and where they live. Then we showed them another wombat hole that was bigger. After that we walked back up to the school and gave them all a picture to take home with them.
- By Finn Clayton |
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 Third Letter Home to Parents - Pre Parent Visiting Weekend
Monday 21 May 2018
Hello again from the community of the Alpine School Campus!
What a busy term we have had already. A mixture of sunshine, the snow showers and cool winds has certainly made our expeditions interesting. The first expedition groups have headed-out and returned already. They donned backpacks and made their way out to make their way to a camping location known as Mother Johnstons for a night of camping, before returning back to school. The students were well prepared and so full of excitement, apprehension, “coolness” and worry, all mixed into one! We know, however, that what they will learn through their undertaking will put them in great stead. One of the concepts we use in designing our type of educational experience is to move from the known to the unknown. In moving to, and living at, the Alpine School Campus, students initially are in an unknown environment (socially, physically, emotionally, geographically and so on), which they soon become comfortable and familiar with. It is a very deliberate part of the process of learning both leadership skills and to be enterprising.
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VISITING WEEKEND
The visiting weekend is this coming weekend by the time you receive this, and we look forward to seeing you again. Can we stress that it is a family occasion, for parents’ benefit, and should be limited to immediate family members?
Pick-up times are between 9am on Saturday May 26th, and the return time is Sunday May 27th by 4pm..
We ask that you return with your son or daughter and be departed by 4pm. Some families may wish to arrive and leave earlier due to the travel involved or family commitments. The school will be staffed from Midday on the Sunday. If any families are unable to attend, or wish to seek alternative arrangements, please let us know as soon as possible and we may be able to assist.
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The Alpine School experience is ultimately a very personal one for parents and guardians, students and families and each experience is slightly different. We thank you for being a part of our community. We look forward to seeing you on the visiting weekend and remember to check the Alpine Weather forecast, drive safely and carry vehicle chains if required to do so.
Mark Reeves (Principal) & Russell Shem (Campus Principal - Alpine School)
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