Parent Letters & Bulletins

Fourth Letter Home to parents - Wednesday March 14th 2018

We trust you all enjoyed the visiting weekend a week or so 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 Wednesday March 28th.

Third Letter Home to Parents - Pre Parent Visiting Weekend Monday 26 February 2018

Hello again from the community of the Alpine School Campus!

What a busy term we have had already. A mixture of sunshine, the odd shower 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.

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 March 3rd, and the return time is Sunday March 4th by 4pm..

We ask that you return with your son or daughter by 3pm and depart 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.

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.

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 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 at how readily our students this term have settled-in.

Sunday 4 February 2018

A Snapshot of Letter 1 - Arrival Day!

Welcome to the community of the Alpine School Campus for our Term 1, SEVEN & HALF week program.

During the next seven and half weeks we shall be writing to you several times. These letters will also be posted on our website for you to see and read about current and daily events. The content of the communications is to assist you with your side of the Alpine School Campus Experience. The letters will not necessarily deal with individuals and their achievements, but more about the living and learning process all students will be undertaking. We want to provide you with some early reminders and information for your arrival day and to perhaps help you on your return and continued journey. We hope to post images on the website from time-to-time as well.

Students are involved in a number of important processes this term; discovering their learning preferences, expeditions, selection of the teams for later terms, hosting a range of guests, developing a personal passport of their learning, presentation of their learning and ultimately a Community Learning Project presentation for important school and community leaders.