Sacred Heart School Fitzroy and Montello Primary School - VIC and TAS State Award Winners
27 October 2010
Congratulations Sacred Heart School Fitzroy (VIC) and Montello Primary School (TAS) who were last night announced as winners of their respective NAB Schools First State Impact Award at a reception in Melbourne.
Each school will receive a total of $100,000 towards their school-community partnership and are now in contention for a further $400,000 if named as National Award Winner at a ceremony in Sydney on 26 November.
Sacred Heart School Fitzroy in Melbourne, VIC, has been recognised for the outstanding results it has achieved in partnership with Australian Catholic University, the local Vietnamese Mother’s Group, and The Smith Family on a 'Homework Support Club'.
The 'Homework Support Club' provides a safe, secure learning environment where children from refugee and disadvantaged backgrounds can be supported to complete homework tasks and to improve their literacy and numeracy skills.
The Vietnamese Mother’s Group is responsible for enrolments, community interpreters and the logistical aspects while Australian Catholic University provides organisational structure, resources and volunteer helpers in the form of pre-service teachers and The Smith Family coordinates the partnership, liaises with families and links students and families to other relevant educational opportunities.
The school provides profiles of students and sets the learning agenda for Years 3-6, while the students provide ongoing feedback that enables the program to be adapted to meet their learning needs. The program has grown dramatically, now operates from two sites each Wednesday after school, and is open to all children in the Fitzroy precinct.
NAB Schools First judges described this partnership as “an excellent program that captures the essence of community-shared expertise.”
Montello Primary School in Burnie, TAS, was recognised for its partnership with the Burnie Police and Community Youth Club (PCYC). Their 'Team Challenge - Skills for Life' program has improved the social skills and academic achievement of students, as well as their transition into secondary school and the wider community.
Students participate in obstacle courses and team challenges in the form of boot camps and physically demanding activities designed and coordinated by the school and the PCYC Manager. The aim of the program is to develop resilience, team work, confidence, success and communication skills that would be transferred back into the classroom.
Established in 2002 initially for a group of boys at the school, the program has now expanded to include all students at the school (K-6).
NAB Schools First judges assessed this community partnership as being Tasmania’s leading example of the student benefits that can be achieved when schools and communities work together.
“It gives NAB Schools First great pride to declare this genuine partnership a State Impact winner," said Jodi Cryan, Head of NAB Schools First.
"There is genuine evidence that the partnership and program has helped to grow more positive students for now and better citizens for the future and we hope that these funds will allow the partnership to continue to thrive and benefit more young people."
“The calibre of NAB Schools First Local Impact Award Winners has been remarkable. This year, we received 880 incredibly strong applications from around the country, so Sacred Heart School Fitzroy and Montello Primary School have every reason to feel exceptionally proud of their achievements."
Read more about these outstanding school-community partnerships
