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St Michael's Grammar School is a coeducational independent school in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and was founded in 1895 by the Community of the Sisters of the Church. The school is a member of the Associated Co-educational Schools (ACS), and is of Anglican denomination.
St Michael's Grammar is located on a single campus, its original location, and covers all schooling years from Kindergarten to Year 12.
The key values of St Michael's are that of diversity, innovation, individuality, obedience, inclusivity and uniqueness, instilled into the St Michael’s culture by the Community of the Sisters of the Church, to whom the new 'Community of the Sisters of the Church Learning Centre'is dedicated. St Michael's motto is "Pro Ecclesia Dei". St Michael's slogan is "Diversity Opens Minds".
History of St. Michael's
In 1870, Mother Emily Ayckbowm founded a new Anglican religious order in England, the Community of the Sisters of the Church. The Sisters were invited to Australia to work for the further education of girls, and so in 1892 a party of seven Sisters arrived in Hobart. St Michael's was one of six schools established by the Sisters in different parts of Australia.
Academics
St. Michael's offers a wide range of subjects including core mathematics, science, English, IT, LOTEs (Languages Other Than English), arts and humanities courses. At primary school, students all study basic subjects including maths, English, science, history, Japanese, music and sport. A major focus of the school is drama, noted by many as the 'flagship subject' of the school, as it gains the most public exposure, especially in the school's advertising.
St Michael's has also recently appeared on the news program "A Current Affair" with Ray Martin, concerning its 'new age' approach to homework (or, ‘Out of Class Work’).
A new direction
St Michael's is currently running several campaigns to modernize its image. These include:
- Wide-spread and regular advertising in a number of formats (free-to-air and cable television, newspaper and radio advertisements, billboards, cinema previews and media commentaries).
- Construction of the Sister's Building, adjacent to a paved pavilion into which the school's motto, 'Pro Ecclesia Dei', is inscribed.
- Changing of terminology to more user-friendly expressions (ie. 'Headmaster' to 'Head of the School', 'Sick Bay' to 'Health Centre', 'Campus' or 'School' to 'Educational Village', 'Homework' to 'Out of Class work' , and 'Holidays' to 'Student Non Attendance Period').
- Removal of corporal punishment.
- Introduction of a new school uniform, to be introduced over a two-year period. The uniform was launched with a professionally-choreographed catwalk display, gaining much media attention, especially due to its cost.
Media and marketing
St Michael's has a dedicated marketing team of one part-time and two full-time staff members. Their responsibility is public relations to the general community. St Michael's once was an unknown girls grammar school in St Kilda, but since 2000 the school has been promoting their co-educational and diverse nature.
St. Michael's has had a number of major marketing campaigns:
- In 1998, a number of year five students produced a cable television advertisment. While this advertisment was being screened, several students were caught smoking heroin in the school bathroom, and were later expelled. This greatly jeopoardised the success of this particular campaign.
- In 2002, a cinema advertisment using an older marketing slogan, "As Individual as your Child", was shown.
- In 2004, the ABC's George Negus Tonight screened a segment comparing public and private education. St Michael's as an independent school was compared to Footscray City College in relation to educational quality, facilities and pastoral care services.
- In 2005, the marketing department marked the School's 110th birthday celebrations by producing commemorative stationary and merchandise.
- In a 2005 listing of percentages of students awarded tertiary places, St Michael's ranked 69th in the state of Victoria, with 75% of students attending tertiary institutions.
The marketing department has been largely succesful in informing the general public of the school. Although it has created the phenomenon of the school being a broad target for public criticism due to increased awareness.
Principals of St. Michael's
Principals
- Sister Hannah, CSC (1895 - 1903)
- Sister Adele, CSC (1903 - 1912)
- Sister Mildred, CSC (1912 - 1925)
- Sister Persis, CSC (1925 - 1933)
- Sister Dora Beatrice, CSC (1934 - 1939)
- Sister Eudora, CSC (1939 - 1944)
- Sister Karina, CSC (1945 - 1949)
- Sister Shirley, CSC (1950 - 1952)
- Sister Gabrielle, CSC (1953 - 1954)
- Sister Patricia, CSC (1955 - 1963)
- Sister Scholastica, CSC (1963 - 1966)
- Sister Gabrielle, CSC (1966 - 1967)
- Sister Scholastica, CSC (1967 - 1968)
- Sister Elizabeth May, CSC (1968 - 1970)
- Sister Scholastica, CSC (1971 - 1972)
Headmistresses
- Miss May Vicars Foote (1937 - 1946)
- Mrs. Dorothy Benson (1963 - 1965)
- Mrs. Margaret Thomas (1965 - 1979)
Headmaster
- Mr. Anthony Hewison, AM (1980 - 1999)
Head of the School
- Mr. Simon Gipson (2000 - )
Famous alumni
- Radha Mitchell, actress
- Slava Gregorian, musician
References
- The Age (2004). Want to know a secret?.
- The Age (2005). School fear over Salvo crisis centre.
- The Herald Sun (2005). Fracas over top dressing.
See also
- List of schools in Victoria
- Victorian Certificate of Education
- Education in Australia
- Marketing of schools