Our children were proud to host our ANZAC ceremony last Friday, with an inspiring presentation by former SAS serviceman Kevin Bailey, recital of poetry by the Grade 1s, the Last Post and national anthem, and finally two songs sung loudly and proudly by all of the students. With a wonderful number of parents and friends in attendance, our classroom was bursting at the seams!
Open Day - Tuesday 3 May 2016
We are looking forward to showcasing our school at our Open Day next Tuesday.
We have scheduled open days at Harkaway Hills College mid-week in order to present to prospective parents an ordinary day in operation.
We place special emphasis on literacy in the junior curriculum and the school is proud to employ the Spalding method, which is so effective in teaching children to read and write - we encourage all families to attend this demonstration in particular.
The Principal, Frank Monagle, will also make a short address, and will endeavour to meet each visitor personally.
Details:
Tuesday 3 May 2016
10am until 2pm
Tuesday 3 May 2016
10am until 2pm
10am - Spalding demonstrationMorning tea provided
10.30am - Principal's address
To be held on site in Belgrave.
Please register your attendance via email.
Why Enrol Your Child at HHC in the Primary Years
For some families, it is tempting to delay enrolling their child at Harkaway Hills College until the child is approaching secondary school. There are many different reasons families have for thinking this way, and so Dr Andrew Mullins, the former headmaster of two PARED schools in Sydney, has prepared the following article for families to consider when posing the question:
"What is the best age to enter Harkaway Hills College?"The earlier the better. Certainly we advise parents not to delay the enrolment of their child until secondary.There are some very good reasons why PARED Victoria spared no effort to start Harkaway Hills College with the earliest possible year levels, instead of biding its time and commencing with secondary.Put simply, the primary years are the most important. Psychologists are unanimous in affirming that the years 0-7 are the most formative years in a person’s life.A really valuable window of opportunity exists with young children for character and faith development. The reality is that younger children are the most receptive to parenting input. Parents at Harkaway Hills College understand very quickly that the school assists them greatly to be more effective in their own parenting. The mentors can greatly assist parents in this vital educational process.Education is not just a question of developing a child's mind; if that were so, one might think that teenagers, being more capable, are better able to benefit from an enriched educational experience. In fact education of the mind must be complemented by the development of good habits, and these are much more easily acquired in younger years. Aristotle himself wrote, "Good habits formed in childhood make all the difference". Teachers at Harkaway Hills are attuned to forming habits in the primary classroom: habits for example of sincerity, generosity, self control, respect for others, and perseverance at challenging tasks. Basically, it’s no good having access to great learning opportunities, if you don’t have also have discipline, industriousness, courtesy etc.
Further, important academic foundations are laid down in primary years. Primary children are sponges for learning. Late primary in particular is a very settled time in a child's life, before the hormones of adolescence intervene, and it is a great shame if children are not stretched according to their own capacity. Dr Gerard O'Shea of the John Paul II Institute in Melbourne is adamant that upper primary children respond marvellously to scholastic challenge. It becomes apparent very quickly in secondary if a child has not had the benefit of a sound structure in primary - both in the rudiments of literacy and numeracy, and also in building habits of industriousness. The curriculum at Harkaway Hills College has been painstakingly developed with these rudiments in mind and together with its human virtues program and unique mentoring system make for an ideal primary school.Early impressions are powerful – even indelible. It is so important to be focussed on the potential of primary children for character development. Again, Aristotle observed that "We always like best whatever comes first… and therefore youth should be kept strangers to all that is bad, and especially to things which suggest vice or hate. We like best what we first experience". School and home must be determined to take full advantage of this sensitive period of development. If a child is exposed to negative impressions either at home, or at school, or from peers, these impressions can be virtually indelible.A school such as Harkaway Hills provides somewhat of a homogeneous and consistent environment in primary. A family too is a sheltered environment. A sheltered environment in a period of impressionable growth is not only acceptable, it is a developmental necessity.Crucial faith development also takes place during late infancy and primary years. This is the time when sacramental programs are imparted to children, and for a family with a Catholic faith, there is no learning more important than to acquire a depth of understanding and of piety. The school cannot replace the home in passing on the faith, but it can reinforce your efforts dramatically.One further practical advantage of starting at Harkaway Hills College earlier rather than later is that children, generally, adjust more easily to a change of school the younger they are. Children grow with the same group of friends and in a familiar environment. If it can be avoided, it makes little sense to uproot children from their peer group in vulnerable early adolescence.
Information sessions
We remind you about our upcoming information sessions. These sessions are intended to be small and intimate. We welcome both those who are making their first enquiries and those who are already familiar with the school and would like to know more, or have specific questions they would like to ask.RSVP via email, or contacting any member of the School Board.
Tuesday 17 May at 7:30pm
To be held in Beaconsfield.
Tuesday 7th June at 7.30pm
To be held in Lysterfield South.
Tuesday 17 May at 7:30pm
To be held in Beaconsfield.
Tuesday 7th June at 7.30pm
To be held in Lysterfield South.
