Sending one child off to high school is hard enough for some parents, but imagine sending both your eldest and youngest off together!
This is the case for the Olive/Freer family. One daughter, Nevah, is starting in Year 8 at Thomas More College, Salisbury Downs and the youngest, Alora, is also starting as part of the school’s inaugural intake of Year 7 students.
“We are nervous but are aware that our children are extremely excited and very ready for the transition into high school,” said Michael Olive.
“The children themselves can’t wait to explore, not only the large grounds, but also the vast array of subjects available to them.”
Last year, Alora took part in the Year 7 Orientation day. There were current Year 8 students available to act as guides. They helped the future students to become familiar with the school grounds and routines. They also took part in a range of activities across the school and got to explore the newly renovated MacKillop space.
“The whole Thomas More College community is excited to be welcoming Year 7s to our school in 2019,” explains Principal, Andrew Balkwill.
“It is the College’s 40th anniversary and, in an amazing coincidence, we have 126 Year 7s starting at the school – that is the exact number of pioneer students the College opened with in 1979!”
“We also have a new cohort of Year 8s which means we have a 20% growth in total enrolments.”
“We have been preparing for their arrival in many ways including undertaking educational research, developing dedicated middle school structures and building middle-school learning spaces.
“Our new facilities are specifically designed to improve student learning & wellbeing by providing spaces that acknowledge our students’ age, size and the way they learn.
Work on a new Senior Centre will commence in 2019. The building will incorporate facilities that support the functions required for senior secondary students and adult learning. Key VET and SACE staff will be based in the centre to help students to explore and undertake vocational training and support them as they complete their studies.
There will also be a small café to facilitate a welcoming atmosphere, business subjects and support fundraising activities. Supervised indoor and outdoor breakout spaces will enable individual and small group university-style-learning.
The development is intentionally designed to facilitate dynamic, contemporary and future focused teaching and learning, which meets the needs of every student, is developmentally appropriate and promotes the curiosity of the learner.
“We want our students to have every opportunity to succeed,” says Andrew
“Everything we do at Thomas More College is about preparing our students for a positive future – whatever that may be.”
Did you know...?
Father and daughter, Michael and Alora Olive join the crowd at Orientation day.
Alora and Michael relax and reflect at the end of the Orientation day.
The Olive/Freer family together in front of the Mary MacKillop Year 7/8 building.
Alora on her first day with her mother, Renee Pritchard.
Close to 4,000 Year 7 students started in Catholic schools this week.
Catholic secondary schools have seen significant growth in enrolments with one school - Cardijn College at Noarlunga Downs - jumping by 26%.
