Greater Springfield Learning Coalition
The official launch of the Greater Springfield Learning Coalition took place at Robelle Domain last Tuesday 19 February. The Learning Coalition involves the eleven State, Independent and Catholic schools in Greater Springfield with a collective enrolment of 11 000 students. Springfield has been established by design as a Learning City with education being an enduring pillar of the Springfield community. In the words of the Springfield City Group Chairman and founder of Springfield, Maha Sinnathamby, ‘Education is the currency of the future and the only currency that cannot be stolen’.
You may have seen our School Captains, Kaylee and Azraq, in the Queensland Times last week following the launch. Kaylee was invited to represent the student voice and given one minute to share her thoughts about what a learning coalition should be. Needless to say, our Captains were immaculate representatives for St Peters and Kaylee spoke superbly.
Kaylee’s thoughtful and succinct reflection is as follows:
As a student and young leader within the Springfield area, I believe that transparent and effective collaboration is an integral component of a learning coalition. I have already witnessed this as being a part of the culture at both St Peters and neighbouring education facilities within the Springfield education precinct.
I am excited at the prospect of our Principals uniting to promote shared goals of inter-school communication and growth opportunities to equip the next generation in becoming extraordinary global citizens. As we embark on creating an environment that fosters flexibility and responsiveness, we must ensure all members of our community feel empowered to take part in this learning coalition.
I am reminded of the words of a strong woman, an author and educator, Helen Keller who personally knew challenges and pressed on with great courage, “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much”.
It is encouraging as educators to work in a school that exits in a community that recognises and celebrates the critical value of education. It is also important for us as educators to be mindful of and contribute to the broader endeavour of education that transcends school boundaries and sectors.
We want our students to develop their awareness of the larger context in which they live and the responsibility that they have as young people in their local, national and global communities. St Peters works together with families in many ways, big and small, implicit and explicit, to broaden our young people’s horizons and perspectives to help develop their understanding of being involved in something larger than themselves.
This week many of our students have been involved in sports and Band Camp in the greater St Peters context with their Indooroopilly peers, others have been cooking or buying sausages to support those in need after the floods in northern Queensland raising nearly $1000 on Monday, others are embracing opportunities to travel to France or Hong Kong with our exchange programs to experience different cultures and others to NASA at the end of the year. As a Lutheran school we also hold an eternal perspective, a kingdom (Kingdom of God) perspective, which brings with it a much larger context to all aspects of life in this world and that which is beyond.
It is our shared responsibility, as teachers and parents, to lift the heads of our children and students, to see and understand the needs of others and the world they live in, to imagine the world they want to live in, to open their vision to new possibilities, inspiring and empowering them, filling them with optimism, belief and hope for the future within which they have a place and a purpose.
Craig Schmidt
Principal
