Hillbrook Anglican School Prospectus

1 HILLBROOK ANGLICAN SCHOOL

HILLBROOK ANGLIC AN SCHOOL

welcome to


In the early 1980s, a small group of dedicated teachers dared to dream. They believed that the world had changed too substantially for schools to persist with ideas and conventions that were no longer relevant or practical. Instead, they dreamed of a school designed and structured to nurture the potential of students to succeed in a very different kind of world from the one in which their parents grew up...

...a school where learning is approached with enthusiasm and creativity, not regimentation and inflexibility...

...a school where students learn to embrace the demands and challenges of a real, ever-changing world,

not those of a world of the past...

...a school where intellectual, spiritual, personal and physical growth are all given priority so young people can develop a strong sense of balance in their lives...

In 1987, that vision became a reality. Hillbrook Anglican School opened its doors, offering an innovative and refreshing new approach to education that combined the most successful contemporary learning techniques with a balance of intellectual achievement, personal development, spiritual growth and physical challenge.

Today, Hillbrook is a thriving co-educational environment of 600 students. The school motto - In Balance We Grow - is reflected in every aspect of the school’s activities and operations.

"From little things big things grow."

Paul Kelly, Australian singer - songwriter

1

The School Leadership Team 2

Administration 3

Leadership 4

A Different Approach 5

Academic Achievement 7

Spiritual Growth 8

Personal Development 9

Physical Challenge 11

Co-curricular Activities 13

Developing Self-discipline 15

Questions Answered 16

"Schools have to dare to dream...

schools have to dare to take risks." Dr. M. Blackman, Harvard Graduate School of Education

C O N T E N T S


GEOFF NEWTON

Principal

Originally from Sydney, Geoff completed most of his education in Brisbane. After graduating from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Science and

Graduate Diploma in Education, he spent eleven years teaching at Moreton Bay College where he was Curriculum Co-ordinator and Head of Mathematics.

He left Brisbane in 1992 to take up the position of Deputy Principal at Hunter Valley Grammar and was appointed Acting Head of School before returning to Brisbane to join Hillbrook’s School Leadership Team in 1998.

In his spare time, Geoff enjoys sport, renovating, outdoor education, and family life. He also loves to read, and regularly attends St Andrew's Anglican Church at Indooroopilly with his wife Jacky.

During his career, he has also continued his studies with a Graduate Diploma in Computer Education, another in Education Management and a Master of Education in Leadership and Management. Since his appointment as Deputy Principal, then Principal, of Hillbrook, Geoff has also undertaken a leadership course at Harvard University at the Graduate School of Education. As Deputy Principal at Hillbrook, he focused on teaching and learning, staff development and appraisal, as well as teaching Mathematics.

In 2008, Geoff was honoured to become Principal of Hillbrook, and continues to build on the strong philosophical, educational and leadership principles that underpin the school's motto of “In Balance We Grow”.

STEPHANIE MUNDAY-LAKE

Deputy Principal

Stephanie joined the Hillbrook staff in 2007. She has a broad range of teaching and education leadership experiences including Head of Department,

Deputy Principal and Dean of Staff and Strategic Projects. These roles have taken her to schools and offices across Queensland.

Stephanie first became involved with the Hillbrook community when she served as Assistant Director [Professional Support] of the Queensland Anglican Schools Office from 1997-2004. In this role, she developed, with Norm Hunter, the Leadership Development Framework for Queensland Anglican Schools.

She has a Master of Education Studies and was awarded a State Fellowship in 2005 and a National Fellowship in 2007 from the Australian Council for Educational Leaders, for service and leadership across Queensland. Stephanie was also honoured with a Ministerial Award for Leadership from Education Queensland in 1996.

Stephanie and her husband, Stephen Lake, are active members of their local Anglican Church, St Mark’s, Clayfield, where Stephanie especially enjoys a ministry through playing the piano. Overseas travel is a favourite pastime, particularly to the United States of America where Stephanie spent five years of her childhood.

She enjoys watching sport - Rugby Union and AFL in particular - and tries valiantly to attend the gym rather than just pay her subscription.

CRAIG MERRITT

Deputy Principal

Craig grew up on the south side of Brisbane and completed his schooling at Clairvaux College. He undertook an Arts Degree at the University of Queensland,

majoring in History, Anthropology and Economics. A desire to see firsthand many of the civilisations he had studied led Craig to spend many months travelling through Europe and Africa before returning home to complete a Graduate Diploma of Education. Craig has continued his studies, completing a Masters of Education in Leadership and Management at the University of Southern Queensland in 2008.

Craig has been involved with Hillbrook for many years. He was first appointed in 1990 to teach Ancient History, English and Global Studies. He has since served as Subject Co-ordinator for both Ancient History and Global Studies and as a member of the Hillbrook School Council. Craig furthered his leadership experience in 2007 when he was appointed as the inaugural Head of Senior School at Whitsunday Anglican School in Mackay. Craig is delighted to be back at Hillbrook as Deputy Principal where his focus will be on learning, innovation and curriculum. A particular area of interest for Craig is the influence of leadership on improving student learning and development.

Craig leads quite an active lifestyle. He is a keen bushwalker and recreational cyclist and claims cycle touring through Italy and France as a recent highlight. He is an active participant in the Outdoor Education programme at Hillbrook, always willing to help with any activity, particularly a Year 12 camping expedition. Craig and his wife, Tamara are blessed with one child, Chloe Grace, born in 2009.

DAVID BRIGGS

Business Manager

David’s involvement with Hillbrook began in 1987 when he joined the School Council as a Foundation Director, and with his experience in commerce

and financial matters, he has made a significant contribution to the school’s development and success. At the end of 2002, he was appointed as Business Manager at Hillbrook, and is responsible for the financial management and business processes that assist the various operations of the school.

David grew up in western Queensland and attended Church of England Grammar School ('Churchie') in Brisbane, where he was School Captain. After completing a Bachelor of Business Degree in Accountancy, he worked in the accountancy profession, and was a partner in a Brisbane accounting firm for twelve years, advising businesses on commercial and financial matters.

David’s role at Hillbrook certainly extends beyond the usual business and financial management tasks, and when the opportunities arise, he also enjoys attending school camps and Project Active events. He is a parent at the school, and looks forward to his time with the family when not at work.

David’s interests include music, playing the guitar, sport, surfing, reading, cooking and practising recipes on family members.

The School Leadership Team

A team of four highly qualified and experienced leaders work closely together with the staff to ensure the best outcomes for the whole school community.

Leadership is making

a positive difference in

the lives of others.


HILLBROOK ANGLICAN SCHOOL 3

If we want our children to grow - not merely cope - in a high-pressure, ever-changing world, knowing how to work effectively with other people will be a powerful advantage.

At Hillbrook, we don’t just talk about teamwork and collaboration: we do it.

The school itself is owned by Hillbrook Anglican School Limited - a company limited by guarantee under the Corporations Act - whose stakeholders are the teachers, parents and friends of the school.

The School Council consists of a balance of educators, parents and members of the school community, to ensure the views of all parties involved in the school are aired and considered. This representative model provides the necessary balance of professionalism and expertise to effectively manage a modern institution.

ADMINISTRATION

Hillbrook has a special foundation of representative democracy - a feature that distinguishes it from most other independent schools.

Hillbrook is actually run by the teachers, parents and friends

of the school.

You are welcome to contribute your ideas, or to nominate yourself or any other company member to

stand for the School Council.

"Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you

help them to become what they are capable of being." Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Student leadership at Hillbrook is not just the exclusive privilege of a select few, but a right and responsibility that all students share for making a positive difference in their own lives, and those of other people.

There are no prefects here. Students select two representatives from each home class to serve on the Student Representative Council. Later in the year, a nine-member Council Executive is demo-cratically elected by students and staff to represent the students’ voice in the decision-making processes of the school.

From Year 8, all Hillbrook students are given increasing levels of responsibility and they participate in a variety of decisions involving others as well as themselves. Each year they are also given new opportunities to experience many different kinds of challenges and discover leadership talents they may not know they had. Some of these opportunities are...

• caring for others through community service projects

• getting involved in social justice issues through Hillbrook’s Green Justice group

• organising recreational activities

• joining parents and teachers on various school committees

• taking the lead on school events, ceremonies and open days

• mentoring younger students

• tutoring other students

In their final year at Hillbrook, all students have the experience and expertise to negotiate an individual area of responsibility and leadership, depending on their skills and interests.

LEADERSHIP"At Hillbrook we were struck with how well the students and teachers communicated. It’s one thing to speak of mutual respect but quite another to see it demonstrated so wholeheartedly.”

A Parent

Many decisions are shared by the Student Representative Council.

"Empowering students is not about giving power to students. It is about giving

them skills to make decisions about things that are important in their lives."A Student, International Principals’ Conference.


At Hillbrook, we are preparing students to live happy, fulfilling lives and, we hope, make a positive difference in the world. We aim to provide a realistic and stimulating environment where young men and women learn to challenge and question, to respect one another’s contributions, to enjoy one another’s company and to work effectively together at an early age, so they carry a more balanced attitude into their adult lives.

An environment that encourages...

• Academic achievement by being part of a thinking-centred school that encourages problem-solving and creative thinking.

• Self-confidence by experiencing the challenges and rewards of our Outdoor Education Course, complementing the daily experiences at school.

• Trust and respect by learning to work naturally and effectively with members of the opposite sex while growing through adolescence.

• Making balanced choices and decisions by taking part in our Personal and Spiritual Development Course.

• Spirituality by exploring Christianity and other world religions, together with a personal focus on seeking to understand the deep purpose of our lives.

• Responsibility by experiencing it.

• Teamwork by working together to achieve great things, like climbing a mountain or solving a tough problem.

• Caring for other people at school and by volunteering time and effort to benefit others in the community, through our Community Action Program.

• Sustainability by focusing on our immediate environment through people, organisations and issues from around the world.

• Flexibility by learning to deal with change.

• An understanding of life and work by getting involved in the wider community through work experience and service activities.

• Health and fitness as a necessary part of a balanced, healthy lifestyle.

A DIFFERENT APPROACH

"Schools should be creating men and women who are

capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what

other generations have done."Jean Piaget, Child Psychologist


"Schools are places of potential, not product."

Norm Hunter, former Hillbrook Principal



We define curriculum as 'all the intended experiences offered to students'. We practise a variety of methods, developed to help students learn more effectively and enjoy learning at the same time. Learning here is not just a matter of taking notes or reading text books, but also about discussing, listening, experiencing, investigating, questioning, challenging and making judgements.

Sometimes it’s noisy. Often it’s high-spirited. But most of all it’s an involving, interesting and highly effective way to learn.

Teaching in this environment takes real dedication and expertise. At Hillbrook, we continue to attract highly-qualified and motivated teachers, with the skills to teach effectively and to inspire our students to see learning as a life-long process.

Hillbrook students enjoy studying a variety of Queensland curriculum subjects*, along with other subjects developed by the school.

The important difference is that the learning experiences here are designed to be relevant, not just to today’s world, but also in preparation for the world of the future. At the same time, our students develop vital skills, like self-confidence and effective communication, and experience the power of teamwork.

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

"Let us at least make sure that all our children discover that they are

intelligent in their own particular way - in or out of school - before they get

trapped in jobs or lives where they cannot shine."Charles Handy, Professor of Management Development, The London Business School

*There is a comprehensive list of the subjects offered at Hillbrook in the pocket at the back of this book.

That is one of the essential benefits offered by a "thinking-centred" school like Hillbrook - students here are encouraged to think creatively and logically, constantly involving themselves across the curriculum in activities like problem-solving and creative thinking. Linking their life experiences with their academic work gives real meaning and understanding to the things the students learn.

This approach has helped our students to achieve strongly and to continue to learn confidently and effectively when they move on to further education and the workplace.

Adolescence is a turbulent time – a time when young people look for answers to all kinds of ethical, moral and spiritual questions. More than anything, they need places and opportunities to reflect on the many assertions and pressures and choices and decisions they face if they are to develop spiritually, and create balance in their lives.

Hillbrook is a Christian school with a difference. To us, religion is not about long sermons and unquestioned dogma, but rather an on-going journey or pilgrimage of spiritual growth. It’s about caring for ourselves and others, and those values are an integral part of everyday life at Hillbrook. It can be seen in the caring attitude of teachers, parents and students and our involvement with the community, as well as in our more formal Religious Studies classes.

In the Anglican tradition of questioning and thinking about the big decisions in life, we encourage our students to challenge and analyse, to share their successes and difficulties, and to find answers and fulfilment both inside and outside the classroom.

Hillbrook’s Religious Studies course is based on Christian teachings and fosters an awareness of personal spirituality, as well as looking at other religions. That awareness is nurtured further during regular worship sessions which are run by students, with guidance from our Chaplain, and in the celebration of Christian festivals.

At Hillbrook we welcome all denominations, and provide guidance and support to help each one of our students develop spiritually so they can learn to make balanced decisions in all the crucial areas of their lives, and gain a deeper understanding of themselves.

SPIRITUAL GROWTH

"Two years ago, my daughter was ‘on the edge’, and I really thought I was going to lose her. Today she’s a bubbly, natural young woman. I am so grateful – words won’t do it."

A Parent

"Where are the places in a

school where you can reflect?"John Edwards, Associate Professor of Education, James Cook University.


"At Hillbrook I realised that I didn’t need to change who I was to be respected and appreciated. I found myself a place."

Year 12 Student


It’s great to be a "straight A" student, or a champion athlete, or a talented musician. While Hillbrook has all of these, it’s equally important to remember that many of the world’s great achievers didn’t always fit traditional measures of success.

What matters is that we can all achieve our personal dreams and be well-balanced, happy and confident individuals. The choices, environments and experiences we encounter as teenagers play a crucial role in how we develop our identities as adults.

Hillbrook has created its own Personal and Spiritual Development course, designed to help our students develop the balance, confidence and resilience they need, to grow through adolescence and live fulfilling and useful lives.

The course deals openly and responsibly with the many issues and choices - big and small - that students face today, such as...

• adolescence as a time of change• the nature of friendships • relationships• self-concept & self-esteem• drug education

• thinking skills & study techniques• developing a philosophy of life • meditation & relaxation techniques• career choices

Each year group focuses on issues relevant to their lives. They are encouraged, as always, to question, debate, discuss and investigate these issues - to really ‘get their teeth’ into problems and questions so they develop a real awareness of the responsibilities they have for their own lives and those of others. At the same time, we guide and help them to gain a better awareness of their own individual abilities and needs.

Personal growth at Hillbrook is not just about developing self-awareness, but also about developing an awareness and consideration of the needs of others. Our students are involved in a range of community service activities like...

• visiting elderly people • youth work in local parishes

• collecting for charities • helping others

Hillbrook’s Community Action Program is part of the curriculum for Year 11 and all students undertake community-involvement projects before or after school, or during school holidays.

Young people leave Hillbrook with more than academic qualifications. They have been given a unique opportunity to develop personally and spiritually, as well as intellectually. Many have an important advantage when they go out into the world and the workplace because they have developed a real understanding and acceptance of themselves and other people.

““ ”"How does one become a butterfly?" she

asked pensively. "You must want to fly

so much, that you are willing to give up

being a caterpillar."Trina Paulus, Hope For The Flowers.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT


"I have climbed its mountains, roamed its forests, sailed its waters... felt the sting of its

frosts, the oppression of its heats, the drench of its rains, and always have beauty and joy

waited upon my goings and comings."John Burroughs, The Earth Speaks.



Hillbrook is one of the pioneers of Outdoor Education in Queensland schools. Our program is unique in many ways, and empowers our students to move beyond their day-to-day horizons and discover much more about themselves and their natural environment.

Outdoor Education is an integral part of Hillbrook’s curriculum, and all students are involved in a graded program over their five years here.

The program is run by qualified, specialist Outdoor Education staff who have carefully designed the experiences to be progressively challenging and to provide opportunities for students to develop self-confidence, trust, leadership and teamwork skills in a supportive environment.

Each year, students participate in activity days and in a special four-day wilderness camp. Unlike other schools, Hillbrook is not limited to one Outdoor Education Centre. Instead, our students experience a wide range of natural environments, each with its own unique challenges and rewards. Our camps are held in a number of National Parks and State Forest areas in South-east Queensland. In Year 12, students organise their own self-directed camp experience and may choose an environment beyond Queensland.

At Hillbrook, we have found boys and girls develop attitudes and strategies that enrich their future lives, by encountering different environments and by experiencing the rewards of meeting a variety of challenges.

For many, self-confidence blossoms as they confront and overcome fears, and learn, first-hand, the true value of teamwork in achieving their goals.

The opportunity Hillbrook students have to form healthy relationships and attitudes toward the environments we visit and live in is a further strength of the Outdoor Education program.

We can gain much from visiting wilderness places, and an important part of the Outdoor Education program is valuing and looking after the world we live in.

PHYSICAL CHALLENGE

Healthy minds need healthy bodies, and Hillbrook’s Physical Recreation course has been designed to encourage every student to keep physically fit and to make positive life-long choices about his or her personal health.

So we offer a balance of individual, team, competitive and recreational activities that helps all students develop skills, fitness, positive attitudes and values, for involvement in a wide range of healthy physical activities...

• gymnastics • netball• basketball• soccer• athletics• hockey• aquatics• softball

• touch football

• surfing

• volleyball

• dance

• tennis

• fitness activities

• orienteering

Our students also participate in competitive sports days, as well as regional and state carnivals, and are involved in swimming, athletics and cross-country competitions.

In fact, a number of Hillbrook students have represented Queensland and Australia in a variety of individual and team sports.

At Hillbrook, we also believe that sport offers an ideal opportunity for students to keep in touch and interact with the wider community. We encourage them to get involved with their local sporting clubs, so they can enjoy as wide a range of sporting activities as they wish, and broaden their social networks at the same time.

"I can accept failure, everyone fails at something.

But I can't accept not trying."Michael Jordan,Basketball Legend


PHYSICAL CHALLENGE

The Performing Arts not only enrich personal and spiritual growth, but can enhance intellectual development and physical co-ordination as well. That’s why Performing Arts at Hillbrook is designed to be an uplifting and beneficial experience for everyone, and play a vital role in many of our school activities.

Music at Hillbrook has maintained a consistently high standard. Our program uses progressive methods to extend and challenge musically-gifted students and to open new opportunities for others to discover, develop and express the musical talents that most of us don’t realise we have.

Students are encouraged to become involved in a range of musical activities...

• instrumental and voice lessons• school bands, orchestras and ensembles

• performances and concerts • eistedffods

Hillbrook also offers a rich program in Drama, with regular opportunities for students of all year levels to experience public performance. The presentation of plays, full-scale musicals and improvised drama all serve as deep learning experiences and enhance the spirit of community at Hillbrook.

CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

"If you can talk, you can sing.

If you can walk, you can dance."African saying

Opportunities for involvement in drama include...

• school musicals • theatre sports • staff and student plays • Senior and Junior Drama Festivals

The Performing Arts at Hillbrook are energetic, enriching experiences for everyone. Teachers and staff, parents and members of the wider community are keen and welcome participants in many of our activities.



Learning to make the most of leisure time helps us enjoy our ‘time off’ to the fullest. Hillbrook’s co-curricular program encourages students to try new things, discover new talents and involve themselves in hobbies or recreations they enjoy.

Project Active provides plenty of opportunities for students to pursue new and different interests and hobbies, and to mix with students from all year levels. A wide and varied range of recreational activities is offered outside school hours, such as...

• debating • fencing • basketball • gymnastics• rock climbing • first-aid courses• swimming • cross-country • creek revegetation • athletics • surfing

• circuit training • volleyball• rowing • creative thinking• orienteering • aerobics• touch football • futsal• dance• Duke of Edinburgh Award Program

All these co-curricular activities provide our students with new skills and a wealth of learning experiences and leadership opportunities.


"The choice and nature of our leisure time is more - perhaps than

anything in our lives - an expression of ourselves."Alec Waugh,British Writer

CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

A school, like any community, needs rules. But it doesn’t need rules that aim to punish or destroy a student’s dignity - or rules that don’t make sense. At Hillbrook, we have a more realistic approach to discipline that is based on trust and respect.

Our "Rules of the Road" are the basic guidelines we set out to ensure the safety and protection of all our students.*

More importantly, we have found that young people have a strong understanding of right and wrong, and the best way to assist them to behave appropriately is by helping them develop self-discipline and respect for others. So a series of Rights and Responsibilities, rather than a list of "Do Nots", sets the school’s expectations of conduct, for both students and adults.

Likewise, we don’t talk much about punishment, but we do talk about consequences - not arbitrary and meaningless consequences, but realistic ones where students have the opportunity to learn from their mistakes, and the chance to make things right.

All students here have rights, and those rights are balanced with important responsibilities.

* You will find these in the pocket in the back of this book.

1. THE RIGHT AND RESPONSIBILITY TO LEARN. No one should hinder another from learning, nor waste time in class, distract or disturb.

2. THE RIGHT AND RESPONSIBILITY TO ASK QUESTIONS. We should encourage inquiry as a way of learning.

3. THE RIGHT AND RESPONSIBILITY TO VOICE AN OPINION, AND TO LISTEN TO OTHERS. No one should interrupt others while they are speaking, or ridicule them for what they say. We should listen to each other.

4. THE RIGHT TO BE HAPPY AT SCHOOL AND THE RESPONSIBILITY TO HELP OTHERS TO BE HAPPY. We should treat each other with kindness, good manners and consideration.

5. THE RIGHT TO BE TREATED FAIRLY BY FELLOW STUDENTS AND TEACHERS, AND THE RESPONSIBILITY TO TREAT THEM IN THE SAME WAY. We should treat each other with respect, regardless of gender, age, culture, sexuality or faith.

6. THE RIGHT TO BE SAFE AND THE RESPONSIBILITY TO HELP OTHERS FEEL SECURE. No one should physically threaten another, hit, bully, hurt or abuse.

7. THE RIGHT TO BE ACCEPTED AND THE RESPONSIBILITY TO ACCEPT OTHERS. No one should criticise or laugh at others for the way they look, walk, talk or act.

8. THE RIGHT TO FORM OUR OWN FRIENDSHIPS AND THE RESPONSIBILITY TO PROMOTE FRIENDSHIP WITH OTHERS.

9. THE RIGHT TO OUR NAME AND THE RESPONSIBILITY TO ADDRESS OTHERS IN A WAY THAT DOES NOT OFFEND.

10. THE RIGHT TO OUR INDIVIDUAL FAITH AND WORSHIP, AND THE RESPONSIBILITY TO ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER IN SEEKING TO DISCOVER THE SPIRITUAL ASPECTS IN OUR LIVES.

11. THE RIGHT TO A SAFE ENVIRONMENT, AND THE RESPONSIBILITY TO ACCEPT THE ADVICE OF TEACHERS IN MATTERS OF SAFETY.

12. THE RIGHT TO HAVE AND CARE FOR OUR OWN PROPERTY, AND THE RESPONSIBILITY TO CARE FOR THE PROPERTY OF OTHERS. No-one should damage property, or write on, touch or take another’s property without permission.

13. THE RIGHT TO AN ATTRACTIVE, CLEAN ENVIRONMENT. We have a responsibility to keep our school clean and healthy by not littering or vandalising, and by looking for ways to improve the things and places we share.

HILLBROOK DECLARATION OF RIGHTS & RESPONSIBILITIESHillbrook sees itself as a community of leaders and learners who take responsibility for caring for one another. All members of this community have:

DEVELOPING SELF-DISCIPLINE

"Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself is true power."LaoTzu, Chinese Philosopher



QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Q. Is a co-educational school better than a single sex school?

A. There are many different views on this question, but even many single-sex schools these days are acknowledging the benefits of fostering more natural relationships between boys and girls by trialling co-educational activities.

Our aim in co-education is to help create a more positive and productive environment that reflects the realities of the wider world. To us, the day-to-day relationships that develop between boys and girls as they live and work together at school and in the outdoors are invaluable as they grow through the difficult years of adolescence and into adulthood.

Naturally, we are aware of the particular gender issues that always occur in schools and we constantly monitor them so they enrich, rather than impede, our students’ progress.

Q. How are Hillbrook's school fees determined?

A. The founding parents and teachers of Hillbrook set out to create a school that was accessible to all. To this end, our fee structure was specifically designed to generate an equitable balance between government funding and school fees so we could keep the costs to families to a moderate level. Over the years we have worked hard to maintain this, focusing our expenditure on providing quality of learning experiences, rather than quantity of under-utilised assets.

This structure and commitment, combined with careful financial management and a very generously supported building fund, have enabled us to provide the first-class facilities our students require, without expensive, high-maintenance 'extras' that force some schools to charge such high fees. Where possible, we prefer to take advantage of the many high-quality community facilities that are readily available at little or no cost - for example, we believe our students gain greater benefit through experiencing a variety of natural environments in our Outdoor Education course than from a permanent setting.

The overall result is that Hillbrook is able to offer excellent learning experiences and opportunities, without needing to charge high fees.

Q. Why doesn’t Hillbrook offer scholarships or preferential enrolments?

A. Hillbrook’s special culture is founded on a strong belief in fairness, and our moderate-fee structure and enrolment policy support this. We believe every child should have an equal opportunity for a place at our school, so enrolments here are accepted in the order they are received, keeping a balance between boys and girls. The school fees for all students are the same as well, and no family is expected to carry the cost of free or subsidised places for others.

Interestingly, Hillbrook students have consistently performed well ahead of the state mean in Year 12, regularly outperforming many schools that offer academic scholarships.

Q. When should I enrol my child at Hillbrook?

A. There is always a high demand for places at Hillbrook, and many students are enrolled here before their first birthdays. We advise parents to enrol their children as early as possible if they hope to ensure a place for their child in Year 8.

From time to time places become available in other year levels, and we are happy to accept applications for places on our waiting list for Years 9 to 12.

Q. Why isn’t Hillbrook involved in more regular competitive sporting competitions such as rugby or netball?

A. Hillbrook does offer competitive sports for students, but in balance with other activities. Our Physical Recreation program is specially designed to encourage all students to keep fit and healthy, and as part of that, many of them compete in swimming, cross-country and athletics carnivals. Also, we encourage our students to take advantage of the many opportunities that community clubs offer for organised sport, and we don’t want to duplicate that.

We see collaborative outdoor activities as particularly valuable in young people’s development, so we put our major recreational thrust into our Outdoor Education program. Much sport goes on in our co-curricular Project Active, as well as in the day-to-day life of the school, and many of our students have achieved at state and national levels.

Q. How are parents involved in the school?

A. Parents are always very welcome at Hillbrook and many are involved in the school in a number of ways. All parents are invited to participate in the activities of the school company, Hillbrook Anglican School Limited, and many play an active role in helping shape the future of the school. Parents are also welcome to stand for office or help elect the four parent representatives on the school’s governing body, the School Council. The Parents and Friends’ Association and its many committees work closely with the school too, and this is another opportunity for parents to be active and involved in the school community. The Parent Outdoor Program and Parent Information Nights are other ways for parents to be involved with the school.

Q. What do I do if I want to speak to a teacher or staff member about my child’s progress?

A. We encourage parents to contact us with any queries they may have. Your child’s Home Teacher is the first person to contact. You can phone to discuss your concerns or, if you prefer, make an appointment to come in and talk. Other teachers - including the Principal and Deputy Principals, Student Management Team, Learning Support staff, Chaplain and School Counsellor - will be happy to see you if you wish to speak to them.

How to find usHillbrook is situated in Hurdcotte Street at Enoggera, just a 15 minute drive or train trip from the city. Our students travel from all over Brisbane to school each day.

Hillbrook is handy to public bus routes and is only a short walk from the Enoggera Rail/Bus Interchange. Private buses also run from a number of suburbs, directly to the school. In this pocket you’ll find more information about how to get here from where you live, as well as travelling times on public transport.

HILLBROOK ANGLICAN SCHOOL LIMITED ABN 15 010 668 774

45 Hurdcotte Street, Enoggera Qld 4051P.O. Box 469, Everton Park Qld 4053Telephone (07) 3354 3422 Facsimile (07) 3354 [email protected] www.hillbrook.qld.edu.au

Hurdcotte StSth Pine Rd

Pickering StPickering St

Raymont Rd

War

dell

St

Samford Rd Samford Rd

S

hand

St

Enoggera Rd

Sth

Pine

Rd

Kedron Brook

Gaythorne Stn

Enoggera StnBus Rail Interchange

Alderley Stn

5kms to the City

HILLBROOK ANGLICAN SCHOOL

ALDERLEY

ENOGGERA

In Balance We Grow

Documents

Hillbrook Anglican School Prospectus