New Principal For Toorak College
On the occasion of her 65th birthday, after seven
years as Principal of Toorak College, Mrs Margaret
Webb retired this year. Her Order of Australia
Award for Services to Education , the promotion
and development of outdoor learning initiatives
and Girls Sport Victoria was a fitting send-off to
a highly respected woman and educator. Mr Noel
Thomas became the School’s fourteenth Principal
(since 1874) in July and comes to the position
with over 30 years experience in the education
sector, including Deputy Principal Planning and
Administration of the School from 1999.
Mr Thomas carries many qualifications including
Bachelor of Jurisprudence (Monash), Diploma
of Education (Monash) as well as Postgraduate
Studies in Educational Administration (UNE). He
lives in Mt Eliza and is a committed member of the
local community. He has experience, drive and a
passion for education, and firmly believes in the
School’s Guiding Values: Excellence, Learning,
Courage, Integrity and Leadership through Service.
Mr Thomas says: “So often as educators we are
reflecting on what the future holds. What will
the three year old boy or girl starting in our Early
Learning Centre need to navigate successfully
through the fifteen years of pre-school and school
education prior to graduating in 2022. What will
they need to know or be able to do? I know
enough about both the rate and unpredictability of
change to be confident in asserting that we can’t
hope to predict the wider world they will face with
confidence. In fact, I would be highly sceptical
of anyone who claimed to have the answers.
However, I am very confident that if our graduates
have “vibrant and engaging personalities …..show
interest in what is happening…..actively engage
with people” and “demonstrate a highly inquiring
mind” they will be successful in life.
Toorak College wants these things for our students
and believes that through our programs, such
as the inquiry based International Baccalaureate
Organisation’s Primary Years Program for boys
and girls in the Junior School, and our Inquiry
Weeks in Years 7 and 8 we are addressing those
needs. Our single-sex secondary environment
frees the girls during their adolescence to explore
ideas and respond naturally without deference
to gender based distractions and the different
rates of intellectual maturation between girls and
boys during that
time. We grow
self-esteem in our
students and it is
this that gives them
both the confidence
and savvy to
succeed.
"Rest assured,
Toorak College
will keep
monitoring the
development of
every important
branch of its
operations but
we will never take
our eyes off the
beauty of the tree!”
New School For The
Mornington Peninsula
Balcombe Grammar, a low-fee, independent,
co-educational school, is the vision of forwardthinking
members of the community. This will
finally be realised when classes commence at
389 Nepean Highway Mt Martha in January
2008. Initially classes will cover Year levels
from Prep to Year 8 progressing to Year 12.
The Principal, Mrs Evelyn Sayers says, “The
school is committed to providing educational
opportunities which will meet the needs of
all students who become part of the life of
this exciting new venture”. The foundation
classes have been accommodated at Casey
Grammar School this year. Mrs Sayers, the
Chair of the Board, Rev’d John Leaver and
Head of School, Mr Matt Dodd are delighted
to announce the commencement of Balcombe
Grammar’s building project and look forward
with anticipation and excitement to observing
site progress at Mt Martha.
For further details phone 5996 1372 or
see www.balcombegrammar.vic.edu.au
World Class
Our Primary Years Program (International Baccalaureate Organisation) unites and excites
young minds to learn, create and explore our wonderful world and all that it has to offer.
Our students are: Inquirers - Thinkers - Communicators - Risk-takers - Knowledgeable -
Principled - Caring - Open-minded - Balanced - Reflective.
For more information about the Primary Years Program at Toorak College contact our
Registrar, Ms Donna Galloway on 9788 7234 or donnag@toorakc.vic.edu.au
WARDLE HOUSE
Old Mornington Road, Mount Eliza. www.toorakc.vic.edu.au
An independent day and boarding school for girls Years 7 to 12 and co-educational Preschool to Year 6.
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