Head of Middle School
About one third of the campus at Methodist Ladies' College is set to be refurbished before the end of the Centenary year, 2007.
At the back of the College, the three-storey Middle School building will provide state-of-the-art classroom facilities for students from Years 7 to 9.
Principal Stephen Lee said the Middle School was an area of the College that was expected to grow in coming years. "This new building will help us cater for that growth area," he said.
Head of Middle School, Maria Camilleri, added that the building was designed as a flexible teaching and learning space.
"Our student leaders in Years 6, 7 and 8 met with architects to provide a student's perspective on what is needed to make their learning environment effective, safe and friendly," she said.
"Students came up with great ideas for inside and outside the building, including specific ideas for external play areas.
"The architects were impressed with the girls' ideas and confidence in articulating what they need as learners. Girls should be congratulated on the way they presented themselves and their ideas."
Mrs Camilleri said two factors which were extremely important when planning for a Middle School focus in education for adolescents were "Relationships" and "Community".
"The Curriculum Framework reminds us of these two factors as being great influences on students learning for those who fall into the early adolescence phase of development," she said.
"Students in this phase of development need a sense of community and belonging which in turn influences the relationships they develop with teachers, friends, family and the wider community.
"Research tells us that community links and community involvement in Middle School education have a huge, positive impact on student learning and enhances the education of the whole child."
Mrs Camilleri reiterated the MLC Middle School Vision: "We are committed to providing a formal education that is responsive and appropriate to the developmental needs of young adolescent girls - an education that fosters College traditions and values and enhances the MLC Community.
"As educators we have established principles that will guide the planning and development of our unique Middle School so we can continue to be at the cutting edge of education for the 21st Century.
"These include optimising pastoral care opportunities; enhancing our K-12 culture within each sub-school; optimising teaching and learning opportunities for our students based on their developmental needs and therefore catering for their individual differences; optimising the physical learning environment for our middle school girls so that flexibility in the delivery of educational outcomes can be optimised - A Learning Community of teachers and students."
Mrs Camilleri said it was important to recognise that adolescent learners were a special group of learners.
"Research explains that they have identifiable social, emotional, spiritual, intellectual and physical needs and these needs are very important to them at this stage of development and therefore a need for these to be enhanced through their education," she said.
Meanwhile, Mr Lee said parents, students and staff members were excited about the proposed redevelopments and improved facilities. He said the College community was pleased that the open, peaceful ambiance would be retained.
I look forward to sharing many successes with you all in 2007and beyond. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any queries in regards to your daughter's learning and development in the Middle School.