The Heights School (Australia)
Encyclopedia
The Heights School is a combined Secondary and Primary school serving the Modbury Heights
area in Adelaide
, South Australia
. It is located in Adelaide's District 5 (North West) school district, in close proximity to Golden Grove High School
, Gleeson College
and Pedare Christian College
.
originally shared buildings with Pedare Primary School, a local primary school. The following year, Modbury Heights High School and Pedare Primary School were integrated into a combined campus, creating the first R-12 combined school in South Australia. Later that year, a Child-Parent centre was established on the campus, changing the school's status to a CPC-12 school. An entire new pre-school building was completed in 2008. The main school campus has undergone a major reconstruction of the Administration building and Resource Centre, which was finished in time for the 2010 school year. From the beginning of 2011, the "M" block was closed off in preparation for a renovation, this building is usually host to ~30 classrooms, including 2 science labs. The closure of the building has caused many problems for space in the school. When this redevelopment is complete, it will be host to an elevator, which will allow the school to take in disabled children.
(starting 1998) and Aberfoyle Park High School
(1999) are also Ignite schools.
. The program is run by state under 14s coach and Northern Jets A Grade player Andrew Costello, and is offered a special subject for years 8-11.
With annual involvement from 2004 in all 3 races per year, with 4 HPVs as of 2011. The four bikes are 'Phoenix' (Now retired and soon to be replaced), which is ridden by students from the Junior School. 'Quasar' is the Middle School bike, and 'Odyssey' (purchased in 2010) is the The Senior School bike. There is also an Old Scholars team and bike, which races under the name of 'Harsky and Sutch'. The school has also hosted students from Hwa Chong Institution
who raced with the Heights team in Round 1 of 2008 . All bikes now support a green image and promotes environmentally friendly activities, hence its official name, 'The Heights School Green Technology Racing'.
. The program is currently run by Penny Phillips. Wakakirri involves students acting or dancing to music. Voice is not used at all. Although The Heights mainly focuses on the Story-Dance category, It does also enter in the Story-Film category and Story Writing. In 2010, 5 students from The Heights had their stories published in the Wakakirri Story Book. Its past performances include "Dark Deeds in Duckville", "Spring Around the World", "Tapping into Your Talent" and "Beat the Crave and Save". This year (2011), The Heights School performed "Don't Judge a Moth by Its Colour", which went on to win the South Australian finals.
in Singapore, as well as schools in Japan, Korea and Penang.
which consists of two observatory buildings.
The Emanuel Papaelia Observatory contains a 12-inch (32cm) Dall-Kirkham Cassegrain reflecting telescope built in 1963. The telescope was formerly housed at the Marryatville High School observatory and moved to The Heights School in 1989. It is operated manually, and is equipped with an electronic drive system to compensate for the earth's rotation. The telescope has recently been upgraded to allow real-time computerised tracking. The ground level of the observatory building includes an official seismic recording station operated by the Department of Primary Industries and Resources.
The Ingham Family Rooms is a roll-off roof building that doubles as a classroom for students studying astronomy. It contained a smaller computerised 10-inch Meade LX-200 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope which is now retired. The Ingham Family Rooms how houses a larger 14-inch Meade LX-200 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope.
The Observatory also holds a number of portable, non-tracking telescopes, most notably a 16-inch Meade Lightbridge.
The Astronomical Society of South Australia holds public viewing nights at the Heights Observatory once a month.
Students from the school are actively involved with the observatory, with the STAR (Students Thinking with Astronomical Reasoning) Group meeting weekly at the observatory to observe and learn about the night sky.
Modbury Heights, South Australia
Modbury Heights is a medium-sized suburb in the City of Tea Tree Gully, Adelaide, with a census area population of 5,601 people. The suburb is located in the foothills of the Mount Lofty Ranges around 16 kilometres north east of the Central business district. Much of the suburb is residential but...
area in Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
. It is located in Adelaide's District 5 (North West) school district, in close proximity to Golden Grove High School
Golden Grove High School
Golden Grove High school is a public secondary school located with Gleeson College and Pedare Christian College private schools in Golden Grove, South Australia. The three schools share a common campus. The school was built as part of the Delfin Golden Grove development as part of a planned...
, Gleeson College
Gleeson College
Gleeson College is a Catholic school secondary school in Golden Grove, South Australia in the northern eastern suburbs of Adelaide, the capital of South Australia...
and Pedare Christian College
Pedare Christian College
Pedare Christian College is a joint Independent, Junior, Middle and Senior School in South Australia. The Junior School comprises Reception to Year 5, the Middle School Years 6 to 9, and the Senior School Years 10 to 12....
.
History
The Heights School opened in 1977 as Modbury Heights High School. The high schoolHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
originally shared buildings with Pedare Primary School, a local primary school. The following year, Modbury Heights High School and Pedare Primary School were integrated into a combined campus, creating the first R-12 combined school in South Australia. Later that year, a Child-Parent centre was established on the campus, changing the school's status to a CPC-12 school. An entire new pre-school building was completed in 2008. The main school campus has undergone a major reconstruction of the Administration building and Resource Centre, which was finished in time for the 2010 school year. From the beginning of 2011, the "M" block was closed off in preparation for a renovation, this building is usually host to ~30 classrooms, including 2 science labs. The closure of the building has caused many problems for space in the school. When this redevelopment is complete, it will be host to an elevator, which will allow the school to take in disabled children.
Structure
The Heights School consists of three sub-schools, divided by year level. The sub-schools are:- Junior School - Preschool (CPC) - Year 5,
- Middle School - Year 6 - Year 9,
- Senior School - Year 10 - Year 12+ students.
Ignite Program
The Heights School is an Ignite school. The Ignite program allows allows gifted students to work at an extended level. There are three levels of Ignite, The Ignite Program, the Co-Ignite Program and the Pre-Ignite Program. The Ignite class studies years 8, 9 and 10 in two years. This is done by studying year 8 and 9 in one year and then year 10 in one year but at an extended level. Students then go on to study years 11 and 12 at a normal level. As Ignite students leave school a year earlier, they can, if they wish, complete year 13 to fill in that year. The Co-Ignite class studies years 8, 9 and 10 in the full three years but at an extended level. They then complete years 11 and 12 as normal. For technology lessons, the two classes come together to study with each other. The Heights School also offers a Pre-Ignite Program. This is not an official part of the Ignite Program. This was designed by The Heights to allow students that they thought would be able to complete the Ignite Program, to do years 6 and 7 at an extended level. Glenunga International High SchoolGlenunga International High School
Glenunga International High School is a publicly-funded school in Adelaide, South Australia. It is located approximately four km south-east of the Adelaide city centre in the suburb of Glenunga, between L'Estrange St and Conyngham St, adjoining the major thoroughfare Glen Osmond Road...
(starting 1998) and Aberfoyle Park High School
Aberfoyle Park High School
Aberfoyle Park High School is one of the largest public secondary schools in South Australia. Its facilities include the Community Library, Performing Arts Centre, Gymnasium, and the Information and Communication Technology facilities...
(1999) are also Ignite schools.
Cricket Program
The Heights School has developed a specialised cricketing program in association with the Tea Tree Gully District Cricket Club and the SACASouth Australian Cricket Association
The South Australian Cricket Association is the peak body for the sport of cricket in South Australia. The association runs Adelaide Oval and the Southern Redbacks based in Adelaide, South Australia. SACA is the controlling body for the South Australian Grade Cricket League...
. The program is run by state under 14s coach and Northern Jets A Grade player Andrew Costello, and is offered a special subject for years 8-11.
Australian HPV Super Series (Pedal Prix)
The school has a major involvement in the Australian International HPV Super SeriesPedal prix
The Australian HPV Super Series is an annual championship held in South Australia. The series exclusively features HPV's racing around enclosed circuits for 6 to 24 hours. It is the largest event of its kind in the world, attracting teams from around Australia and the World...
With annual involvement from 2004 in all 3 races per year, with 4 HPVs as of 2011. The four bikes are 'Phoenix' (Now retired and soon to be replaced), which is ridden by students from the Junior School. 'Quasar' is the Middle School bike, and 'Odyssey' (purchased in 2010) is the The Senior School bike. There is also an Old Scholars team and bike, which races under the name of 'Harsky and Sutch'. The school has also hosted students from Hwa Chong Institution
Hwa Chong Institution
Hwa Chong Institution is an independent school in Singapore for students aged 12 to 18 covering both secondary and pre-university levels. A Ministry of Education-designated FutureSchool, it operates under the Special Assistance Plan for bilingualism, and offers the Integrated Programme and also...
who raced with the Heights team in Round 1 of 2008 . All bikes now support a green image and promotes environmentally friendly activities, hence its official name, 'The Heights School Green Technology Racing'.
Wakakirri
The Heights School has long been involved in WakakirriWakakirri
Wakakirri is an Australian national story sharing festival for primary schools that has been running since 1992. Wakakirri is a word from the Aboriginal Wangaaypuwan people meaning "to dance".- Format :...
. The program is currently run by Penny Phillips. Wakakirri involves students acting or dancing to music. Voice is not used at all. Although The Heights mainly focuses on the Story-Dance category, It does also enter in the Story-Film category and Story Writing. In 2010, 5 students from The Heights had their stories published in the Wakakirri Story Book. Its past performances include "Dark Deeds in Duckville", "Spring Around the World", "Tapping into Your Talent" and "Beat the Crave and Save". This year (2011), The Heights School performed "Don't Judge a Moth by Its Colour", which went on to win the South Australian finals.
South Australian Public (Primary) Schools Music Society Festival of Music
The Heights School (years 6 and 7) participate in the South Australian Public (Primary) Schools Music Society Festival of Music. This extra-curricular activity run by Algis Laurinaitis involves a choir and some students are able to audition for instrumental roles and solo parts. The choir sings a set of songs decided on by the South Australian Public (Primary) Schools Music Society. Every year there is a 'theme' (e.g. fairy tales) that the main songs are about. There is also a song included about bullying and indigenous Australians.Other
The school participates in foreign exchanges with Hwa Chong InstitutionHwa Chong Institution
Hwa Chong Institution is an independent school in Singapore for students aged 12 to 18 covering both secondary and pre-university levels. A Ministry of Education-designated FutureSchool, it operates under the Special Assistance Plan for bilingualism, and offers the Integrated Programme and also...
in Singapore, as well as schools in Japan, Korea and Penang.
Observatory
The Heights School is the home of The Heights Astronomical ObservatoryObservatory
An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geology, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed...
which consists of two observatory buildings.
The Emanuel Papaelia Observatory contains a 12-inch (32cm) Dall-Kirkham Cassegrain reflecting telescope built in 1963. The telescope was formerly housed at the Marryatville High School observatory and moved to The Heights School in 1989. It is operated manually, and is equipped with an electronic drive system to compensate for the earth's rotation. The telescope has recently been upgraded to allow real-time computerised tracking. The ground level of the observatory building includes an official seismic recording station operated by the Department of Primary Industries and Resources.
The Ingham Family Rooms is a roll-off roof building that doubles as a classroom for students studying astronomy. It contained a smaller computerised 10-inch Meade LX-200 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope which is now retired. The Ingham Family Rooms how houses a larger 14-inch Meade LX-200 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope.
The Observatory also holds a number of portable, non-tracking telescopes, most notably a 16-inch Meade Lightbridge.
The Astronomical Society of South Australia holds public viewing nights at the Heights Observatory once a month.
Students from the school are actively involved with the observatory, with the STAR (Students Thinking with Astronomical Reasoning) Group meeting weekly at the observatory to observe and learn about the night sky.
Notable Students
- Wayne CareyWayne CareyWayne Carey is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the North Melbourne and Adelaide Football Clubs in the Australian Football League ....
, former AFLAustralian Football LeagueThe Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
player, completed years 10 and 11 at The Heights School.