Cooperative approach suggested

Woy Woy High School principal Caroline Carter has suggested a co-operative approach to restructuring the education system on the Peninsula.

She has proposed a model which includes broad community involvement in her submission on the future .of secondary education on the Central Coast.

It was "based on a collegiate structure to provide a co-ordinated, seamless education service on the Peninsula" from kindergarten to TAFE.

The following is an extract of her submission.

The history of public education on the Woy Woy-Umina Peninsula is long and distinguished.

All schools on the Peninsula have enjoyed strong community support ever since their establishment, some over 100 years ago.

Even though it happened almost 40 years ago, there are people in our community who can still remember the satisfaction of winning the struggle to have a full high school built on the Peninsula, so that their children did not have to travel to Gosford to complete their education.

These features can be harnessed to remodel education provision on the Peninsula in such a way that schools work co-operatively, rather then compete.

This means that a web of inter-related offerings can be more easily established to provide a range of students with the opportunity to complete their schooling and participate in tertiary education in their local community.

Proposed Model:

Mainstream schools of four K-Year 4; two Years 5-8; one Years 9-12/TAFE; and one K-Year 6 (Pretty Beach).

One of the current primary schools to become a Years 5-8 school; other primary schools to be K-Year 4; one of the current high schools to become Years 5-8, and one to be Year 9-12/TAFE.

Alternatively, two primary schools be made Years 5-8 and the two high schools become a Years 9-12 school.

Year nine would be a "rites of passage" year which would include residential time at the Broken Bay Sport and Recreation site.

Tafe facilities would be built on the site of one of the current high schools to enable ease of providing both SD and TD VET, as well as providing special TAFE courses to adults in the local community, making up for the loss of the TAFE site at Woy Woy South.

Special education provisions so that students with special needs can complete their schooling in their local community.

An alternative education provision through schools and local agencies working together, for example the PCYC in Osborne Avenue, the Peninsula Community Centre, the Women's Health Centre and Ettalong Time-Out.

Local service clubs could also be included in this project to provide mentors and contacts for work placement, etc.

Students who cannot function effectively in a mainstream school, (but who are not ED), would be mentored to complete their schooling in this alternate program, which would include special adolescent counsellors, and drug and alcohol counselling.

A community LAN (Local Area Computer Network) incorporating schools, agencies, and students' houses to provide educational programs K-TAFE and intercommunication. Including local businesses in the LAN would streamline work placements and work experience provision.

Secondary principals will be meeting on June 22 and 23 to make their final recommendations to the Minister.

Amanda Jackson, June 13.