Gateway Community High achieved another major milestone as we celebrated the Official Opening.
We were joined on this momentous occasion by John Alexander, OAM MP, Councillor Bill Tyrrell from the City of Parramatta, distinguished guests and representatives from the education sector, parents, carers, staff and of course, our wonderful cohort of students!
One of our indigenous students, Jorja, and her nan, Betty, opened the event with an acknowledgement of country, beautifully delivered in language.
Theresa Collignon, CEO, reflected on the number of people, many present at the event, who helped make the dream of an inclusive and welcoming Special Assistance High school come to reality. ‘’It will be no surprise to many of you here that we genuinely believe that education is the pathway to empowerment. That’s why we decided about 3 years ago to set up an alternative high school advisory group….and started to investigate what this community might need. The answer became increasingly clear that there was a need for an alternative to mainstream schooling that targeted the middle school years when there’s a whole lot going on in the teenage years.”
She continued, “One of the risks teenagers face is disengaging from their learning. We are student centred. We are not one size fits all and our goal is to be a place where every individual feels that they can achieve, and belong, and grow”.
John Alexander, OAM MP, Member for Bennelong, reminded the students that education will be a continual part of their whole life throughout the many different careers they may undertake, whether that be a tennis player or a politician! Gaining education from a place that is tailored to their specific needs is of great benefit at this stage of their life.
There was a great buzz in the air as we enjoyed a lovely BBQ lunch cooked by the students. Some parents and carers remarked upon the change in their child’s attitude to schooling since attending Gateway Community High. One father said his daughter had engaged more in her learning in her first 5 weeks at Gateway than in the last 2 years of her previous school, where she struggled to attend. Most importantly, he was encouraged that his daughter was looking forward to going to school each day.
Check out the photos and videos from our event on Facebook.
If you think Gateway Community High would be a place where your teenager could benefit and thrive, please contact us today at 8845 8835.