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ROUND SQUARE

 

 

 

Senior Conference 2011

                                                                   

WESTMINSTER CONFERENCE

During the conference you will be able to check the blog each day for updates, photos and more. 
wsconference.blogspot.com

ROUND SQUARE

Westminster School is the first South Australian school to become a full member of Round Square, which is a worldwide association of 75 schools that share a commitment, beyond academic excellence, to personal development and responsibility through service, challenge, adventure and international understanding.

Round Square schools are based on the approach to education of Kurt Hahn and focus on the six ‘pillars’ of International understanding, Democracy, Environment, Adventure, Leadership and Service.

  • International understanding involves appreciating, valuing and respecting all cultures, religions and languages. Students learn to see themselves as global citizens, and are asked to look beyond gender, class, race, nationality and culture to understand human nature. To facilitate this, international conferences, student exchanges in Years 8 and 10, Westminster School’s own overseas service project to India, Project India (open to the whole School community), and GAP years are arranged by Westminster School. Students can also take part in Round Square International Service Projects (RSIS), which annually go to Guatemala, Honduras, India (two projects), Kenya, South Africa and Thailand.

  • Democracy at Westminster School, involves various forums that students can be involved in, at School, House and Year levels. There is participatory democracy through the election of the School leaders and House captains and this has been extended into most areas of the co-curricular program as well. Round Square at Westminster School is in the hands of a student board of directors with two directors responsible for each of the six pillars and four other areas. Two of the directors are from the Preparatory School and have responsibility for one of these additional areas.

  • Environment is demonstrated by an active interest and concern for all natural environments, to be aware of problems and to play a practical role in tackling environmental issues. Westminster School has been very active in recycling paper, cans and bottles. There have been extensive tree planting programs, involving our students at Glenroy and Gemtree Vineyard, along with assistance at the Monarto Zoo. The School has been active in the Clean-up Australia program. The program for Environment Week is an initiative of Round Square.

  • Adventure at Westminster School sees most students participate in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, which fosters a spirit of adventure and the realisation that students can be so much more than they might have imagined. The School has extensive Outdoor Education and camps programs, including the Year 10 Westventure experience to further promote this ideal.

  • Leadership is promoted in both the Preparatory and Senior Schools at Westminster School through School leadership positions, as well as in the Round Square Board of Directors and co-curricular activities. Westminster School has hosted a number of Regional Conferences; the Senior Conference in 2003, the Junior Conference in 2006 and the Senior Conference in 2009.

  • Service is to prepare students for life by the expectation of serving others. Each student is encouraged to perform a substantial number of service hours, either in School-sponsored, regional or international projects. Round Square International Service Projects (RSIS) have been in existence since the early ‘80s, occurring in developing countries, where both staff and students from Round Square schools work together in constructing buildings and water systems. Our students have been involved in such projects in India, Kenya, South Africa and Thailand. Service empowers students to become the leaders and guardians of tomorrow’s world. Westminster School runs its own service project, Project India, which biennially involves members of the School community in a variety of human service activities in Lucknow and Kolkata.

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