Four community groups and two schools have successfully applied for funding in the Heytesbury and District Landcare Network's (HDLN) and Craters to Coast Community Public Land Rehabilitation and the Craters to Coast school programs

The School for Student Leadership is using the funding in its curriculum.

"Our environmental sustainablity lessons provide students with a practical means to improve the sustainability of their actions, here and now, and the learning from this can be transferred back to their home communities"

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Media Releases

• CONSTRUCTION STARTS ON RURAL LEARNING CAMPUS AT GLENORMISTON
  Minister for Education
  Wednesday, April 23, 2008
• GLENORMISTON HOME TO NEW RURAL LEARNING CENTRE: KOSKY
  Minister for Education & Training
  Tuesday August 29, 2006

Newspaper Articles

Crafting next leaders
The Standard, September 22, 2008

Principal for learning centres
Terang Express, September 4, 2008

New $3m campus
The Standard, May 26, 2008

Glenormiston rural school
The Standard, May 26, 2008

Plans 'premature'
The Standard, May 26, 2008

$3.77 million Alpine school for Glen
Terang Express, May 1, 2008

Gnurad Gundidj is pleased to welcome its student cohort for the term 3 School for Student Leadership program.  

Arrival day saw a range of emotions and feelings being displayed from: "isn't it time to go home mum?" to ""what are we doing tonight?"  - what a positive way to start the term.  After students were acquainted with their surroundings, we embarked on developing meaningful peer and staff relationships through dialogue and a variety of fun and adventurous activities.  Our Campus Principal, Michael Castersen, had the honour of sharing the students' first evening and it was on this night that the student learning experiences began in earnest.  A significant and most relevant aspect of our program is allowing the student time to reflect.  Mr Castersen introduced the students to the concept of "Drop Everything and Reflect" (DEAR).  This is a significant quiet time of the late afternoon/early evening where students employ a newly learnt wide range of reflection tools to assist them in this most worthwhile daily activity.

As week three is in full swing, the students have already completed many learning sequences to do with peer skills, thinking and learning, visions and values, presentation skills and have embarked on their passports and Community Learning Projects (CLP's).  We have added colour to these classes by also completing a multitude of integrated and complementary learning experiences over their first two weeks; these activities have ranged from canoeing, bike touring, fishing, team building bridge and shelter constructions, walks up Mt Noorat and student generated activities.  Recently we have had the pleasure of welcoming Ted Mellor and David Tatnall, two experts in their respective fields of kite making and photography.  The input into our program from relevant experts in the field really does generate a feeling amongst the students that they should chase their dreams and strive to achieve them.

Gnurad-Gundidj Campus nearly ready to open.

The new $4.2m campus that is currently under construction has an anticipated completion of February 2009. This is exactly to the construction program schedule.

After an anticipated pilot program in term 1, term 2 will be a fully functioning program incorporating all the known and valued features of the Alpine School, in a new and fantastic location.

The building uses many contemporary design elements that address environmentally sustainable requirements. A solar chimney dominates the north courtyard. This element is used to great effect at the Snowy River Campus. It both heats and cools the building depending on the season. Students are able to interact with this element to manage the comfort of their home and workplace.

• View Slideshow of construction progress [Now updated February 2009]

The exterior is intended to resemble a western Victorian wool shed or shearing shed. Carefully designed slats on each bedroom window are included to allow or limit sun penetration depending on the season. Much computer modelling was undertaken to get their positions correct: the effect is also intended to look random and whimsical, even though they are extremely specific in their positioning!

The Campus Principal, Mr Michael Castersen, has been appointed. In term 4 2008, working with the Principal Mark Reeves and other leadership team members, the remaining teaching and support staff positions have been recruited.