Aberfoyle Park High School

Ms COOK (Fisher) (15:11): Aberfoyle Park High School is in my electorate in Fisher. The school does a great job providing a diverse curriculum that covers arts, with its music and dance program, and also has a big focus on STEM. Recently I invited the Minister for Education to visit. Firstly, we were treated to a short concert in the music room during their rehearsal time. The room was extremely tightly packed with about 50 or 60 students and their various instruments squeezed into the room, including a bassoon, which was most impressive. I think perhaps we will have to have a conversation about how to better accommodate the music program in years going forward at Aberfoyle Park High School.

The crew were rehearsing for their very successful and high-quality annual music showcase at Elder Hall. I was very lucky to be able to attend that fantastic event along with a big crowd of families, friends, old scholars and teachers. We were treated to a variety of group and solo performances of a very high quality. The students clearly had put in a lot of work, and the dedication of the teachers, including Ms Vicki Holland and Mr Steve Reece, is reflected in the results. During the minister's visit to the school we were also able to visit teachers and students taking part in the school's Bright Sparks program.

A focus on the education priority of STEM is nothing new for primary students in the southern area, and many schools have been working towards this aim collectively in some very innovative ways. The Bright Sparks Science Club is an after-school science program for 25 to 30 year 5 and year 6 students from 12 to 16 various southern area primary schools. The free program runs for six weeks in term 2, and it aims to capture and grow primary students' interest in STEM. It gives them a taste of working in a laboratory and exploring subjects such as chemistry, coding and the environment.

As the Bright Sparks information booklet advises, 'If words such as chemicals, molecules, atoms and electrons excite you, this is the program for you.' Some of the topics explored over the six weeks include distillation, filtration, acids and bases, electrical conductivity, chromatography and environmental sustainability. The program challenges students to put their higher order thinking skills into gear to solve complex scientific problems through inquiry, methodology and problem-based learning.

The final session is a show-and-tell where students can showcase to parents all they have been learning over the past six weeks. Remember, these are primary students—these are quite complex ideas. During our visit, the students were experimenting with coding to control the colours and intensity of a light. It was great to see them so absorbed in this activity and both the minister and I were very proud to see a team of girls being the first ones to get their code to work.

It is fantastic to see the high school promoting STEM not only to its own students but also creating an appetite for STEM learning among future students. We know that STEM skills will be a significant part of the jobs of the future, which is why we are investing in STEM facilities in schools around the state, and I know many members in here appreciate that investment. The high school is one of 139 public schools receiving a STEM Works grant, and I am really eager to see how the schools use this funding to build on the fantastic work that they are already doing.

Some of the Bright Sparks students will go on to join the IGNITE program at Aberfoyle Park High School, which is an accelerated learning program for gifted and talented young people. The Bright Sparks program actually captures the students' interest in STEM in a really practical way and takes it to the next level. It gives them the opportunity to be mentored into STEM and connect with others beyond their schools who share this interest. It also gives them a glimpse of what kind of STEM careers could lie ahead in the future. These kids also act as STEM ambassadors, sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm for the subjects back at their own schools.

Behind the Bright Sparks is an incredible team of dedicated staff who, on top of their own class loads, volunteer their time to give primary school students across the southern area a boost in their STEM learning. It is a really fantastic peer and teacher-led mentoring system. Thank you to the teachers. I want to recognise the Aberfoyle Park High School staff who deliver the fantastic program: teachers Kate Berry, Shannyn Siemens, Leigh Rayner, Jennifer Schinnick, Alyce Spicer, Delphine Cantin and Russell Johns. Thank you to each of them for their efforts. They are playing a vital role in setting up these kids for a rewarding and exciting future as STEM professionals.

This is not the first time I have talked about Aberfoyle Park High School in this chamber. At this point of the year, I would like to use the opportunity to congratulate retiring principal, Liz Mead, on a wonderful teaching career. Liz, you have made a huge difference to the outcome of so many students over the course of your career. It is with great sadness that Aberfoyle will say farewell to you at the end of this school year, but all in all, the school community is just so grateful to have had your guidance, care and expertise over the last seven years. On behalf of the government and the Aberfoyle Park High School community, I pass on congratulations and best wishes for a wonderful retirement.

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