Governor Stirling Senior High School

Governor Stirling Senior High School
Location
Perth, W.A Australia
Information
Type	Public school, secondary, co-educational, day school, partially selective
Motto	Imagine Create Achieve
Established	1959
School district	North Metropolitan Education Region
Principal	Pasco Putrino
Enrolment	1,150 (2017)
Campus	Woodbridge
Colour(s)	Navy blue & yellow
Website	govo.wa.edu.au

Governor Stirling Senior High School (GSSHS) is a secondary education facility from years 7 to 12^[1] located in Woodbridge, Western Australia, providing both vocational and tertiary entrance education. It was also used as a primary filming location for the short film Ronan's Escape.

Opened in 1959, the school replaced the former Midland Junction High School (founded in 1901), at a new site in West Midland. GSSHS adopted the motto of the old school: “Honour Before Honours”.

History

The school was officially opened on 28 October 1959 by Minister for Education, Arthur Watts. On that day its name was officially changed from Midland Junction High School to the Governor Stirling Senior High School. This day also saw the adoption of a new school crest, which retained the motto of MJHS: “Honour Before Honours”. The official crest features a white swan behind a shield; the swan's wings encompassing the central motif.

In 1964, Woodbridge House became an annexe for Governor Stirling Senior High School. Around thirty Students were involved in the High School Certificate courses, and the house provided a unique, non-institutional learning environment for the small close knit student community which developed independently of the main school. The students took an interest in the history of the place and were responsible for the recovery of the wind vane missing from the house, which was discovered in the mud of the river bed. During this same period Woodbridge House became the headquarters for the Midland District Youth Committee; an advisory body representing up to thirteen local youth organizations.^[2]

Some of the surrounding high schools include, La Salle College, Guildford Grammar School and Swan Christian College

Lecture theatre at the new campus

During a visit from then federal Education Minister Julia Gillard in 2009, the federal government pledged $63m towards the rebuild of Governor Stirling Senior High School on the current campus. The school has now been totally rebuilt and enjoys new facilities such as commercial kitchens, a new gymnasium with fully equipped training room, workshops for design and technology, tennis courts, a fully equipped theatre, TV studio, visual arts rooms, kilns, library and wi-fi.

The Maali Centre is a dedicated building for indigenous student support services.

Student Services provide a chaplain, a psychologist and engagement services for all students.

Redevelopment plans

On 8 May 2008 Julia Gillard formally granted $63M to re-build the school on the current site.^[3] Donaldson + Warn Architects were commissioned to design the new school campus, and construction began in February, 2011. In the interim years 8, 9, 10 attended the old Midland Primary School site and years 11 and 12 attended Cyril Jackson Senior Campus. The new school was completed for Term 1 in the 2013 school year.

Specialist programs

Main exhibition at the Governor Stirling Artsmedia Exhibition in 2017. (Visual and performing arts hall)

Governor Stirling Senior High School is one of the flagship schools providing approved specialist programs in Western Australia. Governor Stirling offers three specialist programs; Artsmedia, Engineering and Football. All three programs are selective, and of these programs Artsmedia and Engineering are academically selective. As well as the specialist programs, Governor Stirling also offers an approved Gifted and Talented GATE extension program.^[4] Specialist programs at Governor Stirling, as well as the GATE program, give students living outside the school intake boundary the opportunity to attend the school, providing they pass the various examinations. The school also offers other non-specialist programs such as Netball, Dance and Music.

Artsmedia

Artsmedia Exhibition 2017 Featuring Projection onto the Administration Building

Artsmedia is a unique specialist academic program delivered only at Governor Stirling. Students learn skills in a wide array of topics within Art and Media including visual arts, digital and game design, film and television, journalism and photojournalism.^[5] As the program is entirely selective, students who wish to partake in the program must pass a strict academic exam as well as a practical test. The program is delivered in partnership with Murdoch University, providing opportunities for direct university entry. The program operates from years 7-10 and students have classes for four hours each week. Students can continue studying aspects of the program in years 11 and 12 in the form of VET subjects.

Engineering

Governor Stirling is Western Australia's specialist engineering school. The program offers a diverse range of engineering studies including electrical, mechanical, chemical, environmental and civil engineering.^[6] The program is academically selective, and students must pass a rigorous testing process in order to gain entry. The program is delivered in partnership with the University of Western Australia . The program operates from years 7-10 and students have classes for four hours each week.

Football

The specialist football program is a proud contributor to the school's history of sporting. The football program is renowned for achieving unequivocal success in developing rising stars in the AFL and WAFL.

Transport

Governor Stirling Senior High School is readily accessible by public transport. The most popular mean of transport to and from school is by train, and the school is located a short five minute walk from Woodbridge station on the Transperth Metro Purple line (Midland Line) which runs between Perth and Midland stations. The A Train and the P Train stop at Woodbridge, however the B Train does not.^[7] The 36 bus which runs between Midland and Elizabeth Quay via Victoria Park also stops near the school, and is a route well used by students. Transperth also operates  special bus routes 311, 310 and 754 after school. These routes leave at 15:05, 15:10 and 15:10 respectively and are a school special services which all go to Midland station, and then to their respective terminuses. 

Students enrolled at Governor Stirling receive a Student SmartRider, which entitles them to a 70 cent flat fare for all zones and for all Transperth services on school days. 

Colonial era relics

Remnants of the Stirling era remain on what is now Governor Stirling Senior High School site. Mature Olive trees growing on the high bank overlooking the Swan river are believed to have originated in the colonial period. The school stands on the site of a small cottage built by Stirling during the Swan River Colony’s infancy.

In 1930, an obelisk was erected, by the W.A. Historical Society, Which stands on the river bank adjacent to the school gymnasium and it reads:- “Captain James Stirling, R.N., First Governor, Commander-in-Chief, and Vice Admiral of Western Australia from 1829-1839 erected a ‘Cottage Orne’ here prior to 21 July 1831.”^[8]

Café

Walmart Café (formerly Gové Café) is the cafeteria located on the school grounds. It was founded in 1972 as Gové Café, but since 2012, Walmart has been responsible for the operation of the café, and the original school employees have since been taken over by a new team of staff selling higher quality items at lower prices. There is also a small eating area placed behind the cafeteria that leads onto the river bank.

Notable alumni

• Kate Lamont - Cook, Entrepreneur and Author^[9]
• Nic Naitanui - West Coast Eagles
• Christopher Pullin – Justice of the Court of Appeal Western Australia, Justice of the Supreme Court of Western Australia
• Zak Kirkup - Liberal member for Dawesville

See also

• List of schools in Perth, Western Australia

References

Coordinates: 31°53′20″S 115°59′20″E / 31.88888°S 115.98893°E / -31.88888; 115.98893