Mount Erin College
Mount Erin Secondary College is a secondary school located in the suburb of Frankston, Victoria, Australia. It has approximately 800 students and is one of the only schools running the SEAL (Select Entry Accelerated Learning) program in the area. Other schools that run the program include Lyndale Secondary College and Wellington Secondary College.
Campuses
The school was previously split into two separate campuses, one located on the original Frankston site and another newer campus in the nearby suburb of Somerville. The Somerville campus runs a year 7–10 programme with students progressing to Mount Erin Frankston to complete years 11 and 12 within the VCE or VCAL programs.
In 2009 the Somerville campus was separated from Frankston campus (the original campus). The Somerville campus then became 'Somerville Secondary College'. The former Somerville campus continued to run a 7–10 program despite the de-merger. As a result, students wishing to continue to years 11 and 12 progress to Mount Erin (Frankston) and are guaranteed a place. Since 2011, Somerville Secondary College has begun to run VCE classes.
Mount Erin College offers wide and diverse range of specialist on campus programmes including the Hands On Learning program, the SEAL program, MESEM (student council), and the lap-top program to name a few. It also has a successful welfare program and caters for individual learning needs. Mount Erin College also has a DEAF Education Facilities, where students from the program are integrated into mainstream classes. Teachers are assisted with RF systems and speakers to ensure that DEAF EDU students are receiving a high quality of teaching and learning.
In 2012, Mount Erin College introduced its Athlete Enhancement Program, where by students are selected for excellence and undertake classes suited to enhancing their athletic ability.
In 2013, Mount Erin College aims to release its Performing Arts Academy to enhance those students who excel in the performing arts.
Faculty
The current principal of Mt Erin is Karen Lee. The school has a further two vice principals, Heather Worral, who is in charge of the junior sub school (years 7 to 9) and Phil Larkins, who manages the senior sub school (years 10 to 12).
Programmes and subjects
Mount Erin College is host to many on-campus vet programmes including VET Hairdressing, VET Automotive and VET building and construction. The outcomes of these VET classes are nationally accredited certificates in the particular disciplines, which are a lifelong achievement. There are also a wide array of VCE and VCAL options not available at other schools in the area, due to outstanding facilities not present at other schools.[citation needed]
Mount Erin College recently introduced a lap-top programme aimed at year 7–9 students to increase their computer skills, as well as allow an extra two classes to use computers and Internet. this eliminated the need to build extra computer rooms, increasing the total of available 'computer classes' from four to six+. The college also funded netbooks to all year 10 students in 2012 as a part of the government's 1.1 computer program.
Mount Erin College draws students from a number of local primary schools, including Frankston Heights Primary and Kingsley Park Primary School, which are both within walking distance. Students come from as far south as Hastings and Bittern and as far north as Carrum Downs.
Mount Erin College is also host to a DEAF programme, enabling hearing-impaired students to access a full subject range. Interpreters are normally present in classes containing hearing impaired students, to aid them in understanding and completing their work. Hearing-impaired students make up a small percentage of total students but often score very high in their school work and further studies.
Indonesian is taught to all students for years 7 and 8, with further studies an option taken by many who excel in the subject. Recently[when?] the school hosted exchange students from Germany, Indonesia and Panama.
Facilities
Mount Erin College retained many technical facilities from its previous years as Baxter Technical School. These include fully functional woodwork rooms, multi purpose 'tech' rooms used for year 7 and 8 students an electronics room as well as two large kitchens, a textiles room and ceramics room.
Other facilities include a vast and amply equipped science wing, many graphics and art rooms, 3 large computer rooms, resource center containing many thousands of books and around a further 25 computers, interactive whiteboards in around 1 in every 3 classrooms (excluding tech rooms), learning center and student welfare facility.
The Year 7 annex is a fully integrated open plan learning area occupied by the year 7 level. It 'softens' the transition process from primary school and provides a positive learning area.
The school has vast, well kept grounds and gardens. There are many sporting areas including a large oval and multiple courts. The school has a huge gym, with adjacent weights facility and separate change rooms.
The school also has a well-developed auditorium that hosts the accredited drama facility. Students have the opportunity to explore not only the acting side of drama, but also the backstage aspects such as lighting and stage craft. The Drama department hosts a production at a professional theater (the George Jenkins theater) each year. The production is generally spread over one week, containing 3 night time performances and matinées.
The college also has state of the art music facilities who produce many, very talented musicians who are well known and respected through the peninsula. [citation needed]