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Form of workLowanna is a vibrant and well-resourced Victorian Government 7-12 Secondary College with a student population of just less than one thousand. It is situated in a large, attractive setting adjacent to bushland in the township of Newborough. Lowanna College is the only secondary school in the Moe-Newborough community drawing enrolments from the local area and outlying rural townships.
Newborough is approximately 130 kilometres east of central Melbourne located in picturesque central Gippsland. The area is surrounded by rolling hills and is only an hour’s drive to the snowfields of Mt Baw Baw and the beaches of South Gippsland. The region offers a wide variety of sporting activities and facilities such as golf, basketball, soccer, mountain bike riding and water skiing.
The College staffing profile consists of:
- Principal
- Assistant Principals (4)
- Leading Teachers (3)
- Learning Specialists (4)
- Business Manager
- 53.8 EFT teaching staff
- 22.4 EFT Education Support staff
The College is divided into three mini schools of between 300-400 students, Junior School – Years 7 & 8, Middle School -Years 9 &10 and Senior School – Years 11 & 12. Each is managed by a team consisting of a Leading Teacher, a Student Advocate, a Student Support Officer and an administrative assistant who, in conjunction with all staff, are focused on the education and wellbeing of every student.
The College boasts modern facilities set in a pleasant learning and teaching environment. The College has a large Auditorium, a 2-court Gymnasium, a Language Centre, a purpose built Year 12 Centre and an onsite Wellbeing Centre for reengaging students at risk and for those who have a range of personal issues.
Lowanna offers a wide and varied curriculum and access to a vast array of extra–curricular activities that enhance student learning and sets the College apart from other schools in the area. The curriculum includes a core program for Junior School students, a core and elective program for Middle School students and multiple options for Senior School students with VCE, VCAL and VETiS. Year 10 students are able to accelerate their learning by accessing the full range of VCE subjects in Year 10.
Students are provided with a stimulating and enriched learning environment where the Arts, Science, Technology, Physical Education and Food subjects are all key components in a student’s learning. Further intertwined with the academic subjects are Lowanna’s Sports Excellence Program, a newly developing Music Excellence Program, a growing International Program and a long standing Outdoor Education Program. Lowanna has been instrumental in assisting with the development of the Gippsland Technical College that provides all students from Lowanna other Latrobe Valley Schools with exposure to innovative resources and technology. Students at all year levels have access to this school.
As well as offering two languages, Italian and Indonesian, the college also has an established relationship with Melbourne University and the Confucius Classroom, hosting a Chinese teacher who works at Lowanna and local primary schools. Lowanna has strong ongoing partnerships with Monash University, Federation University and Federation Training. Students participate in a variety of programs from Year 7 to 12 that enable them to gain insights into numerous pathways.
The College has close links with the other secondary schools in the Latrobe Valley. In 2014, this group collectively established the Latrobe Valley Flexible Learning Option (LVFLO). The campus is designed to reengage students in their schooling and move back into the secondary school environment.
The entire Lowanna staff team work diligently to continue to improve outcomes for students and to maintain a strong sense of community within the College.
