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Page Last Updated:
Friday, 6 November 2009 |
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Home>MAYOR VISITS GAOYOU MIDDLE SCHOOL
| 6 November 2009 | | Many residents in the Shire would be aware that The Hamilton and Alexandra College and the Gaoyou Middle School in China have established a very strong ongoing relationship since an early Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the Southern Grampians Shire Council and the City of Gaoyou in 1998 to establish a Sister Region Relationship.
In a unique partnership, Gaoyou Middle School is regarded as a Twin Campus of The Hamilton and Alexandra College, with each school bearing one another’s name and title, together with Principals having honorary Principalship of the other.
Since the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, over 600 students from the College have had the opportunity to spend time in China, board for a period at Gaoyou Middle School and visit a number of major cities, and many local families have been able to host Gaoyou students on their reciprocal visits.
As part of last week’s Council delegation to the City of Gaoyou, Mayor Cr Marcus Rentsch toured the Gaoyou Middle School with Principal Wang Jun Kun. The school covers an area of 28 acres in central Gaoyou and hosts 4,300 students with boarding houses accommodating 2,000 of these students. Classes commence at 7.00am until 11.30am and later between 2.00pm and 5.30pm. Classrooms are modern together with sporting facilities, which include a synthetic athletics track.
Principal of The Hamilton and Alexandra College Bruce Simons was delighted to hear of the Shire visit, which further cements the region’s commitment to the Sister City program and the College’s ties with Gaoyou Middle School.
“Arguably, the Year 9 China Experience is the most profound educational opportunity and development at the school in the last decade and has had a lasting effect on improving the collective culture of our Year 9 students, our overall academic results and the global connectivity of our students and staff,” he said.
Southern Grampians Shire Council Mayor Cr Marcus Rentsch said, “The visit to the Gaoyou Middle School confirmed the value of the relationship and student exchanges in terms of cultural awareness and experience for our young people and Council looks forward to this strong relationship continuing into the future.”
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