Round Square

The Southport School offers students of the school wonderful opportunities that are facilitated by the association the school has had since 1974 with The Round Square. Acceptance as a member was the turning point in the direction of the school. It facilitated the development of vision outside the confines of the state or the country, making the school and its members, past, present and future, part of the world of education and a much broader experience.

TSS, for 17 years, was the only school accepted into the organisation in the Southern Hemisphere. Our association has seen many members of our community be involved with aspects of the organization impelling new experience, connections and friendships. TSS is the environment of today, with comprehensive and inclusive programmes thanks to its membership of Round Square and adoption of Hahnian educational philosophy.

Round Square offers a clear philosophy of education which includes six pillars — the foundation of the development of creative, responsible, caring people. The Pillars of Round Square facilitate experiences that are pursued for the sake of knowledge and building character. These include International Understanding, an important quality for the times we live in as understanding builds a base for real tolerance. Democracy and democratic processes — in the organisation of the school it affords students the opportunity and forum to question what is happening in their environment and with grounding in Leadership skills and opportunities for positions of responsibility, empowers students to make change in their environment.

Environmental Understanding challenges the students to accept responsibility for their physical environment both school and wider afield. The school has a thorough Outdoor Education programme. Beginning in Year 3 the students are impelled to develop skills, accept challenge and adventure through the grades with developmental degrees of difficulty in each year group. This leads to the self organised camp in Year 11. In Round Square schools, challenge is everywhere. Students are not only expected to do well in conventional ways, but to serve and to lead. Leadership is encompassed in the previous four areas with many of the students offered leadership opportunities. The last of the foundations is Service. This is striving to achieve balance between self-improvement and self-denial in the interests of others. This is all combined with the formal skills of education. The school, through the Round Square philosophy and Mission Statement of the school addresses the whole person not fragmented parts.

Much of what your sons experience, or are impelled into, in their years at the school lay a foundation for their future. The reward of this education will become part of your sons’ lives in their future. There is immediate benefit from involvement in all of the activities the school offers, yet the reality is that years down the track a real understanding of the Hahnian philosophy will sit comfortably and be a strong foundation. As your sons grow into manhood they will create new ways and visions not only for themselves, but potentially for the whole human race.

To understand our involvement with Round Square and the opportunities available outside those that are interwoven into the operating of the school, I present a concise account of Round Square.

Round Square Mission Statement

Round Square is a worldwide association of schools which share a commitment, beyond academic excellence, to personal development and responsibility through service, challenge, adventure and international understanding.

Round Square’s member schools are widely known; but the common bond they share is less recognised and understood. This bond is important, however, and powerful; for Round Square is an organisation that embodies one of the twentieth century’s foremost revolutions in education.

This revolution led to the creation of dozens of outstanding schools, and to Outward Bound, the United World Colleges, the Duke of Edinburgh awards, and other innovations. It continues to influence education in many countries, and inspires educators at each Round Square school. As of 2005, there are 51 member schools, with eight in Australia and a number of regional schools.

Kurt Hahn’s philosophy of education inspired the vision of the Round Square, with quotes such as “in your disability is your opportunity” and “Plus est en vous” and “There’s more in you (than you think)”. You can see that he was driven to inspire and impel youth into learning experiences to develop the whole person.

His motive for these innovations was educational. Hahn knew that self-discovery comes through challenges. Hahn died in 1974. The Times of London remarked that “no one else in our day has created more original educational ideas and, at the same time, possessed the gift of getting them into practice.”

Student Exchange

At TSS, Mr George organises student exchanges. Most often these are term-length exchanges of one student for another, though sometimes they are full or half year in duration. Exchanges are worked out on a school-to-school basis, with no tuition money changing hands and students travelling on tourist visas. Exchanges also bring young alumni interested in a career in education for ‘gap’ year (pre-university, post-secondary) internships at member schools as teaching aides. These experiences bring a fundamental alteration in human relationship. Students ask questions about their education and level of personal independence, returning with resolve and a strong direction for their future.

It is a singular honour at any Round Square school to be sent on exchange.

The Round Square network makes it possible to match an exchanged student to a school with minimal bureaucratic burden and little cost beyond travel and incidental. Because exchange is popular, each school is enriched by an annual inflow of visitors bringing the views and values of other nations and cultures, and by returning students whose perspective on society, education and the world has been deepened through personal experience. At TSS exchange is encouraged at Year 10 level for term four, which has proved to be the least disruptive academically. Other year group exchanges are certainly accepted, as are different times of the year. There are also short term national and regional exchange opportunities starting with a two week opportunity in Year 8.

TSS boys have the opportunity to participate in short-term exchanges within Australia (Yr 8 Only) and longer-term exchanges to Round square schools around the world. In 2011 exchanges are available to Canada, USA, UK, France, Germany and Switzerland

Round Square Service Projects

Each Round Square school presents an array of service opportunities to its own students. The scope of activities is enormous, ranging from support for the ill and elderly to child care to maintenance and rehabilitation of natural areas to operation of life-saving. Internationally thousands of hours of such volunteer-service work are performed by Round Square students each week. Students also take on emergency service when help is needed. Schools train students in skills needed to be ready to help others in cases of emergency or disaster.

From time to time, an opportunity to serve requires the efforts of a team from several schools. Such ‘service projects’ normally take place during school holidays, and may be structured in either of two ways:

• School-based projects are organised, staffed and logistically supported by a ‘base’ school. These are opened to all Round Square students once they are up and running and have proved to be successful.

• Round Square International Service Projects: (RSIS) Larger projects may be directed by Round Square itself. The organisation has the leadership, expertise and funding needed to take on complex, logistically difficult projects, such as school construction and disaster-relief projects mounted since the early 1980’s at locations in India and Kenya. Students at Round Square schools raise money each year to supply construction and emergency-relief materials. These funds are kept in The Prince Alexander fund (PAF) for ‘bricks and mortar’ purposes only. These projects are advertised and open to all Round Square Schools with students over sixteen being eligible. Currently there are projects in India, Kenya and Thailand.

All service projects are organised according to the ‘Round Square Ground Plan’ policies and procedures, which promote safety and effectiveness. Each is followed by an evaluation to ensure service will have an educative result for each student.

Mr George holds all information regarding what is available, and you can find information by contacting him, looking on the Round Square notice board, or the school home page under Round Square or at www.roundsquare.org.

Each year Round Square schools are asked to nominate candidates for the Kurt Hahn Prize, given to one or more students who have acted courageously to serve mankind or preserve life. This is Round Square’s only award. It reflects Hahn’s belief that great things — service of consequence, even heroism - are within the reach of prepared young persons, and that such deeds should be identified and celebrated. In 1981 Marc Napier (‘76 — ’81 Radcliffe House) was awarded the Kurt Hahn prize for his courageous effort in rescuing people from the surf whilst on surf patrol.

These and other collaborative activities are explained and supported by Echo, the Round Square newsletter, which is distributed to member schools and comes out quarterly. The magazines are  housed in the Library or with Mr George.

The Annual Conference

Each year Round Square schools send teams of representatives to a five-day conference held at a member school. The teams, including students, the head of school, a member of the faculty/staff, and a trustee/governor, are expected to be at least 50 percent comprised of students. During the Conference, the prior year’s collaborative activities are reported and evaluated and new projects are planned. Discussions examine topics of importance to schools and the world, especially as they relate to the special theme of each Conference. An address (usually from a prominent public figure) called The Hahn Lecture is a feature.

The Annual General Meeting (participated in by heads and trustee/governors of member schools, but open to observation by all) is held at this time. Through activities, expeditions and events designed by the host school, visitors are introduced to the host school’s country, culture and environment, and to a theme topic.

Friendships and alliances form; prejudices based on national or cultural differences can be overcome. Much preparation and leadership for each annual Conference is taken on by students at the host school. Annual Conferences move from school to school and country to country. Hosting a Conference is prized as a significant challenge to the skills and morale of every member of the host school’s community. TSS hosted the Annual Conference in 1995.

Conferences for Younger Students

The Junior Regional Conference is held for Year 8 - 9 students over a three or four day period usually early in the year, and a Regional Conference open to Year 10, 11 & 12 students in the June/July holidays.

Within each conference the six pillars of Round Square are explored so that there will be International, Leadership, Environmental, Adventure, Challenge, Leadership and Service components in each conference.

A host school arranges a schedule of events and activities, and students and faculty members from each of the region’s schools attend. These regional gatherings are reported in the TSS Review, Echo newsletter, and at the following year’s Conference. With the Junior Conference we have linked a period of exchange, usually two weeks, for delegates to the Conference which is reciprocated later in the year. TSS hosted the Regional Conference 2010 and the Junior Regional in 2004.

The Round Square Student Committee (RSSC)

The Committee consists of students interested in Round Square from all age groups, students who have been on exchange or to a conference and incoming exchange students. Students on the Committee accept roles specific to them to research or action. The RSSC comprises of Office Bearers elected into the position by the student committee. The Round Square Student Committee meets regularly for meetings to discuss and plan areas of Round Square within TSS. Activities for fund-raising to support the Prince Alexander Fund (PAF) for Round Square International Service projects are items on the agenda. The Preparatory School have a programme in place for Year 7 to be involved with Round Square through independent student initiated service projects and meetings.

To learn more about the Round Square organisation or Round Square Schools, refer to the TSS home page at www.tss.qld.edu.au and locate Round Square under TSS Education — General or ask Mr George.

You also can refer to the Round Square Home page at www.roundsquare.org.