Glenunga International High School

Glenunga International High School
Location
Wikimedia | © OpenStreetMap
99 L'Estrange St Glenunga, SA 5064 Australia
Coordinates	34°55′25″S 138°35′56″E / 34.9235656°S 138.5988226°E / -34.9235656; 138.5988226Coordinates: 34°55′25″S 138°35′56″E / 34.9235656°S 138.5988226°E / -34.9235656; 138.5988226
Information
Type	Public
Motto	Labor Omnia Vincit (Latin for Work conquers all)
Established	1903 (as the Preparatory School for the SA School of Mines and Industries)[1]
Principal	Wendy Johnson AM[2]
Faculty	150[3]
Enrolment	1804
Houses	Air, Earth, Fire, Water
Colour(s)	Blue & Gold
Information	+61 8 8379 5629
Website	www.gihs.sa.edu.au

Glenunga International High School (informally known as Glenunga or GIHS) is a publicly funded international school in Adelaide, South Australia. It is located approximately four kilometres south-east of the Adelaide city centre in the suburb of Glenunga, between L'Estrange and Conyngham Streets, adjoining the major thoroughfare Glen Osmond Road. The school serves the surrounding suburbs of the cities of Unley, Burnside and the Adelaide Hills.

Glenunga maintains a strong academic reputation,^[4] and is one of only three South Australian schools to offer the Ignite program for gifted students. Glenunga is currently the only publicly funded high school to offer the IB Diploma Programme in South Australia. The school's current Principal is .^[5]

With students from 76 different countries of birth, and incoming international exchanges, it is a highly multicultural school. It is the largest secondary school in the South Australian public system.^[6]

History[]

The school was established in 1903 from the defunct Adelaide Agricultural School (founded 1897 with Andrew Ferguson as headmaster) as the Preparatory School for the South Australian School of Mines and Industries. It was renamed the Junior Technical School in 1914 and then Adelaide Technical High School in 1918.^[1] The school and the Old Scholars Association marked 1998 as the centenary year.^{[citation needed]}

It was located at the School of Mines building (which houses Brookman Hall — named for benefactor George Brookman) on the corner of North Terrace and Frome Road, now part of the City East campus of the University of South Australia. The school population outgrew the campus, so in 1964 it was relocated to its current location in Glenunga, and was renamed Glenunga High School in 1974. It adopted its current name upon the introduction of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in 1990–91 with the aid of The Honourable Greg Crafter,^[7] a development which was instigated to help save the school from closure due to dwindling student numbers. With enrolments rising, GIHS has subsequently attracted substantial government funding and construction projects, most notably the technology and science wing extensions, a new administration block, and a performing arts centre; since 2005 there have been various additional changes to the facilities, such as extra rooms.

In 2013, development began for a new $10 million building to accommodate the growing number of students.^[8] This new building was accompanied by the renovation of the Music, Sciences and Art departments, as well as a new library. The development upgrades were completed in 2014.^[9]

In 2020, the construction began for new buildings including technology facilities, science labs and classrooms began. The total cost of the new plan is roughly $32 million.^[10] The construction is planned to be complete by 2021 for the introduction of year 7s into the school.

Student life[]

Glenunga International High School hosts an array of extracurricular groups, all of which are student-run. These include special-interest clubs, a variety of community service organisations, as well as various sporting teams.^[11] Glenunga has over 50 student-led clubs, which include Musical Theatre, Debating, Chess, Science and Raspberry Pi, amongst others.

Glenunga International High School has an extensive student leadership model, which gives any student the opportunity to make change within the school community. This includes the Learner, International Mindedness, and Wellbeing Councils, student driven bodies who co-ordinate events and a number of other responsibilities.

Academic performance[]

Glenunga continues to foster some of the academically highest-achieving students in the state.^[12][13]

In 2016, 20 students across both the SACE and IB diplomas achieved an ATAR of 99 or more — a score in the top 1% of students nationwide for that year.^[14]

Notable staff members[]

• Daniel Becker — Sciences teacher,^[15] 2019^{[clarification needed]}
• Dave Dallwitz — Art teacher, c. 1954–1964^[16]
• Ivor Francis — Art teacher, 1944–1947^[16]
• Doru Frîncu (Francu) — P. E. teacher, 2009–present^[17]
• Sam Kellett — English teacher, 2013–2014^[18]
• Geoff Kemp — English and Drama teacher, current^[19]
• Paul Mildren — Member of the Australian baseball team;^[20][21] P. E. teacher, 2015–present^[22]
• Joe Scalzi — Social sciences, 2008–2010^[23][24]
• Jason Spalding — IT manager, current^[25]
• Rex Wright — P. E. teacher, 2011–2020^[26]

Notable alumni and alumnae[]

G(I)HS (1974–present)[]

• Stanley Browning — Actor^[27]
• Leanne Choo — Australian representative at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics in badminton^[28][29]
• William Henzell — Represented Australia at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics in table tennis^[30]
• Finegan Kruckemeyer — Playwright^[31]
• Giang Nguyen — Mathematician^[32]
• Raphaela Wiget — Australian Ninja Warrior contestant, seasons 3 and 4^[33]
• Cameron Wood — AFL footballer with the Brisbane Lions (2005–2007), Collingwood Football Club (2008–2012), and Carlton Football Club (2014–2016)^[34]

ATHS[]

• Peter Badcoe — Victoria Cross recipient. Killed in action during the Vietnam War^[35]
• Mark Brindal — Politician^[36]
• Sir Walter Crocker — Diplomat, Lieutenant-Governor of South Australia^[37]
• Bruce R. Davis — Electronics engineer^[38]
• Maurice de Rohan — Engineer, Agent General for South Australia^[39]
• Norm Duncan — VFL footballer with South Melbourne^[36]
• Merle Honor Marten — Holden artist, Mayoress of Port Adelaide^[40]
• Harry Medlin — Deputy Chancellor of the University of Adelaide^[41]
• Vince Monterola — CEO of the SA Country Fire Service^[42]
• Ong Teng Cheong — President of Singapore, politician, architect, town planner^[43]
• Kevin Peek — Classical/rock guitarist^[44]
• Reg Sprigg — Geologist, conservationist^[45]
• James Cyril Stobie — Inventor of the Stobie pole^[46]
• Alfred Traeger — Inventor of the pedal radio^[47]

Adelaide Agricultural School (1897–1902)[]

• Sir Richard Layton Butler
• A. E. V. Richardson

References and notes[]

External links[]

• Official website
• Blue and Gold Alumni Association