2000s: Expansion

This decade was a very confident and vibrant decade for the school – demonstrating the stability and consistency earned by the hard work of the earlier decades.

There was a sense of growth and change as the new co-principals established their rhythm and leadership, always building on what had come before them and retaining the core values of the school. Always focusing on the child (or adolescent!)

During this decade, we began to participate in the Joondalup Festival Parade; we held public Art Exhibitions for the International Baccalaureate (IB) art students; the secondary students regularly grew and planted native trees to help fight desalination in our regional areas, and we engaged actively in many ways with the local community. We also looked to the rest of the world, and the IB students began to take regular overseas trips every two years – mostly to a sister IB school in Chang Mai, Thailand.

In 2002, we celebrated the School’s 40th birthday with an evening on the original school oval – with a candlelight procession taking the shape of a rainbow snake, and a singing performance led by students.

At the beginning of this decade, the School developed its first major five-year plan, titled ‘Building and Working From Solid Foundations.’ And this reflected the pedagogical work as well as the physical reconstruction of the School. The School formally purchased the remaining part of the current property from Mrs Duyker in 2002, allowing for new expansion in the space. There was a major review of the school constitution, and plans were begun for new buildings.

In 2008, the new buildings constructed (primary and secondary – now lower and upper primary) were opened along with the amphitheatre and tensile canopy for whole school gatherings (and at that time we fit neatly with one group for each step level!). The buildings were opened in 2009. The buildings were designed very carefully by architects to capture and enhance the beauty of the School property. They were designed intentionally with passive heating and cooling systems, natural light, natural building materials, and clean and neat lines (with some exposed geometric shapes for sparking interest!). They were designed to be unobtrusive, soft, and warm for students to feel completely at ease.

Nationally and internationally, this was a significant decade for Montessori education with the centenary of Montessori in 2007– marking the opening of the first Casa dei Bambini in Rome in 1907. There was an interschool picnic and a public display in Perth to mark the centenary, and a great sense of joy and hope as Montessori became more visible to the general public as well as education authorities.

There was a national push to elevate Montessori education and to have it formally recognised as a legitimate alternative curriculum. The Montessori Australia Foundation and the Montessori Children’s Foundation were established to bring unity and cohesiveness to Montessori education in Australia. Our school joined and supported both organisations, as well as signing up for the first national Montessori quality assurance program.

2000 – Classrooms

2000 – Jobs

2000 – Christmas

2000s – Excusrions

2001 – Classroom

2001 – Jobs

2001 – Christmas

2002 – Class Photos

2002 – 40th nniversary Celebration

2002 – Jobs

2002 – Christmas

2003 – Classroom

2003 – Jobs

2003 – Picnic

2003 – Excursions