Maiden Gully Primary School

Maiden Gully Primary School is a large school of 370 students in a semi rural environment seven kilometres west of Bendigo. The school Community believes that students are capable of acting independently, with initiative and will learn and grow in self esteem as a result of maintaining a strong desire to learn taking pride in their achievements and by respecting their school, teachers and fellow students.

Being a school with strong community links Maiden Gully PS endeavours to develop resilient student personalities and to build positive interpersonal relationships between its community members.

Programs and structures that encourage these relationships include:

A whole school commitment to conflict resolution through student involvement in the Stop, Think Do healthy relationships Peer Mediation and Seasons programs.
A drug education program that tackles drug related issues through a harm minimisation approach, focusing on accurate information and the implementation of preventative strategies.
A resilience and Anti Bullying program, which has been most successful in demonstrating how tolerance and appreciation of difference can enrich all school relationships an create a more effective learning environment.
An annual school concert and musical events that focus on engaging all students and showcasing their creative skills.
A willingness to team students in Challenge Situations outside of the school fosters initiative, problem solving and effective communication skills. The Regional Tournament of Minds competition, the Maryborough Human Powered Energy and Melbourne Solar Boat Challenges are three favourites of the students.

We eagerly accepted the opportunity to participate in the 2002 Festival for Healthy Living, because it provided us with an opportunity to strengthen our Middle Years association with our local schools, to work with a professional artist and to become involved with a high profile performance focusing attention on student mental health in the wider community. This project also fits in well with the schools intention to focus on student resilience as an important part of its transition to the secondary school program.

Maiden Gully PS: The Acts

The circus is a great metaphor for life. Many of the skills needed to stage a circus show are the same needed to maintain emotional well-being. Trust, strength, persistence, self-discipline, co-operation, communication, humour, and the ability to overcome fear are all qualities that circus performers need to find in themselves, both on a personal level and as part of a group.

For four young students who decide to run away from home and school due to constant personal pressure, ending up at the circus provides the ideal venue to address their problems. Being different, always giving up, being bullied, and being teased are all conditions that the circus performers are familiar with. Understanding the reasons why people treat others this way, as well as learning how to turn these negatives into positives, is the pathway of many of the circus performers and the information that our runaways need to hear.

Featuring song, circus skills and all the colour of "The Big Top", these students should be applauded for the creativity and relevance of their production.

Artist in Residence: Team Henderson

Last Updated 29-Sep-2009. Authorised by: Pam Marland. Enquiries: Harry Gelber.